Canaan

Believe it or not, the name "Canaan" is actually a reference to the Old Testament of the Bible, describing a land "flowing with milk and honey". Naturally, the name piqued my curiosity when I first saw it. I was quickly surprised when I saw that this anime is set in modern day, with the protagonist of the show bearing the same name as its title. I was left pleasantly surprised in the end, and found myself considering a re-watch of the show at some point.

Canaan is essentially the story of a photographer named Maria, and her friendship with the mysterious girl named “Canaan”. Maria ... heads to China to do some investigative work, but quickly finds herself in need of protection from her friend as she winds up getting in way over her head. This anime is an excellent mixture of action, character development, and heartwarming moments. I’ve rarely seen a story told so well in so few episodes.

Here's the breakdown:

Story (7/10): You never know what you're going to get with short animes like Canaan. Much to my glee, this show is a gem among short animes. With a grand total of only 13 episodes, it's easily worth the amount of time spent watching it.

The story itself is rather straightforward, and doesn't go through any exceptionally large twists. However, I found that this added, rather than detracted from the enjoyment value. The story is fairly simple, yet leaves you eager to watch the next episode and discover exactly what sinister force is behind the strange happenings.

I won't spoil anything for you with any further synopsis (this anime is frankly far too short to bother with such things), but all you need to know is that while the story isn't the best I've yet seen, it was entertaining and fun to watch. Once again, you won't feel like you wasted your time. (Seriously, it's only 13 episodes, just give it a shot!) If you enjoy action shows, yet feel the need for good character development along the way, this anime would be an excellent choice for you.

Art: (10/10)- This show stands out to me as one of the finest examples of animation out there. Now, seeing as there were only 13 episodes to animate, the creators were able to pay more attention to each one, giving much more care to detail, and smoothing out places other animes would have been forced to skip over. I especially enjoyed the depiction of the Chinese festival early in the show, where there was some truly beautiful scenery, even mixed with some very believable CGI. The various CGI effects are given just as much attention as the rest of the lush backgrounds, creating a very smooth and coherent mixture which is very pleasing to look at. This is probably one of the best drawn anime that I have yet seen.

Sound: (7/10)- this show is superbly voiced. This isn't the sort of show that demands for many truly brilliant performances, but the actors performed the demands made of them very admirably. The one notable exception to this is the role of “Hakko”. I can’t say much without spoiling anything, but Hakko has very little dialogue until the last few episodes of the show. Remaining mute for most of the show (except for a few groans and sighs), Hakko is later given some dialogue that is both immensely important, and emotionally moving. This was no easy task for any actor, especially given the important nature of her few lines. All in all, excellently done!

The soundtrack was a good deal less memorable than the voice acting. It never stuck out to me as bad or unlikeable, but I never found myself thinking about the quality of music. It never really caught my ear, thus I couldn’t rate it as high as I would have liked. In contrast, the opening song is catchy, and very appropriately themed for the show. Overall, the music was probably the weak point of the show, but that’s hardly an insult in comparison with the quality of its other aspects.

Characters: (10/10)- Here is where the show truly shines. The role of protagonist is essentially shared by Canaan and Maria, as they are given about equal screen time and character development. Canaan is rather quiet, stoic, and rough, while Maria is friendly, outgoing, vivacious and fragile. This makes for an interesting combination, with Canaan being an ex-military, trained assassin, and Maria being an inquisitive photographer with a knack for getting into trouble.

These two share an interesting and unique friendship, which, much to my satisfaction, was devoid of any yuri themes. Their friendship is strong, and remains a driving force throughout the show. These two are supported by a cast of equally interesting supporting characters, each of which has a satisfactory, and interesting back story. Refreshingly, the villain of the show was far more than a mindless murderer, but had a story nearly as interesting as that of Canaan herself.

While Canaan can be a bit boring (due largely in part to her stoic nature), Maria easily makes up for this with her lively, innocent, wide-eyed view of the world. Canaan has a darker side to her, dating back to her military training, which Maria is still too naïve to see at the outset of the story. I found Maria to be an extremely lovable, and downright adorable character. While her constant repetition of the word “sugoi!” (amazing) may annoy some viewers, I thought it depicted her innocence and sweet nature very well. Canaan’s darker, quieter side provides an interesting balance to this duo.

These characters are placed into some rather emotionally touching situations, even to the point of bringing me to tears. I cannot say why, for fear of spoilers, but I was highly impressed by the clever use of the characters back stories, and even their unique abilities (which are given to only a select few characters) to provide an emotional charge that many action shows lack entirely. You’ll find a nice blend of action, character development, and even heart-wrenching moments that will bring you to the point of tears.

I could go on, but I think I’ve made my points clear. I grew to love each of the cast members, and I’m confident you’ll feel the same way if you give Canaan a chance.

Enjoyment: (9/10)- After all the bragging I’ve done about this show, why only a 9? I had to knock off a point because it felt too short. The show easily could have been extended without dragging, and the ending left me feeling as though a sequel was in store. I have not heard of any plans for a sequel at this point, but the ending certainly left that possibility open. Ultimately, it was an extremely enjoyable anime, but really left me wishing for more.

