Nagisa is a petite, fair-skinned girl with soft, wavy brown hair that falls just below her shoulders and distinctive amber eyes with a gentle, downward slant. Her slight build, noted by Tomoya Okazaki, reflects her delicate health and weak immune system, which has kept her smaller than many of her peers.

One of her most recognizable features is the two distinct ahoge that stand out at the top of her head, resembling the letter “M.” This trait is inherited from her parents, Akio and Sanae Furukawa.

Typically, Nagisa can be seen in her Hikarizaka Private High School uniform, though her casual style leans toward light, feminine clothing. She also wears two small red hair clips on either side of her head. While she usually leaves her hair down, she occasionally styles it in a ponytail or bun, especially in theAfter Storyarc.

Known for her frequent blushing, Nagisa is often considered adorable, though she tends to deny this with modesty.

Nagisa is gentle and shy, with a naturally kind and selfless spirit. Always considerate, she often goes out of her way to help others, even strangers, sometimes to her own detriment. She has a humble, self-deprecating view of herself, often placing others’ happiness before her own. Optimistic and a bit naïve, she believes in the goodness of everyone. InAfter Story, her boss at the restaurant even praises her for her intelligence and strong work ethic.

Like her mother, Nagisa is sensitive and can feel hurt easily. Sincere and straightforward, she doesn’t enjoy jokes or pranks and values honesty. However, she does have moments of confidence, such as when she decides to start a drama club. Through her friendship with Tomoya Okazaki and others, she gradually gains resilience, even reaching a point where she occasionally takes charge with Tomoya.

Her peers find her a bit unusual, as she motivates herself by muttering the names of foods she’s looking forward to. Her favorite snacks are anpan (sweet bean bread) and pork cutlet (which happens to be Kyou Fujibayashi’s specialty).

Though introverted, Nagisa has bursts of energy and a bubbly side, especially when it comes to her beloved Great Dango Family. She often sings the theme song aloud, adding a bit of comic relief. She also tends to fill silences with rambling, often with lighthearted or random thoughts.

Nagisa is polite in her speech, addressing others with honorifics and frequently ending sentences with “desu,” a signature verbal quirk. Her voice is high-pitched, the highest among all the characters, reflecting her girlish and friendly nature.

Though sometimes airheaded, she’s surprisingly perceptive and notices others’ feelings and motivations, often understanding people’s emotional struggles. Her sweet and somewhat childlike demeanor attracts attention from strangers, including bullies and some male customers, making her stand out wherever she goes.

Nagisa is in her third and final year at Hikarizaka Private High School, though she is older than most of her classmates, including Tomoya Okazaki. This is due to a prolonged illness that kept her out of school for nine months, forcing her to repeat her senior year.

Her frail health plays a significant role in the storyline of Clannad, as it’s revealed that Nagisa has been plagued by recurrent illnesses since she was five years old. These health struggles shape much of her character’s journey.

As a child, Nagisa came dangerously close to death due to her parents’ unintended neglect. At the time, Akio and Sanae Furukawa were consumed with their careers, leaving them unable to provide the necessary care for Nagisa when she fell ill. Although she has no memory of this event, her life was ultimately saved after her father, Akio, desperately pleaded for her recovery, and her health was restored.

Nagisa is the central heroine of Clannad, and her journey unfolds from the very first episode of the anime, On the Hillside Path Where the Cherry Blossoms Flutter. She first meets Tomoya Okazaki on a long hill path leading to their school, marking her as the first character to speak in the series. In the visual novel, Tomoya reflects quietly before encountering her, and we’re introduced to her quirky habit of motivating herself by listing the foods she plans to eat.

Her opening monologue in the anime begins with her favorite food, anpan (sweet bean bread), while in the visual novel, she questions whether she can truly enjoy her new school if it lacks fun and happiness.

Nagisa also has a strong fondness for the Great Dango Family, a cultural mascot that became a popular fad. She lives with her loving and close-knit family in the residential quarters above Furukawa Bread, the family business.

As the story progresses, Nagisa’s character is revealed more deeply. She lacks self-confidence and often seeks help to get through the day. One of her main aspirations is to revive the Drama Club, which had been disbanded the year before due to a lack of interest from new students. She and Tomoya work together to bring the club back to life. However, in The First Step, they realize they missed the deadline to recruit new members.

To officially form the club, they need at least three members and a teacher to act as their advisor. The only teacher available is Toshio Koumura, who asks them to discuss their plans with the Choir Club, for whom he is already serving as an advisor.

The Choir Club informs Nagisa about Rie Nishina, a former violin prodigy who can no longer play due to an accident. After hearing Rie’s story, Nagisa decides to give up on her Drama Club dream, believing the Choir Club needs Koumura’s guidance more.

Youhei Sunohara, Tomoya’s friend, is outraged by this and challenges the Basketball Team to a 3-on-3 match to prove that the Choir Club shouldn’t use Rie’s accident as an excuse. His plan succeeds, and the Choir Club agrees to share Koumura with the Drama Club.

Later, after Tomoya has a falling out with his father, Nagisa offers for him to stay at her house, which he accepts. When Tomoya becomes curious about a play Nagisa is working on—one that mirrors the Illusionary World he has dreamed of—he begins to uncover the secrets of her past illness.

Nagisa, upon learning of the burden she unintentionally placed on her parents’ dreams, feels guilty. During a pivotal scene in Two Shadows, as Nagisa forgets her lines and breaks down in tears, her father, Akio, reassures her that she is not at fault. His support, along with that of her mother, Sanae, and Tomoya, encourages Nagisa to continue the performance, which she successfully completes.

The following day, Tomoya confesses his love to Nagisa, and she reciprocates, marking the start of their relationship.

After Story
In the After Storyarc, after enjoying a period of happiness with her friends and living a normal high school life, Nagisa’s illness returns, forcing her to repeat her final year of high school for a third time.

While she attempts once again to revive the Drama Club, she struggles without the same encouragement from Tomoya, who is no longer a student. Despite this, she attends school every day, always wearing a brave smile.

When Tomoya moves into his own apartment, Nagisa continues to visit him daily, cooking meals and encouraging him to focus on his work. Even when she waits alone at the Founder’s Festival for over an hour, she remains patient and supportive.

As winter approaches, Nagisa’s illness worsens, though she doesn’t have to repeat the year yet again. When she is unable to attend the graduation ceremony, Tomoya organizes a mock ceremony just for her in Graduation. Not long after, Nagisa and Tomoya get married, and she becomes Nagisa Okazaki.

Nagisa, along with Rie Nishina, starts working as a waitress at a family restaurant. Soon after, Nagisa finds out she is pregnant, and she and Tomoya choose to name their daughter Ushio Okazaki, a name derived from Nagisa’s own.

In White Darkness, during the final stages of her pregnancy, Nagisa’s health deteriorates, but she perseveres and successfully gives birth to Ushio. Sadly, she dies shortly after childbirth, and Ushio is left to suffer from the same mysterious illness years later.

In an emotional twist, both Nagisa and Ushio are resurrected when Tomoya wishes for a miracle to turn back time. Despite initially deciding to avoid meeting Nagisa again in an attempt to change their fate, Tomoya ultimately calls out to her, reaffirming that he doesn’t regret their meeting. This act ensures a happy ending as both Nagisa and Ushio survive, altering their shared tragic fate.