If you've read The Pond over the past couple of years, you've probably realized that I'm quite fond of the production combination of Key Games and Kyoto Animation.  The two companies have combined on the anime versions of the visual novels for AIR, Kanon and Clannad.  While I didn't much care for AIR, the other two are way up on my list of favorite shows. 

But I've never had the chance to actually experience the original source material for the shows, since they were in Japanese and there's never been an English translation... until now.

Baka-Tsuki, TheWaffleHouse, and Sprocket-Hole Subs have been working on an English patch for the game, and while they aren't done with it quite yet, somebody took their translated files (in a 99.9% done state) and released them in a format that works.

So what's it like?

Well, I'm only an hour or so into it, but I am amazed at how well KyoAni manipulated the game to turn it into the anime.  It's all there, and more besides.  Each of the girls have a storyline as full as Nagisa's, and other than quick glimpses, hers was the only one we got to see in the show.  Somewhere, I read that there's well over 300 hours of gameplay in Clannad, and I can easily believe it.

The humor level is still high, though without the moving visuals some of it doesn't translate as well (Sunohara in the garbage chute).  It's way too early, though, for the drama to have begun, though I fully expect that it'll be at least as intense as what was in the show.  The reasons for the successful Key/KyoAni partnership are clearly evident to me now... both sides brought a helluva lot to the table, and the end result is an amazing feast.

Now if only someone would do a translation for Kanon, I'd be the happiest duck around...

Posted by: Wonderduck at 09:22 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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