Overall (9/10)- Certainly not the best anime I’ve ever seen, but an excellent one, nonetheless. I highly recommend it to anyone. Even if you end up not liking it, you’ll only have lost 6 ½ hours of your life, so why not? =)

To tell you the truth, I had no interest in CANAAN at all. That all changed when at a local con, they decided to show CANAAN's Opening. Solely from that, my interest in it grew and with it, I set out to find the promised land, CANAAN.

Now let me begin with the story. First of all, it is by no means badly paced. No doubt, it was written in the anime description itself that anime was about all walks of life pulled together by a global conspiracy. A conspiracy in which only start to come together as the story progresses. ... You'll not figure out everything from the start and by the end, most if not all your questions will be answered. For some it may start off slow, but to tell you the truth, starting up like a Hong Kong action movie (set in Shanghai) is anything but slow. The progression as the action ramps up and the mysteries answered is just perfect, leaving me quite satisfied with the ending. However, they did slip up a bit. The transition is jarring by segregating the last mini arc with Alphard before the conclusion but after the mystery was solved.

What better way to accompany the story than with well-drawn art? To say that it is well drawn is one thing, but most, if not everything, is recreated in great detail. Even with the more intense action scenes, the quality stays well within the boundaries, never dropping too far below the quality of say, more static talking scenes. I'm a minor gun nut as well so I must laud the military equipment on display. Not just objects but characters too. Liang Qi never would have seemed that 'troubled' without the appropriate art to render her neuroses. There are points however, where the animation or the art could be better but that would just be nitpicking now. I would say that overall, it is a solid showing.

The sound on the other hand is not as spectacular. Sure the adrenaline rush inducing opening was indeed quite a treat, but that's just my bias towards rock music. Conversely, it could be said that the ending is merely okay, but again, that is just musical bias. The background music doesn't stand out particularly, it only acts up subtly and even then you have to actually pay attention to it if you really want to listen. But really, that's not the point of background music anyway. It keeps our attention firmly placed on the action, where its supposed to be. There is also the voice acting, which, were it horrible I would comment more on it. I don't follow any voice actors in particular and I find no fault in their delivery, so I'll have to say your mileage may vary. Sound effects aren't extravagant either. They seem realistic sounding enough to convince me they could be real. Not that I'll be comparing the sound of gun fire to actual real guns. Nope, not at all.

Now we get to the characters. Though it may be usual, the characterisation really shines for the big shots. Canaan's maturation, mentally, is well done, seeing her having to face the consequences of her actions whilst she was more naive. Or Maria's insecurities and little wishes, which by the end she seems to have come to terms with. Or Alphard, in the end, trying to banishing the ghosts of the past. Those who tag along for the ride as well are not given the cold shoulder, being treated with realistic conflicts and their ultimate resolution. Whether it is Cummings' impossible love, Santana's guilt, Yun Yun's personality or Natsume's secrets. Which is sort of a shame that some of the minor characters are still quite one sided, but I guess that's more an issue of not having enough screen time or a deliberate choice to have us focus on the main characters.

Enjoyment, well, its hard to say I didn't enjoy this Hong Kong action anime (set in Shanghai). The fight scenes particularly touching me the most, awing me time after time with the fluid animation and choreography. That's the main highlight from me. That is not to say I can't enjoy CANAAN as a whole though. The plot in the end made sense, the characters made sense, and even some things may have made less sense than others, it doesn't detract from the enjoyment at all. In my book, this is what I call a well rounded anime, probably one of the best to watch this season. So to those still on the fence, I heartily recommend you to join me in the promised land, Canaan.

Right from the start, a certain "emptiness" can be felt as the general atmosphere. In a ravishing, but flawed universe set in Shanghai and later the deserts of the Middle East, a puzzling battle between several parties takes place.

Amidst this chaos painted with many sentiments, an impressionistic tale of friendship, unrequited love and subconscious search for one's true nature. This hollow in the heart of each character isn't easily filled and tends to expand to the anime as well, leaving it flawed and to be taken as-is, without any resolve to tie up the loose ends.

Story: 7/10

Plot itself is original. The "real world" ... conflict involving terrorists, secret organizations behind the government of USA and Japan, with a dash of genetic experiments (this is dealt in a realistic fashion) isn't often seen in the ocean of "slices-of-life", stories with supernatural phenomena and fighting animes. Bad thing is - it likes to open a lot of doors to deepen the personalities of characters, but does little to at least hint to a sensible reason behind some actions they take. This spot is usually supplemented with a variety of colors and their associations the main protagonist can see and the ongoing search for the meaning behind the name Canaan and its relation to the actual character of its bearer.

Art: 9/10

Flashy, fluid, consistent. A select number of eye-pleasing color makes the palette of CANAAN. Action sequences show the character motions in their entirety rather than resorting to "epileptic" lines in the background as the means of portraying speed and resolve (a major plus).

Sound: 8/10

Voicing is good, but I can't really say it's anything more than that; in my opinion, there isn't anything exceptional to it. OP and ED are catchy and fit the anime well, surely worth mentioning.

Character: 7/10

They are memorable and lively. Their actions are often confusing though, it's as if the makers of the anime wanted to add weight to their personalities by somewhat random and radical behavior but along the way forgot to fit all the reasons to support those.

Enjoyment: 6/10

Here CANAAN fails the most; to put it shortly, although technically you are supposed to be captivated by the bustling plot, action and general turmoil, you simply are not. I found myself often drifting away and forgetting what I was watching, by which time it was difficult to get back and realize what the hell was happening.



