Pick Me Up!

Really enjoying myself

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.

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.

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.

I enjoy Clannad, and I have an immense fondness for Tomoyo. This is why I was absolutely captivated by the Tomoyo Route OVA, despite its brevity. So, what went awry with this Tomoyo After manga adaptation? To put it simply, everything. Let me reiterate, I adore Tomoyo After with every fiber of my being, yet I genuinely believe this adaptation was a misstep.

Art: When I first began reading it, I thought it had to be a joke. A truly terrible one at that. While Tomoyo is, let's say, passable, what on earth happened to Tomoya?! It feels as though the mangaka was under the influence when drawing him because I can't imagine anyone intentionally creating a character so far removed from its original concept. The same applies to the other characters, though they're not quite as bad.

Characters: Despite the manga's short length, it still manages to develop Tomoyo and Tomoya somewhat. However, the other characters come off as parodies of themselves, and Takafumi isn't even introduced! He appears in just three panels, with his face barely shown, but perhaps it's better this way since at least his great character design wasn't ruined.

Story: The standout feature of Tomoyo After, despite being a slice of life, is its story. It's brilliant, perfectly paced, and has the power to make you cry like a baby even when reminiscing about it. In this manga, however, the story is virtually nonexistent. It's essentially just Tomoya punching four guys, an abandoned little girl showing up out of nowhere only to be reunited with her sick mother who regrets abandoning her, and Tomoya getting hit by a car, losing his memory, and dying three years later after telling Tomoyo to be strong. Now, the story is obviously quite different from the visual novel, which is understandable given its length and the challenge of compressing it into 160 pages. However, there's one part of the story—the ending—that is somewhat similar in both the novel and the manga. Unfortunately, it's plain garbage in the manga. What made the visual novel's ending so exceptional was its mood. Tomoya losing his memories isn't some simple accident; it's a tragedy. Tomoyo throws her life away just to help Tomoya regain his memories, even knowing it's impossible, because for her, a life without him is inconceivable. That's why she's compelled to grow stronger on her own over these three years and move forward. This is beautifully portrayed in the novel, but it doesn't work in the manga. It skips ahead three years where Tomoya simply tells her to get stronger and then dies, with a goodbye that's overly simplistic compared to the artistic farewell in the novel. The flashbacks are also terrible. When Tomoyo discovers that Tomoya has lost his memories, she gets angry and takes him for a walk to help him regain them. But the way it's presented makes it seem almost comedic, while there's nothing funny about it. Tomoyo is deeper than that; when she finds out about Tomoya in the novel, she's utterly devastated. In the manga, it seems as if she takes it lightly, which comes across as ridiculous. Not to mention the very end, where Kanako shows no concern for Tomoya's death, which hurts because she shares a beautiful relationship with him and even breaks down in the novel. Even the fact that Tomoyo continues living her old life instead of completely changing it, as she does in the novel because she's found another reason to live, feels absurd. This adaptation was a complete disaster.

TL;DR: Compared to the novel, this adaptation is a minor blight, but even on its own, it's pretty lackluster. As a devoted fan, I'm disappointed by this manga and refuse to consider it part of the Clannad franchise because it has nothing in common with it.

Tomoyo After is a spin-off from Clannad, originating from a visual novel. In this version, instead of Nagisa becoming the harem winner, it's Tomoyo, and the manga explores the challenges the couple encounters. However, it feels incredibly rushed.

The structure of Tomoyo After is highly episodic. The chapters have little connection to one another, and each seems to cram in about five chapters' worth of content. Similar to Clannad, this manga aims to evoke tears. Yet, because of its hurried pace, there's no real opportunity for that. I never developed any attachment to the characters, which made the drama feel extremely forced. Indeed, the drama is contrived, and all situations that arise are silly with no proper buildup. Additionally, two side characters look identical. The artwork is decent—nothing extraordinary, nor particularly memorable.

In conclusion, Tomoyo After is a rather average manga. Fans of the original game might find some interest, but if you haven't played the game, like myself, there's nothing particularly remarkable here.

Key (adj) k-ee  

Any story described as "Key" begins in a delightful and endearing way, then abruptly plunges the reader into heart-wrenching despair, only to conclude with deep admiration for the resilient characters who overcome that adversity.  

This is exactly how I feel about Tomoyo After.  

Alright, most people who are interested in this are likely fans of Clannad in its various forms (manga, anime, movie). But don't worry if you're not part of that group—you can still enjoy this manga just as much.  

To put it simply, "Tomoyo After Story" takes place one year after Okazaki Tomoya has graduated from high school, with Tomoyo as his girlfriend (think of the Clannad game where you followed the Tomoyo route).  

*SPOILER-ISH*  
Like many other works by Key, the story (or arc) starts with an overwhelming sense of sweetness that amplifies GAR and MOE to infinity. Then, the main characters face a tragic event. Given their strong GAR and MOE, it becomes emotionally painful to read. After the tragedy, the characters grow emotionally stronger and move forward with their lives, bringing the story to a satisfying conclusion for readers.  

I have to admit, I genuinely teared up (internally) during the last chapter of this manga. It's one of the saddest endings I've ever encountered, yet it's also incredibly beautiful. One word: Bittersweet.  

Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys romance.