kanon 2
Categories: anime, episodic review, kanon
Tagged: kanon
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The real moe mode of Kanon isn’t sad girls in snow. It’s short miniskirts in the dead of winter.
Abstract
Yuuichi continues to adjust to life in Northern Michigan as Nayuki takes him to his first day of school. What seems to be a chance meeting could be something more. Meanwhile, two destined reunions await him.
Notables
2006 Yuuichi makes a slacker-ish comment about Nayuki’s alarm clock that Kyon would make. It’s shocking how Kyon-like Yuuichi has become in behavior as well. Definitely same smug sarcasm that we’ve all come to expect out of Kyon– but Yuuichi? I don’t think so, but it kinda works. Maybe I’m just sick of the traditional harem male loser, and I can empathize more with someone who stands back and fires off sarcastic comments. I can’t wait to see if they make Sagara into yet another Kyon clone if Kyoto Animation ever goes back to Full Metal Panic.
Night and day difference between the two animation styles. 2002 has Yuuichi in a dark room, yet has plants in it. 2006 is a bit more spartan, and the lone space heater really brings out the emphasis of just how empty the room is. The light from the open curtains, though, helps make everything seem a bit more cheery– in line with what Kanon is trying to do at this plot savepoint. As always, Kyoto Animation’s cinematography is fearsome. They’ve got good stuff.
Nayuki’s VORKM (Value Over Replacement Kawaii Moe) is sky high in the 2006 version. It’s not just the streamlined character design– notice how 2002 Nayuki is mostly centered with the frog and her arm obscuring her figure. In the 2006 version, Nayuki’s figure takes center stage, plus the covers are off saying “I’m a messy sleeper.”
When is it acceptable for a guy to barge into a girl’s room without knocking or asking? Imagine if Nayuki were wearing an Otome wa Boku-class negligee. (Oops. I just did.)
I kinda like SD Nayuki from the 2002 version… oh, wait, she always looked like that in that version. I see… I see. Anyway, the jam bit is new. I’m absolutely curious what’s in Akiko’s special jam. I’m expecting something cheesy, like “the special ingredient is love.”
A terrified of jam Nayuki is fine too. Same deer in the headlights look as… heh.
I like Nayuki’s discussion of how warm it is. Reminds me of me when I first moved out to California– it would be 50 degrees, and I’d walk around in a T-shirt while people in heavy jackets look at me with an amazed glaze. A few years later? Yeah, that’s right, I’m walking around in 50 degrees weather in a heavy coat. Still, I applaud any school that makes their female student population wear mini-skirts and thigh-highs in the dead of winter.
Just the tiny things, right? Nayuki takes off first in 2002; Kyon takes off first in 2006. I suspect that while Yuuichi has been infused with Kyon, I’m beginning to think some Mikuru DNA has been spliced into this Nayuki, which only further endears her to me.
I can tell Kyoto’s animators haven’t lived where it snows four months a year before. There should be a trail of wet slosh from the door spreading out. The floor should be dirtier and sludgier. I’ll forgive them.
A smile that can melt snow.
I liked the “just an ordinary transfer student” comment. What were they expecting? An esper?
(In the 2002 edition, this is the first time Kaori meets Yuuichi, and she does a “Mmmm… cousins, hun?” routine. Shiratori would approve.)
Random new scene of Nayuki and Yuuichi having a playful conversation. This is what I like about Kyoto Animation– even if the subject isn’t exactly a Revy gunfight, they can still toss in little things to make it interesting. And you know what? It works. I have a perception that Kanon 2006 moves faster than Crescent Love.
See? Random collision leading to a cute moment involving not one but three superior female characters. And if Nayuki has some Mikuru DNA, Mai has been had her data reprogrammed to incorporate nagato_yuki($string). Mai was taciturn before and even more so now.
Kyoto somehow turned a boring “explore the school” montage into something a bit more interesting. Remember Kyon going around the school during the festival? I fully expected Yuuichi to wind up in the auditorium and get serenaded by some bunny girls. Fully expected.
“The world was created three years ago…”
Collision number 2! 2006 version added an attempted dodge to spice things up. Nonetheless, Ayu is like a third the size of Kyon. Corvette into a brick wall indeed.