Overall: 7/10

I absolutely love this anime so far; the music is awesome, the whole atmosphere of the anime is awesome, the characters are actually pretty human, not those typical anime stereotypes.

I don't really get the story yet, but I don't really care, because it's one of those animes where you get truly captivated by what's happening right then and there.
This anime is not made by amateurs, that's for sure; anyone can see that, judging by the high-quality art, sound, characters and the matureness of the whole thing.

It's a pretty realistic anime, a modern-time gun-fight sort of anime, so people who are content with those rosy ... red mahou shoujo escape-from-reality things should stay away (though I personally love those too).

The main character is an assassin, so this is basically that sort of thing. Female assassins, terrorists - that sort of thing, mostly, yes.

Oh, and she's is so adorable, Canaan! :D

Anime based on video games are nothing rare. Even though it might seems like a terrible cross over, it is not to take into consideration. Just like books to anime, it could be either good or terrible. Based on the game 428,which earned a perfect score from Famitsu Weekly, CANAAN is a series with a predictable and slightly cliched story, but will still be fairly enjoyable for the viewer.



The story of CANAAN is predictable and cliched, but it does not mean it sucks. I have seen animes of the same length trying too hard for an original plot and in the end was filled with ... massive holes. For a 13 episodes series, it would be a stupid move to try looking "intelligent" and offer a complex plot. Gladly, CANAAN as a simple plot and very easy to folllow. While the main story is based on revenge and protecting the ones you love, which are fairly overused aspects in animes, the UA virus and its relation with the government will back it up correctly. Sadly, the ending is the major flaw of the anime. It is very hard to forgive an anime for a bad ending, since it is usually what you remember the most, but I'm not saying the ending was worst than shit. In a comparison to the whole series, it did suck. I would compare it to impossible endings that often american movies would include in their motion pictures, cliched and irrational. In summary, the plot is fair.

The art in CANAAN is great, no doubt about that. While the characters were variated, some characters just had the feeling of déjà vu.The 3D didn't really appeal and seemed off from the rest of the art. The real beauty is the background art. The city of Shangai never felt so alive and dangerous, and the desert of the middle east looked like a land of despair. In other words, colorful and powerful.

For the sound, a great voice cast for the characters, their voice didn't feel awkward in any way and were perfectly suited. The animation opens with an opening theme that blends well the style of the anime, action. As for the ending, it was alright.

Memorable and simple minded characters is what CANAAN delivers. Memorable in any way you would think of. Some characters were unbelievable for their personalities, while some were memorable because they looked like ultimate retards, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. There can be complaint about not having enough background stories of few characters, but a 13 episodes series it is not something you'll always get and for good reasons. As I said earlier, getting too complex can get confusing and leave massive holes in the plot. You will instead receive the essential, enough to at least understand.

The enjoyment is af I was driving on a sine wave. Having its up and down, the enjoyment was not constant or wasn't building up. While I was thrilled with enjoyment on a scene, a next scene would crash it all and vice versa. I do not mind "boring" parts at all, and boring in mean of pointless dialogues and scenes that don't make progression in the stories, but CANAAN didn't blend it well.


In overall, CANAAN is no doubt a good series. I wouldn't be reminded by it, nor will recommend it absolutely, but you will have fun watching it. And if you don't, well that's not really my problem.

I don't know what I was doing in 2009 that prevented me from watching Canaan when it aired. But as it is, I watched it about a month ago and I was blown away by how great it was. It captured my attention from the beginning, an art that some series could work on.

Story [7/10]

"Soldiers who're born within destruction take hatred as their weapon. Listen, Canaan. You must not counter hatred with hatred...ever".

I just want to say that Canaan has one of the best intros ever. The combination of Siam's solemn voice and the sad, haunting violin music in the background just sent chills down ... my spine.

The story is quite simple. It's not completely original, but it does have its own uniqueness. Basically, an organization called Snake performed an experiment on a small village, exposing its inhabitants to an infection known as the Ua-virus. The reasons for why this happened is explained later in the anime, so I won't go too deep into that. The story focuses on the survivors of the experiment. However, what truly makes Canaan stand out from all the other dark war stories is the twisted relationship between Canaan (the protagonist) and Alphard (the antagonist). Alphard believes that hate is her source of power and that by conquering and controlling it, she is unbelievably strong. She tries to prove this to Canaan (and also corrupt her) through tests and trials. I must say that Alphard is the coolest antagonist ever. Her raison d'etre is badass as hell. She and Canaan have an backstory that I wished the anime would have gone deeper into.

Art [8/10]

Canaan aired in 2009. I almost couldn't believe that when I found it. It's art is well above the quality of the other series that existed in 2009. It's good enough that I could believe it was a 2012 anime if someone told me that. While the character design is awesome, the background/scenery could use a bit of work. The fight scenes are great. THE GREATEST. The animation quality of the fight scenes is definitely top notch.

Sound [10/10]

Canaan has some of the most exquisite violin music I've ever heard. It works perfectly with the mood of the anime. It induces a strong feeling of nostalgia and regret that just makes you appreciate relationship between Canaan and Alphard even more. I love the melody that Canaan, Siam, and Alphard hum.

Also, as a Shanghainese speaker, the Shanghainese was pretty darn good. It's an amazing feeling to listen to a sub and be like woah, I understand that. I didn't look into the voice actors for some of the very very minor characters, but I could believe that they imported some Shanghainese people to voice stuff.

