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Plot Synopsis

When his parents are transferred overseas, Aizawa Yuuichi is forced to move in with his cousin, Nayuki, who he hasn't seen for 7 years. All his memories of the time he had spent there in the past have faded, but with a series of encounters starting on the first day, his memories slowly start returning ... along with the reason he lost them in the first place.

Story & Characters

Ah, Kanon. The wonderful, snow-filled, nostalgic winter dream - the perfectly animated (ignoring the 2002 Toei version) series that pulls at your heartstrings.

Kanon (2006) was a series that I was originally not going to watch. The reason for that was Air, the summer anime that indeed made me cry, but failed to entertain. I quit it after five episodes because of its annoying main girl and very un-bishounen main boy. Being from the same creater (Key) and same production company, I had no plan of trying it out. But for some reason I did, and loved it, and that's the whole reason why I have finally finished this anime and writing a very love-filled review about it.

The winter series is about a boy named Yuuichi, who has returned to a snow-filled town that he had visited seven years ago, to move in with his aunt and cousin. He remembers nothing, even though it seems that he would have had a great many things to remember, by the way the people around him are acting. But before he can sort it out and try to remember, he meets all sorts of girls - most of them having had a big part in his forgotten past.

Ayu, the petite girl with a huge love of taiyaki; Mai, the strange, quiet girl with a strange hobby; Shiori, a bubbly girl with a neglected longing; Makoto, the girl with a grudge but not a memory; and even Yuuichi's own cousin, Nayuki, is with a troubled past. All these girls will change Yuuichi's life in various ways, but in the end, it all comes down to if he remembers, and if he can make up for what he has left hanging in the past.

All the characters of this series are quite likeable - Yuuichi is rather amusing, in his sarcastic, unique way. Nayuki was a favorite of mine, being so gentle-hearted and one-sidedly kind until near the end, when an amazingly huge plot turn caused a big character developement. Each of the girls had their own arcs, so character developement was something this series didn't lack in. Even if the character wasn't exactly realistic, Kanon made sure to give a reason for it. Even side characters, such as Sayuri, were given much attention, and characters like Kaori, Shiori's sister, was tied in to the plot way before Shiori even made an entrance.

The series also has a clear storyline to go through, so it was nice to see a strong plot with well-rounded characters.

Rating

9 (very good)

Art

If I have not mentioned this before, I will say so now - Kanon is one of the most well-animated series I have ever seen. The backgrounds are beautiful - sunsets and starry skies and bright lights galore. The art of this anime has to be one of its strongest points.

One downside that I should point out is that the original character design wasn't one of my favorites. It was animated well, but the main point is that the characters were not made for such high-level animation. The female faces, in my view, are distasteful. Many have praised Key's works, saying that they are "cute." But the features are scrunched up in the middle, and the body forms are quite chubby. Character eyes are also too shiny and big, sometimes giving off an air of low-budget moe-ness.

But overall, the art is admirable, working well with the heartwarming, delightful story. This project could be considered one of Kyoto Animation's best works, technically, so far.

Rating

9 (very good)

Sound

The music in Kanon was nice, but not extraordinary. It fit well, and was ear-pleasing, but was not fantastic enough to actually gather some attention apart from the series itself.
Soft, cheerful melodies were part of the soundtrack, with a good effort to match the story and genre.

Opening and ending was part of the same situation - good, but not excellent. Because Kanon exceeded the other parts so well, this part had to be the least attention-catching point of the whole series.

I did enjoy the sounds, but after a while, it all sounded the same.

The voice acting for Kanon is well done and memorable, partly because some characters have habitual phrases that they are recognized for. Some examples would be Ayu's "Uguuu," Makoto's "Auuu," and Nayuki's "Nyuuu."
It was great that the girls' voices were very different from each others', so that it was all the more easier to tell them apart in the beginning.
Yuuichi's voice was the favorite for me - voiced by Tomokazu Sugita, his tone was entertaining, and brought life to the character. Although I admit his voice seemed to make me see a second Kyon, later on it took its place as the unique character of Yuuichi.

Rating

8 (good)

Presentation

Kanon was one of my most favorite series, and would have been my number one this season, if it hadn't been for Code Geass. The story induced so much emotion and cheeriness, I couldn't help but write a review for it. Each past helped me know each character better, and allowed me to see character developements that I couldn't possibly have seen in even the best of animes.

The 24-episode set up helped the story immensely, and I was grateful that Kyoto Animation used up the episodes to the fullest, refraining from any recaps or lengthy flashbacks. The company also seemed to use a storyboard efficiently, and didn't laze off on any episode. The story was well-written, and didn't get confusing (in the wrong way), even during the climax.

However, the last episode seemed to be crammed with a whole bunch of things - although Kanon tried its best to space it out.

This is a series that I would definitely recommend - the anime is enjoyable like no other. It combines humor, romance, and drama in the best possible way, with a good ending to wrap it all up.

Rating

9 (very good)

Final Verdict

8.83 (very good)

Reviewed by Rosegirl18, 1y 24wk ago