A little past five twenty, Clannad episode twenty-two finished airing.
More than a few viewers were left with a lingering sense of loss.
Many of them didn't even bother changing the channel. They just let the TV play on while they sat there replaying Clannad's final episode in their heads.
It was so moving.
That bastard Yuta actually made an anime this emotionally devastating. The man was a devil.
Online, the discussion was going wild.
"A child's dream is her parents' dream... huh? Why can't I stop crying all of a sudden?"
"I thought after surviving the Fuko arc and the Kotomi arc, I'd be bulletproof by the finale. Turns out I overestimated myself and seriously underestimated that devil Yuta."
"Now I finally get why a bishoujo anime has a name like Clannad. This really is nothing like any other bishoujo show."
"Thanks to Nagisa, it looks like Tomoya's relationship with his dad softened a little too. Now that's what healing looks like."
"It's over. And now I feel like I just went through a breakup."
"That last episode really hit me hard. My own parents gave up their dreams for me too..."
A lot of people were clearly still processing the final episode, and most of the discussion revolved around its content.
But there were plenty of other topics too.
"Thank god President Shido held his ground. If he'd caved to Genma Wasabi back then, we never would have gotten something this incredible."
"Genma Wasabi can go to hell!"
"I heard Love Academy already tanked. I doubt many studios will be lining up to hire him as director after this."
"Wait, people are still watching Love Academy? Is Clannad not good enough for them, or are they just bored out of their minds?"
"Hold on, is episode twenty-two really the last one? I feel like there are still a bunch of loose threads that never got tied up."
"Hmm, there's still the OVA special. Maybe that'll wrap things up?"
In terms of pure story structure, the first season was complete at episode twenty-two. It was a self-contained narrative.
But anyone who paid close attention and really thought about it would notice that quite a few plot threads remained unresolved.
Most viewers could only think of the upcoming OVA as a way to address those loose ends. Nobody was even considering the possibility of a second season.
Using an OVA to tie things up wasn't unusual. Other anime had done it before.
But an OVA was only one episode. Could it really wrap up everything that was left dangling?
People were puzzled over this when suddenly, Starfall's official social media account dropped a bombshell announcement.
"Clannad Season Two: Production Confirmed!"
When people saw the news, half of them thought they were seeing things.
"Season two?"
"Wasn't that the finale?"
"The male lead already confessed to the female lead, and all the other girls have stepped aside. What's left to make a season two about?"
"Is this real?"
"Is Starfall just going to use season two to fill in the plot holes?"
"Season one was already a classic and felt complete on its own. There's no need for a second season. What if they accidentally wreck all the goodwill they built up?"
"I don't care what season two is about. If Starfall has the guts to make it, I have the guts to watch it."
"If it's not as moving as season one, I'm not watching."
Opinions were all over the place. Some people were excited, some were confused, and some were worried.
What was undeniable was that the moment this news hit, it set off yet another firestorm of discussion.
...
Arcane, the investment department's office.
Department head Issei Kagetsu muttered to himself, "I heard Starfall's project was supposed to be garbage. Who would've thought it'd turn into a mega-hit? Our little Miss Aoi sure is lucky."
Everyone around him was from the investment department. They exchanged glances but kept their mouths shut.
Lucky?
Sure, investing sometimes came down to luck, but they had a feeling Aoi Fuji's success wasn't just about being lucky.
Still, Issei Kagetsu was the department head, and he was Aoi's sworn rival.
Even Aoi herself seemed to find him difficult to deal with. Nobody in the department dared say what they were really thinking in front of him.
If they got on Aoi's bad side, Issei Kagetsu would cover for them. That wasn't a problem. But if they got on Issei's bad side, they could kiss their careers at Arcane goodbye.
That was exactly why none of them had lifted a finger when Aoi had asked them to review the Starfall project.
Issei was only grumbling casually though. He wasn't actually worried.
Getting lucky once didn't mean getting lucky every time.
All it would take was one failed investment, and he'd have the leverage to force Aoi out of the president's chair. No investor, no matter how shrewd, could succeed every single time. So it wasn't a big deal. He just needed to be patient.
He was still thinking this when a tall figure walked into the office. She wore a sharp white blazer with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her complexion was fair, her features refined. It was Aoi Fuji.
Issei looked up, slightly puzzled.
He didn't stand to greet her, but he acknowledged her presence. "Miss Aoi, what brings you here?"
"I knew if I called you to my office, you wouldn't come. So I came to you instead," Aoi replied, her expression neutral.
"You're too kind, Miss Aoi."
Issei chuckled. "If you've come to hand over the president's seat, just say the word and I'll gladly visit your office."
"Hand over the president's seat? Keep dreaming." Aoi shook her head slightly.
Issei smiled. "A department head who doesn't aspire to be president isn't much of a department head. Wouldn't you agree, Miss Aoi?"
Aoi replied, "Fair point. But unfortunately for you, you're never going to get that chance."
"Hm?" Issei frowned.
Aoi didn't beat around the bush.
"Starting tomorrow, you are no longer head of the investment department. The formal HR notice will be sent to you shortly."
"What?!"
Issei was floored. "That's impossible!"
"As the head of the investment department, you've produced absolutely zero results for months on end. You've essentially been collecting a paycheck and doing nothing at Arcane. What's so impossible about it? Don't worry, we're not firing you. You'll be transferred to an affiliated company. As for which company and where it's located, I'm not sure myself. You can check the notice when it arrives." Aoi spoke with measured patience.
"Zero results? I... that's impossible! The chairman... the chairman would never approve of this!" Issei sputtered, growing increasingly incoherent. He grabbed the phone off his desk and dialed a number, apparently trying to call the "chairman" for help.
The call went through, but nobody picked up.
Aoi spoke up at just the right moment. "It's no use. My father has given up on you. You should accept it."
Issei redialed. Still no answer.
Panic started to creep into his expression, and he couldn't stop himself from raising his voice.
"Impossible! The chairman... he promised me!"
"Promised you what?"
"..."
"Fine, I'll give you one more hint. Your biggest mistake wasn't actually being useless. It was introducing Lumen's Kaito Amanai to Aniflex."
"How do you know about that?"
Issei's mind went blank.
Aoi didn't explain further. She didn't even spare him another glance. She turned on her heel and walked out.
_______________________
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