Character [10/10]

The relationship between Canaan and Alphard is amazing, the more we learn about it. Canaan means "the promised land". It symbolizes pureness of heart, which is made more interesting by the fact that Alphard's old name used to be Canaan. Added on to this is the cute, heart pounding relationship between Canaan and Maria. The relationships between Santana and Hakko, Cummings and Liang Qi, and Liang Qi and Alphard are also great.

All the characters in Canaan have a purpose, excluding the truly minor background characters. There's nothing I hate more than a side character who contributes nothing to the flow of the plot. They all develop. Well, a large majority of them. In this sense, Canaan is one of the most complete and satisfying anime I've seen so far.

Enjoyment [8/10]

Despite all the awesome things I've mentioned before, Canaan falls a bit short in developing the background between some characters, namely Maria and Canaan. There's an unanswered question at the end that I'm still confused about and it drives me a bit insane sometimes. Also, the pace drops a bit around episode 8 or 9, where I almost dropped it but thank god I didn't.

But overall, watching Canaan is a wonderful and thrilling experience that'll leave you with a lot of feels.

I am very pleased (although it is currently only one episode) with CANAAN, which is a very good thing. I have always enjoyed TYPE-MOON's visual novels and other games, however their transitions to anime have not been quite as enjoyable. In fact, they have been quite bad. Tsukihime: Lunar Legend was disjointed, a problem only continued with their adaptation of Fate/Stay Night. However, CANAAN so far seems like they could finally get it right. I'll update this as the series continues and reaches it's end, however two points I can make now; CANAAN has amazingly nice artwork, and as of it's opening episode an engaging ... enough premise. Here's to hoping they do not encounter their all too common pacing issues.

I always do my best to keep up with out-coming animes, but when I get bored with them, I'll drop them around the 7th episode. CANAAN, in my eyes, is worth watching. I love the animation, the story line is decent and its enjoyable to watch. Personally, I love the insane sister, Liang Qi, Alphard and Canaan but could do without Maria and Yun-Yun.

Either way, the fighting is entertaining, Canaan's power if different and the last episode left me wanting more. You really can't ask for much more in an anime.

JS

I had not heard of the anime Canaan until i was reading a review on Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood trail and noticed it in the recommended section.

After reading a synopsis of the story and watching a short preview i was baffled to see how this could appeal to anybody who liked the gritty, over the top action fest that is the Black Lagoon series.

Still, needed a series to go to after the amazing Black Lagoon saga so i decided to give Canaan a shot anyway not expecting much. I have to say im glad i did since it is easily one of the best anime ... series ive seen of late, im a very busy person and for me to spend the time to watch an entire anime series it must have very good production value (which is why generally i prefer OVAs).

PA Works did an amazing job with this series, it is impeccably animated and the action scenes are fluid while still maintaining amazing details.
The character design was a breath of fresh air to me as well, its nice to see female leads in an anime that actually look like they can pull off the stunts they do on screen.
Canaan herself is slender framed athletic and lightly muscular, her arch rival Alphard is also stunningly depicted, with an almost fitness model look to her. It must have been a difficult decision to draw them like this instead of the typical tiny waist big bust female characters which often seem to be the "safe bet" for many other series.
The fight scenes between these characters are something you would expect to see in the most modern of action films (think along the lines of The Raid or John Wick). Details such as the weapons used are so good that i was easily able to recognise the FNH Five SeveN handgun used by Alphard the first time i saw it.

The story itself is good, i suggest reading the Canaan back story from Type Moons 428 In a Blockaded Shibuya to get the best out of it. Its easily found online and will only take you 15min to glance through. I did it only afterwards yet still thoroughly enjoyed it, though i wish i would have done so before hand.
While the story can be slow placed at times, the relationship between Canaan and the female lead Maria is developed well in general, there are some questionable moments which you hope would be explored more later on but arent, it is still good as a whole.
Maria is arguably the lead character and the story is shown from her perspective in most cases, she starts of as a ditzy ahoge haired blonde who you think is going to be another annoying wet blanket holding back the action, but she gradually starts to think and show wisdom and maturity beyond her appearance and youll start to appreciate who she is and what she tries to ultimately (sometimes unsuccessfully) achieve.

There are many supporting characters, most of which are reasonably well developed. Mr Mido, Maria's work colleague is also funny yet serious when needed to be. Canaan keeps to her self, but she is hardly shy she is just not used to having much contact with normal people much, she is basically a La Femme Nikita style lone assassin who yearns for some friendship, which later becomes obvious she really wants.
The character who steals the show for me though is Alphard, if you liked Revy from Black Lagoon im certain you will also love Alphard. She is truly interesting and her motives are not always clear until the end. However her calm and controlled demeanor paired with her devastating speed, strength and skill during combat make you respect or even admire her, even though she is a "bad guy". Despite not having any special powers she was a more than worthy adversary to Canaan right to the end, and you get the feeling that Canaan really did not like to take on Alphard. Alphard is extremely dedicated to her task.

Other than the story which lacked some consistency and substance on a few occasions, the only other weakness for me was the soundtrack. After the brilliant opening which really sets the mood (i never skipped it once), the rest of soundtrack never quite lives up to that opening, which is a shame, the outro is notably disappointing.
I watched the dub, and its a top notch dub. I highly recommend it mainly since the voices used for Canaan and Alphard are spot on and match their tough on-screen appearances well, the Japanese version may be better in terms of Maria and some of the other characters, so ill leave that decision up to you which aspect you feel is more important.

