It wasn't that the other works were bad.
After all, if they had gained so many fans, how could they possibly be lacking?
When Akifumi said that "not a single one could measure up," what he truly meant was that while these were good stories, calling them representations of "life" felt somewhat forced.
Some lives are short, others are long.
A short life isn't necessarily unremarkable, and a long one isn't always extraordinary.
"Life" is a vast and abstract concept.
It can be interpreted from countless angles, and every story could, in some way, claim to be about life.
Was there "life" in Puella Magi Madoka Magica?
Undoubtedly.
Madoka's choice, Homura's endless cycles, Mami's transformation from fear to courage, Sayaka's self-destructive devotion to love, Kyoko's sacrifices for family—all of these reflect facets of life.
What about Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day?
Absolutely.
Menma's childhood tragedy was a kind of life.
Jinta's self-imposed isolation and eventual redemption was another. Each character's choices reflected different shades of existence.
And Your Lie in April?
Even more so.
Struggles, setbacks, perseverance, fleeting moments of hope, the loss of loved ones, the weight of regret—these are life itself.
Yet, despite their brilliance, only one story had ever been described as CLANNAD is life.
Why?
If we reflect on our own lives, they are rarely filled with so many kindhearted people, nor do we live in peaceful little towns untouched by chaos.
More importantly, our lives don't have a reset button.
There are no second chances. Once someone is gone, they return to dust and leave only an empty space behind.
So why, then, is this seemingly "idealistic" story called life?
What gives CLANNAD the right to be labeled as such?
The truth is, no single story can truly encapsulate what life is.
Even the longest manga—whether it spans 10, 20, or 30 years—must one day reach its conclusion.
And once it ends, a sequel can always follow.
But life doesn't work that way.
For some, life is over in a single day. For others, it stretches across decades or even a century.
Yet once it reaches its conclusion, there are no sequels—only finality.
It is precisely because reality is so merciless that we cling to fairy tales.
Fairy tales where angels spread their wings to protect us.
Fairy tales where no matter how cruel the world is, the prince and princess will always find their happily ever after.
CLANNAD is a fairy tale as well—though not quite like the others.
It begins with uncertainty, confusion, and the turbulence of youth, slowly leading the protagonist toward maturity and self-discovery. This is how most fairy tales unfold.
But where CLANNAD surpasses other fairy tales is in the question it dares to ask:
What happens after the "happily ever after"?
This is what makes it groundbreaking.
Beneath its seemingly whimsical exterior lies a story that is painfully real, one that echoes our own lives in ways we never expect.
That's why CLANNAD is not life.
Rather, it is a fairy tale that resembles life—one wrapped in both the warmth of human connection and the mysteries of fate.
People gravitate toward uplifting stories, but there are countless feel-good narratives out there.
And no matter how they are told, if they merely celebrate the same hopeful ideals, they risk becoming predictable and cliché.
Much like how the first pioneers leave us in awe, but those who follow without innovation are seen as imitators.
Without After Story, CLANNAD would have been just another well-crafted but ultimately forgettable tale.
It was After Story that elevated it to greatness.
Any story that attempts to balance reality with idealism inevitably faces a difficult choice:
Should it remain true to life, or should it offer solace in fantasy?
By choosing one, it must inevitably forgo the other.
But CLANNAD does something rare—it refuses to choose.
Instead, it presents both.
It first offers a harsh, unflinching reality.
Then, it grants a miraculous second chance.
And in doing so, it hands the decision back to the audience.
Do you embrace the fairy tale, indulging in the comfort of a perfect ending?
Do you stop at the bitter truth, unable to move beyond grief?
Or do you walk with them through an entire lifetime, slowly uncovering the deeper meanings behind both endings?
A story that leaves room for personal interpretation is a rarity.
And if life itself is absurd, then CLANNAD captures that absurdity in its characters.
The improbable ways people meet, the surreal image of Fuko carving starfish alone in an empty classroom, Kotomi's quiet refuge in the library, the inexplicable tragedies that befall Nagisa and Ushio—every moment is steeped in a strange mix of realism and absurdity.
Much like our own lives.
At first, we believe everything in the world is real.
Then, we start to question if anything is real at all.
Later, we realize that life is both real and illusory.
And by the time we truly understand, we find that the distinction no longer matters.
That is why CLANNAD isn't life.
It simply comes closer to capturing the complexity of life than most stories ever do.
Its characters and their experiences embody the emotions, relationships, and struggles that shape our own realities.
And because it takes the time to lay such a profound emotional foundation, After Story delivers a level of impact that few other works can match.
The competition, however, lacked that depth.
Each of the other submitted works merely skimmed the surface, using a single theme as their foundation and expanding it into a so-called "story about life."
Understanding this, Akifumi had no doubt in his mind—none of them could compare.
Of course, that was only from a literary perspective.
As for the competition itself…
Well, Akifumi had no illusions about fairness.
Even knowing that no other story surpassed his, he wasn't naïve enough to assume he'd automatically take first place.
Nor did he care.
He had never been one to seek validation from rankings or judges.
Fame meant little to him.
What truly mattered was something more tangible.
As long as he could make enough money, that was satisfaction enough.
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And so, amidst the chaos of the past month, June finally came to an end.
July had arrived—the month Akifumi had been waiting for.
"Akifumi-sensei, it's been a while!"
The voice on the other end of the phone was overly polite, as if deliberately putting on an act.
Akifumi sighed, already exasperated.
They had just spoken yesterday to go over the promotional events for July.
And now, after only a single day, Otosuna Mihari was acting as if they hadn't talked in ages!?
Could she be any more dramatic?
Damn it.
Suppressing a groan, Akifumi replied in a flat tone, "If you're just calling to say pointless things, I'm hanging up."
"Ahem! Of course not!"
Tch.
No sense of suspense at all.
Mihari clicked her tongue in annoyance before getting to the point.
"Actually, the sales numbers just came in."
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[Note]
Today it's still one..... maybe if I got more time at the end of today I will upload one more, I'm sorry