幸村俊夫 (Koumura Toshio)

"Please don't use ambiguous speech."

Koumura Toshio, usually referred to as Koumura-sensei, is a recurring minor character in Clannad. He never has any episodes that delve into his past or into his character.

Personality

Koumura is an old teacher at the high school. His age means he is at times a little out of it, and he can get confused, but usually he's a kind gentleman who does his best to help others. Even though he gets confused, his memory can sometimes win out in a vital moment. His specialties seem to be working with delinquents and advising the choir club and drama clubs. His first appearance showcases these qualities well.



Story

Chronologically, Koumura's first effect on the show would be at the beginning of Tomoya's high school career. As we learn in the flashback montage at the end of Sunohara's arc, Koumura was the teacher responsible for taking care of Tomoya and Sunohara (the two delinquents) and making sure they didn't ruin the school. That means Tomoya's always had a relationship with him, since his first days of high school.

Thus when Kouko wants to have her wedding at the high school, Tomoya goes to Koumura as the person who can make it happen. After a somewhat awkward conversation (due to Koumura's constant confusion about the identities of Kouko and her fiancee), Koumura agrees to get permission for the wedding. And it's a good thing he does, too: he ends up being the one to remind Tomoya and Nagisa about the wedding on the day of (they'd forgotten the wedding when they forgot Fuko).


Later on, when Nagisa needs an adviser for the drama club, Tomoya knows who to turn to: Koumura. When he tells them that the choir club has already asked him to be their adviser, the tension between the two clubs begins. After winning the basketball game, and thus winning the right to share Koumura as an adviser, the drama club is struck down by the student council. Eventually (thanks to, I'm guessing, some pressure from Tomoyo), the student council allows the sharing of Koumura, thus allowing the drama club to become an official club in time for the school festival.

The next time we see Koumura is at the first graduation of After Story, the graduation of Tomoya, Sunohara, Kyou, Ryou, and Kotomi. He tells them that he is retiring at the same time that they're graduating, and Tomoya and Sunohara bid him a fond farewell and thanks for all the help he has provided them over the past three years.



The final important instance in which Koumura appears is at the second graduation: Nagisa's graduation. After she is held back another year for her illness, and then being too ill to go to the official graduation, Tomoya and the others (including Kouko and Yuusuke this time) get Koumura to help them put on an unofficial graduation ceremony specifically for Nagisa. Koumura is the one who hands Nagisa her diploma after all these years (she had to be a senior for three years!).


Following the unofficial graduation, we don't see Koumura again until the final montage, where he sits on his porch, staring out into the world.

Effect on the Main Plot

Koumura is important as an administrator: they can be quite instrumental at times. Thanks to him, Kouko gets her dream wedding at the school, and, thanks to him, Nagisa and Tomoya remember in time to go to the wedding and have Fuko appear, thus allowing her to say her congratulations to her sister. Thanks to him, the drama club is (eventually) able to become an official club in time for Nagisa's dramatic scene at the festival (yes, drama and dramatic, it's a semi-pun). Thanks to him, Nagisa is able to have a graduation ceremony with all her friends (her family of friends). And even before all this, thanks to him Tomoya and Sunohara meet and become best friends, and who knows how Tomoya would have turned out without Sunohara? Thus Koumura's presence and help allows the events that help shape Tomoya and Nagisa's relationship (and also their lives) to occur, from meeting Sunohara to the graduation. Without him, their relationship (and thus the show) would be very different.

Themes

There's not too much involving themes with Koumura. The only thing I can really say is that Koumura is a vital part of Nagisa and Tomoya's extended family of friends and acquaintances. He shows that the vital and helpful nature of family is not restricted to biological family alone.

Reflection

Koumura is definitely an important minor character. He has little screen time, and we never learn much about him, but without him many important moments in the show would not happen. He's a key force to the plot running smoothly. He also goes to show that old people aren't useless: they can be crucial allies in times of need. I also find it humorous that he's the one who remembers Kouko and Yuusuke's wedding when Nagisa and Tomoya forget when the earlier scene showed him completely spacing out on who Kouko even was!


That's all I have to say about that: Koumura is an old teacher who shows the usefulness of both teachers (and administrators in general) and the elderly.


Thanks for reading. God Bless, and peace.

Nota Bene: All clips are from the Clannad Central YouTube channel run by the Clannad (クラナド/Kuranado) fan page on Facebook. All character themes and other music from the show can also be found on said fan page, in the music player. My gratitude to them and all the work they do.

