That's great.
It's real.
The hidden ending is real.
Interspersed with "mermaids tears", "Quilt Man", and "Your Name"…
These are all real.
Kawasaki rejoiced in place, glad he hadn't given up.
That's great.
After sitting for a while, he suddenly remembered something, struggled to get up from the ground, walked to the computer desk, and earnestly replied:
"The hidden ending is real.
I've already experienced it.
Everything is real.
Please, everyone, don't give up; you definitely won't regret this ending.
Because CLANNAD is a masterpiece."
…
It's strange to say, but from that day on, the posts about CL in the pokeni Community suddenly became normal.
They weren't negative reviews or troll posts.
Instead, they were genuine evaluations of the game itself, combined with personal feelings, giving sincere comments:
"CLANNAD is truly a very touching game, one that lingers in your mind even after it ends.
I love Furukawa Nagisa.
Nagisa, this girl, seemed very fragile and had poor health. At first, I thought Nagisa wasn't as good as Tomoyo, or even the twin sisters.
But in the process of getting along, I was slowly drawn to Nagisa.
After playing through the hidden ending and looking back, Nagisa is truly an extraordinary girl, and I misunderstood her in many plot points.
This fellow, she felt very uneasy walking alone and had to follow the male protagonist.
She seemed particularly timid, but in reality, she had already sensed the male protagonist's loneliness.
From the beginning, this wasn't Tomoya saving Furukawa Nagisa's story, but Furukawa Nagisa saving Tomoya.
When Tomoya was lonely, it was Nagisa who actively approached and accompanied him.
It was Nagisa who actively bridged the distance between Tomoya and his father.
It was Nagisa who made Tomoya integrate into her warm family, making him cheerful and happy.
It was Nagisa who made Tomoya believe that all difficulties in this world could be overcome.
Even on her deathbed, Nagisa was comforting Tomoya, asking him not to regret meeting her.
Worried that Tomoya wouldn't be able to face this world alone without her, Nagisa still encouraged him.
What a kind and strong girl she is!
I really cried my eyes out.
Nagisa is not weak at all; she is a very strong, kind girl who saves others.
The meeting of Nagisa and Tomoya is the most beautiful thing I experienced in this game."
…
"Written as CLANNAD, read as life.
This is the most peculiar galgame I have ever seen. In this game, there is not only the romance of young boys and girls.
You will even experience the entire life of Okazaki Tomoya, the male protagonist.
From meeting Furukawa Nagisa, to falling in love, to getting married, to having children…
These are actually the same as people's life experiences.
And in this life, Tomoya also experienced various hardships, and the reason we feel moved and empathize with the character is because this game is not just a galgame; what it depicts is your life.
It is everyone's real life.
At the same time, I am very grateful to Pokeni for creating such a game for us."
"CLANNAD: Song of the Family.
The theme of "family" is already very profound, and in reality, everyone will be moved by it.
Furthermore, the plot and character emotions within it can find their prototypes in reality; they are so real.
Friendship, love, and family affection are interpreted so distinctly, making it unforgettable. The characters in the game are all flesh and blood, with no wasted roles. It is estimated that everyone in reality can find their own shadow in CL.
CL has no thrilling plot, no world-saving scenarios. It is just an ordinary "family" theme that is enough to stir every nerve in us.
Originally, the game was produced by Furuhara Tsubaki.
Old Thief Furuhara is indeed despicable, but I have to say he is truly a god.
The game itself is of superior, superior, superior quality, and the soundtrack is even more the icing on the cake, with brilliant touches everywhere. Such visuals, such music.
Hayao Miyazaki's artwork can truly pierce one's heart, instantly bringing all characters to life.
Coupled with the moving and emotionally stirring plot, it gives players a strong sense of immersion.
The various details, foreshadowing, and surprises in the game are too numerous to list one by one to avoid spoilers.
I can only say that this team is incredibly patient; they never reveal their killer moves until the time is right.
But once revealed, they instantly dismantle the players' psychological defenses.
This is not a question of whether one is easily moved to tears or not.
Anyone with humanity and a sense of responsibility cannot help but be touched.
I wonder how many tears the artists must have shed during production, and how many times the voice actors must have broken down in tears during dubbing.
Some say CLANNAD will change a person.
I say: whether it can change a person is debatable, but it can truly awaken a person.
CLANNAD broke the ice in my heart that had been there for many years; it is a work that truly completely captivated me.
As I write this review, the CL game is still running on the TV.
I wrote this review listening to CLANNAD's BGM, and it is also the most complete review I have written after experiencing CLANNAD. I have expressed all my opinions.
Finally, CLANNAD Saikou! Saikou! Saikou!"
"Family, town, and people's wishes are the purpose of this game. Every character in the game is wonderful and has their own story behind them.
We can experience everyone's joys, sorrows, and anger, just like everything we experience in the real world.
Such a game cannot simply be described as a game.
