Synopsis
I’m dreaming a dream from long ago, the same days over and over again. Within this endless dream, I wished for a morning that wouldn’t come. It’s red, white, cold, warm, sad, and happy, and the same days are repeated. I knew from a long time ago, from years ago, wandering in this dream I wished for a dawn that wouldn’t come. I’m always in the same spot. A ruckus with no voices, and a faceless person walks before me. No one cares about just one little child. I’m waiting for a person, a person I know who won’t come, and someone I know I won’t meet again. For years and years…within this repeating dream, I was always waiting for a dawn that won’t come.
Review
Not to be mistaken as a misspelling of Conan (Detective Conan), Kanon is a 13 episode (14 if you include Kazahana) retelling of the same events that took place in the NON-hentai dating simulation game for the PC, which also won PC Game of the Year in 1999. The Kanon PC game was ported to the Dreamcast and Playstation 2. Similar to the series To Heart, the main character Yuuichi was given a voice in the anime but was silent in the game. The story begins with Yuuichi who after seven years returns to the town where he spent his childhood days. The reason being is his parents got posted overseas in Swahili due to work. Instead of being left alone in Japan, it was decided for him to live with his cousin Nayuki and aunt Akiko-san. They are both good people (It’s a wonder how Nayuki didn’t grow up spoiled by her mother. Can’t imagine Akiko-san being the strict disciplinarian, lol). Mysteriously, Yuuichi doesn’t remember anything from when he was there seven years ago. Now, the minute hand of memories starts to tick again…
The Breakdown
Kanon is the anime of dreams and miracles. You will begin saying uguu~ to all your friends and crave Taiyaki everyday as a result, lol.
» The Pros
You will never find a more emotional anime series than Kanon. It will surely make you cry the first time. The anime touches on a variety of themes, the underlying one being loneliness. Some lessons to learn from the series.
1) Yuuichi: Calm down. If you can't find what you are looking for when you are excited or angry, you might find it when you calm down. Don't be so quick to blame others. Heed your own advice, and don't be hypocritical.
2) Ayu: Girl's can't be cherry on an empty stomach ^-^ and you look better smiling.
3) Makoto: Is this really true. That a stray should remain a stray. If it gets used to the happiness of living with people, it will be all the more sad when it is thrown away. This goes back to the phrase better to have loved than to have never loved at all - is this true or should it be better not to have loved from the beginning.
4) Mai and Sayuri: You always decide everything on your own. You can't try to solve everything on your own. No buts. Don't try to bear it all yourself.
5) Kaori and Shiori: Is that all for the best. To wish you never had a sister. Does that make you weak, to live without depending on someone else. No one can live without depending on someone else.
6) Akiko-san and Nayuki: Love exists to foster people. Even if that love is unrequited, those feelings are nourishments for living.
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» The Cons
Any person who has played the original game will tell you that there were numerous edits transitioning from the game to the anime. For one, the anime centers on Mai, Shiori, Makoto, Ayu, and Nayuki so the explanation about Sayuri and her little brother and why she always smiles was cut. It could have made an excellent side episode. Mai's story about the stop sign was skipped forwarding directly to the Butou ceremony. The part about her sickly mother was removed. Kazahana extended the ending showing Mai and Sayuri looking after one another in a dormitory in Germany. Makoto never marries Yuuichi. In episode 13 she briefly remarks that Yuuichi is a nice person, and in Kazahana Makoto mentions that she senses him and can see Yuuichi anytime. Shiori's ending has the biggest change. Shiori was a secret character in the game. The producers should have kept the comment about her pocketful of medicines. Ayu's story, the main focus of the anime, is largely intact minus how Yuuichi got the doll at an arcade. Nayuki's ending was the opposite; she left Yuuichi a recording instead of him leaving her a recording. Kazahana extends the rushed conclusion in episode 13 in that she will be fine as long as she could accept the result. This is true in track as well as between her and Yuuichi. A thanks to Demonrugal at the gamefaqs.com message boards and Koji Tajii, FAQ writer for the Dreamcast version, for the information.
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» Animation
9.0 |
MJ-Battle, our official artist here at animesou, pointed out that the eyes are disproportionately large, and in addition the character designs for the girls, their faces notably, are nearly identical in style. Most reviews will downplay the fact that they are drawn overly kawaii (cute). The edges of their cheeks are thickly outlined. Each girl does have a different hair color. Newtype USA mentioned that none of the main girls wore glasses, which is extremely rare in an anime, although glasses were reserved for the student council members. Mai is your typical samurai girl stereotype although interesting her blade is more of a rapier than a katana. The opening sequence utilizes computer rendered environments and camerawork allow you to zoom around, fly through the halls, and just hover over the girls. Background scenery is beautiful. Seems the artists got lazy during the first few minutes of Kazahana as the animation dips below average compared to the series. The flashbacks in episode 1 are unique in that they appear before Yuuichi as he passes by key areas. Throughout the rest of the series, flashbacks are done in the standard anime fashion through dreams or visions. Oh yes, one more thing. Pay close attention to Ayu's shadow in episode 3. |
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» Sound
9.0 |
Himura Kenshin had oro? while Saito Hajime patented yare-yare. Mitsumi from Love Hina said ara-ara. DiGi Charat ended their sentences with -nya, -nyu, and -gemma. Here's another one to add for your pleasure, Ayu's uguu~ The opening theme Florescence and ending theme Flower emphasize the dramatic mood, and likewise within the series the violin and piano backdrops enrich those moments of emotion. Ayu has her own theme song whenever she takes the stage. The voices for the girls do seem incredibly childlike. But by no means does Kanon suffer from a lack of voice talent. Horie Yui (Narusegawa Naru - Love Hina) plays as Ayu Tsukimiya, Kawasumi Ayako (Aoi Sakuraba - Ai Yori Aoshi) as Kaori Misaka, and Izuka Mayumi (Rena Lanford - Star Ocean EX) as Makoto Sawatari. |
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» Story
9.0 |
The introduction to each episode begins with Ayu's recitation about dreams. The end of each episode has a clip that leads into the next episode. The last 5 minutes of the anime is where Kazahana fits between. The story focuses on five major characters: Mai, Shiori, Makoto, and Ayu and Nayuki resolved together. Just when you thought you had it all figured out, the story throws you a sudden dramatic turn of events, leaving you breathless. The series ends in the season of spring, new life. |
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» Recommend
9.0 |
To Heart is more of a school anime compared to Kanon. Kanon is an outdoor winter anime and will have you believing in the supernatural. You'll definitely watch the last 3 episodes non-stop. My favorite moment is when Makoto says: Arigato okasan (thank you mother). |
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» Other Information
Language: Japanese spoken with optional English subtitling
Extras: None
Package: A close up of Ayu with angel's feathers gently floating around her |
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
