Ranked #35

Kanon (2006)

A bit disappointing, but not bad. (BTW, There are a few spoilers)

Everyone seemed to have a really good opinion of Kanon 2006, so I expected the most out of it. I was left a bit dissatisfied, but was entertained nonetheless.

I had a totally different idea about it before I started watching it. I thought it was going to be an anime about normal, run-of-the-mill anime people, but this is KyoAni after all. There were times when my jaw would just drop and my shoulders would shrug, connoting I didn’t understand some details, but I did pick up its essence in the end. It was almost like a roller coaster ride for me, except when it went down it didn’t go so low. It had a lot of good points too; believe me when I say I got teary eyed during the last 2 episodes.

It also bothered me how quickly the characters would adapt to their current situation. They would cross paths with a fox which turned into a human, the spirit of a girl in comatose, a girl battling her own demons and many other weird characters, and yet they would immerse themselves in their daily lives as if nothing happened. It is anime world, after all.

Despite their individual eccentricities, the characters were actually likable. I sympathize with the girls, and I even feared that another one would disappear after Makoto. Makoto was my favorite, I especially found her to be cute when she started to lose her human self, then Shiori, then Mai. Kyon, no, Yuiichi was also a very interesting character. He’s mostly responsible for every chuckle and cackle I would make each episode, it’s almost like TMoHS all over again.

Now that I mentioned Kyon, how great is it to have Tomokazu Sugita on board? He’s my favorite male seiyuu so far, being part of 2 other series I like, namely Honey and Clover and TMoHS of course. There’s also the cameo of Maaya Sakamoto, my favorite female seiyuu, which made this anime sweeter for me – although she did portray a character I hated at first. Yui Horie is another name that got me. Shall we say ~uguu? Let’s add an ~auu, ~nyuu and ~ahaha to that as well.

Animation is just top notch, and this is one of the most notable differences between the original Kanon and Kanon 2006. Kanon 2006 looked much more detailed (but not in a way that will strain your eyes), the characters were revamped and the backgrounds were very stunning. Plus there’s the CG too. The CG was just breathtaking – it complimented the scenes very well, and it was of high quality.

I wish I can say I like the music, but I found it a bit too dreary for me. Sometimes I felt like falling asleep to the opening song. I’m not saying I hate it, I did find myself singing along whenever the OP/ED would start playing, but I wish the music was something that I liked more. The feel was very dramatic, the kind you would see in really sad shojo anime, but in a way, it does fit the theme of the anime. Also, I find that the music is well made, but again, it’s not for me. Props for using Disney’s Sleeping Beauty theme in episode 12. It’s one of my favorite Disney songs.

Don’t you just love when there’s little to none fanservice? I think the only hint of fan service I found was in the first episode, when Nayuki was changing her clothes. I’m sure there were more, but they were probably not too vulgar that I didn’t notice. It’s quite surprising, actually. My initial thought was that Kanon 2006 would be one of those typical harem anime series, but again, it’s KyoAni after all.

For making a viable remake, I’d give Kanon 2006 a perfect 10. For entertaining me? I’d say 7-8ish. read more

Watching Kanon among all the hentai game adaptations like being dragged to your grandma's dance party being shocked that it ain't bad.

Erotic visual novels... or Hentai games are they're better known, are not exactly Shakespearean work. They typically feature some hopeless wuss boy, with way too much porno magazines under his bed and and a nose that donates vast amounts of blood whenever he seems some cleavage that's vaguely PG-13.

And yet, for some unfathomable reason, this same hopeless guy would not only the object to sexual desire for a hot girl of every archetype, but also the school teacher (who happens to have very large breasts), and his kid sister (who looks like they'll only hit puberty in the year 2099). Needless to say, Anime adaptations of such visual novels are generally not aimed for the Oscars.

Kanon, while not perfect, is an unexpected gem that breaks all such traditions.

Sure, there's still a guy, Yuuichi, surrounded by many cute adoring girls. But for once, this is guy that actually *deserves* to be adored. The dialogue in Kanon oozes with charm, and Yuuichi is the master at cynical humour. Mix this with a dash of selflessness, and you've got a guy that you can actually see girls getting attracted to. For once, for the guys out there, this is probably one the only harem animes might improve your interactions with the opposite gender when you watch it.

This, combined with stunning visuals, a slow but serene soundtrack, a cast of memorable female characters, each with a story that can potentially bring out a tear, makes Kanon reign supreme as the king of animes featuring 5 different beautiful women adoring one man.