It is our life."
"I really like Pokeni's slogan:
game is life.
Every game has its own unique worldview, storyline, character stories, and various interactions…
Under these worldviews and character settings, what players experience is nothing short of a journey through life?
Thank you, Pokeni.
Thank you, Furuhara Tsubaki.
Thank you, Maeda Jun.
It is because of such excellent companies and teams that we have been brought one different life experience after another.
Written as CLANNAD, read as life."
"Written as CLANNAD, read as life." This is the common sentiment of countless players.
At the same time, this is also the greatest feeling that CL brought to the players this time. This phrase, once first proposed by a player, quickly became popular throughout the entire game circle.
Even people who hadn't played this game knew the phrase "Written as CLANNAD, read as life."
One can imagine how influential this game is.
Its strong propagation is partly due to the game's own excellent quality.
On the other hand, the pokeni Community truly made a great contribution this time.
From its establishment when no one paid attention, to later being trolled by countless people, with countless players wanting to send razor blades to Furuhara Tsubaki, then to self-defeating troll traps, and then all the way to today.
This forum has finally returned to normal.
However, it was precisely during this process that the number of registered users on the forum grew exponentially.
As of now, there are already over 50,000 registered users, and the daily posting volume exceeds 3,000.
This in itself is an incredible thing.
…
In addition, there are various detailed guides and analyses for "The Cat Returns," "Ichinose's Ending," and so on.
Although current technology and network speed do not yet support image transmission, it did not diminish everyone's enthusiasm at all.
Text alone was enough for players to imagine many scenes.
The CL comment section is very lively now; everyone is communicating, chatting, and sharing here, and this is simply a miracle.
It's as if the Orb of Light from the game came into the real world and changed the world line, and players suddenly became friendly and sincere.
After reading these comments, Aoki Haruhi closed his eyes and sighed.
It wasn't because he was moved.
But rather, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness and anger—
You were the ones who attacked me then.
Now you are the ones praising me.
Good heavens!
How can there be such betrayers?!
…
All in all, the final result was still ideal.
The forum became popular, and CLANNAD also became popular.
After a series of twists and turns, players re-recognized this game and also re-recognized Furuhara Tsubaki.
One can't say they re-recognized Furuhara Tsubaki; one can only say they are very glad that Old Thief Furuhara is back.
And he is still the one in everyone's hearts.
Ruthless with the razor blades, but at certain times, he still retains that tiny bit of human decency.
Especially in producing games of superior quality, making them impeccable, with tearjerkers in the game that completely devastated players.
Under such circumstances, besides being moved, players still have to praise Old Thief Furuhara a couple of times, sending razor blades while looking forward to Furuhara Tsubaki's next work.
In the entire game industry, it seems impossible to find a second person like him.
This in itself is also an incredible thing.
A miracle.
As CL's popularity soared, the game also achieved amazing sales.
In the first week of CL's release, sales were actually very dismal, with only 20,000 copies sold.
This was only natural, as the PV effect at the time was not good. Due to the mediocrity in its setting, it couldn't differentiate itself from other galgames on the market, leading players to misjudge the potential of the game itself.
So everyone was in a wait-and-see mode; how could sales be good?
The ability to sell over 20,000 copies was largely due to Hayao Miyazaki's contribution.
Many players who hadn't played many galgames but greatly admired Hayao Miyazaki bought this game, but their purpose was very simple—
Because it was Hayao Miyazaki's work, it inherently had collection value, even if the game itself wasn't very good or failed miserably.
Ten or twenty years later, this collectible could be brought out to show off to others: "Look, this is the first game made by Hayao Miyazaki!"
By then, whether the game itself was fun or not was irrelevant, not important at all.
What was important was its historical significance and collection value.
Just the hype of being Hayao Miyazaki's first game could make CL's value skyrocket several times over.
...
However, later on, this problem was no longer an issue, because the initial wave of players had already discovered the core of this game—
CLANNAD is a masterpiece that looks mediocre in its setting but is profoundly simple.
The game gave players an extraordinary experience, encompassing all emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. Moreover, after entering the AS route, the entire game's plot could be described as a runaway train.
In this game, one lived a complete life.
And the plot was truly moving.
How many people cried after playing this game, feeling an emptiness inside, simply because they had fully immersed themselves in it.
Driven by these players, the reputation reversed, coupled with media promotion and the explosive effect of forums...
All these factors combined, players surged in like a tide—no, it should be said, like a tsunami.
Starting from the second week, CL's game sales could be described as explosive.
This was no longer just a simple rocket, but nuclear energy!
An earth-shattering, explosive leap.
Only 20,000 copies in the first week.
The second week exploded directly to 200,000 copies.
Followed by 400,000 copies in the third week.
Achieving a terrifying 1 million copies within a month.
...
"Ah ~ as expected of Furuhara Tsubaki, he is truly amazing," sighed Hiruta Masato, President of Elf Society.