Again, I like Kyoto’s framing of this scene. There’s no back of Yuuichi’s head to mess up the Ayu moe moment.
Similar to the previous episode, Ayu does not share her bounty with Yuuichi. 2006 Ayu seems a bit more selfish, and you know what that means? The obligatory…
… Haruhi Suzumiya smirk.
If Kyon let Haruhi run into a tree, she’d destroy the world. No doubt about it. Still, very moe. Who’d thunk that running into trees would be moe? Anyway, I think Horie Yui’s use of “boku” as Ayu makes me think that Ayu is more masculine than Mizuho. Maybe we should just redub Fall 2006 as the “Horie Yui Season.” If only she had a major part in Death Note, Happiness, or Black Lagoon.
The aftermath. I think they should run a ticker on the bottom, “All images simulated. Please do not try this with your significant other.” It should be noted in the Kyonification of Yuuichi that in 2002, he offers up an excuse that she just headbutted him. In 2006, he’s making sarcastic remarks about running into the tree.
Okay. This scene wins hands down as the saddest sad girl in snow moment thus far. Poor Shiori– still, I never really liked her. I’m just not a big fan of sickly characters who don’t turn into nekomimi meido. In the 2006 version, Ayu and Yuuichi have a lover’s quarrel in front of Shiori, and I think it’s just another case of Kyoto tossing in something extra to make something mundane a bit more enjoyable.
Solid Snake! I liked the touch of the granny who kept staring at Matoko and Yuuichi and smiling as she walks away. Girls seem to end up on their backs a lot with Yuuichi… wait… that didn’t sound right…
Heh. Even a cynic like me can find appreciation in anime well executed. I think that Kanon 2006’s defining feature isn’t the plot or the characters or even Kyoto’s midas touch. I think it’s defining feature is to point out how slow and prodding typical h-game turned non-h-anime can be. Kyoto hasn’t done much to stray from the original series, but when it does, it subtly affects the ebb and flow of the show and makes it, well, seem faster. We knew they were capable of this back in Haruhi Suzumiya as well as the Tess OVA, but now their ability to make the mundane less mundane is fully on display.
37 Responses to “kanon 2”
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Yeah, I agree. Kyoto is throwing in some spice to make everything nice(er). Good job, Jason.
hmm came out d? must watch then. Say don’t Ayu looks like chibi mikuru?
Maybe they’ll add the wet slosh in the DVD!
Yes, it does seem mundane but oh so delightful; since I haven’t watched the original, I hope we get some twist soon, tho.
I’ve got to defend Kyoani on the snow-sludge bit. You’re 100% right about the slosh problem existing, but look closer at the image… double doorway!
And we can tell that Ayu shared by 91 talking through his full mouth.
I was never interested in seeing the old Toei series until I saw those SD Nayuki images here. Now I must see it. After Kyoani is done, of course, to prevent spoilers, since I’m behind the times enough that I haven’t played the game.
Ayu did share her taiyaki with Yuuichi in this episode, but it was only implied( KyoAni being subtle again). Observe Yuuichi’s speech and mouth/cheek movements when he says, “We’ll go apologise later, all right?”
What I like about this Yuuichi is that unlike most harem leads, he does not have a deathly phobia of touching girls( “Girlies got cooties!”). He shook Nayuki up, lent a hand to Shiori, dragged Ayu around( Ep01), etc…
Also, KyoAni continues in their fine tradition of having their girls wear some of the shortest skirts in anime, but none of the panty-flashing. Unlike some other studios where a girl could be wearing ankle length skirts but still fall prey to panty-flashing. I like.
To mangle an Alfred Hitchcock saying,
“There is no fun in the flashing, only in the anticipation of it”
Cheers.
Nayuki is the new Mikuru..
Mai is the new Yuki..
Ayu is the new Haruhi..
That’s it!!!
SOS-Dan goes to Kanon town to get their man back. XD
http://www.meidokon.net/edit_t.....CEUBUY6NPS
Well places covered in snow are part of my AOR so I guess I’ll find out how right you are soon enough. Still how did Nayuki go from face first to on her back after that collision?
Still with the introduction of Yuuichi/Kyon hybrid, at least we know Kyon is practicing to keep his sarcasm sharp. Now all Nayuki has to do now is wink and say…
I kept replaying the scene of Ayu’s smirk after munching taiyaki over and over again, wondering where the hell had I seen it before. Now I know where.
