Pick Me Up!

A truly terrible adaptation of my favorite visual novel.  

So, I decided to give the manga adaptation a try since one of my friends is more likely to read it than play the visual novel. However, this might be the worst adaptation I've ever encountered.  
You can't just cram 4 hours of a visual novel into 80 pages, shuffle things around poorly, and expect it to make sense or resonate emotionally.  

Please, I implore you: if you're interested in Tomoyo After, play the original visual novel available on Steam—it's very affordable during sales. This adaptation is absolutely abysmal, and I can't comprehend why it has such positive reviews unless it's from people who only watched the anime first. But even then, it baffles me how it's so well-received when it feels so rushed that there's barely any substance left.  

I stopped reading after Chapter 2 because it was so bad I couldn't continue.  

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Short. That was the first thought that crossed my mind upon seeing this manga. A game as lengthy as Nagisa's storyline in Clannad condensed into just four chapters? Let me make it clear right away—if you've already played Tomoyo After, there's no point in reading this manga.

To be honest, when I initially went through it, I believed the manga to be a subpar adaptation. However, considering the merits of the original game and the manga's limited length, I must admit the author did a decent job.

The storyline is either a hit or a miss, largely depending on whether the reader has engaged with Clannad and Tomoyo After. The narrative progresses at such a rapid pace, lacking sufficient transitions, which may leave new readers struggling to fully grasp the situation. While having watched or played Clannad isn't mandatory, it does provide a richer understanding of the story's backdrop.

If you've played Tomoyo After, though, that changes things. Standing alone, whether read before or after Clannad, the story ranges from good to great. But if, like me, you've already experienced the game, you'll likely appreciate its brevity—only four chapters—and not regret spending more than 30 minutes of your time on it. Some events introduced in the manga don't contribute significantly to the storyline. Moreover, due to its exceedingly short length, numerous events and even characters are entirely absent.

Regarding the characters, this is arguably the manga's strongest aspect. Despite the absence of a main character from the game, the remaining characters exhibit depth despite the lack of space. Both Tomoyo and Tomoya will resonate with you, each showcasing distinct personalities, challenges, and perspectives.

Stylistically, the manga closely mirrors the game, which isn't a bad thing at all. Particularly, the manga excels in portraying the fear and insecurity felt by the characters at various points, effectively conveying these experiences and emotions, making readers empathize with them.

Did I enjoy the manga? Not really when I first finished it. Again, this isn't solely the manga's fault. Aside from the missing characters being an annoyance, I wasn't fond of the ending in the original game either. Nonetheless, it's an incredibly moving tale, and overall, I appreciated the story's journey towards its somewhat disappointing conclusion.

As evident from the overall score, despite pointing out numerous negatives, my lasting impression remains quite positive. There are far more individuals who haven't played Tomoyo After compared to those who have. On its own, the manga still presents a fantastic story with memorable characters, and thus, I recommend it to most manga enthusiasts. The only drawback I foresee is its conciseness. Four chapters simply aren't enough to fully develop these characters, making the events feel rushed. And remember, don't play the game before diving into the manga.

Tomoyo After ~Dear Shining Memories~ is a 4-chapter manga spin-off of the original Clannad series, based on the events of the visual novel Tomoyo After: It's A Wonderful Life, narrated from Tomoyo's perspective.  

As the title implies, Tomoyo is the main heroine here, and the original Clannad cast is absent, except for our protagonist, Tomoya. The story unfolds after their emotional reunion under the sakura trees, where they decide to rekindle their love (Episode 24 of Clannad or if you've read the Clannad visual novel). Thus, their new life begins.  

Now that the lengthy introduction is out of the way, here's how I feel about the manga and my thoughts on it. Yeah, I know I'm late...  

*Minor spoilers ahead, proceed only if you've read the manga or the Tomoyo After VN.*  

Until last week, I had been on a long break from anime-related content. To cut a long story short, I stumbled upon a visual novel (Saya no Uta). It was my first VN, and I enjoyed it, so I started looking for more. Then I rediscovered Clannad, which I only vaguely remembered. I began with Nagisa's and Kotomi's storylines, finding them good but not extraordinary. However, when I started Tomoyo's path, my emotions truly kicked in. I loved every bit of it, as much as After Story. Naturally, I checked for continuations, leading me here. Of course, there's also the Tomoyo After VN.  

As mentioned earlier, this manga is an adaptation of the visual novel - Tomoyo After: It's A Wonderful Life. All I can say is that it fails to do justice to its VN counterpart by cramming everything into just 4 chapters. Even though I've only read a summary of the VN and some raw parts, I genuinely feel the manga leaves out a lot. That said, it's still a decent read. Yes, the art isn't my cup of tea, but good storytelling compensates for that.  

Overall, it's a brief, bittersweet continuation for Tomoyo-Tomoya fans and those who enjoy twists away from the original plot. If this manga made you teary-eyed, brace yourself for a full-blown cry-fest with the VN. That's just how Key stories go.  

P.S. I wouldn't recommend reading this manga if you haven't experienced the Clannad VN or watched Episode 24 of Clannad. For those interested or fluent in Japanese without English subtitles, you can find the raw VN version on YouTube or through general searches. Just type "Tomoyo After," and you'll find it.  

P.P.S. If you've already read the Tomoyo After visual novel, you might not want to bother with this watered-down manga version. Just my opinion.

If you've read the Tomoyo After visual novel, then this manga adaptation will likely be a disappointment. This version feels more like a condensed summary rather than a complete narrative. While the characters retain their original personalities, one of the main character's storylines is completely omitted, and all other characters see their arcs significantly shortened. It's challenging to form connections with characters who are scarcely present throughout the volume. Even if the manga had been just one chapter or volume longer, it would have offered a far more satisfying experience. As it currently stands, you're left with only the most basic elements necessary to follow the plot.  

There are a few entertaining moments that didn't appear in the visual novel, and the artwork is reasonably appealing. For what it aims to achieve, the story is decently constructed. However, if you must choose between the two, the visual novel remains the superior choice.

Really enjoying myself