Kanon (2006)

A boy named Yuuichi is moving to a town he lived in seven years ago. However, he doesn't remember anything. When living in this town, he meets a lot of girls, all with tragic stories, and he helps them.

Sure, the concept sounds like just about any other anime based on a visual novel would be. However, despite several other shows of that type, this actually does remarkably well.

STORY

Well, to be honest, this show has got to be one of the greater shows I've ever watched, no doubt! The story is just so good it leaves me astonished at times. It starts out as a ... pretty normal show of its genre. You're also introduced to several of the girls, but it doesn't touch upon all their stories at once. There's some comedic moments every now and then.

At first it might seem like it's just some slice of life series, but the story progresses a lot from its initial stages, and as you're taken through the individual girls' story arcs, you'll be taken away. It has good a lot of good moments, some romantic, some dramatic. However, just about everything that happens in the story later on will base itself on supernatural elements (mostly miracles), which makes a contrast to the earlier parts of it. That's not really a bad thing though; I at least found it most enjoyable.

ART

The animation in the series is really awesome too; the character designs, details in environments and everything just looks awesome. The lighting which you find in many of the afternoon scenes is pure awesomeness too; it really makes the scenes moody; and very dramatic if that's what the scene is about.

CHARACTER

The characters of Kanon is really awesome. The girls' stories are just awesome to behold, and Yuuichi's own background with them is very intriguing, and it ends up making you wanting to know more about it. The main hero, Yuuichi, is also a very interesting character in his own right. To be short about it; they are awesome and you'll love them (at least one or two of them).

SOUND

The music in this anime is really great as well. There's a lot of nice piano themes, so if you enjoy good piano themes you'll definitely enjoy the music in this series. The show's got some good music aside that too, and the OP and ED themes are magnificent.

There's nothing to say on the sounds aside the music, and the seiyuu do a great job on their roles; the characters' voices are very good.

All in all, this is a lovely anime, a true masterpiece. If you like anime series based on visual novels, you'll enjoy this. If you haven't watched any anime series of that kind, watch it anyway, because you'll love it.

To 'Not Helpful' voters (and you 'Helpful' voters too): Feedback greatly appreciated =)

Kanon is the the last of the Kyoto Animation animated Key visual novels that I had to see. Somehow I'd managed to watch all of Clannad, Clannad After Story and Air. While writing staff and directing staff differ slightly with each iteration, there's an incredibly clear singular style between each anime. It's a style that with each series of theirs I watch, and those inspired by its nakige formula such as Ano Hana, I can increasingly see the strings for. Strings that are made from the bloodied remains of mentally deficient little girls killed mercilessly and dangled limply from the fingers of Key writer Jun ... Maeda as he coos "who's now the perfect image of a woman, yes you are, yes you are".

Here is the general outline for a Key story arc. First you introduce a little girl. She is supposedly a teenager the same age as our asshole lead male character. However at every single turn we are establishing how childlike they are. They look 6 years old, they act like they’re 6 years old, the male lead constantly treats them like they’re 6 years old and outright tells them they might as well be 6 years old. Each girl has their own little quip that in one girl’s case might as well be her saying “goo goo”.

They are also depicted as fragile and weak and needing your attention. A bunch of them are in the slow process of dying, either through poorly explained illnesses or magical illnesses. They’re emotionally fragile and with each arc fall apart in their own ways. One girl in particular has her own rotary functions and general maturity, what little of it there was, stripped away from her. The reasons for this shift usually comes straight out of the writer’s backsides, such as a character’s mum getting randomly hit by a car because we needed little girls to be more emotionally unstable.

Their emotional instability and life view all appears to come from when the girls were 6 years old (as in actually on this planet for 6 years, not just emotionally 6 years old). The childhood promise is the most powerful force in the world of Kanon, capable of raising the dead and conjuring ghosts. According to the world of Kanon, all relationships are born from before the age of 6 and everyone you meet since then might as well not exist. Nearly all the girls in Kanon are desperately trying to get back to the relationship they had with the male character from when they were 6.

You get the uncomfortable feeling that the writers believe that the 6 year old mindframe for women is the ideal. Not just so you can comfort them as they slowly die, but from a romantic standpoint too, and whenever you try to strip them off this childlike state the show punishes them for it. Kanon operates on horror movie logic where as soon as a girl displays anything resembling romantic feelings it gets stripped from them. Even if their romantic feelings come from a desire to just be together with someone because they’re lonely, as soon as anything resembling romance happens is when the show starts killing them.

That is this nakige formula. Key aren't the only people who do it, but they’re certainly the most famous. Bring in a female character. Make the male lead belittle her in s’life segments for her immaturity so he can establish his place as above her. Reveal that she may have romantic feelings for her. Then strip the girl of any independence either physically or emotionally and then usually kill her.

Normally a reviewer will say that the worst thing a piece of entertainment’s can do is be boring, but that’s not Kanon’s problem. Certainly it is mind-blowingly boring since practically all the humour and conversations consist of a girl with no mental capacity being told by the main character how stupid she is. But the real reason I hate Kanon so much is the bits after that. The rinse and repeat of taking a little girl, stripping her of all agency and then killing her in order to draw tears from the audience, who invariably fall for it each and every time.

Not that I blame you. The same way I don’t blame people for clicking on buzzfeed clickbait articles on web advertising. They are designed in that insidious way to get you to click on them, and its only once you realise that do you stop supporting this “You Won’t Believe These 8 Ways Miley Cyrus Hates Minecraft Pokemon” headlines by not clicking on them. I know you think Kanon, Clannad and Air are emotional because they made you cry, but punching you in the face and breaking your nose would probably make you cry too. That doesn’t make the punch a 10/10 emotional piece of high entertainment. All they are doing are taking weak creatures and killing them to draw a reaction from you. Stop falling for it. Please.

This was a series that allowed my emotions to run wild. Each of the characters is presented with their own tragic tale of the past. Even the supernatural and fantasy elements are carefully intertwined in the story in such a way that it does not stick out. This is truly an excellent series.