7 Favorite Anime Openings (As of Right Now)

Now, I know Top 10 lists and the like can change rapidly: that's why I added the "as of right now" to the title.

I'm a big fan of anime music (thus explaining my entire post on Clannad's music), and openings and endings are a key part of that realm (although I also love background music: more on that in another post).

For an anime opening to be good, I think there are two essential aspects: first, the song itself must be good. It can't be a lackluster, cookie-cutter, standardized and Autotuned print out (although I've yet to hear AutoTune used in anime: よかった!); it has to be inspired, soul-filled, and moving. Second of all, the opening must portray the feel of the show. I think this can be even more important than having a good song: the song must actually be about the show. I don't mean the words have to name characters and describe events from the show, but they must put forth the same feel and explore the same themes as the show. That's what I think really makes or breaks an anime opening (although a good song can be useful as well).

So, without further ado, here (in no particular order, besides the first one) are my 7 favorite anime openings, as of right now:

1. "Toki wo Kizamu Uta" by Lia -- from Clannad ~After Story~



Since this blog started as solely a Clannad blog, it's obvious that this will be the first opening. I much prefer it to the opening of Clannad (though that one is good in its own right). This will sort of represent both seasons on this list. First of all, I love the sound of the song: it's beautifully written, performed, and sung, and its melody is based on a piece of background music ("To the Same Heights") from the visual novel (and series). That's a bonus in my book. Second, it shows the characters and bits of scenes from the show. While I think it could have been more useful to show the real main characters of After Story in this opening, rather than the heroines from the first season, it still contains many links to the series. Third, the lyrics are moving. One of my friends can't read all the lyrics to this song without crying: it connects with the show that much. It's all about loss, the pain of it, and how to deal with it; basically, it fits perfectly for the last quarter of the series. Overall, then, I think it's just a gorgeous opening that really helps encapsulate the emotional power of the series.

2. "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni" by Eiko Shimamiya -- from Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (When They Cry)



Before you ask, yes, the red is needed to write the title officially. This song is perfect for this anime: it's creepy as hell! The sharp break in the beginning of the song is a excellent example of the jarring nature of this series: something so happy and pure is abruptly defiled and turned horrific. Just the first 15 seconds of this opening is like the show in a nutshell. Plus it's got some blood in there to remind you of what's to come...basically, it puts you in the perfect mood to watch such a chilling show. A show that makes you fear the sound of cicadas more than you ever thought possible.

3. "The girl in Byakkoya - White Tiger Field" by Susumu Hirasawa -- from Paprika



Yes, anime movie openings do count as anime openings, at least in my book. This is definitely the trippiest song on here, and also the most electronic. After hearing this song, long before seeing the film, I became hooked on Susumu Hirasawa's work: his layering of synthesizers and voices sounds just spectacular. "The girl in Byakkoya" is definitely one of his best, from what I've heard. The somewhat unnatural sounding voices in this song set the viewer up for the dream-based nature of the film. And this film had a hold on dream manipulation long before Inception: it came out in 2006, and the novel it's adapted from was published in 1991. Besides the music itself, the completely illogical visuals of this opening also illustrate the power of dreams. Overall, while After Story's opening may be more emotionally powerful, I might just like this opening better due to the song, but if I do, it's only by a slight margin.

4. "Tank!" by Yoko Kanno and The Seatbelts -- from Cowboy Bebop



Even though I'm not too big a fan of the show as a whole (I have yet to finish it), I do love the opening. It's one of the catchiest opening songs I've ever, and it's jazz base fits the nature of the series to a T (come on, it's got "Bebop" right in the name!). The animation is smooth and shadowy, sort of a representation of jazz itself. It also, in not so clear ways, shows all the main characters as well, always a helpful aspect for an opening. So, while the show didn't end up holding my attention too much (although I still see the value of it), the opening theme definitely did.

5. "Tori no Uta" by Lia -- from Air



My second song with "Uta" as the last word, my second song performed by Lia, and my second song from a Key anime! Coincidence? Somewhat. I saw Air after seeing Clannad, and, though I find Clannad superior, I'm still a fan of Air. (It can also show some interesting predecessors to aspects of Clannad: see my related post.) Like some of the previous openings, this one showcases the main characters (for most of the show, at least). I feel like the opening also imparts the feeling of flight, which is a major theme of the show. Plus it's just a great song as well.

