Determined to get her brother back onto the soccer team, Mei, Nagisa and Tomoya ask the team captain for Sunohara’s reinstatement, but they are flat out refused and ridiculed by the entire team.

The three then go to see Yukine, where Tomoya reveals the origin of the bad blood between Sunohara and the soccer team, as well as how he and Sunohara became best buddies after finding kindred spirits in each other. Yukine likewise shares that she has a delinquent brother who she believes is good at heart but has trouble expressing his good traits, much in the same way Sanae views Sunohara.

Mei, Nagisa and Tomoya again go to see the soccer club and act as ball catchers for their practice under the pretense that they will let Sunohara rejoin the club. The soccer team makes the practice a living hell for the trio and one of them even pelts Mei with a ball while her back is turned. After the grueling practice, the captain reveals he was just stringing the three along and bullies Mei. As Tomoya gets ready to take action, Sunohara rushes in and starts a brawl with the entire club to save her. Tomoya joins the fight and together they rout the soccer club.

Afterwards, the two settle their differences as it starts to rain. Sunohara reveals that he was worried about Mei the entire team but thought it was okay to leave her to Tomoya, thinking he was now her boyfriend. It was only when Sunohara saw Mei being bullied that he felt the need to be a good brother and protect her.

The next day Tomoya and Sunohara put their squabble behind them and laugh it off. Mei finally decides to return home seeing that her brother is okay having a friend as good as Tomoya around. Finally after what seems like forever, Sunohara learns the shocking truth about Sanae’s real identity!

Since we’re all here, how about ménage à trois?

Can we borrow your shed for ménage à trois?

What’s ménage à trois? Does it taste good?

Yukine: That joke has lost its impact. Now admire some Yukine goodness if you please.

Sunohara: You’re cruisin’ for a bruisin’ pal.

Tomoya: You’ll eat those words when I open a can of Tomoyo whoopass on you.

Nagisa and Mei. Hooray!

Great soccer captain, you look kind of cool.

Don’t kick soccer balls at Mei. It’s just wrong.

This is how bad hentai doujinshi start.

Onii-chan, save me!

Get your damn dirty hands off her. SUNOHARA RAGE TIMES TEN!

Hmph. You are already dead.

It’s time for a school rumble.

Tomoya: Sunohara!

Sunohara: That’s it. Hurt me more. Make me feel alive again.

Okay.

;_;

It’s an inside joke.

Sanae, you got some ‘splainin’ to do!

Best buds to the end.

Impressions:
Sunohara has become a real man! Feel the rage of Sunohara for bullying Mei, you soccer jackasses! SUNOHARA RAGE! It’s moving to see the lengths that both Mei and Sunohara will go for each other. Of course old Sunohara needs a lot of prodding before he gets off his ass and does something. The Mei abuse was hard to watch but at least Sunohara comes through when it’s crunch time.

It’s ironic how Sunohara saved his sister from bullies in the past and he has to do the exact same thing again, albeit under some different circumstances. Though he may be a bum and a delinquent, his heart’s always in the right place even if he doesn’t show it. Mei is slowly but surely polishing this diamond in the rough…

I like the unbreakable friendship between Sunohara and Tomoya and how it tied into the plot. I thought this particular subplot slightly overshadowed the Mei/Sunohara plot, but it served well in fleshing out their friendship.

Last but not least, Misae arc is next. Up to this point she’s been the least explored side character, so bring on the Misae! Make it quick so we can finally get to Yukine!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 29th, 2008 at 8:59 pm and is filed under Anime, Clannad.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.