Story: 9/10

The development starts out rather slow and silly and can get a bit dull. I was on a hiatus with this series for almost half a year before I started watching again. It is set up like a harem series, but it is different from them, which sets it apart from other ... harem series. It is not a harem in a story; it is a story with a harem. There is a difference, and Kanon does it extremely well. Look at all the anime out there. Many of them have similar plots, but what makes some better than others? The execution of the story, and this is where Kanon shines. There is a constant air of mystery behind everything: the characters, the setting, the season, and so forth. The story is emotional, dramatic, and even light-hearted at times. With this nice blend, a seemingly simple story of a new boy surrounded by a group of girls becomes a unique tale. The only major problem was that when one of the girl's arc ended, they completely disappeared in another character's arc. This style feels way too much like a visual novel, and lacks blending and character interaction.

Art: 8/10

There is not much to say about the art and animation when it is done by Kyoto Animations because most of it is a regurgitation of what other fans have already said: absolutely amazing, gorgeous, and stunning. The setting and season of winter are extremely well drawn so that it puts the viewers into that setting. Falling snow has never look so good in an anime until now. It does not just fall; it falls in a way that I could watch it forever. The art style, though it's very clear, colorful and crisp, is a bit generic. The designs are of the eyes, a staple in these types of stories, were a bit too large and I did not like.

Sound:

Ah, canon, canon, Kanon. There are reasons why this series is called that, and one of the more obvious reasons is the presence of Pachelbel's Canon in D Major. Such a lovely piece, especially for one who has already played it. Besides that, the music complements the mood very nicely. When things get dramatic and sad, it is the music that allows those tears to run free. Although I did not find any one track that stood out for me (except for well, the obvious one) the music was nice and fitting. It would not be a soundtrack that I would listen to without the anime playing though. The voice acting was also very good, although every time Yuuichi opened his mouth, I immediately thought of Kyon. It does not help that those two look uncannily similar.

Characters: 8

The characters in this series were a bit generic but that's not necessarily a bad thing with the right development and execution. They did all have their mysteries, problems and development. Every character, from the first time they appear on screen, seems to have a mysterious side. Each of them are different and stands out. And Yuuichi is such an awesome lead. He can be a bit insensitive and playful at times, but he truly is a nice guy and it's not surprising that he's so well liked among the girls. The major downside in this series is the lack of interaction among the girls. Once a girls' story arc is done, they aren't really seen all that much until the end. It would have fleshed out their characters more if they interacted more.

Enjoyment:

I enjoyed this anime all right; enjoyed it to the point I cried through episodes nonstop. It might have also been the fact that I marathoned three or four episode at once, so the water works just seemed to never stop. There were times where I laughed out loud, times where I cheered (the ending), and many times where I bawled my eyes out.

Overall, I enjoyed this series immensely. It has a touch of everything: drama, comedy, supernatural elements and so forth. I thought it was a very enjoyable series despite its flaws. 8/10

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.

Animation - 6
It' the same character design as we've all seen in Air and Clannad. Big, glassy eyes, with proportionately large tears. It's nothing new, but it is polished. Animation wise, it's what we know of from Key. Hair whipping through snow, blades of grass, and orbs of light. No striking animation sequences, or dynamic animation at all except for a fight that Mei gets into, but nothing special.

Sound - 6
Kannon is rife with pseudo-ambient music and music box themes that would make Enya decry the milquetoastness of it all. The opening and ending are forgettably familiar. There ... was one good jazzy piano piece that seemed to show up when an obstacle was revealed that was quite good. If only the rest of the music had that charm and added that much texture.

Characters - 4
As has been said these characters are stock. We've seen them all, the sick girl, the loli, the comedy duo, the rich girl, the blond-only-other-guy-in-the-whole-show, the relative with a crush, and on and on. It's all so bland. Mei (quiet girl), gets it right, Yuuichi (the main character) is a weak person that pretends to be strong, hurting everyone around him without a modicum of self awareness. His selfishness disguised as selflessness knows no bounds and no one ever dares to call him out on it. In fact, everyone loves him for it. This phenomena results in the show having no character development for the main character at all. In fact, I only think that one character "develops" and it was just her behavior suddenly changing. Shiori's (sick girl) lack of knowing the name of what's ailing her is the main example of the lack of thought and depth that writers put in characters. Of course, they only want viewers to shed tears, so the most superficial of characters is all that's needed if they can make you cry, right?

Story - 4
Wrong. If Kanon were a horror story, more would make sense, because, just like every other Key series, Kanon systematically tries to murder every focus character in the male protagonists' Messiah Complex wake. Except that they don't even have the ball to stick to a single death in the show; moments later the writing backtracks (once it scored the tears from viewers hearts) and magically brings characters back to life.

If I took this show seriously, I would think that this was some horrible misogynistic fantasy about a boy who is the only person capable of saving all these girls lives within the span of what? Two months? Once Yuuichi has saved the girl of the arc, we don't hear of them ever again until the end when, of course, we have to have the pussy parade to show how much the protagonist has accomplished. Kanon is the worst offender in the Key series of trying to have some pseudo-metaphysical lore intertwine with the plot in that it directly affects these characters in the most mindboggling plot twists. Faith healers, fox spirits, girls with magical wishes? Furthermore, the overall plot development is set aside for the gir of the arc stories so that, by the last four or five episode they try, in futility to make the story work.
To confess, accept and lose someone you love all in the same episode, without any buildup whatsoever, what is that supposed to do? Am I supposed to feel bad? The writing doesn't let characters organically grow with one another in exchange for the "mystery" factor so that, once the leads are together, you ask yourself, What makes her more special than the others?...you forgot about all of these girls, and didn't remember them until it was too late. It's the same with her. Why is she special? Ridiculous.

Enjoyment - 3
So Kanon left a bad taste in my mouth. I actively avoided this show, because I already knew what was going to happen once I read the synopsis, and guess what? I was right. I couldn't even get behind the one character that I should have liked, Jun, because he was so randomly placed, and had little impact on the story. If anything, I had to drop my score of Clannad, because whatever originality I saw in it vaporized the moment I completed this show.

