Final Thoughts on Kanon
And so the dream ends. A fitting conclusion to an overall perfect series, though, I found it lacking in places. I don’t like how the episode tried to cover almost a two year time span in 24 minutes. While it was nice to see the gang grow-up, I thought it was weird how it would take Yuuichi that long to figure out how to wake Ayu up, or that Mai would withhold her clue for almost a year. Or, hell, why did Akiko wait so long to tell Yuuichi Ayu was still alive? I prefer Toei’s way of doing it, which was quick and to the point. All Ayu needed to wake up was for Yuuichi to be by her side. And why did Ayu need the wheelchair at the end? Realistically speaking maybe she would need it, but this is anime. I don’t want it to be realistic. Toei also did that better, showing a smiling Ayu running at the end.
There were also a little too many miracles this episode for my liking. Oh, Akiko’s all better now! Must be a miracle. Oh, Mai and Sayuri healed faster than normal! Must be a miracle. Oh, Shiori’s not dying anymore! Must be a miracle. That in the end all the miracles were linked back to Ayu’s wish was fitting, showing how much Ayu loved Yuuichi, but it wasn’t necessary. It’s not like Mai and Sayuri’s injuries were that serious, and Mai could of just used her healing powers. In Shiori’s case, I always thought it was implied that all Shiori needed to get better was the love of her sister. Kind of cheapened that. And Akiko could of still been in the hospital recovering. I feel like I’m repeating myself a lot, but that’s how toei did it. Having Nayuki take care of her mom in the hospital and discovering Ayu was alive that way. Though, that takes the fun out thinking of Akiko has the mastermind behind everything.
Oh god Mai is moe!
I know it sounds like I hated the final episode, but it wasn’t that bad. Really the highlight was seeing everyone again. Shiori in school clothes, Kaori and Kitagawa, Mai cosplaying as Yuki, etc. I liked how it hinted at where everyone’s lives were going. The animation seemed a touch better too. I loved the scenes of the town and how it changed through the seasons. Could it of been handled better? Sure. I feel it was too ambitious of Kyoani to try and cover such a long length of time realistically. Maybe that was how the game handled it, but I doubt that was the case. At least Kyoani managed to wrap all the important aspects up in the end.
Overall, Kanon was a success, one of the most perfect adaptions possible. It included every bit of story it could, surprising me in some places where I thought I knew what would happen. The animation was gorgeous with truly breath-taking scenes of a snow-covered town. There’s not much snow in winter where I live, so that was a real treat. All the girls were undeniably moe, with their own cute mannerisms and noises. I learned more about each of them, too. I came to appreciate Mai’s story more and the tragedy in it. Makoto’s is still my favorite, both storywise and character-wise. There’s just something about the tsundere foxgirl that gets to me. I hope it’s not her reqressing to a child at the end. That’d be pretty bad on my part. So Kanon fulfilled what is set out to do, adapt a game even better than previous attempts. There are some bumps in there, but I think it succeeded on all counts. A definite watch for any anime fan. I doubt it will be licensed, though, and spread to a larger audience. Not that it matters to me anyways.
Guess now I have Lucky Stars to look forward to from Kyoani, along with a Clannad adaption sometime in October. That will be nice to watch, since I don’t know Clannad’s story at all. Man, Kyoani really needs to animate a shounen fighting series. They do such awesome fight scenes, but they go to waste in all these eroge adaptions. Not that that’s a bad thing.
And so shall life continue Kanon-less…
When I think about your final thoughts I agree completely. This whole “miracle” thing was for me surprising and irritating as well. When I saw Akiko, I mean, her accident, I just thought what the f***..
It’s nice that they are doing it but I definetely need a break from depressing stuff, no matter if books, animes , mangas etc.. I’m working in a nursing home and saw more than 30 people just go..
And about Clannad, ah well, have the limited edition of it here (has even a tea spoon set.. really! I guess a review of it would be nice, but I don’t have the time to do it, ahh, I’ll ask around..)
BUT I’m NOT pleased with KyoAni doing Clannad, now
Giosh.. why not a second season of Suzumiya Haruhi before Clannad.. ~Uguuuuuuuuuuuu
Comment on March 18, 2007 @ 5:44 pm
You could, you know, not watch Clannad when it comes out.
Comment on March 18, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
Must admit I have a soft spot for the manga. There, the resolutions are more spread out, and there is much less reliance on miracles.
I think the final episode was a good one, but I would’ve preferred Yuuichi to move on and keep Ayu’s final promise… that way, Ayu’s awakening would have been an unexpected surprise that provided a quick jolt of joy.
All in all, I felt it was on par with the Toei version (better animation, but less drama). I’m sure I’m of the minority opinion, but among the adaptations, I enjoyed the manga the most.
Comment on March 19, 2007 @ 8:01 pm
“You could, you know, not watch Clannad when it comes out.”
Hehe, you got it, that’s what I’ll do. KyoAni is not the whole world of anime
Comment on March 20, 2007 @ 3:19 am
Indignation!! The two year time span skip was pretty well done considering what they had to get through. Also, how the heck does someone “realize” what to do to make a person in a coma wake up? It’s totaly understandable he wouldn’t figuer out something abstract like that. And for Mai’s withholding her clue, I think it’s because she herself didn’t realize it untill later. Her power give’s her “feelings” of something and she says stuff so maybe it either didn’t recover untill then or it didn’t react? Akiko most likely didn’t know Ayu was the girl who fell down the tree.
Seeing Ayu up and about probley made her think she was a diffrent girl. When Yuuichi talked with Akiko at the cafe she found out that Ayu was the girl who was hospitalized and Yuuichi thought that girl who fell down the tree was dead so she told him what really happend. (Although Toei’s Nayuki kisu was a bit better it worked).
And what’s with this “All Ayu needed to wake up was for Yuuichi to be by her side.” That’s all wrong, if that was the case she would have woken up eariler. The young Yuuichi furfilling his promise and giveing Ayu the head band was what he needed to do to make Ayu’s time flow again. Mai refers to how he had to “find” Ayu. She was most likely refering to Ayu’s true soul (loli Ayu) and how loli Ayu was still waiting for Yuuichi. Previously Yuuichi believed in the false lie that he had already given Ayu her headband and forfilled his promise but really Ayu’s soul was still waiting back in time for Yuuichi. I think Toei’s “lol k Yuuichi’s next to Ayu now she wakes up” way of doing it wasn’t as good.
Running smileing Ayu? One does NOT sleep and have there muscles do nothing for SEVEN years then magicaly get up and start running. When I was watching Toei’s I was wondering about that and I’m glad KyoAni adressed the issue.
Mai and Sayuri didn’t really heal faster then normal. They took quite some time imo so it was a bad idea for KyoAni to say that they did then write it off as a miricale but it works. Mai killed off 4/5ths of her power then used her last 1/5 to save herself from death so it takes awhile for it to regen.
Sorry to sound like a flammer I’m just venting for the heck of it haha no offense to you
Comment on April 29, 2007 @ 7:50 pm