Ibuki Fuko

It is tremendously difficult to separate the soundtrack of Clannad from the theme of Braveheart. The composer must have sat down in his place of composing and found the situation hopeless; "why did I have to watch Braveheart last night?!" he shouts in exasperation. The deadline was looming and he decided that if he was unable to rid Braveheart within the following day or two he would push on nevertheless, regardless of how similar the song would turn out...differing by a couple of notes.

I could be wrong, maybe it was one of those little bouts of inspiration in which you convince yourself that you had suddenly produced a creative piece of genius but later finds that it was the Braveheart theme. The idea is almost offensive but at the very least forgivable - it is an earthly tune that shakes your heart.

Ibuki Fuko of Clannad is a school freshman who from the very outset has a ghostly background that throws a little mysteriousness over her existence. Ordinary in substance and body, the only thing that makes her a little unordinary is her obsession for stars which sends her into a spaced out state while bubbly stars appear over her warmly glowing figure. Coincidentally her spacing out also occurs while being hugged by Fuwakawa, something that was most likely imitated in the all familiar case of Azusa and Yui (K-ON). Always nice to see recycled material.

Despite her somewhat childish demeanor, Ibuki surprisingly makes an observation of Okazaki and Furakawa's closeness and later on encourages them with much joy, to call each other by first name. The scene in which she makes her observation is a plain one but when the two are momentarily alone within sight of Fuko, they distinctly appear to enjoy the friendship they had only recently formed.


Later new developments emerge and the world begins to forget the past: spoiler (up to episode nine)

I didn't start the post on the subject of Ibuki (Braveheart) so I have to finish on a non-Ibuki subject: My impression of the first episode of Clannad was that Okazaki hated the city and had no reason to live amongst the people.

By episode number 2 he is cured. Nothing wrong with the city.