December 15, 2007

• This stuff just isn't canon

  I was talking with one of my English readers the other day,
  and we were talking about the anime Kanon (the 2006 remake). She didn't think
  it was all that great, but that's her opinion and I respect that (blasphemer!).
  Please allow me a little self-indulgence while I give you my reasons why I love
  Kanon so much.

  The story - There isn't so much a story here, as there are
  several stories. Rather than have twenty-four episodes that focus on one long,
  drawn out story, they split the series into several "sub-stories"
  involving each of the characters and how they relate to the protagonist. This
  makes for a nice change of pace, as each of the stories is different and
  entertaining. They all manage to blend in the perfect mix of humor, emotion,
  and mystery. Granted, some of them may be farfetched, but that adds to the
  allure. It's more entertaining than the same old school-age cliché that (while
  I still love) is in almost every other anime of this type out there.

  The art style - I have to admit that Kanon is a very pretty
  anime. It makes use of the "sad girl in snow" mechanic to great
  effect. All of the character designs seem to fit their personalities well. The
  childish Ayu has a childish hairstyle with a hairband, the sword-fighting Mai
  has her hair tied back, and Yuuichi has, thankfully, a male haircut (to name a
  few).

  The characters - This is the bread and butter for me. I love
  almost all of the characters in the anime. Some more (Mai) than others
  (Shiori), but they are all great. While Ayu and Makoto are very similar, most
  of the other characters have their own unique personality and relationship with
  Yuuichi, the protagonist. Yuuichi, while I'm thinking about it, is one of the
  greatest male protagonists, and probably the greatest harem lead, to grace
  anime. Rather than being a bumbling geek like so many other guys, he's actually
  a more regular guy. He's also funny in a way that I can never emulate. Here are
  my thoughts on some of the girls of the series.

  Mai
  My favorite character in the series. For a long time, I was
  an Ayu fan. That is, until I started learning about Mai's story and seeing just
  how awesome she is. Not only does she have two of my three main moé points
  (ponytail and emotionless attitude), she even has some killer dance moves. Her
  past is a sad one, and is probably a realistic representation of what would
  happen if a true mystical healer would appear in the world today.

  Makoto / Ayu
  In a way, these two characters are so similar that I can't
  choose between them. I think Ayu may edge out Makoto slightly, but only because
  I think "uguu~" sounds funnier than "auu~" Their
  childishness and small mannerisms are just so motherf~ckin' adorable, that I
  can't help but enjoy when they come onto the screen. They do, however, have some
  of the most depressing stories in the series. This is balanced out by the fact
  that Makoto is a "foxy lady" and a bit of a prankster.

  Nayuki
  There are a lot of Nayuki fanboys out there, but I am not
  one of them. Her story is one of the more entertaining, if only for the heavy
  emotional trauma. I can also dig the blue hair and snow bunnies. The reason I
  don't like her is because she always seems kind of out there. Oh, and incest is
  just not cool, even for Pastafarians.

  Shiori
  Shiori is just the most boring character in the series. I
  mean, it was fun to learn about her back story, but ultimately she was just a
  dull segment. Sorry, Shiori, but you're at the bottom of the list.

  I don't feel like writing any more, but that should give you
  at least a small idea of how I'm thinking. I'm watching Clannad, which is from
  the same company, but it just doesn't have the same kind of feel as Kanon. I
  love it, but it just isn't as good. It must be the characters. They all seem
  similar, and I can't really connect with any of them.

  • 7:44 am
  • 2 Comments