Overall - 4
In the show, the writers try to draw a comparison between Kanon and Pachabel's Canon in D. If only Kanon could be so groundbreaking; instead it comes off as merely derivative and uninspired. It is clear that Kanon was a testing ground of ideas, characters and setting for the more thematically tight (if also anemic) Air and Clannad. Kannon forgoes plot, character, and logical development for trite gimmicks intended for the emotionally immature to shed tears of empathy, leaving the show is thematically vacant and lacking ambition.

This is by far one of the most moving, heart-wrenching, and dramatic anime series I have ever watched. It's earned a special place in my heart and I will undoubtedly buy the DVDs as well. Everything from the story, the characters, settings and re-occuring themes within Kanon reverberate with passion and drama; a kind of quality that is hardly ever seen in most anime, yet not only have they accomplished such a feat but have raised the bar for everyone else wanting to make a lasting and memorable masterpiece.

Themes of lost love, death, sickness, and the supernatural constantly propel the story forward for ... all of the characters, and heightened moments of tension between the male lead and the female characters create an unmatched and unrivaled level of drama with deep backstories and development.

As the story pulls you into the world of Kanon, the anime presents itself in an almost mundane, slice-of-life approach that helps you to get associated with the characters. After the setting and theme has been established, you begin to feel for these characters and to sympathize with them as the story begins to delve more into their past and what kind of stories relate to them. Then the story makes a huge and unpredictable plot twist that turns Kanon into a nonstop rollercoaster ride that will have you glued to your seat until the very last episode.

Each of the characters have amazingly unique and original storyline arcs , and at least one (if not all of them) is going to be a guaranteed tear jerker. What's more impressive is how each story arc ties itself together into a main story making it feel extremely cohesive and smooth rather than disconjoined and random.

As per KEY's style of storytelling, the anime is heavily prevalent with storybook-style lore and magic. This type of theme can be noticed in other types of anime in the same genre, however the means by which they use this setting along with the amazing characters and unique story help elevate the experience further rather than dampen it.

If you are into any form of romantic dramas, or are looking for something refreshingly unique, or something that will make you cry, or if you just want to simply enjoy a breathtakingly moving story that will leave a lasting impression on you, Kanon is a must watch if not a must BUY.

Alright I seriously do not like Dramas and sad stories were depressing things go on, but Kanon (2006) is one of the best anime's I have ever seen!
It made me feel all sorts of feelings that I have not felt in quite awhile now.
Its a must watch anime for anyone who is into the whole depression state Anime's, or even if you are not! This Anime is that great!

• Story - I rated the story a 9 because I thought that the fantasy thing was the only part holding it back. Although it still was a good part to have demons and miracles, but ... i did love how everything was put together from his memories that he forgot seven years back. It is on borderline with 10 though.

• Art - The Art was a 10 for me, It is has incredible graphics that will not let you down. Its perfect, the surroundings look amazing and the city is like it was real! I have nothing negative to say about the graphics and Art.

• Sound - The sound for this Anime has earned a 10. I absolutely loved the sounds and music this Anime had to offer. Again, nothing bad to say about in the category. You will not be disappointed.

• Character - The Characters in this anime are seriously a 10. The characters in this Anime are all unique in their own ways and not to mention cute. very nice and yet again nothing horrible to say here.

• Enjoyment - this Anime deserves a 10 because I completly enjoyed this anime, even though it had sad, happy, angry, scary moments. This has to have been one of my most enjoyed Anime's I have ever watched before.

• Overall - The overall score i gave this anime is seriously a 10. It deserved this score because of how much i loved it and I thought everything about it was just incredible!

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.
^_^

Kanon(2006) will give you a warm feeling, but the lack of character's depth and the slow story can make you turn away from it.

Note: I'll stop saying Kanon(2006) and say Kanon instead, you get the point.

The story in Kanon is based around a guy related with girls. Somehow this guy suffers from amnesia, which I never knew why. He can't remember any of the past relations he had with them seven years ago. What stroked me the most is that for a 24 episodes show, it was slow. If you're not a fan of stories that graduate so slowly that you don't know where it's ... getting, and then Kanon is probably something you won't watch. However, Kanon like any other series from Key has this little touch of magic that gives you a warm feeling, so it's not a useless story after all. As for Key animations, they are probably good at shiting you with the reality of life, Kanon is no exception there. Sadly, the way Kanon is told, you would never get the build up of a strong relationship between characters, except between Mai and Yuuichi. Mai is probably the only female lead who doesn't "disappear". In summary, the story is light, nothing outstanding but nothing too bad.

What is probably mostly annoying in the art are the girls. They all look innocent, have the same small mouth, the same face and the huge eyes. I'll tell you now, I'm not a fan of the huge eyes, and in this term, Kanon delivers. You love them? Go watch Kanon now. Still, I loved the backgrounds, the city of snow, the lighting. If you forget the characters, I’d probably give art a 9.5/10.

What do you get with innocent looking girls? Yes, you mostly get an annoying voice cast. I probably got tired of " UGUUUUUUUU" after the 10th time(which I believe was the first episode). As for the music, it goes well with the mood. Listening to Kanon music would probably make you depressive. IT IS a depressive show after all.

As I said in my introduction, Kanon strongly lack in character's depth. What I mean by "lack", I totally mean that the characters are flat. Not only the girls all look innocent, they actually act innocent for most of them. Their characteristic makes the show hard to watch, as there is not enough. However, they all have this mysterious and secret past that will hold you on watching the show only for the reason of knowing it. I'll give a thumbs to Key for this, now that's what I call marketing. Anyway, the show didn't have a strong variation of characters, that's why someone would probably think they're all the same.

After all these mix of good and bad things, I can say that I actually enjoyed Kanon more than I hated it. Yes, the long moments of silence, the slow story and the flat characters is what I hated it, but you'd still get this mix of sad and happy feeling after watching it. Like most of key's animations, Kanon is a form of relaxation. You won't get any suspense, strong drama, big tragedies, but you'll feel relaxed.

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.

"Can you promise me?"

