somewhere between yesterday and tomorrow

Warning: MAJOR Clannad spoilers.

“Do you like this school?
I really, really like it.
But, nothing can remain the same forever.
Even fun things and happy things, nothing stays that way forever.
Even then, can you still bring yourself to like this place?”

-Nagisa, Clannad episode 1 (Sprocket subs)

Change is a major theme in Clannad. It really isn’t that apparent until After Story, but it is hinted at in season 1. For example, the quote above are some of the first lines (are they? I don’t have the episode on me) in the anime, and it talks about how the world always changes, and people need to change with it. Another example of change or the resistance to change is Tomoyo’s impetus to become class president: to preserve the cherry blossom trees on the walkway to the school. Tomoyo, in this situation, is an example of one who does not want her surroundings to change because of the memories the location has. (I’m sure there are more examples of change/resistance to change in season 1, but I can’t think of any right now/don’t have the episodes/should be asleep >_>)

However, the change theme becomes more apparent in After Story. In episode 14 (there might be examples earlier), when Tomoya first sees the new restaurant where Nagisa works, he finds himself feeling uncomfortable at the sudden change and urbanization that has occured to build the restaurant. Later, Nagisa tells him that their old high school is being renevated to build new classrooms, tearing down many old buildings, including the Drama Club’s old room. Tomoya becomes irritated, because he has many precious memories of him and Nagisa first meeting there, and wants to keep those memories alive:

“I’m not angry. I’m just unsettled. Because, you know. The clubroom for the drama club is in the old building. Isn’t it the place of our memories, where we worked hard? …So I had a little problem with that.”

-Tomoya, Clannad After Story episode 14 (Sprocket subs)

Later, in episode 15, Nagisa’s dad, Akio, reveals to Tomoya the place where which he calls “Nagisa’s double,” a place where he took her at a moment of urgent need, when she was on the brink of death. However, the used to be grassy land with trees is being destroyed to build a hospital.
Tomoya finds himself going to that grassy knoll, and he meets Akio there. Akio says:

“The city continues to change.
Nothing ever remains the same.
That’s what it means for people to live.”

-Akio, Clannad After Story episode 16 (Sprocket subs)

Tomoya goes on to say that, if the construction were stopped, perhaps Nagisa would get better as well. Akio laughs at this, saying that there is no way that could be true. At this point, we can see the difference between Akio and Tomoya. Akio, in this scene, acts like one who has expierence. Akio probably felt similar to what Tomoya did once. However, he has matured to a point where he realizes that change will enevetably happen, and he simply has to accept it. Tomoya shows his inability to accept the change going on around him. He simply wishes everything to stop, and for him and Nagisa to be happy forever.

This, of course, is not possible.

At the end of episode 16, Nagisa dies. Tomoya regrets having ever met her, and feels as if he should have simply avoided her from the beginning.

By this point, I think that Nagisa represents the change in Tomoya’s life. Tomoya, before he met Nagisa, had a pretty boring, static life, where nothing really change. He hung out with Sunohara, cut class, sat around and did nothing, etc. But everything changed when he met Nagisa. Nagisa propelled him to new heights, changing him into a completely new, respectable person. Each supported the other. However, Tomoya has to learn to cope with rapid change going on in his world. He may not be able to accept Nagisa’s death, and, looking at the preview for episode 17, it looks as if Tomoya’s life has gone into decline. Tomoya’s mind is probably stuck in the moment right after Nagisa died, and he is unable to accept this sudden change.

Taking a leaf from Eternal’s book, let’s examine the lyrics of the opening to Clannad After Story.