6. "again" by YUI -- from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood



I couldn't make a list like this without a song from one of the FMA series. Though there are songs from other series that I like better, and some of the songs just annoy me, the FMA series provide a large selection of great opening and ending themes. I'd have to say that this one is by far the best out of them all (even though I personally prefer the first series overall). It's definitely an opening where the lyrics describe the feelings of the characters (although, I think, not as much as the frequent insert song from the original, "Bratja"). Almost every major character of the first 14 episodes (the length this opening was shown for) is in here, and even some characters that don't get their importance until later. I also love how it summarizes the Elrics' backstory in three quick shots (at about 50 seconds, which is, sadly, where the song starts in the version shown on [adult swim] on Cartoon Network). Besides all that, and the fantastic animation that characterizes Brotherhood, it's just a great sounding song.

And last, but not least...

7. "Zankoku na Tenshi no Te-ze" by Yoko Takahashi -- from Neon Genesis Evangelion



Though I have yet to finish this classic series (and I'm still not sure if I really like it or not), I can say one thing for sure about it: I like the opening. Though it's a '90s song (and the '90s are not too well known for good music (depending on your tastes) except for a few select bands (at least in the U.S.)), it works great as an opening. The lyrics portray the goals of the (in my eyes, extremely annoying) main character, and (if what I've heard about it is true) the latter part of the opening depicts the show's ending to perfection: it flashes copious images past your eyes without making a lick of sense. That said, I must say the opening pumps me up for the show (even if the show itself often deflates me quickly), and it's also pretty darn catchy.

So that's my subjective rant for the week. I can't prove that any of these openings are good objectively, I just know that I like them, and hopefully you'll like them too. If you also enjoy these songs (or hate them with a fiery passion), feel free to comment. Or if you want to yell at me for leaving out your most favoritest opening EVER, comment as well.

Thanks for reading. God Bless, and peace.

Nota Bene: All videos were cruelly, unjustly, and arbitrarily forced to provide entertainment on this post. If you are the owner of one of these videos and want me to end my malicious treatment of it, just let me know, and I'll remove it. (Nota Bene on the Nota Bene: I hope you realize I'm not actually doing anything horrible with these videos. I did just randomly find them on YouTube and embed them here, though.)

The (Minor) Minor Characters of Clannad

Though in these posts I've tried to cover every character, there are some that just don't appear enough to have their own separate posts. So here I cover all of them I can think of (if there are more, I'm sorry for leaving them out), even though they've probably been mentioned in posts before.


磯貝 (Isogai) is an elderly lady who is the Furukawas' neighbor. She likes to comment on how Akio and Sanae add liveliness to the neighborhood (especially with their frequent episodes involving Sanae's bread). When Tomoya is going to the grocery store for the first time after remeeting Ushio, she reminds him of how important it is that he and Ushio see each other, since they are family, after all. Isogai also happens to have a name perfect for fake identities: both Fuko (when she's staying at the Furukawas' home) and Sanae (when she's Sunohara's fake girlfriend) adopt her last name to facilitate their deceit.


ボタン (Botan) is the pet boar of the Fujibayashis. Her characteristic sound is "Puhi puhi!" She has many skills, supposedly; the one that is shown is her ability to act like a stuffed animal (which Tomoya must then carry around with him all day). Kyou is particularly protective of her (especially from Sunohara, when he talks of eating her). She stays with Kyou well into her adult life, and she haunts Kyou's kindergarten playground as an adult (a giant, scary adult).


三井 (Mitsui) is a high school senior. Fuko met her on her first (and only) day of high school, and Mitsui vaguely remembers her. She is so studious and concerned about her upcoming senior exams that she coldly rejects Fuko's proffer of a starfish. Thankfully, she still shows up to Kouko's wedding, though.


"The bad man" is a former coworker with Kotomi's parents. On the day of their death, he (somewhat bluntly) informs Kotomi of the tragedy and asks to look in her father's study for a copy of the lost manuscript. He and Tomoya put out the fire Kotomi starts that day. Later on, he keeps trying to get in contact with Kotomi, who sees him as "the bad man" and reacts aggressively whenever he comes near. Eventually (thanks to Tomoya and Nagisa's help), he is able to talk to her, and he gives her her parents' suitcase containing the stuffed bear and their last letter to her. He is also Kotomi's godfather (I believe).