These are dangerous words, and the answer that may follow them is even more dangerous. Sometimes people say it carelessly and wont be able to keep that promise, specially kids, since they still don't know the impact some words might have.
This is the main focus of Kanon. Things that happened on the past and haven't been forgotten. Promises that were done, and haven't been kept.
It's a unusual but still very interesting theme, that fits perfectly with the style of drama-romance Key/Visual Art's have. For those who aren't familiar with their visual novels and anime adaptations yet, Kanon would be a nice start. ... It's above the average VisualNovel adaptations you usually find. Of course, just like any other anime adapted from a VN, it does follow that concept of dividing the story into "arcs" one for each character, however, Kanon did this is such a unique way that the story flows naturally making the storyline clean and easy to follow. It isn't slow paced neither rushed, and may be a little depressing but nothing like a roller-coaster of emotions. A soft and beautiful tale, that may move some to tears and others not.

This time, MAL did a really nice job in the summary for this series, I don't have much to add. It's concise and leaves that curiosity on the air. In order to not be repetitive I'll just do a brief introduction of it.
Yuiichi is an average high-school boy who just arrived at a countryside town where always snows. He used to go there a lot when he was little, and he would always stay in his cousin's house. However, due to some issues that he doesn't remember very well himself, he stopped going there. Now, after these long years he returned to this city, and while the days go by he will start to remember some things and some people from his past.
Being Key's 'winter' project it is interesting to find the symbolism into some elements of the story. Why a city where it is always snowing? What emotions can we attach to winter, sadness maybe? Melancholy? Nostalgia? Those metaphors are all around the series, mixes in light "supernatural" and "fantasy" elements.

Just like that, each of the characters also have an symbolism attached to them. Most of them represent stereotypes of common anime series. The shy girl, the tsundere, the funny and friendly guy... Even though, as many may thing, they are not plain characters. These stereotypes are attached to them but what the anime wants to show is that people can, and will, eventually change. Along the series, lots of episodes are focused solely on character development and this is one of the strongest points of Kanon. It differs from most of the romance series, where only the main characters actually have some development.

Something nice to point out, is that this series from KyoAni is already a remake from an anime of 2002. Then, you might ask, "why should I watch this one rather then the first?".
The answer I'd give is pretty simple:
Both are based on the same VisualNovel so, despite minor differences and some changes on the ending, the story is the same. KyoAni could learn from the mistakes Toei Animation did, and improved the script, just like with a higher budget and a new technology they could go further on the animation, sound and artwork.
This wasn't the first time they did an anime adaptation of a Key's VN, and the previously projects turned out really well, so, If I were you, I'd bet my chips on this one.

Like that, the artwork and the soundtrack were a joy of sidekicks.
All the light/filters effects KyoAni have in their arsenal made of artwork one of the strongest supporters for the story. This, allied with a diverse selection of piano pieces -sometimes in a cheerful mood and sometimes in a dark and sadder tone- with also a strong opening increases the emotional factor the story carries.
Being I one of those people who gives a lot of value for this two topics, it is great when I can say honestly in a review that the anime managed to blend all of them very well.
No complains here.

Even though, Kanon does have some broken strings and loose ends.
One of the biggest problems studios face while adapting a VN to anime is how will they write the ending. In the Visual Novel you have lots of alternative endings, each for a character or situation. During the anime producers could choose into animating all routes but when it comes to an end it needs to be decided which one will be "the one". They could select one or merge them all but always considering the pace of the story.
Here is where Kanon messes up a bit with the great story that was developed so far. Close to the end it becomes really slow paced, in a way someone with a small attention spam would soon find it boring. Just for in the last couple of episodes, finish in a incredibly fast mood. It suddenly switch from a calm pace to a very rushed final episode, making all that storyline that was elaborated throughout the whole series be obfuscated by an predicable ending. Leaving for you just that bad taste of "what? Oh. It's over."

Besides, Kanon do strikes again even in that messed ending.
It doesn't try to impose emotions or feels on you like some other dramas when it comes to emotional scenes. The scenes flows naturally with a clear OST that isn't forceful which is great because this way you don't loose the focus.

Sometimes, people like refer to Kanon as "Clannad's OVA" or "Clannad little sister".
While it is funny to say that, you must be very careful if you will make an assumption like that. It is not something nice to say for someone who is new to anime, because that person won't get what you're trying to say and will loose his/her interest in this series.
Both animes do share some characteristics. The setting of the story is similar and also some characters. As you would expect from two stories that share the same author. However, I would say Clannad is a romance with drama, while Kanon is a drama with romance. Both for those with strong hearts!
Overall, it is a story everyone should watch. And watch open minded, appreciating the ideals the story is trying to share.

Just a end-of-review curiosity, The series name comes from the title of an composition by a german baroque composer called Pachelbel. Pachelbel's Kanon. ("Canon/Kanon" stands for a style, where a main melody is followed by several "imitations" of it, like if it is being repeated, just with crescendos and tempo variations).
Reminds the series opening?
Coincidentally or not, another famous baroque arrangement is named "-Air- on the G string" another Key's title.

As always, thank you for your time! ...And yes. We all agree this kind of eroge-adapted harem is kinda cliché. But what can you do? They are also addicting as fuck!

**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**

Kanon (2006) is one of the most beloved shoujo anime of all time; fans describe it as a touching, devastatingly sad storyline with memorable characters that make for a "life-changing" experience. It is highly regarded as a masterpiece that could make just about anyone cry. Well, long story short, Kanon didn't even come close to fulfilling that criteria for me thanks to one simple reason; nothing in this anime is relatable, believable, or genuine by any stretch of the imagination. This show demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of the very fundamental nature of human relationships, most notably the concept love. Rather then spilt this ... review into story, characters, sound, and art, I'm just going to go straight for why I didn't like this anime:

The first problem is the characters. I don't know why the writer felt the need to write the female characters in such a way, but they are all the intellectual equivalents of a severely mentally handicapped person. Two of them in particular are so inept and immature that they literally cannot function as human beings without significant amounts of help. It gets so bad that at one point, one of the girls needs the protagonist, Yuuichi, to f*cking FEED her. Seriously. FEED her.

