In the other world, winter is fast approaching and the girl and robot decide to leave the house in search of a warmer place full of happiness. In the real world, Tomoya, Nagisa and Sunohara are hanging out with Yukine in the reference room when a gang member named Sudou suddenly comes in looking for Yukine. Yukine consoles Sudou, and the group learns that Yukine is revered as the big sister of a gang led by her brother, Kazuto Miyazawa, and that she takes care of the delinquents.

On the way home a young boy named Yu approaches the group and asks Yukine about Kazuto and the whereabouts of his sister. Sunohara pretends to be Kazuto and (surprise surprise) everyone goes to his room later. Yu tells the group that his sister has left home and has apparently joined Kazuto’s gang. The problem is resolved when Yukine promises to ask the gang about Yu’s sister.

Sunohara takes a liking to Yu and brings him to school the next day. After school Yukine brings everyone to the night club where the gang hangs out and Yu is reunited with his sister. Sunohara’s cover as Kazuto is subsequently blown and the gang is displeased to find out he’s been impersonating their leader. Nagisa asks if Kazuto will show up but learns from the gang members that he is currently in the hospital after a car accident and that Kazuto also has a strained relationship with his parents. As Tomoya, Nagisa, Yukine and Sunohara leave the club, they are beset by the members of the rival gang who still believe that Sunohara is Kazuto. Luckily they are saved by Tomoyo when she single-handedly lays some royal smack down on the delinquents.

This is a story about a girl and her robot… Isn’t it?

Yukine in a fetching apron.

The reference room is the perfect place for a get together.

ZETSUBOUSHITA!!!

What are you–I’m not even going to ask…

Fried rice heals wounds. It’s scientifically proven.

Walking home with Yukine. Lucky!

Obligatory shouta appearance of the Yukine arc.

Naturally Sunohara’s room becomes the default meeting place.

Sunohara: You’re like a flower in the wind! This is deep stuff, got it?

My buddy and me.

Unlike Sunohara, he actually holds the book rightside up.

Remember dinosaurs are extinct because they were stupid!

Yukine showing her maternal side.

Anime Rule #57: Hide behind street poles. They’re the perfect cover and no one will ever see you.

I’m like a chameleon. A Japanese chameleon.

I’m not feeling so good suddenly.

Yu: Onee-chan, are you a prostitute now?

Hey man, you got a girlfriend?

Why so sad?

Sunohara playing with his new ‘friends’.

Tomoya’s found some new friends too.

Nagisa and Yukine: Future Idolm@asters!

I sure hope no one jumps us on our way home.

This is just like something straight out of [****] Side Story!

Tomoyo to the rescue.

Impressions:
Yukine is the love. Those tired, droopy eyes and forcing unsuspecting people to recite stupid charms to somehow work… So super moe! Yukine, you have gained points in my book for your moeness. From now on when asked about Mei I’ll simply reply, “Who’s Mei?” because Yukine has utterly usurped that position. Of course Yukine still can’t hold a candle to the curvy moe of Kotomi, but to be fair Kotomi does have the unfair advantage of Mamiko Noto on her side.

That’s enough moe talk so down to the nitty gritty. Yukine is definitely not as happy and carefree as we were initially led to believe, and since Clannad is all about family, her arc is about her brother’s strained relationship with their parents. The other world is gradually taking a greater role in the story and is slowly becoming more relevant. I’m really looking forward to the point that the other world actually takes center stage and becomes pivotal to to the plot at hand. After the Yukine arc, I wonder if we’ll have time for some Tomoyo and Kyou wrap up or if it’s time to jump straight into the real After Story. Either way it looks like the Yukine arc will wrap up next episode and we’ll see from there.

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 16th, 2008 at 6:24 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.