Also, I liked how Mai is checking out Sayuri’s ass after the collision. Foreboding hawt yuri action scene in later episodes between Mai and Sayuri? Please let it be so, KyoAni! With animation quality this good, I’d kill to see a hentai movie from you guys!
You didn’t mentioned half the Haruhi references. Like Yuuichi getting the second to last seat by the window, or his commenting that if there was a such a thing as an unordinary introduction that he would love to see it
Easily my favorite scene so far ^_^ Second favorite would go to the jam and whatever that secret ingredient is.
>> double doorway!
Trust me. Doesn’t help. Go visit a Meijer’s during a snowstorm– you’ll see what I mean.
>> Like Yuuichi getting the second to last seat by the window
Same seat he had in the original series.
Lord, the 2002 version looks like it was animated by braindead colourblind monkeys. Thank god for KyoAni.
Yuuichi is actually Kyon in disguise. During the part where Yuuichi got lost and Misaki Kaori found him, Misaki asked him why he was narrating the scene. Hillarious. There were lotsa SHnY references around this ep. I’m half expecting Haruhi and the SOS-dan to make an appearance at some point.
More TMoHS comparisons!
http://img.photobucket.com/alb....._arrow.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/alb.....oko_03.jpg
Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuun~
I think one of the major reason while I found this version so entertaining compared to the original 2002 is because of all the Haruhi references (sometimes I feels like I’m watching Haruhi 1.5.) and another reason is the sacastic remarks from Kyo… Yuuichi. :)
The original Kanon was, in my opinion, quite a generic harem anime, albeit with a good story. The original Yuuichi is so boringly generic that he’s so entirely forgottable. Like what Jason have said: a sarcastic, Kyon like male lead is more preferable to the old one.
PS. I found this on the net:
EssayGenerator
http://radioworldwide.gospelco.....generator/
As the name said its an essay generator. I can’t resisted my temptation and try using ‘Haruhi’ as the topic. The result is quite hilarious. Try it guys!
Exam: ‘An essay on Haruhi
I shall now enrich your life by sharing with you about Haruhi. At first glance Haruhi may seem unenchanting, however its study is a necessity for any one wishing to intellectually advance beyond their childhood. Remarkably Haruhi is heralded by shopkeepers and investment bankers alike, leading many to state that spasmodically it returns to create a new passion amongst those who study its history. Inevitably feelings run deep amongst the upper echelons of progressive service sector organisations, who are likely to form a major stronghold in the inevitable battle for hearts and minds. Hold onto your hats as we begin a journey into Haruhi…’
Sorry, can’t resisted, another one from the Essaygenerator (from the same piece as above):
‘Conclusion
What can we conclude? Well, Haruhi is both a need and a want. It questions, it stimulates and never hides.
I will leave the last word to the famous Elton Garfunkel: ‘You win some, you loose some, but Haruhi wins most often.’ [3]’
:D How true, how true…
Once again, I repeat: I want a harem ending. 91 deserves it.
And you didn’t screencap Makoto’s intro! Or would that be a spoiler?
Somehow, 2006’s Ayu remind me of mikuru… when she was young… How old is she again? OH!? I forgot it’s classified!
We have “uguu”, “nyuu” and “auu”…
What’s next?
>> Also, I liked how Mai is checking out Sayuri’s ass after the collision. Foreboding hawt yuri action scene in later episodes between Mai and Sayuri?
Well you know how much the Sayuri x Mai yuri pairing is popular among fans. I also saw some h-pics of Kaori and Shiori engaged in hot incestuous action too.
You should be watching Yamato Nadeshiko Shich Henge instead
>>We have “uguuâ€, “nyuu†and “auuâ€â€¦
>>What’s next?
The longer ‘nanodesuyo’ from otome wa boku.
Next season we shall see ‘nanodegozaruarimasunyayo’ from the aforementioned twincesting nekomimi gothlolis.
i’m pretty sure the jam bit was in the original game, and it will show up later also i think
Heh heh. One of the reasons I think the Kyon/Yuuichi combination work so well was, well, Yuuichi was the dry sarcastic person he currently is in the original game. I think it’s doing wonders with keeping with the original storyline and it makes the earlier slice of life scenes more entertaining. Hmm-hmm.