And there lies Kanon's more problem... at its heart, it is still an adaptation of a hentai game. In these games, a player would make decisions, and end up with one girl. Once the girl's decided, there's very little interaction with any other. The anime adaptation attempts to details the story of every girl, and thus comes across as being a little disjointed.

Whenever the story of one girl ends, she mysteriously vanishes from the series, as if the director fired the actor on the spot. What's more, with every girl pouring their heart out for Yuuichi, and squealing at the chance for a date, you would think that they'd get a little upset when he ends up with someone else. I'm not talking about school days here, but everyone getting along happily like 5 overly cute puppies around their master is a little far stretched.

Despite this gripe, which in fairness, us hard to avoid. Kannon delivers. Not only is this the cream of hentai game adaptations, its also an hentai game adaptation that you can use to introduce a girl to anime, without them making up excuses like having to go dancing with their grandma the next time you meet.
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My favorite anime of all time. It was beautiful poetic. I would call it a seasonal anime, something you would really enjoy in December or May. (IDK why May, but in the end of spring it seems to fit).

My favorite character was Mai. She was truly the most moving character for me. Quiet, but she has a lot of feeling and emotion for other characters and their own destinies. Her reasons for doing what she does are beyond this world, and that with her sword makes her cute and adorable. Then there’s Makoto, who is actually...well, you'll find out eventually.
The various arcs pull out emotion in all people, but I felt Mai’s and Nayuki’s arcs’ were the most emotional, as in tearjerker. And the other arcs where humorous and light-hearted. I watched it from beginning to end every time. I want to make it a tradition to watch in the 24 days of December.

The music is also classic win. I love shoujo no ori, the theme of Mai, which has to be the saddest but also most stirring Kanon piece. Most of the music in Kanon was synonymous to the pachebel Kanon, which had the same sweet sound playing over and over. The writers perspective in the anime was deep and influential to me.

The anime itself was very beautiful, a huge improvement from 2002. I hope the time the anime is published and created changes for the better, they will do another remake. I wouldn’t hold it against them if they did, it’s not a bad idea.
Animation was great, the characters were well “drawn and played”. Scenes and settings were pleasant.
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WOW...was my first reaction when I finished watching Kanon. IMO this is one of the BEST drama/romance animes you can watch. With amazing animation quality, incredible and touching storyline, the dynamic Key/Kyoto duo, and a bunch of super moe characters, Kanon 2006 quickly took a spot as one of my top animes and my reasons for it are:

Story: Just like previous Key/KyoAni production Air, Kanon was mainly divided into different arcs for the different girls and each took a set number of episodes to unfold, each one bringing some sort of tragic or mysterious chain of events on our main character. I obviously have arcs that I liked more than others but as a whole when you put Kanon's stories together you realize that you have just witnessed an amazing show with one of the most touching stories you can find out there. I dont wanna sound manly or anything but I have never cried while watching an anime, but Kanon 2006 has come the closest ever to making me cry for an animated character, while watching I would start to get teary eyed at the most sensitive moments and for that Kanon has a special place in me. I rounded down but my original score would be 9.4/10

Art: With Kanon Kyoto Animation once again proved that they are kings of animation and production quality. All characters in Kanon were just amazingly well drawn and their animation were fluent and you could hardly ever see a scene where the animation would drop. Being in a city of snow, the colours of Kanon were not as bright and impressive as Air but that does not mean Kanon looked bad, all the colours used in Kanon were also bright and the show as a whole was really pretty to look at. The score of 10 stands and for a good reason.

Sound: I never really pay that much attention to sound when I watch animes but the musical backgrounds in Kanon mixed with the tragic events result in some of the most touching moments I've seen.

Character: When it comes to characters Kanon has plenty to choose from, with 5 main heroines and plenty of side characters Kanon is not lacking in this department. And did I mention every single one of them are just WAY TO CUTE! Kyoto has done a really great job at drawing them all and every one of them comes with a different personality resulting in the main character acting completely different towards each of them. Also since Kanon is a 24 episode series they had more time to introduce and develop each character more than in Air's 12 ep series (ep 13 does not count). The resulting mix gives you a show where you can really get emotionally attached to a character and when seeing their stories unfold you actually feel bad/good for them when an event occurs.