Overall, its only 13 episodes so its definitely worth your time and money provided you are willing to forgive it for its few weaknesses, if you can you have a winner and future favorite of the genre in your hands. Hopefully they visit the story again for a second season, but that looks unlikely at this time unfortunately.

So the Spring/Summer season has come to a close this past week for most shows, and it was one of the more memorable seasons in recent memory IMO...However, there was one show that stuck out to me that just seemed to do everything right: Canaan

With a concept from the writers of the Wii game: 428: Fūsa Sareta Shibuya de, the plot of Canaan has a lil' bit of tie-in but enough ground to stand on it's own...Basically, it's a scenario from the game written specifically for the anime...

With a deadly virus poised to breakout across the world, the titular heroine (Canaan) must step in and ... prevent it...While it may sound mildly cliche, the story is rather complex and with lil' twists and turns throughout the course of the 13 episode series, it satisfies...Though I did require a lil' insight for some things mentioned, I was able to comprehend the majority of the story and was completely happy with the conclusion...

The characters are what really stood out for me in this series. I can't remember the last time I have really cared for this many characters in a series at one time...The antagonists are not necessarily "bad," they just have their own motives/reasoning and it's rather hard to hate them...By the end of the series, I was rooting for them a little...Well, most of them, there were a couple I did wish to die...

Canaan is a great character overall and her "relationship" with the cute/friendly Maria was a great development over the course of the series and while it kind of left off with unfinished/unsettled business, it's just enough too not upset anyone...

The only complaint I really have for the series is the music, it's not that it is bad, it's just not memorable...Save for a couple of songs in the finale, I don't see myself listening to the OST upon it;'s release...The OP was rather "blah" to me and the ED I never watched except for the first episode...

While this isn't the most in depth review/impression (it's 5:49 AM and I'm f'n tired) I urge people to check it out...The action, while rather limited, is incredible the animation is some of the best this season, and the plot is enjoyable enough for a short, 13 episode series...

Canaan has a history that's bit unusual. The anime came before the manga or the light novel. But it is a sequel, to the critically acclaimed visual novel game 428: Fusa Sareta Shibuya de. The question is, is this sequel to a game that was only released in Japan accessible to people who have never heard of the game?

Canaan's story opens with two Japanese journalists going to Shanghai. The two of them get separated and one of them finds herself in danger only to be saved by the mysterious Canaan, whom she has some connection with from the past. They quickly become involved in a ... plot involving a deadly virus and terrorism. Overall, the story is handled very well. You might expect it to get bogged down with references that you'd have to play the game to get but it does a good job of explaining everything that's important for the audience to know. The action sequences are really strong. It's fast paced, but not to the point where it gets ridiculous or feels rushed. It has love as a pretty important theme and, unlike a lot of things that use the same theme, it does a good job exploring both the positive and the negative aspects of it. Love is shown as a source of strength but it's also connected with insanity. That goes into a second important theme, duality. A lot of the characters, conflicts and other themes explore a dual structure. The themes are well handled most of the time. Although there are a few moments where they get exaggerated in a slightly ludicrous way. The biggest weakness to the story is that they have several flashbacks and a lot of them aren't necessary for the story so they just come off as filler.

The characters are very well done. They have complex motivations that are revealed during the story and are realistic for them. Every important character is complex and well developed. There aren't any characters who are extraneous to the plot. The protagonists and the antagonists both have sympathetic qualities that make them interesting and help strengthen the conflict. They also get some compelling dynamics that help move the plot forward.

The art is great. The characters are nicely detailed and the backgrounds are vibrant and lively. Things like planes and guns are very well detailed and look realistic. The art takes advantage of Canaan's unique senses in a way that's story relevant and helps you understand her without overly relying on those segments.

The voice acting is very good. Sawashiro Miyuki, Sakamoto Maaya and Nanjo Yoshino all do fantastic jobs in their roles. The only real problem I had was that some of the English dialogue seems a little stiff and unnatural, but there are very few moments where they show people speaking English so it's not a big problem.

The yuri factor is a 7/10. Canaan and Maria have an incredibly homoerotic relationship which is well executed and adorable. Liang Qi also has a really obvious romantic interest in Alphard. But their relationship is not adorable. It's actually creepy. It's pretty obviously deliberate, so the whole difference between the two dynamics could be part of the duality theme.

My final rating for Canaan is a 9/10. Its problems are pretty minor. It has excellent characters, a very well told story and really good action sequences. If you enjoyed Bakuretsu Tenshi or El Cazador de la Bruja you'll probably enjoy it as well.

As the title may suggest to those familiar to the old testiment of the bible.
A person who is engraved with not only a physical burden, but a mental one, all for the wrold to see.

This anime plays with themes of love, life, revenge, the importance of friendship. All these are clearly evident alongside small more tiedious themes.

It gives us an aspect and a veiw, a small peek into the mind of a strong-willed female lead as well as a weak, wavering one.

Though some aspects are rather dark, supernatural and maybe hard to believe. But with a little patience the world of CANAAN envelops ... you, pulls you in to a fascinating world.


