After buying the game disc and humming a tune as he skipped back home, Kawasaki Toshihiko didn't rush to play it right away.
Instead, he first treated himself to a grand meal and then took a relaxing bath. Only after finishing his nighttime routine and changing into his pajamas did he finally connect the console to the TV, insert the disc, and settle down on the tatami mat to begin his gaming session.
Hayao Miyazaki's animations always left people with a sense of wonder and beauty.
Kawasaki Toshihiko had always drawn endless courage and strength from his works.
He hoped that CLANNAD would be just as inspiring.
Just then, he remembered something. He stood up, walked over to the refrigerator, and pulled out a can of beer.
"Ah... but that means I'll have to brush my teeth again." Kawasaki Toshihiko said with a hint of regret.
He had just finished bathing, after all.
But oh well, it doesn't really matter.
Think about it: what could be more relaxing than drinking beer at home, playing a game, and admiring the work of the great Hayao Miyazaki all at once?
If only this game could play itself—if it could complete the route without any input from the player—it would be perfect.
"Haha."
Kawasaki Toshihiko chuckled wryly.
It's probably impossible, though.
After all, the whole point of a game is the experience. It would be too much to ask for it to play itself.
But in a way, that thought reflected his true feelings.
I wish there were games that offered an auto-mode.
For someone like me, who only cares about the story, the actual gameplay is completely unnecessary.
Besides—
Kawasaki Toshihiko was terrible at games. He was the kind of person who couldn't even beat Super Mario.
Pop! Fizzzz...
The chilled beer foamed over as the cap was popped off.
Kawasaki Toshihiko took a sip, his mouth quickly filling with foam.
"Ahhh... nothing beats a cold beer in the summer! This is the best!"
Setting the beer down, Toshihiko picked up the game controller and started the game.
The screen faded to white.
A standard disclaimer common in P Corporation's galgames appeared:
[ All content in this work is purely fictional, including characters, locations, relationships, etc. Any resemblance to real-life events or persons is purely coincidental. ]
The text vanished, replaced by a large POKENI logo.
[ Gaming is life. ]
[ Please begin your journey of life here. ]
"Tsk, tsk... 'a journey of life,'" Toshihiko murmured, a faint smile playing on his lips. "That's actually quite philosophical."
The white screen faded, transitioning into a lush green landscape.
In the center stood a massive ancient tree, surrounded by a meadow blanketed in clover.
To the right, the menu options appeared.
The title CLANNAD was displayed in large letters.
Below it were the choices:
[ New Game ]
[ Load ]
[ Settings ]
[ Credits ]
[ Exit ]
As he lingered on the menu screen, the light, cheerful music flowed gently, like a trickling stream. It offered a moment of tranquility and beauty.
Just then, a warm breeze wafted in from outside, like a gentle hand lifting the curtain and brushing against Kawasaki Toshihiko's face. The wind chime swayed, tinkling softly.
Ah...
This moment... it's truly beautiful.
After savoring the warmth and peace for a few moments, Kawasaki Toshihiko selected [ New Game ] and pressed the button.
The game began.
The screen faded to a blinding white.
Then, a line of text appeared below, white letters on a blue background.
It read: [ A Boundless White World ]
[ ... ]
[ Snow... ]
[ Yes, it's snow. ]
The male protagonist's monologue began, his voice sounding as if he were lost in a dream.
The white screen was like a thick, fogged-up window being gently wiped clean, revealing a landscape of pure, white snow.
[ It keeps falling, covering my body. ]
[ Ah... ]
[ What am I doing here? ]
[ When did I start being here all alone? ]
[ ... ]
[ My hand is already buried in the snow. ]
[ But I seem to be holding something. ][ Pulling it up... ][ A snow-white hand. ][ A girl's hand. ]
Reading this, Kawasaki Toshihiko's heart violently trembled.
It was around 8:00 PM now, and the sky outside was pitch black. He glanced at the window, a creeping dread washing over him.
Could this be a horror game?
The screen remained unchanged—still just a vast expanse of falling snow—yet the text had just described [ finding a girl's hand ]. The thought sent chills running down his spine.
The BGM, a melancholic chant, only amplified the panic rising within him.
Still, Kawasaki Toshihiko forced himself to keep playing.
[ Ah, I remember now. ][ I am not alone. ][ Wiping the snow from her face... ][ ...reveals a peaceful, sleeping face. ][ That's right. ][ She and I have always been together... ][ ...in this world. ]
[ This world, where no one remains, is so incredibly sad. ]
Good grief, these few lines alone set a profoundly melancholic tone for the entire game.
Reaching this point, a flicker of doubt crossed Kawasaki Toshihiko's face.
Something feels off.
Just... completely off.
