When Kyoto Animation’s remake of Kanon was first announced, the reaction from some fans was hostile. For example, some fans of The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi were angered by the possibility production for the remake had cut their favorite show’s broadcast short. Meanwhile, some fans who didn’t care for the original anime adaptation of Kanon questioned how a remake could ever improve on something they found so fundamentally flawed to begin with. And, of course, there was no shortage of fans who couldn’t understand why a remake of any anime series would be a good idea in the first place.
You don’t hear much of that anymore.
Anyway, I’m extremely happy with how Kanon ended. I think the final episode did a spectacular job balancing each girl’s epilogue from the game with what new material was presented. I also found the pacing to be acceptable. Trying to cram a full year’s worth of material and closure for multiple characters into a single episode is no easy task, and I’ve seen anime directors (even talented ones) simply throw their hands in the air and give up when faced with such situations. I’d actually commend Ishihara Tatsuya for his work here, as I thought the pacing in the final episode was about as good as it could get. It was definitely an improvement over his work in Air, which featured clunky episodes from start to finish.
And, looking at the show as a whole, I find that I’m more enamored with Kanon than ever before. I’ve even come to better understand and appreciate certain characters. Obviously, there were aspects of the story that were better handled in the original game. There were even a few bits and pieces that worked more effectively in the original anime adaptation. But, if Kyoto Animation’s take on Kanon was my first and only exposure to the franchise, I think I’d walk away just as enchanted with the story and attached to the characters as any veteran fan. That’s how good a job they did.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. But, I suppose there’s a little something to look forward to, at least.
Oh, and Nayuki fans? I feel your pain.
Dagnabbit… I won’t get a chance to watch the last episode until some time tomorrow. That said, as my first exposure to the story I’m generally pleased. The pacing went a bit weird in the last few episode, but I think that’s as much a reflection of the dwindling cast as anything else.
Final thoughts will have to wait, of course…
I was skeptical at how the first half felt “disjointed”, but I like how it concluded in the second half. It’s nice to see the girls’ epilogues, which were handled pretty well by the way.
Definitely looking forward to Clannad also. I played parts of the game and it has some really memorable and quirky characters. I can’t wait to see how KyoAni handles their personalities / animate them.
I am always in awe at how their next work’s animation just keeps setting the bar higher and higher, as evident in the 30 sec trailer we see of Clannad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn1vjqiSTdE
To save space and time, I will just link to my thoughts on Ep24. There is a supplementary post about 4 posts down as well.
Thoughts on Ep24 and Kanon in General
Cheers.
Just a note Skane… Mai and Sayuri weren’t held back a year. You see them graduate, after all. Rather, because they were unable to sit for university entrance exams on account of being in the hospital (in Japan, these take place in February and March), it’d be an extra year before they could attend college. That’s why they remained in the city.
Basically, it was a clever way to keep them around for the remainder of the episode.
Ah, so that was what it was. I was confused by what was going on in there. Thanks for the clarification.
:)
I admit it, I was one of those Haruhi (non-angry) fans who wondered why KyoAni was doing Kanon. And boy howdy was I wrong from the start. Thanks for clarifying the Mai and Sayuri graduation bit up.
Why can’t the character designs in Kanon be as good as the picture above?!!
I haven’t watched Kanon (neither the original nor the remake) and I find it frustrating that Kyoto Animation decided to make a remake of the show and used the same old character designs. They had a golden chance to be original and creative (and they have all the necessary skills to do it) but they decided not to go that way. I just couldn’t bring myself to watch this show because of these designs just like I couldn’t watch Higurashi no Naku Koro ni for the same reason.
Wake me up when they decide to do a second remake with better designs (-_-)
It’s usually not advisable to drastically change the character designs when you’re trying to make an adaptation faithful to the original story. KyoAni may have pleased you if they did so, but overall it would cause far worse outcry for them. Too bad they have no incentive to cater to your whims.
It’s pretty much the same story for Higurashi, although that wasn’t nearly as faithful of a reproduction. But hey, at least I thought KyoAni improved drastically on the chin of doom from Toei’s version.
Well, in comparsion to Kanon Higurashi had pretty horrible art to begin with, and the anime budget for that didn’t exactly help to fix things up either. Sometimes things are all for the better with a bit more of makeover - Otoboku would be another example.
Personally I think Kyoani did a remarkable job of fixing up the designs a few inches towards a more generally paltable ‘anime standard’ -look, while still keeping it faithful to the originals. Really, out all the adaptions out there (Original game, old animation and 2k6) it’s hands down the best and most appealing version art-wise, IMO.
That is to say, it’s about as ‘good’ as it can get if you still want to keep it faithful enough to the original as to not offend fans of that.
Is that your AMV Jeff? So awesome. Nayuki ftw~
paltable ‘anime standard’ -look
I’m sick of people complaining about things outside of that standard. Ugh. Kanon looked the way it did purposefully so. ONE, AIR and CLANNAD shows that’s the case.
I’m sick of people complaining about things outside of that standard.
Noein, Windy Tales, or Mind Game are all outside the “anime standard look”, and people complain about it instead of reveling in it.
Still, I have to admit that i have a lot of trouble with old Tezuka designs (and the echoes of them you see in places like Fantastic Children).