I could not have asked for a better anime, lacking a bit in the animation area, though not in the action department! Very sold and beautiful art though The story may have some seemingly meaningless turns and twists though all builds up to an explosive and well grounded climax, something that can't be missed!

Note: I haven’t played/watched 428 yet, so this is only a review on the animation itself. Sorry if the review is a bit long.

Canaan is one of the most underrated anime I have watched in the past years. This could be easily attributed to how horrible the guns-and-gals genre has been faring lately. One would think that it would be a brilliant concept to link two popular (yet greatly different) topics together, but time and time again the industry has proven that this conventional plot doesn’t work.

Then, you may ask, why would Canaan be any different?

Let’s start with first impressions. Like most of ... my friends, Canaan seemed like a very underwhelming production at first, probably due to the fact that the pictures that you can find about Canaan often have NO relation to the actual story itself.

I have a habit of always finding the flaws of a work before appreciating its virtues, as discovering the good points of a masterpiece isn't difficult. However, I really couldn’t find any flaws during the entire anime (this does not mean it doesn’t have it flaws) but of course, in retrospect, there were certain elements that could have been done a lot better.

First of all, the story is pretty rushed and fragmented. Throughout the story, we are introduced to a multitude of characters and interludes, some serving a lot more purpose than I thought, and some, vice versa. The audience is bombarded with many many sub-stories, and I daresay, digressions, as the work mentions quite a few interesting yet rather unfinished stories. On the first episodes, we are introduced to two journalists, Maria and Mino, looking for viable news-worthy titles in the huge city of Shanghai. The story accelerates exponentially, as they manage to spiral into a gunfight with masked men that the public seem to ignore. Without time to comprehend what just happened, our protagonist Canaan jumps out of nowhere and saves our dynamic duo, and somehow is an acquaintance with one of the journalists. One of the biggest plot holes in the story is the lack of background information. A tremendous amount of emphasis has been put on the character Maria, being the light that guides our heroine forward. However, the story mentions NOTHING about the affiliation between the two. This lackluster section would definitely make the audience question why our protagonist defends her with her life, and why she is the motivation for the story to go on. Continuing on with this problematic area, the story mentions numerous times that Maria has a minor case of retrograde amnesia, but gives no follow-up to this. We do not know what happened before Shanghai, and the audience is probably as lost as Maria is, and most of us will be scratching our heads when the characters in the story repeatedly inquires if she has truly lost her memory.

But if you look at the score I give, you’ll realize that I find this series really amazing. Other than the few faults that I’ve pointed out above, nearly everything is excellent, or even near perfect. (I’ll try to give talk a bit about each section.

The visual aspect is absolutely stunning, even for today’s standards. Unlike most anime where you might be able to say that a certain scene or character looks brilliant, Canaan has both. The characters are brilliantly drawn, and the scenery is almost as good as Shinkai Makoto’s. The animation is extremely fluid, possibly due to its 29.976 frames per second, and the choreography (if that’s the right word) for the characters are simply really well thought out. There isn’t a scene in the entire series that feels stiff or rigid, and even the monotone Canaan displays a good array of emotions given that she has such a small pool of emotions.

The audio aspect is equivalently fabulous, and it’s the only reason I managed to know about this work. The music is extremely fitting, be it the opening or the ending, and the variety in the two gives the audience both a sense of excitement and tranquility. The music serves a great purpose, as it not only starts the episode off with a bang, but also reminds the audience of the core storyline. On a side note, the performances of the voice actors are beyond amazing. Canaan displays quite a wide range of characters, with some being exceptionally difficult to portray (such as Liang). Yet, each seiyuu performs his/her job perfectly, and even monotonous characters like Canaan feel are illustrated vividly.

In spite of all this, my favorite is the characterization. On the surface of the matter, Canaan uses archetypically cliché characters. A kind hearted, weak body, yet strong minded protagonist, a seemingly apathetical, yet in reality is the most caring accomplice, and a powerful, yet puzzled gun-girl are all characters we have seen way too many times. Conversely, Canaan does a good job in directing the audience in the right direction. In contrary to the many characters that aim to achieve superficial and unrealistic goals, such as world peace (or domination) or a brighter future, our protagonist has a truthful, yet effective ideal. The reason that she fights is simple, she does not want to lose what she holds precious again. The depictions of the characters are immensely lively and realistic, each doing what they feel right themselves, be it for friendship, or for love. Each character serves an irreplaceable part in the overall story, and each segment of the journey tells us a bit more about them.

Another point that is worth noting is the attention to details. There are many subtle elements that the casual viewer may miss. For example, even the name of the characters shed light to the story itself. The religious allusion of the name Canaan being the land of hope adds a second layer to the story, and even the name Maria gives an indication of her role. Many foreshadows appear, such as the discussion of sunny weather, and other motifs like the camera or the Pocky that Canaan is always chewing on, give further confirmation and hints to the story.

While accepting the imperfections of the story, Canaan has one of the most thrilling and sophisticated plots of all time. One should complete disregard any first impressions on this work, as it most definitely is an unfair judgment. The production strikes a perfect balance between the emphasis on characters and plot, making the story both character and plot driven; the work doesn’t feel like a shonen anime that features the mishaps of the protagonists, nor does it feel like a war-time anime which often overlooks how the characters develop. The overarching story of the conflict between Alphard and Canaan opens up many possibilities for parallel (yet slightly sub-par) stories, such as the intertwined touches of romance. Moreover, viewers will quickly understand the effect of minor characters on the work, and the entire reason for the richness in story is due to the diversity in characters. Every single action is useful, be it the dialogue between two characters, or the small gestures of kindness displayed towards one another.