This was a far cry from the brave and heartwarming stories he associated with Hayao Miyazaki. Could it be...
Kawasaki Toshihiko didn't dwell on the thought. Instead, he pressed the buttons, speeding through the game.
Fortunately, the scene finally changed.
The television screen plunged into darkness, and the music shifted.
A violin wailed a sorrowful melody, punctuated by a steady beat of drums that seemed to strike directly at his heart.
The first image to appear was a gray, desolate landscape. The sky was gray, the town was gray. The camera panned down from the heavens to the town below, introducing the male protagonist's monologue:
"I hate this town."
"Because it's filled with memories I'd rather forget."
A mountain path wound upward, flanked by green trees and guardrails.
[ Go to school, attend classes, chat with friends, then return to the home I never want to go back to. ]
[ Day after day, an unchanging cycle. ]
The male protagonist's name appeared in a dialogue box:
Tomoya Okazaki: [ Will anything ever change if I keep going like this? ]
[ When will my life ever change? ]
[ The mountain path to school winds upward. If these winding roads didn't exist, it would be much easier. ]
[ If I could just walk in a straight line, I'd at least save 20 minutes. ]
[ 20 minutes a day. ]
[ Adding it up, I could save a lot of time in a year. ]
The male protagonist kept walking as he did the math.
After a moment, [ Ah, never mind. ]
The gray-toned visuals, combined with the slightly somber music and the protagonist's monologue, vividly portrayed his inner world.
"This shot, the music, the way it's presented... it's actually quite impressive," Kawasaki Toshihiko thought, feeling unusually pleased.
I guess it's to be expected, he reasoned. After all, Hayao Miyazaki is the Animation Director.
Still, the combination of the background and the music created a strangely oppressive atmosphere.
It was a stark departure from Miyazaki's usual inspiring animation style.
But since it had just begun, he didn't think much of it and kept watching.
The scene remained dominated by gray tones. As the male protagonist walked, he came upon a sloping path, where he encountered a girl in a school uniform, standing still.
She's a girl wearing the same uniform as me, the protagonist thought. And judging by the school badge, she's a third-year student just like me.
He silently stopped to observe her.
The cherry blossoms were in full, vibrant bloom.
The girl stood beneath a tree, her presence perfectly complementing the scene.
The music began to change, shedding its heavy atmosphere for a warm, lighthearted melody.
She was a female student, just like him, standing there.
The girl had large, spirited eyes and wore a neat school uniform. Her tea-brown, shoulder-length hair framed her petite and cute figure.
But those eyes alone—eyes personally drawn by Hayao Miyazaki himself—were unlike any in other galgames.
They were so bright that a single glance could draw you in.
It was as if her entire being had been filled with a soul, coming to life.
Though the girl appeared frail, her gaze told a different story. Instead, it radiated an unprecedented vitality and a resilient strength.
It was strange. Why did a mere image evoke such a profound feeling?
Why did a beautiful girl drawn by Hayao Miyazaki alone convey so much information?
He couldn't understand it.
Kawasaki Toshihiko chuckled wryly.
But then again, that's probably where Miyazaki's magic lies, he thought. He must have grasped some fundamental human trait to create a character with such a soul, one that could move you so deeply.
As the male protagonist approached, the female protagonist finally spoke:
"Anpan."
Huh?
Kawasaki Toshihiko wondered if he had misheard, but he looked closely at the dialogue box.
It was indeed "Anpan."
What a strange girl, Kawasaki thought.
Is she hungry? Shouting "Anpan" while standing under a cherry blossom tree?
But the girl continued talking to herself:
"Do you like this school?"
"I like it very, very much."
"But everything... everything is destined to end."
The female protagonist's voice was clear and melodious, yet it carried a fragility that was just right, stirring an instinctive desire to protect her.
The male protagonist didn't know her, and she wasn't speaking to him, yet he couldn't resist striking up a conversation.
"Whether it's happiness or joy... neither can ever last forever. Even so, would you still love this place?"
"Then why not just go find it?"
After this brief exchange, the female protagonist turned back to look at the male protagonist. The game's visuals instantly shifted from grayscale to vibrant color.
Cherry blossoms drifted through the air, and a gentle breeze stirred.
"More happiness, more joy—why not just go find it?"
"Alright, let's go."
With that, the male protagonist turned and began walking up the slope.
The female protagonist let out a soft "Oh," then lifted her bag with both hands and quickly followed with small, quick steps, joining him on the long climb.
Suddenly, the game's background music swelled.
"This..." Kawasaki Toshihiko stared, mesmerized.
What a stunning opening!
Especially the moment she turned back to look at him—the way the colors bled into the scene, the fluttering cherry blossoms, the light, airy music...
Kawasaki Toshihiko suspected he would remember this scene for the rest of his life.
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