One of my favourite minor characters from the anime of Clannad was Yukine Miyazawa. All through the first anime, I was wondering if she had a back-story, or would get any more depth put into her character.

Although Yukine never seemed to me to be the most special or interesting character in Clannad, she was definitely one of the kindest, and her sleepy-eyed look and calm attitude was always sweet to see. She never seemed bothered or irritated when Okazaki and Sunohara came to the reference room for advice.  She was definitely willing to help absolutely anyone.

Of course, in After Story it is shown that she is far less care-free than her sweetness lets on. We discover that her influence reaches much, much farther than the walls of the reference room. Her kindness is sought out by not only the students of their school, but by members of the two rival gangs of the city, one of which her older brother is the leader.

It is very clear that Yukine feels quite deeply about the members of both gangs. It is also clear that they hold her in their utmost respect. So when the two gangs clash and prepare for a battle, Yukine’s pain is evident. She struggles to get the two gangs to calm down, but with little results. Her brother is hospitalized and can’t help her. When a fight appears unavoidable and Okazaki starts getting beaten up, she becomes really desperate. No matter what she does, neither of the gangs seems to realise exactly how much their fighting is hurting her. She goes to such lengths as to pretend to be her brother to try to keep the gangs from fighting each other. Although they realize their mistake before she receives more than a blow in the face, of course, but it’s quite clear that she would rather get beaten up than watch the two gangs (or Okazaki) fight. Her deepest desire was that the people she cared about could live in peace.

“Why is it that it’s come to something like this?” She said.

It didn’t take long for the whole story to come out: How Yukine’s brother is actually dead, and that it wasn’t until after his death that she befriended the gangs. Taking care of them had been brought her a lot of happiness, and it hurt her when they fought. It also made her realize that her brother’s ultimate wish was for the gang rivalry to end. The two gangs end their fighting, and Yukine cries tears of joy.

Just like Yukine cared for both gangs, God loves everyone, regardless of what “side” they’re on.  But instead of loving each other, people seem to love to quarrel and fight. History has seen countless wars, some for good reasons, and some for very little reason. Even many Christians seem to be busy arguing, bickering over whose right and whose wrong. Everyone does it, so we never think about it much, but I don’t think it’s what God wants for us. He loved us so much he gave his life for us, so shouldn’t we try to love each other?

I don’t live in the city, so I’ve never come into any contact with gang rivalry, but I do fight with those around me: My parents, my siblings, my friends. Instead of making things better, all needless arguments seem to do is hurt people and form grudges.  Sometimes it’s inevitable, but as God’s children, shouldn’t we try to be the peacemakers?

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Murasaki Lynna

Stories have always fascinated Lynna, whether they are told in books, anime, music, or doodles in the margins of her accounting homework. She hails from Canada, and when she isn’t busy with life or obsessing over some anime or webcomic, she is working on writing her own stories, so that she might one day unleash them upon the world.

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