Clannad

Clannad (Japanese: クラナド, Hepburn: Kuranado) is an anime series based on the visual novel of the same name by Key.

Plot
Set in the fictional Hikarizaka City in Japan, Tomoya Okazaki, is a third-year high school student who does not take his studies seriously. However, one day, he befriends and falls in love with a woman named Nagisa.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) Contrary to other high school anime such as Lucky Star, Azumanga Daioh, and Nichijou, which were all plotless shows, Clannad has a genuine and robust, plot, lore, and character development.
 * 2) The premise of having the protagonist be in his final year of high school while meeting and befriending a women is creative.
 * 3) Relatively likable characters:
 * 4) *The main protagonist Tomoya throughout the plot, undergoes his transformation from a delinquent to a protective and nurturing man who cares deeply for all of his friends, especially Nagisa.
 * 5) *Nagisa is friendly, polite, and caring towards others. Not only is she well-written and possess major roles, but she is also selfless, and is a prime example of a female role model compared to the likes of Sakura or Bulma from Naruto and Dragon Ball respectively.
 * 6) *Kyou, while she has been selfish and arrogant sometimes, is decent, and takes responsibilities seriously.
 * 7) *Ryou may be soft spoken, but yet intelligent.
 * 8) *Fuko may be somewhat childish, but she is generous.
 * 9) *Kotomi, while she struggles with communication, remains intelligent.
 * 10) *Tomoyo is hardworking, responsible, and intelligent. Furthermore, some of her brief battles can be entertaining.
 * 11) *Akio and Sanae are very lovable parents.
 * 12) Many of the characters possess full-fledged character development, and become interesting as the series progresses.
 * 13) Adorably pretty or handsome character designs.
 * 14) The second season got better reception than the first.
 * 15) Decent soundtrack.
 * 16) The openings and endings are masterpieces.
 * 17) The final episode is very heartwarming and positive, ending the show on a high note.
 * 18) The OVAs, Tomoyo and Kyou chapters are really good, both set in alternate timelines on what would happened if Tomoya ended up with either of the two girls instead of Nagisa.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) Depending on your point of view, you might find the pacing of the anime a bit too slow, especially during Fuko's arc.
 * 2) Youhei can be annoying or arrogant often and can be treated as a butt-monkey.
 * 3) Some of the scenes, such as Kotomi's flashback can be horrific or traumatizing, whether they be intentional or not.
 * 4) In After Story, most of the characters (like Kyou, Tomoyo, Kotomi and Fuko) despite remaining likable, become sidelined and irrelevant to the main story.
 * 5) Just like its source material, the anime is somewhat obscure in-spite of its positive reception.

Reception
The first season of Clannad received mixed-to positive reviews, while the second season Clannad After Story received wide critical acclaim.

Trivia

 * Just like the Fate series, Clannad is an example of adaptation displacement, in which the franchise is primarily known for and associated with anime than visual novels/videogames.