Enjoyment: Despite having been depressed by this show's story many times, I can easily say that Kanon 2006 has been one of my favourite anime and I still rewatch some moments if I need some sadness in my life O_o

Overall the second Key/Kyoto anime has been an incredible one and it shows that when you mix Key's amazing storytelling with Kyoto's amazing animation, the end result is an anime that will amaze you with the story and will drawn you in with their looks. Kanon 2006 is definitely a show that no one should miss even if you do not like the drama/romance shows, this is one of the few shows I've given a 10/10 it's that good. read more

Kanon (2006) is a great Supernatural, Romance, Comedy, Drama about a boy named Yuichi Aizawa who goes to live with his cousin and aunt after not visiting them for 7 years. For some reason he has he has blocked of a part of his memories from 7 years ago but he begins to recall some of his memories, as meets some familiar faces.

This is a very well-written story which starts off developing at a leisurely pace, only introducing the characters and their surroundings. It isn't until a couple episodes in when the true story surfaces, with its intriguing plot. There's only one overall plot which can only be described in three words, "Dreams, Miracles & Memories" and it's really how this all has affected the different girls that the male protagonist, Yuichi Aizawa, has encountered. It's really interesting because you never know what to expect since all the girls emit a sweet aroma of mystery.

The characters of this anime are a major aspect to the story and because it is based on a visual novel, then there are a lot of cute girls. Although just like similar anime series like "Air" you can expect the girls to have the typical personalities however they are each well developed in their own way. It is really just the male protagonist that stands out from the rest and it's thanks to the performance his voice actor that Yuichi is brought to life, through his emotions and witty comments.

Just like any "Kyoto Animation" production, the animation is beautifully perfect and cannot be topped. If you've seen "Air", "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" or "Full Metal Panic – TSR" then you'll know what to expect; cute well-drawn girls, dynamic environments and fluid movements. The music is also something that helps the show, with some nice sweet melodies that go well with every situation.

Overall this has to be one of the best romance anime series, based on a visual novel, because even with a weak plot the stories were still amazing. This anime is mostly full of cute and hilarious moments but in between all that there's plenty of tear-jerking drama, romance and even action to be satisfied with.

I recommend this series to anyone who loves Kyoto Animation productions, or isn't afraid to show their emotions because you'll need a box of tissues for this series.
^_^ read more

--Spoiler Free Review--

One of the great tear-jerkers.

Story: 9
The storyline is seperated into mini-arcs, but they're all interconnected. Out of all the anime i've watched, this probably comes close to one of the best overall romance stories.

Art: 10
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
I didn't think it was possible to animate something as beautiful as Kanon. The scenery is awe-inspiring and the way it's drawn is breath-taking.

Sound: 10
The opening and closing themes will likely stay with me for years. The initial 'sad' mood of the opening credits is complemented by the light-hearted romp of the ending theme. The Voice acting is perfect and the sound effects and background music work great.

Character: 10
You'll meet many of the characters and start to appreciate each one more and more. The main characters work so well with each other, and everyone has their 'own' episode.

Enjoyment: 10
From the opening theme to the end credits, everything about the story to the characters was extremely well done.

Overall: 9.8
If I could rate in decimal digits, I would.
As this was my first romance, i'm not quite sure how to rate it against other romances. But I do know that it was definitely on the top of my anime list for a reason. I normally don't get emotional over a show, but this one was damn close.
Close to a perfect 10. read more

Bottom Line: Heartwarming series, incredible remake, and an awesome classic. Its must watch!

Kanon (2006) is simply a masterpiece. I can confidently say it is my favorite series of all time. Produced by the infamous Kyoto Animation which also introduced international hits such as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Full Metal Panic series, you wouldn't expect this series less than awesome. Kanon (2006) certainly lives up to that expectation.

Story: The episodes of the anime are basically separated into "arcs" for each girl. Each girl has her own background story associated with Yuichi either 7 years ago or early on in [the episodes] the current timeframe of the series. Each girl struggles through her her story whatever it may be with Yuichi and grows closer to him, and ultimately a miracle takes place.

Outstanding plot and synopsis. The flow from arc to arc was a bit rigid, but still excellent nonetheless. Kyoto Animation did a incredible done job on using the several scenarios and each girl's path and combining them together into a single story that can move an audience into tears. Kanon touches on several themes such as Memories, Miracles, the Supernatural, and of course Love. The series does have great light-hearted and comical moments as well often bringing a smile or a chuckle to your face as well.

The moving plot earns a 10/10 from me.

Art: Excellent work by KyoAni (abv. for Kyoto Animation for the rest of this review). The design was simply beautiful and a great leap up from its first version (Kanon 2002). The backgrounds were incredibly detailed and well-drawn. The character designs were well-done as well, though Yuichi stuck out a bit too much compared to the rest of the large-eyed cast. But its not a very significant factor.

