“Right now, the only reason I can keep smiling is because of you.” – Ayu Tsukimiya
Kanon (2006) is a slice of life, supernatural, drama, and romance anime. It was originally released in January 2002 as Kanon, but had a remake in October 2006 to improve the art and added more episodes. It is made by Kyoto Animation with 24 episodes and does not have a continuing series.
General Rating: 8.1/10
My Rating: 10/10
Kanon is one of the most beautiful romance anime that anime has to offer and is full of many wonderful memories. Despite being a harem type, this anime has wonderful romance shared between one couple, as a romance anime should. Kanon is a very special anime to me personally because it is the first anime a very important person close to me told me I should watch. It was one of the first romance animes I remember feeling that pounding heart feeling. However even so, it didn't reach my top ten until years and years later when I rewatched it in 2018 and now it holds a very close place to my heart.
I have seen many people comparing Clannad to Kanon, and I do say I can see the similarities. Both animes are beautiful and emotional romances in a harem type setting with a good male lead with similar art styles. But the two should not be compared as to which is better. They are very different stories and each in their own right amazing animes, and I dislike comparing the two for that reason. The two seem to attract the same type of audience, so instead of comparing which is better, fans should enjoy both animes and enjoy the unique beauty of each. In a personal sense, Kanon spoke to me more, and thus its higher position on my list.
Kanon sets itself up like a typical harem anime. The male lead, Yuuichi, returns to his childhood home to live with his cousin and aunt. While there, Yuuichi meets his childhood friend, Ayu, and several other new friends. Each of the girls gets their own mini arc with Yuuichi, but unlike the typical harem anime, these arcs do not center around romance or end up with the development of feelings, in most cases. This gives Kanon a much more positive flow like Clannad is so acclaimed to have and protects its sanctity of romance for the one couple that is developing throughout the anime. This is what real romance anime is.
Also, unlike a lot of romance animes, Kanon does not save its romance for the very end. This is one of the most beautiful things about Kanon that I didn't realize until years later. There are few animes where we actually get to see the couple being a couple cannonically. These are elements I believe all romance animes should include (aka theres more to romance than simply confessing ones feelings), but unfortunately it is rarely the case. And if you are a fan of those animes, I am very sure you will find Kanon just as much of a masterpiece as I have.
Story: While Kanon's story setup is hardly anything unique, its use of supernatural implementation into these mini arcs is. Since the arcs don't focus on building romance between the male lead and each the girls, it gives the anime time to explore other story options that are, in my opinion, much better and more interesting to watch. This fact is one of the reasons Kanon does not receive the harem tag, thankfully so. Kanon also strongly centers around childhood friends, which was another one of my favorite parts of this anime and was actually one of the animes that made me fall in love with this troupe.
Characters: Kanon has very beautifully written characters. They don't just have the typical troupe types like seen in typical harem animes (tsundere, tomboy, little sister, rich girl, etc), but instead go a bit more in depth and fully utilize the supernatural elements the anime holds in its arsenal. The other thing that Kanon does well with its characters is that it doesn't make Yuuichi out to be a loser male lead like the typical harem anime. He has a sense of humor, teasing the girls, and actually has a lick of personality. Shouldn't be shocking, but in this genre, it sadly is.
Soundtrack: Kanon has an emotional and beautiful soundtrack that is unlike any other. It's opening is one of my favorites throughout history of beautiful romance tracks. The voice acting is also some of my favorite, especially for romance anime. There is so much emotion gone into the making of this anime and it is clearly present throughout, and especially in the end.
Art: One of the main changes Kanon 2006 has from its 2002 predecessor is its change in art style. Some might laugh and wonder why the 2002 art was as bad as it was, especially with Yuuichi's elongated chin and scrunched facial features - myself included. The art is fairly laughable, so thank goodness it got a remake with many other alterations that made it into the masterpiece I know it as today. I am a particularly big fan of the 2000s style art, especially the later 2000s, and Kanon 2006 is no exception. I love the large shiny eyes, the thicker outlines for hair, and the beautiful sparkle they seem to shine with. Modern animation is great too, but I really believe the 2000s art lends itself well to the story of Kanon.
Kanon 2006 is a masterfully made emotional romance story that highlights all aspects I believe a romance anime should include. Although underrated and widely brushed over, I believe Kanon deserves a bit more respect for accomplishing what it has. If you enjoy cute romance, feeling your heart go doki doki, or are looking for a good feels romance, Kanon will fit you like a charm. There's really no way to go wrong with this anime, and overall is very masterfully made. Thank you Kyoto Animation!
Most people have already heard of or have seen Clannad, but much fewer have seen Kanon. I believe fans of animes like Clannad, Air, Shuffle, Lamune, Gift: Eternal Rainbow, Mashiro-iro Symphony, Tsuki ga Kirei, Da Capo, 11 Eyes, Ef: A Tale of Memories/Melodies, or Rumbling Hearts will especially love this anime, but I would recommend it to watch for almost any romance fan.
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