To conclude, Canaan is definitely a masterpiece. The focus on both an intellectual and an emotional level concoct a beautiful result. It is definitely worth your time.

Canaan has several things going for it:
-While the overall plotline isn't particularly original, the human stories within each episode can work really well. Episode 10 is a real heartbreaker.
-The animation quality is amazing. There is almost no reliance on panning stills, except when the characters actually are not moving. The action sequences move and flow like dances with all motions captured. The character designs are appropriate for a young-adult themed show. Even the backgrounds are memorable. The seedy yet modern depiction of Shanghai, especially in ep1, is a real eye-opener for a westerner.
- Characters: I've found Hakko and Alphard to be especially memorable characters. Alphard ... is almost a tragic hero rather than a villain. Her psycho "sister" Lian Ji is the real evil here, and it seems Alphard doesn't really hate Canaan as much as Canaan hates her, except for the effect Canaan has on her team. Canaan's relationship with Maria (Isn't Maria Osawa the name of a Japanese porn star?) is also "different" as they are such complete opposites.
-Good DivX high resolution fansubs are available. Average visual quality of fansubs in general has gone up amazingly in the past 18 months.

On the downside:
-The long-term plot is just a sci-fi, government-conspiracy action thriller. It's a fine example of the genre, but apart from the flower design, the effects of the UA virus aren't particularly original, nor is pinning the whole experiment (in China???) on the CIA. I get the feeling of gaping holes in the logic here that I just haven't been able to spot.
- The male characters are pretty generic crusading investigators or wimps.

Neutral
- The opening theme is cool and the themes during the show are fine. I haven't really listened to the closer.

Not perfect but very interesting anime and agry about similarity between Canaan and Shiki ^___^

Love art, sound and main charactes (especially both Canaans *spoil* and Maria)

Recomended. Added to favorites.

"CANAAN" is an adaptation from the visual novel "428: Fūsasareta Shibuya de," which in fact, one of the few games to be awarded a perfect score by Famitsu.

So basically "CANAAN" revolves around a woman named Canaan who is involved in a plot against the notorious terrorist group named "Snake." As Canaan tries to stop the group from spreading a so called "Ua Virus," she finds the killer who killed a close and dear companion, her name is Alphard.

While Canaan progresses through the storyline trying to avenge her companion, anew problem has occurred. By a stroke of chance, Canaan's closest and lost friend Maria also gets ... involved in the same situation.

My thoughts on "CANAAN" are that it's main idea was very interesting and creative, how the story was presented changed the generic outlook about people with "powers" using a virus and how terrorists implemented with this weapon. Now the artwork was undoubtedly amazing bringing out great quality and feel of the anime. For sound, the voice actors actually fit with the characters. The opening song was flawless but the ending could be better. Characters were also explained thoroughly, the anime as it progressed revealed more and more information of the main characters so that you will always keep interested. The enjoyment I had watching this was spectacular, "CANAAN" always came up with lots of scenarios, twists and suspense at the end of each episode, this suspense makes you want to go and watch the next episode.

My overall is that "CANAAN" proved to be a good anime, that's why it will be for me a 9/10.

“Delightful, alluring, absorbing, attractive, mature and fast-paced. A ‘diamond’ within short anime for sure, deep and beautiful”

REVIEW FREE OF SPOILERS!

The fourth anime I ever watched. So let’s see…

Girls and guns, a combination that ensures the attention of most people –mainly and without doubt males- to be honest. Here’s where “Canaan” comes in, to break the stereotypical –boring- “Girls with guns” type of anime.
I’ll be honest, on the outside “Canaan” –might- look like the typical fan-service kind of anime, focused mainly on the usual action and sexual innuendos, but in all honesty, Canaan is different.in that aspect, it’s deep and meaningful.

In all honesty short ... anime shows are a bit of a gamble for they usually lack something whether some back story, or the sound or the character developments, but to put it bluntly Canaan has everything and it’s worth watching.

Let’s start 

-STORY: 8-
Probably the most “lame” thing in the whole anime is its premise, the typical good vs evil kind of environment. But let me tell you that by lame I don’t mean that the story is boring nor interesting, I just mean that it isn’t the most original” thing in the world but it has something unique. It’s a story that is easy to understand even if you haven’t played the game –and base scenario- “428: Fusa Sareta Shibuya de”.

“CANAAN” is one of those shows that -because of its story- it leaves you wanting more, and not because it has plot holes or anything but because it’s that good.

It has one of the most alluring and absorbing starts that I’ve ever watched in a anime.


-ART: 9-
One of the things that captivated me before watching the show was the art. Usually before watching a show I try to uncover or “study” the anime –to see if it’ll be worth my time-. The show is a “role model” of animation. The scenarios –the festival, restaurants and the city- are believable and incredibly well depicted. The art developers “immerse” you inside the show in a way that back in the day I had never seen or felt before. And not just that, the characters were made in such a beautiful way to, the artists didn’t just make a face for the characters, the made simple things a memorable thing –like the eyes (and their expression) of Maria Oosawa, the hair of Canaan and the tattoo of Alphard and Canaan-.
To put it bluntly… whether you’re talking about the scenarios or the characters they’re all “attractive” to the eyes and mind of the viewer.


