Clannad: Side Stories

Clannad: Side Stories is a visual novel that supplements the main Clannad series by presenting short, character-focused narratives from the perspectives of supporting cast members. Set within the same poignant and anime-styled world, these tales offer heartwarming and occasionally sad moments, providing fans with approximately 6-7 hours of additional content to explore deeper backstories and relationships beyond the original storyline.

Clannad: Side Stories: Review

Introduction

Few visual novels have achieved the legendary status of Clannad. Released in 2004 by Key, it became a cornerstone of the medium, renowned for its emotionally devastating narrative, intricate character web, and profound themes of family and loss. Its influence extended far beyond the PC, spawning anime adaptations, manga, drama CDs, and a thriving global fanbase. Yet, for all its depth, the original story left many corners of the fictional town of Hikarizaka unexplored—side characters and tangential moments that ardent fans yearned to revisit. Enter Clannad: Side Stories (Clannad: Hikari Mimamoru Sakamichi de), a compilation of sixteen short vignettes that pull back the curtain on the lives of Hikarizaka’s residents beyond the main plot. Originally released in two volumes for the PlayStation Portable in Japan in 2010, this “fan disc” was localized for Western audiences by Sekai Project in 2016 as a stretch goal in its record-breaking Clannad Kickstarter campaign. A Nintendo Switch port followed in 2021. This review argues that Side Stories is not an essential experience for the uninitiated, but a meticulously crafted, voice-acted treasure trove for devotees—a passive yet poignant expansion that enriches the Clannad tapestry despite its minimalist gameplay and narrower emotional scope.

Development History & Context

Clannad: Side Stories emerges from a specific cultural and technological moment in visual novel history. The early 2000s saw Key (a brand of VisualArt’s) pioneer a style of narrative-driven, emotionally resonant “nakige” (crying game) titles with Kanon (1999) and Air (2000). Clannad (2004) refined this formula, juxtaposing high school comedy with profound tragedy. Its success—selling over 100,000 copies on release and topping Japanese PC game charts—cemented Key’s reputation. By the late 2000s, the studio began exploring supplementary content for its flagship titles. Side Stories originated as a series of short stories serialized in Dengeki G’s Magazine from 2004–2005, titled Official Another Story Clannad: Hikari Mimamoru Sakamichi de, written by Key’s scenario team (Jun Maeda, Yūichi Suzumoto, Kai, Tōya Okano) and illustrated by GotoP. These were later adapted into two PSP “visual sound novel” releases in 2010—a format emphasizing audio drama over interactivity.

The PSP versions were developed by Prototype and featured full voice acting (including a speaking protagonist, Tomoya, for the first time in a Clannad product), high-resolution backgrounds from the original, and new CG artwork by GotoP. The shift to a linear, choice-less structure was both practical (reusing assets for a low-cost release) and artistic (emphasizing character monologues and atmosphere). When Sekai Project launched its Kickstarter to localize Clannad in 2014, it surpassed $540,000, unlocking Side Stories as a stretch goal. The 2016 Steam release merged both PSP volumes, updated visuals to 1280×960, and provided the first official English translation. The 2021 Switch port, by Prototype, preserved this format with bilingual text support.

Technologically, Side Stories reflects its era: a “kinetic novel” that strips away branching paths and player input to deliver curated, bite-sized narratives. Its development showcases how Japanese studios repurposed mobile and handheld assets for Western PC audiences during the visual novel boom of the 2010s.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Side Stories is an anthology of sixteen self-contained episodes (plus two bonus tales in some releases), each focusing on a different character from the Clannad universe. Unlike the main game’s sprawling, choice-driven structure, these are linear vignettes, ranging from 15 to 30 minutes, designed to be consumed in a single sitting. The stories are set across a broad temporal spectrum: some are prequels (e.g., Akio Furukawa’s high school days), some overlap with the original timeline (e.g., daily life at the dormitory), and others are epilogues set after the main events (e.g., Kotomi’s post-graduation research). This non-chronological approach invites players to piece together a mosaic of life in Hikarizaka.

The narrative scope is impressively diverse:
– Classroom & School Life: Fuko Ibuki’s starfish obsession reaches new heights of absurdity; Kyou and Ryou Fujibayashi’s twin dynamics are explored through cooking mishaps and sibling rivalry.
– Family & Backstory: Akio Furukawa’s youth reveals his gentle side and his relationship with Nagisa’s mother, Sanae—a poignant echo of Clannad’s central theme that family is forged through shared hardship. Misae Sagara’s story delves into her guilt over a past tragedy, adding depth to the school nurse’s usually comedic persona.
– After Story Epilogues: Kotomi Ichinose’s tale shows her reconciling with her parents’ legacy; Yukine Miyazawa’s story ties into her mysterious past. The baseball route and the “After Story” arc itself receive expanded moments, though these are not continuations but rather flavor pieces.
– Ensemble Pieces: Two stories feature the entire cast in holiday celebrations (Christmas, New Year’s), offering lighthearted group interactions reminiscent of the main game’s “School Life” arc.