The overall presentation quality is top-notch and it gets a 10/10.

Sound: The Soundtrack contains a mix of classical instrumental music (such as Canon, hence the series name: "Kanon"), composed music from the original game, a few techno songs (Such as the Last Regrets Remix Insert Song and the ED song). The only complaint I had was that the OP song was a bit tiring after a while and seemed much too long.

Although the OP got on my nerves for a little, it gets a strong score of 9/10.

Character: The cast is truly unique. Probably one of the strongest points of Kanon is its lovable cast. Each is character is filled with emotions like real people. Over the course of the show you begin to develop sympathy for the majority of the cast, if not all of the cast. The only problem I having is choosing my favorite girl from the main cast.

This awesome array of incredible characters earns a 10/10.

Enjoyment and Overall: Really I enjoyed this series from start to finish. The story, the characters, and the flow was moving. I've rewatched the series several times and I still love it as much as the first time. It is an outstanding series, and I recommend it to anyone, even if you are not fond of drama/romance. This is definitely a series you should check out.

As I said at the beginning, it is my favorite series of all time and still is, it earns a 10/10 read more

Kanon '06 - a remake of a romantic drama based on a popular H visual novel. As a fan of shonen mecha and action series, I really had no business checking Kanon out, but my friends' constant recommendations and KyoAni's good reputation forced me into it. Now that it's over, I can confidently say that Kanon was a ride that was worth taking.

Story -- The overall story can feel a bit slow at times as it gets heavily involved in character development, but every second of airtime is meaningful - nothing is wasted here. The arcs for each individual main character all contain some excellent plot twists, and are well-coordinated - each one is more interesting than the last, and the final arc crescendoes into some of the most breathtaking human drama I've yet witnessed in anime.

Art -- Fantastic on every level. The characters are all drawn very attractively, and the animation captures all the subtle aspects of their personalities. The girls of Kanon can seem unnervingly real at times. In addition, the snow-covered backgrounds are beautiful and add a lot to the romantic theme.

Sound -- The music is all very appropriate, enhancing the mood without distracting from the scenes at hand. A piano theme that played during certain key moments was a particular standout, although I wasn't so fond of the OP song. Voice acting was great throughout, with the voices of Yuuichi, Ayu, and Shiori being the standouts.

Character -- An anime like this has to rely on its characters - they are the story, so there's no room for faults. Fortunately, Kanon comes through. Every character stands out with a unique style and personality, and the main characters genuinely grow and change throughout their stories - especially Yuuichi, who transforms from a rather plain protagonist into a strong and charismatic hero. I truly cared for the entire cast, although I found Makoto and Kaori difficult to like.

Enjoyment/Overall -- The quality shines through. Although Kanon was a far cry from my beloved Gundam and Bleach, it won me over in the end. I won't forget the vicegrip feeling in my chest that I experienced as I watched those powerful final six episodes, and scenes from throughout the series will be burned into my memory for a long time. I'd recommend anyone who hasn't seen this series to pick it up and stick with it - trust me and KyoAni. read more

There is something very wrong with Key. It shows in most of their stories, but nowhere is it as obvious as in Kanon. It is a problem shared throughout the otaku industry, but once again, in Kanon it is more clear than anywhere else.

The problem seems to be a severe emotional immaturity and a nearly pathological fear of women. In Kanon, this influences nearly every female character: They are, through numerous contrivances, designed to be as non-threatening as possible. They are either so retarded that they would have no chance to function in society except by fiat of the writers, or not human, or otherwise dysfunctional and immature.

The main character, in turn, manages to fumble his way through the story without ever forming any kind of meaningful, human relationship with any of them, never feeling anything deeper for them than the affection one might feel for a pet, or the grief one would feel at the loss of a pet. This is even true in a literal sense for one of the poor girls, who turns out to actually be a pet.

None of it feels real in any way. It is a shallow fantasy, written by emotionally stunted people. It depicts a desire for human contact devoid of any risk of being hurt, or deeply affected in any way. It is really quire disturbing to watch.

The show is, in a purely technical sense, very beautiful - Kyoto Animation are masters at their craft, and the art is wonderful and the direction tight. But the core of the story is rotten, and no amount of dress-up can change that. read more

No real storyline more tidbits of small storys pulls together in the end, good artwork that is a revolutionary compared to earlier Key works, gerat powerful music that reinforces the anime, stereotypical Key characters that really aren't that original, high enjoyment, overall 9.