-SOUND: 10-
As I’ve said before I’m a guy that places the soundtrack/score of a movie/TV show as probably one of the most important things of them all, and I must say “Canaan, oh! Canaan”
It doesn’t matter if you’re watching this show subbed or dubbed (I watched it both, and the first time was in English) the voice acting is incredible, the actors performed beyond words. And the work of Miyuki Sawashiro or Shelley Calene-Black (Canaan) and the work of Maaya Sakamoto or Lesley Pedersen (Alphard Al Sheya) is a work that transcends. It’s emotional.

The soundtrack/score in my opinion is the “jewel of the crown” –as I usually say- it was made by Masumi Ito (under the pseudonym Hikaru Nanase). It’s one of the best works I’ve ever heard on my life. A work very swayed by oriental music/instruments –obviously-. It’s a very memorable soundtrack with some of the most superb violin and piano tracks ever.

In the same way that the art designers immerse you in the anime by the way they depict the surroundings and characters, it’s the same thing with the music, transcending for it isn’t just a plain soundtrack, it’s depicts the mood or creates a mood within the show.

A-MARVELOUS-WORK!


-CHARACTER: 10-
Here’s another aspect in which “CANAAN” excels.

“Oh! Look at that! ANOTHER boring show with pretty girls and guns, right?” Well WRONG. Canaan has both things -YES- but it IS more than that. CANAAN is a show about fighting, about learning the truth but most importantly about relationships. Don’t misunderstand me “CANAAN” isn’t the typical “misogynistic” lame story as twilight in which the MC can’t do anything without her vampire lover. No, this is deeper than that.
It’s a story about changes in a personal level.

Different from most short shows CANAAN excels in character development. With the unique friendship between the two MC’s –Canaan and Maria- or the relation between Canaan and Alphard. Relations that take this anime to amazing “places”.

The characters are believable. They’re humans and show emotions. Although Canaan is a really stoic person, but her journey will “open her heart”.

-ENJOYMENT:10 & OVERALL: 9-
Super enjoyable and recommended. Although the show leaves you wanting more for being that good.

When you're browsing series to series and look for that next great addiction, Canaan might be exactly what you look for. Even when your preference might be mecha, drama, h-related stuff, you will find Canaan more or so legendary.
At first the story will be completely confusing or startling somewhat like ...Code Geass or such. The story will explain itself as it progresses.

The Art style depends on the viewer, if you watch it carefully, the beautifully drawn backgrounds wlll be with you throughout the whole series.

The music. One of the best soundtracks i will ever hear in my life is contained in ... this series. after watching. go listen and sit in melancholy.

The characters will grow onto you as the story progresses, please don't give up on anyone of them....except...one. nvm

I watched this with friends together and thought it was truly enjoyable, if you think i'm telling lies, go watch it yourself and see.

Overall, i can't describe the hidden greatness found in this series until you pick up a box set, torrent or such and watch it yourself.

Canaan - An Anime in China.

Canaan tells the story of three women and how they met at an Anti-Terrorism Convention in Shanghai, China. One of these women is Cannan, an assassin/mercenary, the other is Alphard, (Cannan's rival who is also a professional and mercenary assassin and who runs a terrorist organization called Snake). The name is even in English to do justice to what happens in the anime (which I can not say).
The latest girl is Osawa Maria, a victim of a biological attack on the streets of Shibuya, Japan for two years. Their meeting brings us to interventions between Canaan and Alphard because ... the two have a connection in which they have a tragic story in common (which is the same for both but at different occasions).

It is a drama anime that unfolds in passing the episodes while it is exciting and makes us think of the friendships we have even with the closest friends. It is also an anime captured for the current generation, which consists precisely in giving to think even with scenes and interrogations more than obvious, also by the way is slightly bizarre because for YunYun (a character in the series) nobody lives at the mercy of a box of pills.
Let's say I liked the story, but it's nothing out of this world but I enjoy it, I liked the psychological highlights that the characters have throughout the development of the anime, I found the story interesting in China, I just think that the range of characters could be greater since the UA virus did not spread to an entire population based on a terrorist industry.
I may think that I should recommend because I think the story of Canaan itself would be good to do, but I prefer not to do it because in my opinion the anime would be better seen and better structured if it happened in the city and not on a mountain or a train, etc. and that was what happened.
Finally I want to say that the enemies/soldiers were so few but so few that I honestly did not even miss them.
By the way is to underline the Cannan's "synesthesia"when she have red eyes !

If you enjoyed shows like Black Lagoon or Steins;Gate than Canaan would be a shame to miss.

Incredible. Immersed in the present day, a story that faces the ugly that the world ignores. Humans that are tools, experimentation, mystery, action, and connections of the past, Canaan is absolutely inspiring.

Story: (9) It is a pretty short series, so the end left me wanting a bit more. The story is well rounded, and keeps you wanting to see the next episode.

The plot is incredibly interesting entangling horror and action into the present day. The tale sends a strong message to the audience in the characters used. It ... is difficult to detail this without giving anything away.

Art: (8) Well done. Not incredible, but not lacking anywhere.

Sound: (8) Same as art. Not incredible, but not lacking anywhere.

Character: (9) Well balanced with the plot, the characters rarely deviate from their "selves."

Enjoyment: (9) You'll want to rewatch this one.