Thematically, Side Stories amplifies Clannad’s emphasis on community and small joys. While the original visual novel grappled with grief, mortality, and adult responsibilities, the side stories often settle into slice-of-life rhythms—cooking, festivals, casual conversations. This is not a dilution but a complement: by highlighting mundane happiness, they reinforce the stakes of the main tragedy. The emotional peaks are less frequent but still resonant; Akio’s story, for instance, underscores the cyclical nature of paternal love, echoing Tomoya’s journey. Humor is more pronounced, with physical comedy (Kyou’s dictionary throws) and surrealism (Fuko’s starfish euphoria). However, not all characters command equal interest—one reviewer found Fuko’s story “mindless drivel,” a testament to the anthology’s uneven engagement based on personal affinity.

Notably, Tomoya Okazaki is fully voiced for the first time (by Kenji Nojima, who also voiced him in the Clannad film). This adds a new layer to his character—a sardonic, weary tone that aligns with his delinquent persona but also reveals warmth in reflective moments. Some stories are even narrated from his perspective (e.g., Kotomi and Yukine’s tales), offering direct insight into his observational humor and underlying empathy.

In sum, Side Stories does not advance the central plot but rather orbits it, providing character beats that feel authentic and oftenheartwarming. For fans, it’s a homecoming to Hikarizaka’s quiet streets and熟悉的 faces—a chance to linger in a world that feels lived-in.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Mechanically, Clannad: Side Stories is a radical departure from the interactive expectations of visual novels. It is a kinetic novel—a linear, choice-free narrative presentation. Upon launching the game, players select one of the sixteen stories from a menu. Once chosen, the story plays automatically: text scrolls at a fixed pace (with no speed control), voice lines trigger in sequence, and background visuals change according to scene. The only interruptions are chapter breaks (pre-divided segments that can be selected from a submenu before playback) and a pause function. There is no ability to save mid-story, nor to rewind dialogue, making the experience akin to watching a television episode with subtitles.

This design choice is both a strength and a weakness. On one hand, it encourages passive consumption—players can relax without the cognitive load of decision-making. The chapter segmentation allows for short sessions, fitting the anthology’s vignette format. On the other, the lack of control can be frustrating: if you miss a line, you must restart the chapter. The inability to adjust text speed hinders reading rhythm, especially for non-Japanese speakers who rely on the English subtitles. Compared to traditional visual novels (including the original Clannad), where players pace their own progress and can review logs, Side Stories feels restrictive. As one Steam discussant noted, it’s “more of a DVD” than a game.

The gameplay loop is therefore simple: select story → watch/listen → finish → select another. There are no stats to manage, no endings to unlock, no branching paths. The only “progression” is completing all tales, which takes approximately 6–7 hours total. This brevity aligns with the fan disc ethos—concise, replayable content for dedicated fans.

From a preservation standpoint, the Steam release includes quality-of-life improvements over the PSP original: higher resolution assets, widescreen compatibility, and system text localization. However, it retains the original’s minimalist interface, which some may find dated.

In summary, Side Stories prioritizes narrative delivery over interactivity. It succeeds as an audio-drama collection but fails as a “game” in any conventional sense. Its design is a conscious throwback to early visual novels and drama CDs, appealing to a niche audience that values story above all.

World-Building, Art & Sound

The presentation of Side Stories is a patchwork of reused and new assets, creating an aesthetic that is both familiar and slightly disjointed.

Art & Visuals:
– Backgrounds: The game primarily uses the original Clannad’s background art, depicting Hikarizaka’s school, bakery, streets, and interiors. These are upscaled to 1280×960 for the Steam/Switch releases, looking crisp but static. The environments are instantly recognizable to fans and maintain the soft, watercolor-inspired palette of the original.
– Character CGs: Instead of the anime-style sprite expressions of the main game, Side Stories introduces new illustrations by GotoP (known for Angel Beats!). These are rendered in a more realistic, painterly style with subtle shading and naturalistic facial proportions. They appear sporadically—as full-screen or inset images during key moments—but are far less frequent than the sprites in the original visual novel. This sparsity is a double-edged sword: the artwork is beautiful and refreshingly different from Itaru Hinoue’s iconic designs, but players spend most of their time staring at static backgrounds with text, leading to visual monotony. As Gamer Escape noted, “spending most of each story staring at background images can become boring after a while.”
– UI: The interface is barebones: text box at the bottom, choice indicators for chapter selection. No text history log, no voice replay. The menu is functional but sparse.

