If someone told you an anime about a delinquent and a girl who draws starfish would wreck you emotionally, you'd laugh. Then you'd finish After Story. Here is where to watch Clannad, the order to watch it in, and whether it holds up on our board.
Quick answer
Clannad streams on HiDive, with availability on other platforms by region. Watch order is simple: the first season, Clannad (2007), then the sequel, Clannad: After Story (2008) — the second half is the reason the series is a classic. On SenpaiRanks, the first season scores 7.94 and After Story jumps to 8.90, one of the highest drama scores on the whole board.
Watch order
There are only two things you must watch, in this order:
- Clannad (2007) — 23 episodes. The school-life setup: Tomoya meets Nagisa and the ensemble that carries the whole story.
- Clannad: After Story (2008) — 24 episodes. The sequel that skips ahead into adult life. This is the part people mean when they call Clannad one of the greatest anime ever.
The film and the alternate-world OVAs are optional side stories — skip them on a first watch. Kyoto Animation made both seasons, and the jump in craft between them is part of why the ending lands.
Is it good?
Per SenpaiRanks, After Story sits at 8.90 — seventh on our all-time board and level with the medium's canonised classics. That is not a nostalgia score; it is what happens when a slice-of-life romance commits fully to the "life" part. The first season at 7.94 is the slower, funnier setup; After Story is the emotional detonation. If you want the other end-of-the-board tearjerker, our A Silent Voice guide is the companion watch.
Both axes matter here: Clannad is broadly loved (Consensus) and it holds up on rewatch once you know where it is going (Quality). Open the Clannad page or the After Story page to see the full breakdown and rate it yourself.
Where to watch
Clannad and After Story stream on HiDive in most regions, with the movie and OVAs surfacing on rental platforms depending on where you are. We list every platform on each show's page rather than pointing you at one — open the cards above for the current links.
The call
Clannad is the reference point for how far a school-life show can go. The dual-axis score says the crowd agrees; your rating is the tie-breaker. Watch the two seasons in order, then rate them on their pages to move them on the live board. Compare against the rest of the canon on the SenpaiRanks all-time ranking or the full board.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What order do I watch Clannad in?
A: Watch Clannad (2007) first, then Clannad: After Story (2008). The movie and OVAs are optional side stories you can skip on a first watch.
Q: Is Clannad good?
A: Yes. On SenpaiRanks, Clannad: After Story scores 8.90 — seventh all-time on our board — while the first season holds 7.94.
Q: Where can I watch Clannad?
A: Clannad and After Story stream on HiDive in most regions, with other platforms by area. Open the show's SenpaiRanks page for current links.
Q: Do I need to watch the first season before After Story?
A: Yes. After Story is a direct sequel and depends entirely on the relationships built in the first season.
Q: Can I change Clannad's ranking?
A: Yes. Rating Clannad on its page feeds the live aggregate, so your vote shifts where it sits on the board.