Kanon (2006)

[Kraco]

That's indeed a good question. It's a wonder how this series can have such an impact, and in so many episodes friday after friday. Of course the closer you are to crying, the better this has succeeded, for obviously that's a detail the creators have been keeping foremost in their minds.

Well, there are only a couple of girls left anymore, and not so many episodes either. Let's keep waiting.

[RyougaZell]

Damn... I almost cried when Shiori revelead she almost committed suicide...
Beautifully done episode... heck I can't describe it with no other word.
The scene were Kaori finally admits Shiori is her sister was touching... but her suicide speech was more... and she just leaves at the end...
Lets us see what happens next episode... but based on the preview it seems Nayuki or Ayu get to shine next.

Im getting this on DVD if it ever get licensed... definitely...

[shinta|hikari]

I cried when Shiori asked "Was I able to keep smiling?"

[kooshi]

Finally caught up with this arc and it has turned out pretty good. I didn't feel sad or anything like that, but then again, I kinda saw this result coming from a mile away. Regardless, the story was really well-done. For me, this arc is the best out of all of them so far, simply because it's the most realistic (no fantasy and/or supernatural stuff).

Also, Shiori has my vote for best girl in Kanon so far. She is way too cute and funny, especially when she came back to school. Best line = "<Tabasco sauce> is the enemy of all humankind."

[shinta|hikari]

Agreed about Shiori and her arc. Though I still love Mai the best for personal reasons. This is the only anime where I actually cried KNOWING how what will happen and how it will end up. It just serves as a testament to KANON's greatness.

[Ryllharu]

Well, I'll play devil's advocate. I don't like Shiori's arc, and moreover, I was let down by it. True, it does come off more 'normal' and believable given that the other two arcs have been embedded in such fantasy elements. I think they failed to bring it to the same level as the others. I wasn't as moved by her attempted suicide scene, the climax of her arc. Mai crying in the construction yard was considerably more powerful. I always disliked Makoto, but KyoAni really redeemed her in my eyes. The "wedding" was some of the most moving scenes in anime.

Shiori was great during the arcs of others. To me, they cast her in a very mature light compared to most of the others. The scene early on with them watching the sunset, their talks in the courtyard that seemed normal...for a married couple. But once her arc formally started, she turned back into a normal, 1st year girl. There wasn't anything new anymore, just inane cute moments we see everywhere. The air of maturity that had surrounded her had evaporated, never to be seen again apparently. On her suicide scene, it just make her look even weaker, giving into despair, but being brought back so easily. I know in real life, that it can be that simple, but felt nothing compared to the part where Mai attempted to kill herself out of guilt. I didn't even find her reconciliation with Kaori that impressive. It seemed too short, and too easy. The only part of her actually arc I found truly moving was the goodbye note at the very end.

What really lessened her arc was how easily the other girls were able to, from my perspective, steal entire episodes away from her, in her own arc! When Akiko got sick, Nayuki took control of everything, gently cradling the phone in her hands, and telling Ayu exactly what to do in an incredibly calm, motherly way. Even Ayu's desperation was a large part of her character. What do I remember of Shiori? Snowball fight, with little detail. In the next episode, Ayu's two short scenes sitting on Yuuichi's bed, quietly, just, sitting there, had a greater impression on me than the entire remainder of that episode. It was so atypically Ayu that it had it's own impact. I can hardly remember what Shiori did, I'm guessing the curry scene.

Shiori's arc was just completely underwhelming. I'm hoping for a Nayuki arc soon. For now though, Mai's arc has been the best, made the most impression, and Mai is very pretty when she dances (ballroom or sword-dance).

[shinta|hikari]

Good points, but still most of them are based on preference.

I think the reason Shiori didnt leave as much of an impression was because she was slowly developed, and most of the stuff about her has already been revealed or hinted on, like her impending death. With that much information, the sudden burst of emotion due to a realization utilized during the Mai arc would of course appear more impressive. But that is indeed the very reason why I was impressed by the Shiori arc so much. I knew what was going to happen, but I cried anyways.

The other scenes you mentioned were really good, but I still think that the characters you like best will leave the most impression to you, even if you only start liking them recently due to repackaging.

I didnt really think that Mai's attempted suicide was that touching. I also found her revival a bit cheap. If she died right there then I wouldnt even be arguing which arc was the best.

I agree on the point that Shiori's attempted suicide didnt really have much of an impact. I think they merely showed that to reveal her weakness, since all throughout the show she was playing strong. Then they finish it off with the line "was I able to keep smiling?". This line decided it for me, convincing me that Shiori had the best arc due to the way they handled it. If you think about it, it really wasnt such a heart breaking situation compared to the others. It may even be kind of cliche, but the delivery was so good. It is on this merit that I judge this arc.

Also, though Shiori's situation was disclosed gradually, her character actually remained a mystery until the end, when she revealed her weakness. That is probably why during her arc a lot of other characters got a chance for character development, while she just played the role of the 1st year student, also to emphasize how simple the thing she has always wished for (but could never get) is.

I dont find Shiori's arc underwhelming at all. Maybe if you liked Mai so much and enjoyed her arc so much, the following arc would seem underwhelming. I know that was also the case for me, but despite that the greatness of this arc still seeped through for me.