If you are unable to realize why that is a major problem, I'll go ahead and tell you: it's a major problem because this unrealistic sense of dependence and immaturity prevents Yuuichi from ever forming a normal, human relationship with any of the characters! The affection that Yuuichi develops for the other characters is comparable to the feelings you might have for a dog or cat; certainly not a human being (that turns out to be shockingly accurate for one character, haha). None of the connections between the characters feel meaningful or emotional in anyway because of how obnoxiously unrealistic the females are. Only one of them does not fall into this trap, and that one is a cardboard cut-out Yuki Nagato/Rei Ayanami clone who is completely devoid of any personality what so ever.

The second problem is the plot twists/major plot events. Kanon continued with it's theme of being unrealistic and unrelatable by drawing all of it's "sad" and "emotional" plot twists from sudden, tragic events that don't actually happen in real life! I can't go into detail about what these "twists" are, but lets just say they are poorly explained, they come out of nowhere, and they are completely fictional/supernatural. 

Again, if you are unable to understand why this is a problem, I will explain again: If you are going to attempt to tell a love story or a story about friendship with the goal of making people sad because a tragic event happens, that only works if the tragic event is something believable that the viewer can relate to their real life! The reason that tragic moments in anime like the final story arc of Clannad: After Story worked and were legitimately sad was because the characters were relatable and the tragedies/plot twists that occurred were realistic and could actually happen! You actually were forced to sympathize with the characters because the relationships between them were real (for the most part), their environment was real, and their emotions were believable. Why couldn't Kanon have gone down that road? Instead, it simply relies on a bunch of supernatural crap that makes no sense and is more frustrating then it is sad. People can't sympathize with something that is not explained and not relatable to their lives in someway (unless they are just looking for a mindless excuse to cry).

Kanon does have its redeeming qualities I suppose, particularly the artwork. The animation in Kanon is stunning at times, but I'm not crazy bout the character design. I know that anime characters are supposed to have big eyes, but Kanon's female characters have heads that are about 50% eye. That is a bit absurd. The music was good, but not great. The OP is horrible, for example. Above average animation and music is simply not enough to save an anime from disturbingly horrible characters (Yuuichi is alright I guess) and poor writing decisions. I don't see the appeal of this anime.

Story: 2/10
Art: 7/10
Sound: 7/10
Characters: 2/10
Overall: 4/10

[Adapted From Original Blog Post]

I’ve never been extremely fond of the whole slice of life/drama series in anime. From where I stand they seem like boring, by-the-book series that never go anywhere, do anything, and have a main character that is as interesting as a window curtain. This in mind, when I go into such series, there’s a certain bit of apprehension, or dread if you will, cause I know that it will be about 50% walking around at school and 45% drama that has no substance.
This doesn’t mean I’ve never enjoyed a slice-of-life(Clannad, SNAFU, School Days(joking)) but when I first looked at Kanon, I ... just felt the urge to laugh. A series based of a Key Visual Novel adapted by Kyoto Animation, that has 5 equally adorable girls on the cover? Right, think I got this. There’s going to be some boring bloke who has some reason to be new to the setting, there’s going to be one girl who has the personality and emotional capacity of a certain Evangelion character, there’s going to be another girl who looks and acts about 5, and the entire cast has some kind of dark past or trauma that will rear its ugly head by the end of the series. Granted, I did get that, but it’s not as straight forward as it seems.

Lets begin with our protagonist: Yuichi Aizawa, the teenager who has just moved back to a city where he spent like two weeks staying with his aunt and cousin, in order to go to school there. He actually pretty normal, but the one thing he has going for him is massive snark. He reminds me vividly of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya’s Kyon, only without the ability to occasionally keep his mouth shut. He always seems to have something to say about everyone and everything, and this wit is what drives the shows comedy. It’s actually pretty funny too, and that’s good, cause bland comedy and repetition get along like a toe and hangnail. Despite this, Yuichi proves multiple times that he actually cares a lot for other people, and will do anything for anybody who thinks needs his help. I really like his character, and he makes a great protagonist for the show.

Next up is our “main girl” Ayu Tsukimiya, the aforementioned 5yr old looking girl. She tends to be in the center of whatever is happening, acting like a sidekick for Yuichi and helping him with his problems. Since the show follows an ark format, this allows her to be always in the background while we concentrate on a certain girl, but always in the show. This builds a lot to her, and is crucial for the show’s final ark, which just so happens to be about her. She’s an eccentric and overly optimistic girl, but of course she has a dark past that shapes why she acts the way she does. Actually she’s not quite as well rounded as some of the other characters on the show, but she’s clearly the one the show wants to focus on. It’s like being told to watch grass grow while a giant panda is floating in the sky behind you, firing gamma rays from its mouth. Yes I cared what happened to her by the end, but I can’t help but feel that might be due more of the time I spent watching her than actually character likability and complexity.

The rest of the supporting cast is ridiculously strong, each with their own backstory and screen time. While I can’t talk about them all, keep watch for the Misaki sisters, who probably had the best developed ark in the show, Makato Sawatari, an unassumingly complex girl whose arc came the closest to making me shed a tear, and Minase Nayuki, Yuichi’s cousin, who is really hard to wake up in the morning. I’m glad the show was able to build such strong characters, since the plot certainly isn’t going to get of its ass and help forward the narrative is it? Character driven is something you could use to describe Kanon, and in my book, that’s a good thing.

Now the biggest problem I have with these kind of shows usually is the way they handle drama. What I hate, and what these shows usually do, is put drama in there for the sake of it. For example, I’ll cry because a puppy died, yes, but it actually takes a good show for me to cry because I liked that puppy. I knew its motivations and personality; its fears and dreams, and I can see how it all built up to the event. See what I mean? It’s easy to have a tragic backstory, but it’s harder to make the viewer truly care. Luckily, with Kanon they avoid this problem, and whatever empathy or sadness I felt for the characters, it was because they were well built, not for the sake of it. While some characters lack true depth, I really don’t have a problem with any of them.