The issue here is not that of “palatable anime standard look”. I would have loved to see the animators of Kanon use attractive character designs of whatever style they choose but they didn’t. The designs in Kanon, Air and Clannad are horrid to say the least and I’m afraid that applies to a lot of game adaptations. It’s not like I can shut my eyes and just listen to the characters talk to avoid looking at them!
Honestly, I don’t see how the designs in most game adaptations differ all that much from the designs in non-game adaptations, nor do I see how the designs in Kanon, Air, and Clannad differ that much from the designs in other shows… but whatever. It’s a matter of taste.
However, if such designs aren’t to your taste, perhaps you should just avoid shows that feature them. I mean, I’m not sure what sort of designs you expected to see in Kanon, but as an adaptation of a Key game, you should have known what to expect. If the look of the character designs was such a make-or-break proposition, you should have watched something else.
Omo’s correct, however… people complain when things look generic and they complain when things look different. Personally, I think people just like to complain. And character designs are an easy thing to complain about (which is why I generally don’t take complaints about character designs all that seriously).
Like I said, I didn’t watch it for the reasons I mentioned above and i have no intention of doing so.
I liked the early episodes a great deal. I liked the Makoto and Mai arcs the best out of all (perhaps I’m crazy), but none of the story arcs actually disappointed. The ending definitely feels like the weakest part of the completed story (the last few episodes, especially, seemed to lack… something) but that’s not to say that it was bad, just not as strong as what came before.
Overall? I’m glad I watched, and I’ll definitely watch it again.
GreyDuck, you’re not crazy for liking the Mai arc… it’s probably the strongest part of the show. Now that it’s over, I’d've preferred to see the Makoto arc be an episode or two shorter, so as to give more time to the final resolution, but that’s just nitpicking at it’s worst/best.
I’ve seen pics from the game, and I’m working through Toei’s Kanon right now. I’d MUCH rather look at KyoAni’s version. Heck, everybody in Toei’s looks like they have the mumps.
My opinion might be different if I had played the game/seen Kanon 2002 before now, though. Probably not; Kanon 2006 is one of the best looking shows I’ve seen.
I do wish the last episode was… oh, a hour long, though.
Maybe they’ve left room for some DVD-only episodes.
>> Maybe they’ve left room for some DVD-only episodes.
That would be nice. I wonder if they will though, it never happened for Air
Stunned silence… wow…
Clannad eh? feel sorry for the guy getting kicked
Hey Jeff….
I don’t usually visit this blog, but I learned through Kurogane’s site that you made the short Nayuki AMV I found on Youtube the other day….
I had to come on here and give you some much deserved kudos :)……That video is so awesome!!!!!!!!
While I was here I also purused some of your blogs, and will definitely add it to the list of ones i vist! :)
All roads lead to YouTube.
Thanks for the compliment. I actually just threw the video together on a whim (actually, I suppose I had a reason… but I won’t get into that), so I’ve been surprised by the response. If I had more time, I’d do similar videos for the other girls.
What confuses me is how this fella managed to link to your AMV before you even released it publically. ^^;
Eh?
It’s because I released the video into the wild elsewhere before posting the link here. That person must have stumbled upon it there.
My overall verdict would be, great show. I had no prior opinions on Kanon as I don’t know Elevenspeak to play the game, nor have I seen the old version. I did however have high expectations, this coming from KyoAni that had made their name with such a masterworks as Haruhi and the FMPs.
If I really had to look for something to complain about, the show dragged a bit during the foxgirl arc, and they had to rush through the checklist during the last episode. Two years in the span of a few minutes must be close to a record. And I still don’t like KyoAni cutting Haruhi short to make room for Kanon; like Anonymous, I don’t forgive.
It might have been interesting if they had experiment with alternative ending, this being a second remake (and Ayu still is my least favorite character - die please). They probably weren’t allowed to though, and saves me the trouble of going through version: Jay Leno for Ayu ending.
And next Clannad? I know of it even less than I knew about Kanon prior to its airing. This being KyoAni, it will of course be well made, but is Clannad worthwhile, storywise? You probably know the saying about polishing a turd. A good move however to have Lucky Star first, I’m not sure if I could plunge into another harem game remake with full enthusiasm right after Kanon. (Which reminds me, is Clannad a H-game or a dating sim?)
Clannad is neither an H-game or dating sim. It’s a visual novel, much like Air and Kanon. Also, it’s worth nothing that the Clannad game has no adult content whatsoever.
Storywise, Clannad is supposed to be some of Key’s best work. The game is as long as Air and Kanon combined, so there’s obviously a lot of content for an anime adaptation to work with. I’ve never played the game, however, so I can’t provide any details beyond that.
Interesting. While Clannad was on my to-watch list in any case, this raises my expectations further.
Well, I did play the game and I am very interested to know how KyoAni can pull this one off
First of all, yes, the game is looooong. There is a major arc in the story, but choices you make in the game can allow you to follow minor characters’ stories as well, which turns the plot in a completely new direction. Yup, lots to read. Obviously, I believe KyoAni will follow the main girl’s story arc, but I am more interested in how they would merge the secondary characters’ stories in as well (Fuuko and Ryo my favorite characters in the game, but following their stories would change the main arc story if you know what I mean)
So hopefully they can cover as much material as possible without leaving away too much details
KyoAni rides again!
first Air, now this and im itching to watch Clannad!