Kanon
Slice of Life anime are highly coveted titles that many fans look forward to every season. In a sea of action-packed mainstream Anime titles, even the biggest fans of the dynamic genre would like to sit back, relax and watch some heartwarming stories that they can relate to.
Romance and Drama only add to the heartfelt stories as many fans start to see themselves in their new favorite characters. These types of tales transcend eras and generations, so do not hesitate to watch titles that are a tad old by now; the reason they are still popular is a testament to its greatness.
Kanon, also known as “Kanon (2006)” and “Kanon Remake” is a 24 episode TV anime series that aired from the 6th of October, 2006 until the 16th of March, 2007 as a Fall 2006 title. It features the genres of Drama, Romance, Slice of Life and Supernatural, adding to its very own dynamic effects.
The series was produced by Pony Canyon, TBS and Movic, licensed by ADV Films and Funimation and brought to life by Studio Kyoto Animation. The series received a Rating of PG-13, being most suitable for teen audiences 13 years or older.
Additionally, a two-volume manga series by the same title was published from the 21st of October 2000 until the 21st of May 2002 by Artist Morishima Petit, following the story as written by Studio Key. Dengeki Daioh serialized this. A six-volume Light Novel series was also released under the same title from November 1999 until March 2011.
This was the work of Artist Hinoue Itaru and Author Shimizu Mariko. An alternative version exists in the form of another Anime series released back in 2002, “Kanon (2002)”. The Kanon anime series is based on the source adult Visual Novel of the same title, developed by Studio Key and released on the 4th of June 1999 for the Windows PC platform. This TV anime series ran for 13 episodes from the 31st of January until the 28th of March, in Winter 2002.
This, too, was based on the source Visual Novel and was the work of Studio Toei Animation, which in contrast, was Rated G for all ages. From this point, it seems evident that Kanon (2006) is actually spicier and more mature than its 2002 Alternate version.
The story revolves around Protagonist Aizawa Yuuichi, a 17-year-old boy in his prime, both friendly and outgoing. Ever since he was a young child, he had often paid visits to his cousin in the city, but this pattern did not last for long, as something quite drastic occurred, something big enough to keep him away from there for seven long years. In the present, however, Yuuichi is finally returning to the city again, and oddly enough, he retains no memories of those days he spent here in his childhood…. they are simply just gone.
No sooner had he settled into the cold winter-bound town, Yuuichi starts to come across numerous young girls, one by one, and strangely enough, all of them are somehow connected to his mysterious and seemingly forgotten past.
As he slowly starts to befriend every one of them, interacting with them more and more each passing day, the strange and long-forgotten memories from his shrouded childhood begin to resurface once more. As each little piece of the puzzle comes together, Yuuichi's eventful life in the city unravels.
Kanon is a series that will get a viewer’s emotions running wild. This is achieved through each of its vibrant characters who have their own tragic pasts. The Supernatural and Fantasy genres are well woven into the story so that it doesn’t feel forced. The story of Kanon starts slow, dull, and even somewhat stupid, a seemingly typical harem series. But the harem is simply only one part of the tale.
This is where Kanon excels; it is, in fact, the execution. The mystery surrounding it is consistent and is applicable at every nook and cranny; the characters, setting, dreary winter season, and tragic pasts. It boasts a good amount of emotion, drama, and even light-hearted Slice of Life aspects in a well-balanced blend, making for a truly unique story. Each of the girls has their respective character arcs, and when one ends, they immediately skip to another’s.
In each arc, only the focus character is presented to the viewer, as if all the others before her simply stopped existing for that period. This is its biggest weakness, making it far too much like a Visual Novel despite being adapted as a linear anime. This weakens the character interactions and even the overall blending.
Perhaps not Kanon’s strongest suit; the characters all feel pretty generic from the onset. But what it does right is their good character development and overall execution. Each character boasts their own mysteries, issues, past and unique development.
It is neat how they seem mysterious from the onset, grasping the interest of viewers, all in different ways while standing out from the rest of the cast. As far as the synopsis goes, Yuuichi sounds generic and boring, but he is actually a great protagonist. Despite being insensitive and overly playful at times, he doesn’t fail to show what a good person he is, and it comes as no surprise that he captures so many women’s hearts. Once again, due to its Visual Novel nature, there is a suffocating lack of interaction and blending among the many girls.
They are each seen during their arcs and almost don’t appear again until the finale, making them seem unrealistic. This causes a lack of fleshed-out and relatable characters, who only seem to exist within their own secluded bubbles.
When it comes to Art and Animation, Kyoto Animation’s work, as expected, is pretty unique and beautiful considering the time of production. The graphical portrayal of the setting and the Season of Winter is exceptionally well done, allowing viewers to fall right into it. Special mention to the gorgeous falling snow, no anime before it had done a more impressive job with it.
In Kanon, the snow does not merely fall; it falls in a manner that one could just sit and watch forever. Overall, the Animation is incredible. The Art Style is sharp, vibrant, and crisp, albeit being quite generic for its time. As expected of anime at that time, the eyes are way too large and somewhat disorienting, but it won’t be much of a bother after getting used to it.
The Sounds and Music of Kanon can be perceived as either mediocre or good depending on the viewer. The music complements each scene’s mood and the atmosphere very nicely. When the tragedy and the drama sets in, the OSTs do a superb job of bringing out the tears. While none of them really stand or are that memorable, they were all welcome and fitting additions to the Anime.
The Voice Acting was really good, too, and Yuuuichi does not falter at all in this department. The Opening theme is “Last Regrets” by Key & Ayana, and the Ending theme is “Kaze no Tadori Tsuku Basho” by Ayana, both of which are okay.
Kanon is quite enjoyable if you just give it a chance. It is likely to get the tears flowing almost endlessly until the end. That’s not all it has to offer, though, as there is plenty of good humor and satisfactory moments embedded in it. If the genres strike your fancy, do not hesitate to give this one a go.
It may have its flaws and makes its time of production blatantly obvious through its Art, but if you can look past these, you’re in for a great watch. If you’re not a fan of these genres and not a big fan of Anime from that era, especially if you're looking for more dynamic stories, Kanon is not your cup of tea. Even so, it won’t be a regrettable watch as it has its promising aspects that any anime fan can appreciate.
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Kanon Trailer | 2006
