CLANNAD ~After Story~ 17

I have found a new yardstick for Moe.

If anyone is interested, it used to be Kanon.

Lost in translation

I had a bit of a laugh seeing this:

微笑 Pasta. Ep 2.

I've got a new (temporary) hobby of watching English subtitled Chinese drama's. I suppose it is interesting being on the other side of the fence: Ie knowing the language (Mandarin) and seeing how people translate it(English).

What 陈晓诗 was saying was "跳进黄河也洗不清". Literary translated means "jump into the Yellow River also not clean", which probably explains how easy it is to make fun of Chinese translations.

While not wrong, in the context I would have suggested "I'm in a lot of trouble", or as the American's would say, "Deep Shit". But I have more dignity than that: I grew up with British English, and I still go crazy everytime Mircosoft Word defaults to English (U.S.) for the dictionary.

But translations are always a iffy thing. I can testify to that, as someone who seems to attract narrow-minded Mainland Chinese and Taiwanese who have Australian citizenship like a magnet.

I once had a girl who kept saying "I feel sorry for you" every time someone (including me) helped her. It's not like I was risking my life or doing something extreme. Eventually I realised she was trying to say "我觉得不好意思". The best I could think off was "You shouldn't have".

The problem with "我觉得不好意思" (or as the Hokkien's go, "pai seh") is that there is no proper translation for it. It all depends on the context it is used. Baidu translates it as "feel shy", which while not wrong, would be awkward at least when trying to thank someone.

Then there was this other time where I was talking to this guy, and he kept rambling on about a "bread car". It certainly wasn't edible, and after a bit of asking I discovered that he was referring to a "面包车", which is a van. Or a MPV at least.

Also another time another guy kept going around saying things like "You have been very hard". And this was in the context of a group work (we ended up with a Taiwanese in our group. Ugh.), so the others were a bit lost. Were we such bad groupmates, or did something happen in the toilets?

Eventually, I figured he was trying to say "辛苦你了", which I had to translate to "Good work". At least we weren't as bad as we feared.

Finally there is the classic "那个" by northern Mainland Chinese. Somehow, when it comes out of their mouth, it ends up as "nei ger", which sounds like "Nigger".

Believe me, it was awkward, sandwiched between an Indian who thought she was calling him a Nigger, and she completely oblivious to the faux pas she was making.

Shana cosplay

My only coherent(?) thought was "zettai ryoiki!"

It is very close to the original:

CLANNAD ~After Story~ 16

This has got to be the hardest anime ep I've ever watched. Previously I thought Kanon (2006) ep 22 (<--God, that looks like a case citation ^_^;;;) was the most difficult to get through. I was wrong.

The last time I followed a story with a pregnancy in it, it was Suzuka 146 (I think. Don't quote me. All my scan files are in a DVD somewhere in Kuching) and I was cast into a pit of depression by the revelation. This time round I must say I'm holding up quite well.


Who, or what is she? Man, I'm having so much trouble finding Kotomi's route, never mind the ~After Story~.


Through maybe doing Criminal Law has probably numbed me a bit, with all the sex, drugs, rape and incest. No rock 'n roll yet unfortunately through.

Don't do law people. It ruins you for marriage


Things I'll never get used to no 1: diapers. The good news they are prepared through.


Tomoya starts to doubt himself and his worthiness of being a husband to Nagisa and a father to his child. I don't know, but it is a strange feeling, of creating another life. The mere thought of it sends me into deep (and ruinous) rumination. Tomoya starts running through the "What if's?"

What if Tomoya never went any further with Nagisa after that day at the bottom of the hill? What would her life be like? Would she have got a better person? One has to see his point, as he isn't from the most positive of backgrounds.

Most of our lives are filled with "What if's?". Mine is littered with them.


Things I'll never get used to no. 2: pregnancy.

Sidetracking a bit, there is a story why I am using the Chinese subs, other than my complete lack of 日本语. Being impatient desperate to know what would happen, I grabbed the 0-hour subs from 澄空学园. Unfortunately, due to "shaping" (aka ran out of data allocation), download speeds were a bit slow, so by the time I got it down SS-Eclipse had their's out.

So yes, I am a bit late to the party. Moral of the story: there is not enough bandwidth in this world.


Highlight of the ep: Kotomi!

What through, exactly, is in that HUGE package? The ep does not give a direct answer. Can't be food, as that is not exactly the right way to hold it. I did consider it being this:


but is just raises the second question of what is that, and more importantly, what is the significance of it?


A curious group.





I used to think that marriage was a long far far away thing. While I'm not exactly in a rush, CLANNAD ~After Story~ 16 has made me re-examine my life and my future. It feels like yesterday sometimes I was joking with my friends on "Good luck for SPM. Next year.". Now even I find it hard to believe that I have done 2 years of university education.

It's only starting for me through. While most of my peers are graduating at the end of this year, I still have at least another 3 years to go. But even then it is not that far off.



This is the hardest part for me. Words and pictures do not do justice to the gravity of the situation. The background music only makes it better. I seriously recommend everyone watch CLANNAD ~After Story~ ep 16.


That is freezing cold. 15C. And that is inside the house with heating and all. A snow blizzard would reduce the outside temperature is near zero, and below zero once you add in the wind chill factor. Not the best circumstances to give birth.

I'm not sure how to make of this through, since its freezing cold in the British Isles and flaming hot in the southern states. Oh, and North Queensland is under 10m of water.


*sob*




The flashbacks to the past were extremely painful to watch. They are memories, but memories of a time gone past. It is painful to think about them at times.



I like how KyoAni has made full use of the grey color as a metaphor for Tomoya's mind. It is very appropriate, and one does feel the pain.

Even if I saw this coming, it still hurt. I cried. I will freely admit I cried. I had to use a toilet roll when I ran out of tissues.

I await ep 17 with fear. That is all.

CLANNAD ~After Story~ 15

I saw it coming, but it hardly makes the pain any less. And it is only to get worst before it gets better.


Yes. Unless you live in Malaysia where most people don't know each other. The settlement where CLANNAD is set in does have me draw many a similarity with Kuching.


Any medical student can verify the claim? I did a bit of research and found that it is quite unknown. Theories are thrown around but there does not seem to be much concrete scientific evidence.

If nothing else, at least I am learning more about pregnancy than 2 years of Biology.


That was my sentiments exactly when I heard of Nagisa wanting to give birth at home. I'm not sure why people do it as a matter of choice through. The risk of complications is higher.


This scene takes on a whole new meaning in the next ep. There is a lively debate on Animesuki on this matter: suffice to say, most people don't "get" pregnant. I do not think Nagisa was selfish in wanting to have a baby despite her condition, nor do I subscribe to the theory that Tomoya was reckless and did not regard Nagisa's circumstances.

I say this, because there is an issue similar to this in my family, and it is quite close to my heart. People are humans, but while most of them are logical, they also have emotions, and that can override all logic set down by (medical) science.


My heart went out to Nagisa at this scene. I still feel sorry for a cute frail twin-tailed girl whose name is written with three Hiragana, but this just made me break down and make me just want to reach out and comfort her.

Nagisaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!


If this is not bliss, I don't know what is. There is something I can't quite put my finger on about young couples who are expecting their first child.

CLANNAD ~After Story~ 15 only makes me wonder further what my parents were like when they considered to have me.