Kanon (2006) Review

[Zovistograt]

A dream.
My life is a dream.

...or at least this anime is.

I just finished watching the anime "Kanon"...the 2006 version by Kyoto Animation, who are more famous for Haruhi and Lucky Star.  However, this trumps both.  I give Haruhi and LS both a 9/10 usually.  Kanon gets a 10/10 and I've never given an anime a perfect score before.  Manabi Straight! came close but I found some faults.  Kanon...Kanon has no faults.  I can't find any.  It's absolutely amazing.

So basically, Kanon is about a now-teenager (Yuuichi Aizawa) who came back to a city in the winter after not being there for seven years and not remembering anything of what happened seven years ago.  He stays with his cousin Nayuki who goes to the same school and her mother, Asako.  He encounters numerous girls that all seem to fit into his life somehow, but he can't seem to piece it together.  Yeah, this sounds like a harem anime.  It sort of is but if you watch it, you'll see why it isn't.  The problem is that Kanon is like a puzzle from the very beginning...if I say anything about the plot, it could possibly be spoilers for you.  Up until the very last episode, new things emerge.  And at that last episode, the episode of its namesake, you feel as if the world has opened up to you, finally, and a beautiful outlook is ahead.

I'll warn you, if you're looking for a super-crazy action-y anime, you'll be somewhat disappointed.  Or perhaps not, because there is a story arc that involves some substantial action sequences.  But that's not the point.  This anime is about...man...you can't go there unless you get all abstract and philosophical.  This anime makes you think.  When I was half through it, I wrote pages of notes about it.  The only thing more amazing than finding out that you were right is finding out that you were wrong and being okay with it...or in some cases, bawling your eyes out over the outcome (or the cause, for most causes are mysteries until later).  This anime grips you emotionally.  Have tissues at hand.  I used at least 7 or 8 for the last two episodes alone, and I well used them because I'm economical like that.  If you hear certain characters' names, even outside of watching the anime, you are instantly drawn back.  That's how deep this stuff is.  It's absolutely amazing.

Moving away from the overall beauty of it (or not, because how can I?)...the art direction is amazing.  I love moé anime in general so obviously I'd love the art, but...this is above-par even then.  The scenery, the animation...exquisite.  The episodes are all named after some orchestral term.  That is very appropriate, because this anime is orchestrated like a symphony.  Rises and falls will sweep you off your feet.  You will view the world a bit differently.

If this wasn't enough to persuade you to check it out right now, you're either a shonen fanboy or have no soul.  In the former case, watch it, you will still cry.  In the latter case...um...you can be sadistic and laugh at the sad parts I guess. I don't know.  But this anime...wow...................wow.

10 out of freaking 10.




tl;dr: GO WATCH IT NOW IT'S FREAKING AMAZING OMG AAAAAAAAAAA





also Blaziken recommended me to watch it.