Sound & Music:
– Voice Acting: The highlight of the audio design. All characters are fully voiced, including Tomoya (a first for a Clannad visual novel). The cast reprises their roles from the PSP version and film: Kenji Nojima as Tomoya, Mai Nakahara as Nagisa, etc. Performances are superb, capturing each character’s quirks with nuance. The dialogue-heavy format means voices carry the emotional weight, and the lack of visual cues (like speaker indicators) can occasionally make it hard to distinguish characters in group scenes.
– Music: The soundtrack largely repurposes Jun Maeda, Shinji Orito, and Magome Togoshi’s original Clannad compositions—themes like “Nagisa,” “Sore wa Kaze no Yōni,” and the iconic “Dango Daikazoku.” These are effectively deployed, though some reviewers felt the tracks were mismatched to mundane scenes, diluting their impact. A handful of new, Christmas-themed tracks were added for the PSP/Steam versions, fitting the holiday Setting of several stories.
– Sound Design: Minimalistic; ambient noise is rare. The focus is on voice and music, reinforcing the audio-drama atmosphere.

Atmosphere & World-Building:
The world of Hikarizaka is conveyed through environmental details in the backgrounds and the characters’ dialogue. The stories deepen the setting by showing locales at different times of day/year and from varied perspectives—e.g., Akio’s high school flashbacks reveal how the town looked decades ago. The tone is generally warmer and less foreboding than the original’s “After Story” arc, aligning with the “sunny side stories” implied by the Japanese title (Hikari Mimamoru Sakamichi de = “On the Hillside Path that Light Watches Over”). This creates a comforting, nostalgic aura, though it occasionally lacks the dramatic tension that defines Clannad.

Reception & Legacy

Clannad: Side Stories received a mixed-to-positive critical reception, with scores ranging from 50% to 80% (MobyGames average 69%). Critics consistently framed it as a product for existing fans only:
– Operation Rainfall (80%): Praised its “cute, heartwarming stories” and the boar piglet Botan’s narration, but noted it “doesn’t hit as hard emotionally as CLANNAD.”
– Tech-Gaming (76%): Called the localization “largely proficient” and appreciated the “variety and brevity,” but criticized the lack of interactivity and sparse CGs.
– Gamer Escape (7/10): Acknowledged it “does so beautifully” in giving fans more time with characters, but lamented the passive format and static visuals, especially for non-Japanese speakers.
– Brash Games (50%): Dismissed it as “filler,” arguing the stories don’t extend the main plot and would have worked better as OVAs. Criticized the lack of gameplay depth.

User reception is more enthusiastic: on Steam, it holds a “Very Positive” rating (88/100 from ~396 reviews as of early 2026). Players praise the voice acting, character insights, and nostalgia factor. Common complaints mirror critic concerns: the inability to save mid-scene, limited visuals, and the fact that it’s not a full game.

Commercially, exact sales figures for the localized version are unavailable, but the original PSP volumes sold nearly 29,000 copies combined in Japan by 2010—a solid number for a niche fan disc. Its inclusion in the Clannad Kickstarter (which raised over $540,000) demonstrated strong Western demand for supplementary Key content.

Legacy: Side Stories has not significantly impacted the visual novel industry; fan discs remain a common but low-profile release type in Japan. Its main legacy is as a case study in localized supplementary content—proof that Western fans will support niche expansions if the core product is beloved. It also highlights the challenges of adapting audio-drama-heavy titles for a global audience (e.g., reliance on subtitles for non-Japanese speakers). Within the Clannad franchise, it’s often overshadowed by the main game and the acclaimed After Story anime, but it has attained cult status among hardcore fans for its added context and Tomoya’s voice.

Conclusion

Clannad: Side Stories is a curio of the highest order—a collection of narrative afterthoughts that, through loving attention to voice and character, achieves a quiet resonance. It is not a sequel, nor a proper game, but a well-produced audio companion to a masterpiece. For the uninitiated, it is utterly incomprehensible and unrewarding; without the emotional scaffolding of the original Clannad, these vignettes float without anchor. But for those who have wept at Nagisa’s fate, laughed with Youhei’s antics, and pondered Tomoya’s growth, Side Stories is a homecoming. It revisits Hikarizaka with a softer lens, celebrating the everyday magic that made the main story’s tragedies land with such force.

Its flaws are glaring: no interactivity, repetitive visuals, and an overreliance on pre-existing assets. Yet its strengths—the stellar voice cast, the gentle humor, the expansion of supporting characters—are precisely what fans crave. In an era where DLC and remasters often feel cynical, Side Stories stands as a genuine labor of love, preserving and enhancing a beloved world for those who refuse to leave it.

Final Verdict: 7.5/10. A must-play for Clannad completists; a curiosity for others. Its place in video game history is that of a supplementary artifact—a testament to a community’s enduring devotion and a studio’s willingness to linger in a story’s margins.