This is still from a KyoAni anime: “Gao!”.
If KyoAni keeps making Haruhi references, could you make a post attempting to spot them all, jason?
I’ve been thinking about how protagonists like Kyon are the new step in male harem lead’s evolution. When you think about it, the otaku bunch are really cynical and sarcastic most of the time (Genshiken is a good example). Maybe it’s natural that they would actually feel more identified with this kind of protagonist. Add into the mix much more confidence with women that the average lead and you also have a character to look up to.
You said that the remake of Kanon was from ’02? Maybe Kyoto has just been spoiling me lately, but Kanon ’02 looks like Detective Conan mid-90s production quality. I remember early 2000 to have shuffle-like production quality.
Are you sure Yuuichi has been infused with Kyon, or is it Kyon has been infused with Yuuichi, as far as I know, the “Kanon” visual novel came first (1999), then only “Haruhi” light novel came later (2003).
The three-way tangle up, yessah!
Good comparisons, jeeze KyoAni blowns the original away, wow.
I’m actually surprised that they’ve kept up with the original pacing of the ’02 version (Episode 2 of both versions ended with Makoto zerg rushing 91). In fact, KyoAni made it a tad bit faster (’02 episode 2 ended with Makoto about to attack 91 after jumping out of the box, while ’06 had Makoto already passed out from the effort). Now I’m convinced that Toei left out A LOT of stuff in order to fit everything into twelve episodes, and the pacing comparison between the two would probably deviate greatly by the third or fourth episode.
>>>VynN: Are you sure Yuuichi has been infused with Kyon, or is it Kyon has been infused with Yuuichi, as far as I know, the “Kanon†visual novel came first (1999), then only “Haruhi†light novel came later (2003).
Kyon is surrounded by Aliens, Espers, and Time Travellers. For all we know (especially because of Mikuru), the first could be true.
Then again, there is that three-year wall Haruhi made to prevent further time travel, so the best they could go is 2003… okay, I’m thinking too much now. :P
Hmm? No, no. I don’t think that’s what he meant (unless that was for fun, in which ignore this if it is so). Kanon the game was made first and then Haruhi. He was merely saying that some of Yuuichi’s characteristics went into Kyon as opposed to the other way around.
Well, Yuuichi was pretty sarcastic in the game. While Kanon ’02’s 91 was closer in appearance to the game’s 91 (save for the absurd chin, but that’s another story), the original Yuuichi had a very Kyon-like personality. Not as awesome as Kyon, the man, himself, but quite close.
Actualy the “Kyon’s sarcasm was inspired by game-character Yuuichi” vs. “the new Yuuichi’s sarcasm was inspired by Kyon” brings up an interesting point. Who can really prove that both character’s sarcastic outlook on life were not independantly inspiried by real people? You know, humans? As in those social nodes with which most people interact on a day to to basis with corporal forms, rather then animated stylistic interpretations of those corperal forms?
Of coarse, assuming that Yuuichi’s new sacrastic attitude is a derivitive of Kyon’s sarcastic attitude connects the two characters, endearing the new Yuuichi to us by tapping into our pre-existing affection for the Kyon character.
Therefore, beliving 2006 Yuuichi is a personality spawned of Kyon is more fun, and I’ll take it any day, true or not.
you know, in teh ’02 version of kanon, shiori’s hands are getting offly close to the promised land…
curses, they didn’t show us ;_;
I thought it`s clearly shown after every opening something that goes like “Recently, there have been cases of evil l33t wrongdoings over the Internets. Please refrain from transmitting or spreading images or video clips from this show without the permission of the authorities…” which scrolls in a marquee.
How come no one ever points this out? Now them authorities are worried about animes good/evilness spreading out of control to all over the world.
> Similar to the previous episode, Ayu does not share her bounty with Yuuichi
Oh she did share with Yuuichi this time…
I cracked up at Yuuichi’s “Have you ever heard an introduction that WASN’T normal?” comment.
>>Actualy the “Kyon’s sarcasm was inspired by game-character Yuuichi†vs. “the new Yuuichi’s sarcasm was inspired by Kyonâ€
In the Haruhi novels Kyon’s always been sarcastic.
Kanon,
Together Forever… Or Else.
;)