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I'm writing this review as someone who played through the visual novel version of Clannad completely, and am aiming it directly at others who also have. If you have not read the novel, I suggest that you stop reading this review to avoid spoilers, and go pick up a copy. You will not be disappointed.

Novel players will be familiar with the Fujibayashi arc already. This OVA tries to encapsulate that five hour story into twenty-some-odd minutes. Naturally, a lot is left out, but the main points are animated. For game players, the story will be easy to follow, and you should be able to fill ... in the gaps and read between the lines

In the novel, a large portion of the story centers around the relationship between Ryou and Tomoya. We see the dead end romance as it develops, or rather, as it fails to develop. In the anime, most of this is portrayed as an animated montage with a voiceover of the two talking. Ultimately, this was a masterful way to adapt the section given time constraints. The montage format gives the impression of time passing, and also of the distance between the characters.

A few key scenes are animated here. The scene out in the rain, Ryou's explanation, and the closing scenes are all included. However, what most of these scenes lack is context. The buildup is missing, and so the expository scenes feel out of place. As a result the thing that I found most engrossing about the visual novel, the "show and don't tell" mentality, gets turned upside down. We are mostly told that there's chemistry between Kyou and Tomoya. We're mostly told that Ryou is acting out of character. We're mostly told that Tomoya is torn on what to do. In the Visual Novel there is sufficient time to show us these things, but in the adaptation, this can't be done.

Notably, there are still major points that are left out. The Tarot card reading by Ryou for Tomoya can be considered a turning point in the story, but is not featured in any way. In fact, the entire relationship between Ryou and Tomoya after he realizes his feelings for Kyou is omitted.

Ultimately, this is like a highlight reel to visual novel players. You won't feel the same as the first time you played the game. However, you will be reminded of some of the great scenes from the story, and possibly be inspired to play through again. As a massive Ryou fan, and someone who considered this arc to be the most enjoyable, I am still happy to see this animated. Despite its shortcomings, this was worth watching and better than the alternative of having the Fujibayashi arc completely omitted.