Does Clannad have the most relatable representation of depression youve seen in anime?
Love the series. Have for 15 years. Completed VN and animes.
As fans, I've seen us all put it on a pedestal and talk about it being the best anime/goat of its genre. The narrative, the highs and the lows. It just weaves together so well if you are receptive.
But I was thinking this AM reading a just finished watching post, why? What's at the core of this story that makes it so impactful. Like, it's almost insidious. It starts off like any other romance slice of life. First season has its moments but doesn't really prepare you for the hammer that's gonna drop in after story.
I'm thinking it's the way Tomoya's depression is presented. At that point, we've been thru some lows and some high highs. But when he is truly living in despair, just going thru the motions. There's something there that connects deeper than everything else. Be it sympathy, or empathy, it hits home. The sinking into vices. The overworking to escape reality. The reclusion away from loved ones. Hes sunk so low, into a familiar place to many of us im sure. And I just feel like it's excellently portrayed. The story does so well at showcasing the raw emotions and how that influences his day in day out. I was thinking About it this morning and not sure what other anime or any visual media for that matter that I've seen executes it as well as Clannad did.
What do y'all think?