If there’s one thing I didn’t lack how the show handled, it was the supernatural part of it. It just seemed like something thrown in there to increase the drama; because apart from when it was important to the plot, everything is typical slice-of-life. Now, the supernatural elements were OK in a anime like Clannad because they were used sparingly, just enough to give the show a sense of wonder(besides from that bullsh*t ending) but in Kanon they don’t seem to really have a reason for it. OK Kanon, the fox girl I can buy, but by the time demons and ghosts are showing up, my tolerance is waning. If they wanted a supernatural theme, just make it an integral part of the show, not a catalyst for drama escalation! But I digress.


The music for Kanon is really quite average. While it provides really nice ambience for the series, especially during the emotional bits, nothing here really is worth listening to on your own. As for animation, Kyoto Animation did a fantastic job. While character design in nothing of the beaten track(though that is probably more the visual novels fault more than Kyoto Ani’s) the animation is lovely and high quality, as expected from this certain production studio.

While not great, Kanon is still well worth your time if you’re looking for a character driven drama. It’s emotional, funny, and if you’re suffering from a void from finishing your new favorite slice-of-life, probably one of the first things you should pick up. I didn’t cover everything, like the lack of cohesion between the story arcs, or the amount of convenience that Yuichi would meet all these girls and make such a big impact that they would remember him like a decade later all in the span of this one visit to his aunt, but I’m not going to fixate on it too much. It’s good, you should watch it, and if you don’t have a soul as black and dead as I do, you might just shed a tear or two. Till next time.

Final Verdict: 7(.5)/10

P.S: So wait, she just recovered from that illness at the end without any explanation? Oh, nevermind.


For this review and others, feel free to check out my blog! (Link on profile)

There is most likely typos, but please try to overlook them.

What lies before us here is an unique anime which is sure to leave deep marks in your heart, and make you create emotions you didn't know you even possessed.

The Anime Kanon 2006 is an adaption of a visual novel with the same name created by the company key.
Although I haven't played the game, I can mention that it was created in 1999. This means that you shouldn't by any means compare this anime to the other adaptions of key's works (Clannad, Air & Little Busters) as Kanon was created earlier than the beforementioned. (Especially ... on things such as character design, personality and plot in general)

Story:
I gave the story a straight 10/10 grade. The different arcs within this series is perfectly entwined together and goes by extremely smoothly. The plotline of the show circles around the protagonist "Yuuichi", who travels back to his cousin's town, which he used to visit in his childhood years. The story is brought forward by the past being more and more unraveled, while Yuuichi creates deeper relationships with the heroines of the story. The supernatural aspects of the story enhances the mysterious mood which the anime tries to create.

By the end of the anime you will gasp and think how everything fit together. The rewatch value of this show is very high, as you might need some time to assemble all the pieces together.

Art:
As for character art, that's something entirely subjective. Even though you might prefer smaller eyes or more mature looking characters, I can objectively conclude that the characters are drawn very detailed. The hair and clothes have a lot of small details which enrichens the visual experience. The animation is very fluid, and the backgrounds fits the mood perfectly. If you watch the show in 1080p your eyes might have an experience of euphoria.

Sound:
The music in Kanon is made by the Jun Maeda. He is known for composing key's music and his works are in the highest tier.
A majority of the music consists of many calming and sad tunes which is mainly performed on piano, while some is using music box. Different ambient and semi-jazzy tracks is also featured. For music lovers such as myself this grade weights pretty hard, and the music is absolutely remarkable.

The OP and ED is very captivating, where the OP is more on the sad side while the ED creates a more positive mood. While the show is overall pretty tearshredding, the ED helps you to maintain a feeling of hope.

Character:
On my part this weights the most when I'm rating anime. The protagonist is Kanon is a lighthearted person which is incredibly easy to like.
As for the heroines of the story, they are all extremely unique. Most of the heroines in the anime is rather mysterious, and very likeable overall. The character developement is brought forward very nicely, and the relationship between the characters is given a lot of thought on beforehand. The wide range of personalities and distinctiv behaviors of the characters in the series creates a lot of variety, and I can ensure you that you're gonna love at least 2 or 3 of the characters in the story.

Enjoyment:
When I first watched the show in 2012 I hadn't shed a tear for many years. After completing the series I broke down in a hour of constantly crying. That was the feeling of fulfillment I had. The show sure made a great impact on me, and my life ended up being changed.

As for who that will enjoy this show, I dare to say that it fits for everyone.(above 14~ years, as the show is rather complex) The show features thrilling moments, a lot of sad moments and moments where you will sit in you chair and smile like an idiot for minutes.
The romance in the series is remarkable compared to other series in the "harem" genre and also generally. Although the show is not tagged as a slice of life, I would say that it also fulfills your needs of getting a close view on the characters daily life. The series will satisfy mystery lovers to the degreed that you might not sit on the chair and wonder who the murder is, but rather figuring out how everything is put together.

Overall:
By giving 10 in all the other categories, one can easily figure out that the final rating will be 10/10. The anime is of extremely high quality and everyone should have it in their shelf collection. For me the hours I used to watch the show was the most appreciated hours before the screen of all time. (at least if we take in mind TV shows and everything being displayed on the TV)

I hope this review was helpful, I'm not experienced with writing reviews and this was my first go.
I appreciate feedback on stuff that could've been done better. I might have been unclear on some parts and I apologise for that.

At last I wish you a nice day and a good watch~

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.

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.

This is the anime that changed my point of view about love-romace-slice of life anime types. I've watched the whole Kyoto Animation-Key-Visual Art's set: Air, Clannad, and this one. I'm reviewing this one because of all the other ones (that are masterpieces as well) I really think that Kanon has to be the best between them all, also this is one of my favourites and best animes of all time.

Now the story is something different from one's is used to watch, is actually the base of the success for this anime. The context of the plot is Visual Art's presentation card, they always attempt to ... develop the story line the same way around: "a boy who returns to a place he had been before, a long time ago. He doesn't remember much about it, but as he interacts with the other characters (mostly females) he finds out that he had relations with those characters in the past and, in the end, remembers it all". Bassicaly the anime storyline is all about the importance of memories for a human being. It might sound a little to stupid but the way Visual Art's Key puts all the characters, locations and artistic material together is just so good that the story goes from stupid to a really serious and complex one and ends up being film-worthy.