Once again, he was deeply impressed by Pokeni, by Furuhara Tsubaki.
In this world, there really aren't any companies that dare to play like them.
Just think, the PV directly gives a high school background, then beautiful girl romance, and the game dares to spend a large amount of space describing daily campus life, and stories between various characters...
Other companies might not, but for Elf Society, Hiruta Masato would never dare to do such a thing.
Because this would mean requiring players to go through a considerably long "boring period."
The pace is quite slow, and even in the early to mid-stages of the game, even after the campus arc ends, it fails to raise players' expectations.
Among them, the most likely to generate interest and emotion in players is probably the Ibuki Fuko route. If players fail to enter this route, the entire campus arc will become similar to other galgames on the market.
For Pokeni, with Furuhara Tsubaki at the helm and Hayao Miyazaki's endorsement, it's a bit better; at least players will continue to play out of emotion.
But if this game were placed in Elf Society...
Thinking of this, Hiruta Masato couldn't help but shiver all over.
Perhaps this game would have been gone long ago.
From Hiruta Masato's experience, it's highly likely that players would have thrown the game disc into the trash can within half an hour of starting the game, unable to tolerate the daily routines, right?
This possibility is quite high.
"Ah ~ what is this called?"
One can only say that Furuhara Tsubaki is talented and willful.
If it weren't for Furuhara Tsubaki, if it weren't for Hayao Miyazaki, the sales of this game wouldn't be so good.
Or rather, it wouldn't improve so quickly in a short period.
It would need to wait until players seriously experience the game and spread it by word of mouth, gradually spreading to form a sensational effect, only then could it achieve success.
Hiruta Masato himself couldn't say how long this cycle would be, but he estimated it would be one or two years, two or three years...
Perhaps making it into an anime to boost it would make the game more likely to explode in popularity.
Ah, a talented and willful company.
It truly makes one envious and jealous.
...
CL is truly a magical game, forming a special subsequent effect after its great success:
Players bought Pokeni's game, experienced the collaborative work of two masters, and finally put down their controllers amidst endless sighs and exclamations.
As for what they gained, there seemed to be happiness, and sadness, but more of a sense of loss.
That feeling, to be precise, was the most frequently mentioned word in the forums: "life."
The end of a life always leaves one feeling empty.
...
After the game sold well and its reputation reversed, Furuhara Tsubaki was once again elevated to a god-like status.
"Amazing! As expected of Furuhara Tsubaki!"
"Yes, Old Thief Furuhara, putting everything else aside, is truly top-tier in game production. He can even revitalize such a common school romance theme.
Not only did he revitalize it, but he also made it so moving.
I still tear up when I recall it now."
"Hehe, who was it who said this game would never be popular?"
"We just said that the game's setting was too ordinary, but for a top chef, the best ingredients are often the most common ones. To make something so bland delicious and irresistible is where true skill is shown."
"Furuhara Tsubaki is truly amazing, and with Hayao Miyazaki together, they are indeed my two favorite masters.
CL also lived up to expectations; it's simply a masterpiece.
I think if this game were to be adapted into an anime in the future, it would definitely be amazing too."
"Ah ~ are you a devil? If CL were to be adapted into an anime, how many people would it harm?
The game itself is already tear-inducing enough.
What if it were made into an anime?
Could those who don't play game handle it?"
...
What became popular along with the game was the song from the game: "dango daikazoku."
It is now particularly widespread among young high school students.
Go to any school, and you can always hear one or two people singing dango daikazoku.
They may not have played the game; they just simply find it very interesting.
The song itself is very memorable and catchy.
Coupled with its lively and cute style and those adorable dango images, it's truly hard not to remember it.
...
However, at the same time, another, less harmonious voice appeared on the forum.
"I suddenly remembered something terrifying," a player named [CL Forever Fan] posted on the forum:
"Have you ever thought about this—
When CL was being produced, President Aoki revealed to the outside world that after CLANNAD, there would be another game called LIFE-LINE.
Moreover, although these two games are completely different in setting, characters, and plot, they complement each other and mirror each other.
At that time, we were all very much looking forward to what kind of two games could be so subtle and unique.
What's more, both of these games had Master Miyazaki Hayao as the Director of animation, and he himself stated in interviews that he poured his heart into the games.
However, the Pokeni game we imagined comparing it to at the time was "patema inverted."
We were expecting a game that would innovate in all aspects, like Patema.
Now CL has also been released, and everyone can see that this game is completely different from patema inverted.
And now, what makes me most afraid is—
CL is already so heartbreaking, one blow after another, just tearing people apart.
Then, as its mirror and complementary work, will LL be like this too?"
As soon as this post appeared, it immediately triggered fear in the hearts of players.
That fear originated from their tear ducts.
Just thinking of CL caused a sharp pang in their hearts, even making them unable to help but shed tears.
"Ah ~ no way?"
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