Lia – Toki o Kizamu Uta

“I’m only looking at the spilling hourglass
When I turn it upside-down, look, it starts up again
I wonder if I’ll be able to someday enter
The advancing time that only ticked away

Midway on the slope that only you passed through
Many warm spots of sunshine appeared
Here by myself, I’m reminiscing
About the tender warmth

It’s only you, it’s only you
Who I loved
My eyes tear up in the wind
And you become distant

I’ll remember forever
Even if just about everything changes
It was just one, it was just one
Ordinary thing
But in the brilliance that I’ll show you, there’s only one thing that was fulfilled
I’ll protect it forever and ever

The chilly days continue, even though it’s already spring
On a morning when I woke up earlier than the alarm clock
You’re standing there
Making breakfast for three

It’s only you, it’s only you
Who isn’t by my side
Up until yesterday, you were right by my side, looking at me

It’s only you, it’s only you
Who I loved
It’s a song that I sing
Only with you, only with you
It’s our, it’s our
Time passed together
I don’t want to
Continue on my own

I’ll remember forever
Even if this town changes
No matter how much sorrow I’m to encounter
I’ll show you when I was truly strong
C’mon, let’s go; we’ll start walking on the sloped road”

(translation from here)

“It’s only you, it’s only you/Who isn’t by my side/Up until yesterday, you were right by my side, looking at me…” …wow, foreshadowing somebody’s death much?
“Time passed together/I don’t want to/Continue on my own…” If we imagine Tomoya singing this, it would fit him perfectly right at this time (‘cept the female voice part.). We see that the singer does not want to go on with life without her loved one, which reflects Tomoya’s current situation perfectly.
“I’ll remember forever/Even if this town changes/No matter how much sorrow I’m to encounter/I’ll show you when I was truly strong/C’mon, let’s go; we’ll start walking on the sloped road” This is the point which Tomoya still needs to accomplish. He needs to learn to move on with a constantly changing life. Hopefully, by the end of the series, Tomoya will have matured enough to be able to do so.

Now, onto the ending:

Lia – TORCH

“I was watching the drifting clouds
I felt the changing color of the sky
For we who have come to a standstill, we notice
The song that the shifting world constructs

As if pulling it in with my outstretched fingers
I search for the one and only thing that doesn’t change

I hold the torch in my hands
A little guide sign leads into tomorrow
I turn the words said on that day
That still echo now into a vow and go on

I forgot about the old winds
I hum the timbre of nostalgia
It tells the imprisoned us
The story that starts from this place

As if pulling it in with my outstretched fingers
I search for the one and only thing that doesn’t change

If you look up, the torch
Is a little lamp that connects us to the past
As long as our bond exists
We can continue to be ourselves

The brimming torch
Is the little light that shines on the present moment
Oh, the torch that I hold in my hands
Become the words that lead into tomorrow, eternally”

(translation from here)

Yet again, we see that the song fits Tomoya perfectly. “As if pulling it in with my outstretched fingers/I search for the one and only thing that doesn’t change…”
“For we who have come to a standstill, we notice/The song that the shifting world constructs…” This “we” seems to work for Tomoya yet again.
“If you look up, the torch/Is a little lamp that connects us to the past/As long as our bond exists/We can continue to be ourselves…” This torch actually could be lots of things. I’d say it’s probably Tomoya’s memories of Nagisa. He is only able to stay himself by thinking of her and her alone.

It seems to fit perfectly, does it not?

(Yeah, the analysis on the songs are lacking a bit. But I’d say its pretty self-explanatory.)

Change is an even more fitting theme if we look at the current events. Obama, whose platform advertised one would would bring about change, was inaugurated less than two weeks ago. (as if you didn’t know.)  If you didn’t get it, the title references this. Of course, it is highly unlikely that KyoAni has uber clairvoyance and predicted this all to happen as they were making Clannad After Story. However, it is nice to see the connections.

Another theme that might be interesting to explore would be the parallel world with the lost girl, but I guess I don’t have the time for it. Night~

(I’ll be adding to this as the anime goes on. If I have time, I’ll also add some pictures/screencaps. Maybe I’ll add screenies by each quote.)

Next post: probably my first showoff loot post! i’ve uploaded some pics, but there’s only so much you can do with a point and shoot… really need to get a DSLR some time.