仁科りえ (Nishina Rie) and 杉坂 (Sugisaka) are members of the choir club, along with a minor third member, Harada. Rie (the blue-haired one) is the leader; her violin playing attracts Kotomi, and eventually Kotomi is given her violin (though that was probably not a wise decision...). Sugisaka (the red-haired one) is the fiery, jealous one; when the drama club wants Koumura as an adviser, she takes action, leaving threatening letters for Nagisa and trying to win her over with a sad story (which Sunohara fiercely rejects). Though she gives in after the basketball game, she's still the more angry of the two. The club shows up at Nagisa's graduation, and the two seem to be good friends, as they are shown to be roommates (it appears) during the final montage.


坂上鷹文 (Sakagami Takafumi) is Tomoyo's younger brother. He grows distant from her due to her being a gang leader. When their parents are considering divorce, Takafumi takes drastic action: he promises to jump off a bridge if they don't reconsider, and he keeps his promise. This leads to a long hospitalization for him, one which brings the family together and ends the thought of divorce. While he was recovering, the whole family would take walks along the road lined with cherry trees (thus providing Tomoyo's urge to save them). His desperate action also knocked some sense into Tomoyo's head, giving her the push to be a true sister to him and renounce her gang ways.


五十嵐 (Igarashi) was Misae's crush back during her high school days. She first met Shima when he interrupted a conversation between the two of them. He recognizes that Misae has a crush on him, but he already has a girlfriend. He gets Shima to break the news to her for him (although seeing him and his girlfriend walk by is what really gives her the news). Because of this moment, Shima and Misae started to grow closer.


勇 (Yuu) is a young boy whose sister is in Yukine's brother's gang. He tries to grapple Yukine and force her to tell him where his sister is. Though she easily defuses the situation, she is kind and takes him to the bar where the gang hangs out, thus helping him find his sister. He tells the gang that Sunohara is Yukine's brother, thus causing a bit of an uproar at the deception. He helps instigate Tomoya, Nagisa, and Sunohara's involvement with Yukine's gang.


宮沢和人 (Miyazawa Kazuto) was Yukine's older brother. He was the leader of the gang that Yuu's sister is in and that Yukine hangs out with a lot. Because of him, Yukine became involved with the gangs (although not really in a negative way, like what happened with Tomoyo). Due to his blond hair, Sunohara sort of spreads a rumor that he's Kazuto, which leads to his getting attacked one night (thankfully Tomoyo saves the day). When his deception is revealed at Kazuto's gang, it's learned that Kazuto is really in the hospital for getting in a car accident and saving a friend. The other gang wants to fight, though, so a duel is created between their leader and "Kazuto" (Sunohara). After Sunohara is knocked out by Sanae's bread, Tomoya takes over the fight, until Yukine steps in, posing as Kazuto. Finally, after this, the truth is revealed: Kazuto is actually dead, and his deepest wish was that the fighting would stop, which ends up happening thanks to the above events. And when his wish is fulfilled, Tomoya sees a light fly up into the air...


The manager of the Hikarizaka Electric Company (at least one branch of it) is Yuusuke's and later Tomoya's boss. He's a hard working man who cares about his employees and tries to be as kind as possible to them. Sometimes (especially after Nagisa passes away), he suspects Tomoya works far too much, and he tries to get him to relax more. He also recommends Tomoya for a job at another part of the company in a different city. Tomoya deeply considers accepting it, until his manager informs him that he was turned down from the job due to his father's arrest on drug charges (I think that's what they were, at least). Tomoya's anger because of this leads to his confronting his father and also proposing to Nagisa.


Yagi is Nagisa's midwife, recommended by Sanae. She helps Nagisa prepare for home birth, and she's able to make it to the Okazaki residence (after a long delay) on the night Nagisa goes into labor. Though she's able to save the baby, she's unable to save Nagisa's life (at least the first time). She also may have been the one to suggest Nagisa abort Ushio when her severe health risk is brought to light (I only remember that someone suggested this; I can't remember who just at the moment).


I believe that's the majority of the minor characters (or really minor minor, since I call anyone except Nagisa, Tomoya, and Ushio minor characters, basically). Hopefully having these extra profiles helps you realize even more how great Clannad is and how much its characters form a mosaic. If I forgot any characters, let me know, and I can add them in.

Thanks for reading. God Bless, and peace.

Nota Bene: All images are screenshots taken by me from the subtitle-only DVDs. Please support Clannad by buying the DVDs. And don't forget to look at the amazing CLANNAD/クラナド (Kuranado) fanpage on Facebook.