The pace of the story may seen slow at first but when the main events from each arc do take place the quantity of information from each one is so big to digest that it feels like the story has passed from one arc to another way too fast and, when you finally finish watching the anime, you just can't wait to watch it again because you thought you didn't get the whole story. There are some magical, supernatural conflicts in this anime, but they just have the right amount of credibility in them to be part of the slice of life theme in the anime. Also (including the said supernatural and magical themes) the story has the whole package: romance, drama, humor and some, really often, heartbreaking passages that will make sure you keep your tissue pack near you until the anime is over for good.

The anime just looks perfect. The design of the characters and spaces are Kyoto Animation's and Key's masterwork. The city looks so colourful and real. From the buildings, to the outskirts houses, the school halls and the woods. So you could say that the city has it's own personality. The characters appereance is in a different level that most animes are. They are just so full of life, every movement is highly detailed and beautifully expressed, also the psychical aspects give each character it's own unique impression on the viewer. This is definitely a successfull formula that has worked in Air and Clannad, none other anime appeals artistically to me as much as this one does.

From the opening song to each charater's voice acting the sound is just right. The songs used in this anime are all (as you can imagine) slow and sad but of course this matches perfectly the theme setting. The voice acting is very convincing and I love that the voices sound taken just from the streets, they sound like normal persons talking to each other and the voice acting has nothing to do with elaborate voices or appealing voices, just normal voices which express the emotions of the characters in a very realistic way. So the sound is not perfect but superior from most stardard animes.

Characters are the handling that connects the base and gives it stability. I have to say that the characters this anime offers are one of the most amazing I have ever seen. Everything is perfect about them from the looks to the unique personality of each one, no doubt this is a Kyoto Animation's and Key's work. Starting with exuberant hair colors and finishing with big lively eyes the characters look so original, so different from any other anime series that, after you watch this, all the other animes will look either bad or weird. The personality of each character is just a variety of what you would find if you walk around the streets and watch any one around (of course they have that "japaneese shy factor" if you know what I mean). I noticed that all the female leads (except Mai) have a characteristic weird sound in they're dialect (you know the Uguuuu!, Nyuuuu! or Auuuu!). This really does make the characters more different one from another, being this like a characteristic "spark" each one has, but at the same time it connects all of them creating a sort of invisible bond between them.

Well Here you have it: this is what a mix of a perfect story, art, characters, a great sound and a HUGE enjoyment factor gives as a result: a masterpiece. I didn't like this type of anime before I watched this. I always went to see the most gory and bloody anime I could find. So even if you think you don't like this kind of animes I advise you: watch this and try to say the same thing again after you had finished it. If you don't watch Kanon you are missing a unique experience in animation, a incomparable experience. The only problem I found is that, after finishing the anime, you will look down at any other anime of this type and always will compare it to this one and, for once, let's be real: there is almost nothing out there that you can compare with this anime, Kanon it's just in a whole different level.

Whenever the topic of "Saddest Animes Ever" comes up, usually people would point to animes made by Key. Originally a company that specializes in Visual Novels, would later have their works adapted into anime. One of which is one of their first works that would put them on the map, Kanon. But how well does this hold up after nearly 10 years? Well that's what I'm here to do.

Story: At first glance, this may seem like your typical harem title. But once you get pretty far in, you'll find that it's much more than that. It starts out really slowly like most slice of life ... titles, but once the story arcs that involve one of the five main girls, that's when Kanon's true colors shine. The strength of it is easily it's perfect balance of many of it's elements. It can be really funny as well as heartbreaking. The humor's there to feel lighthearted thus making the more sadder moments hit you hard, but are also to be breathers after the sad episodes, until the next few come around. As for the drama, it's some of the best I've seen in any medium. It'll really bring tears to your eyes and if not, it'll still tug at your heartstrings. Plus, it also knows how to balance realism with the supernatural. Giving us some very out there ideas but also balancing it out with some really relate-able human drama. The story structure really stays true to the melody that it's named after. A song that repeats itself over and over adding more instruments with every repetition. If there are some issues with it is that some story elements and plot twists are only vaguely explained or implied. But despite that, it's still very well executed writing. But the story's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Kanon's quality.

Art: Kyoto Animation is very well known for it's moe style and this series show's them at their best. Staying true to the original designs in the original game while also making them their own. The settings and backgrounds are absolutely breathtaking, adding tones of atmosphere to the world Key created. You really feel the cold weather these character live in, as well as all the snow falling.

Sound: While most disregard the dub, I still find it very well done. Sure it doesn't really capture the moe-ness of the sub, but give them credit for at least trying. Besides, replicating the original voices is far from an easy task, and what they were able to do was spot on. Each voice really suited the characters they were given.

The soundtrack is one of the best I've heard in an anime. Also adding to it's great quality along with the story and animation. Each track has a beautiful melody that captures the masterful notes you would find in Classical music, as well as making the sadder moments even more heartbreaking once played over them.

Characters: Now here's where the show's heart truly shines. Kanon really provides in giving us great and memorable characters. First the main hero, Yuichi Aizawa. At first, he can come off as a big jerk, but it's usually in the style as an older brother to his siblings. But despite this, he's truly a kind hearted guy when the show needs him to be. But he's nothing compared to the 5 main heroines. There's Ayu Tsukmiya, a short hyperactive girl who usually bumps into Yuichi, with "Uguu" being her catchphrase. The others include Nayuki Minase, Yuichi's cousin who he starts living with at the beginning of the story, Makoto Sawatari, a hostile one who seems to have a big grudge towards the main guy, Shiori Misaka, a girl who claims to be sick despite being outside in the snow most of the time, and Mai Kawasumi, a mysterious girl who guards the high school battling demons. Each girl has their own unique quirks that would make them seem odd at first, but later on once their story arcs kick in, they become characters that you'll really care for in the end. And on top of that, the minor characters are also really likable. Not all, but there are a select few that really leave an impact on the story. As you can see, the characters will be the main reason, why you'll like this series.

