Ep 14. Theory of Everything

In Clannad season 1 episode 14, titled "Theory of Everything," the story continues to follow Tomoya Okazaki, a high school student who has become involved in the lives of several girls at his school. The episode centers around the character Kotomi Ichinose, a brilliant student who has isolated herself from her classmates.

Tomoya and his friend, Youhei Sunohara, decide to visit Kotomi's house to return a book that she had lent to them. However, when they arrive, they find that Kotomi's home is in a state of disarray, and she is nowhere to be found. After some searching, they discover that she has gone to the library.

At the library, Kotomi is engrossed in her studies, and does not seem to notice Tomoya and Youhei's arrival. They try to get her attention, but she ignores them, lost in her own thoughts. Tomoya then decides to take a more direct approach, and asks Kotomi about a letter that he saw her reading earlier. The letter is from Kotomi's parents, who died in a tragic accident years ago.

Kotomi is initially hesitant to talk about the letter, but she eventually opens up to Tomoya and Youhei about the contents. The letter contains a formula that her parents had been working on, which they believed to be the "Theory of Everything." The formula is so complex that it has yet to be fully understood, even by experts in the field.

As Kotomi explains her parents' work, she becomes more and more emotional, and begins to cry. Tomoya comforts her, and promises to help her understand the formula that her parents had left behind.

The rest of the episode focuses on Tomoya's attempts to decipher the formula, and his interactions with Kotomi. He recruits the help of several other students at the school, including Ryou Fujibayashi and Kyou Fujibayashi, twin sisters who are also friends with Tomoya.

As Tomoya and his friends work on the formula, they begin to unravel the mysteries surrounding Kotomi's past. They discover that she has been isolating herself due to guilt over her parents' deaths, which she believes were caused by her carelessness.

Despite the heavy themes of loss and regret, the episode is punctuated by moments of humor and lightheartedness. For example, the Fujibayashi twins engage in a comical competition over Tomoya's affections, and Tomoya repeatedly pokes fun at Youhei for being lazy and unproductive.

In the end, "Theory of Everything" is an emotionally charged episode that deals with weighty subjects in a delicate and nuanced way. It remains one of the standout episodes of Clannad's first season, and sets the stage for many of the events to come.