Enjoyment/Overall: There are many words that I can describe Kanon but the main one I can call it is, beautiful. Kanon is a timeless masterpiece with a memorable story, gorgeous animation and music, and one of the most lovable character casts you'll ever see. If you're looking for something that'll give you a good cry or just looking for a good dramatic piece, this will most likely satisfy you as it did for me. Which is why I consider it my favorite Key series of all time.

I actually had a struggle whether to rate 9 or 10.
Enjoyment:If it is the anime alone, probably 9.5, but including the visual novel as a series is 10.

Story and Character: In the visual novel, the story goes different character routes, every route is main in the game, the anime kind of combines all of them and makes it a main route and other sub routes.So in the story part, the anime does a pretty job of adapting every route except one or two. Not perfect, but still fantastic. As the story progresses, you will start to really love the characters, they are all lovable ... and memorable.

Art and Sound:These two parts are really just god tier to me. The winter scenes, environment, atmosphere, visuals, lights, op and ed, bgm, are just beautiful.

Overall: I love this series, it is one of my all time favorites. I really recommend it, but if you want the full experience of the series, check out the visual novel. It will fill the 5%~10% flaw of the anime.

Kanon: Grants Your Wishes

I'm just going to come out and say that Kanon was one of the most emotionally endearing animes I've ever watched. When I went into Kanon, I wasn't expecting much. I saw Clannad + After Story just before watching this and I thought if this was even remotely in the same ballpark as Clannad, I would've been happy. However, this series went above and beyond my expectations. While I wouldn't put this series quite in the came category as Clannad: After Story in regards to how emotionally traumatizing it can be, where it exceeds a series like Clannad: AS is how emotionally ... touching it can be throughout the entire series. It had me filled with so many different emotions as the series progressed that by the time it was all said and done, I wasn't sure how to feel. The way it executed the emotional moments was downright fantastic. I cannot praise Kanon enough with just how well executed it was in regards to setting a mood, or atmosphere.

I found one of Kanon's biggest strengths was that mood or atmosphere and how it coincided with the story and characters. The way the animation, the music, the artistic design, the voice acting. Everything was flowing in perfect motion. Whenever you can sync all of these things up to create an authentic atmosphere in an anime, it makes it magical to watch. While I planned to watch this series over a long stretch of time, I ended up finishing it in less than two days because each episode's mood wanted me to watch the next episode immediately following. Perhaps even engrossing is an understatement to just how addictive this series was.

The story was actually one of the strongest I've seen in a Kyoto Animation anime. The story revolves around Yuuichi Aizawa, a high school boy who moves in with his aunt and cousin. He is returning to this town after visiting there seven years prior, but he suffers from a form of amnesia or mental block and has forgotten many of the memories from that time seven years ago. He spends much of his time meeting new friends, even some of which he had met seven years prior but fails to remember. Through these friendships, these bonds, he begins to recollecting the events from seven years ago and ultimately discovers his reason for forgetting. While the story sounds rather stereotypical, it had quite a unique vibe with it's storytelling. The way it executed each arc was remarkable. What made it all the more interesting, was how this series applied supernatural elements while still keeping a realistic feel. That's how much the atmosphere played a role in this series.

The characters were also quite strong in their own right. Yuuichi was a nice lead character to watch throughout the series because of how much he matured and adapted to the story. I loved all the bonds he formed throughout the series, especially with Ayu. Unfortunately, I hated Ayu...but only because now I catch myself saying "Uguu" every now and again. Honestly though, I loved her character and all of the characters for that matter. Nayuki, Akiko, Sayuri, Mai, Shiori, Kaori, even Jun had his hilarious and uplifting moments. The only character I'll personally say I didn't particularly care for was Makoto and that was only because I found her arc and her character to be slightly confusing and somewhat forced. It felt like it dragged on for a little too long as well. Although, I'll also admit that I am somewhat biased considering Makoto's personality was a bit of a turn-off for me, but I'm sure some fans would enjoy her mischievous personality. Overall, I found the characters and how their stories tied into each other worked incredibly well.

I mentioned atmosphere and mood before and I cannot help but applaud Kyoto Ani for how much effort they put into this series. Tatsuya Ishihara's direction was yet again top notch and I'd even argue that perhaps his work in this series was what propelled him to become such a renowned director. Considering the follow-ups he'd have with series like Clannad, Nichijou, and Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai, it's a fair argument to make even though I did love his work in FMP: Fumoffu before this. I could probably go on for pages about the wonderful musical work Jun Maeda and Shinji Orito did for this. They are both masters in the craft of making slow, heartfelt songs that can set the mood for almost anything, especially drama and tragedy. They are a match in music making heaven. The series OP is remarkably strong with it's music and it's animation. Last Regrets by Ayana was such a beautifully depressing, yet uplifting song that set the mood for the series perfectly.

In regards to weaknesses, this series had very few to speak of. I did find a few here and there that had me wondering a little, but they were very few, very far between, and didn't have an overly major impact on the story. However, I felt one of the bigger weaknesses was the family back story to the Minases and Aikawas. The series doesn't make it very clear as to why Yuuichi went back to this town to attend high school and it didn't do a very good job of explaining why Akiko is a single mother and what sort of occupation she has. I mentioned this earlier, but some of the sub-plots between Yuuichi and some of the side characters are slightly confusing. They weren't all bad, but I found the Makoto arc to be rather daunting at times. I did also feel the story seemed to drag slightly a bit toward the last four or five episodes, but I did find that the last episode and a half made for a rather nice recovery in regards to the pace.

Overall, I would probably call this the best "supernatural" anime I have ever watched. While yes, I know you could probably call something like Clannad supernatural as well, I found that anime's supernatural elements to be extremely light in comparison to this. Kanon does a remarkable job of implementing supernatural elements into a relatively normal story, or how those supernatural elements had an important tie to a somewhat normal reality. If you enjoy a supernatural anime with a realistic feel, like Ano Hana or Tasogare Otome x Amnesia, I think this is the perfect anime for you to watch. Even if you're a Clannad fan and haven't seen this, I would highly recommend it. It's not quite as grounded to reality as something like Clannad, but it's still a remarkable watch. I can certainly give this my highest recommendation, especially for those who love a good romance series.