SPOILERS BEWARE Kanon is another show that I picked up based on the facts that it has similar vibes to Clannad. Originally the VN was created back in 1999 and this adaptation done by Toel was in 2002 four years later Kyoto did their own adaptation of their own VN but Ill get to that adaptation in another review. For now going to fully focus on the 2002 adaptation. Im watching this straight after Air since this and Air were two shows which were recommended to be similar to Clannad. I already expressed my viewpoint on Air but Kanon was different. Kanon was fairly enjoyable for what it offered. Firstly the name Kanon doesnt offer much and Im still a bit unsure what the meaning behind the title is but what I do know is that Kanon feels similar to Clannad much more so than Air did at least. Both Air and Kanon have similar stories but in Kanon Yuuichi forgets the events that happened in his hometown from seven years ago in a case of amnesia. Over the course of the show Yuuichi meets his childhood friends which he forgot about and over time he gets dreams which end up being flashbacks to what actually happened seven years ago. The way the story of Kanon is implemented and handled is really good there are five main girls who get their own arcs similarly to how Clannad and Air handled theirs but Kanon does this right it does a fairly impressive job of telling the story and getting you immersed and attached to the characters so when it is finally time to say goodbye you experience the feels. I certainly did experience the feels especially at the end of the show. Its a bit hard to say if Nayuki even gets her own arc but the other four girls all get a sizeable arc which covers a few episodes in the anime and theyre all good. My favorites been Ayu and Mais but Makotos and Shioris are also really good it was just a very enjoyable experience overall. This is a 2002 show so yes the art is outdated compared to todays standards but if you look past that and focus on just the story and characters then its a really good anime. I thoroughly enjoyed this one but its the last few episodes which really started getting to me. Shioris arc conclusion in episode 9 then followed by Makotos arc conclusion in episode 10 and then followed by the heavy hitting Ayu arc in the last few episodes. Im really bad at figuring out the plot of an anime so learning that Makoto was a reincarnation of a fox and the fact that Ayu was no longer here since seven years ago when she died after falling off the tree was shocking to me more times than not I get super immersed in the actual story that I just accept what happens without speculating about what could happen in the future I think this is a good bad habit to have though since I experience the plot twists and surprises much more thoroughly which end up leaving a more lasting impression compared to if I figured out that Makoto was a reincarnation from long ago for instance then the impact wouldnt have been the same anymore. Time for OST and holy moly is it on another level taken directly from the VN I suppose its no surprise that its godlike as its Kyoto at their finest once again. The OP and first ED arent anything special in particular but the second ED song is amazing this one is pretty memorable and super fitting for the last episodes final moments. Another song Last Regrets is a very memorable OST in the show which I believe was used before the second ED song in episode 13 if I recall correctly. If that wasnt enough there is also Umaretate no Kaze which can easily be used for any scene as its impact is fantastic the melody sounds like an xmas song so it may bring happiness as well as sadness if used during a sad scene. One more noteworthy song is Yume no Ato which is another song that can be used in so many different scenarios the slow paced melody really gets to me and emphasises the impact of the scene it plays for as its got this magic melody do it which just makes it sound so damn beautiful. I shouldnt really be surprised by Kyotos OST choices anymore as they are always on point and have never disappointed me. Whether it was for Clannad Air or Kanon as well as many of their different kind of shows OST is one thing Kyoto has always done right over the years and has never ever disappointed me in their choices. Back to Kanon to avoid sounding like Im rambling and trying to avoid points already covered. What the show offers in the short span of just 13 episodes is pretty memorable and worthwhile if youre looking for a short show again if you like Kyotos works then you 100 have to check out Kanon although this one in particular wasnt adapted by Kyoto it was adapted from Kyotos VN and when it comes to their writing involving supernatural and slice of life anime then they succeed at the highest possible level if youve seen Clannad then you would understand my reasoning for also really enjoying Kanon as it offers a similar kind of vibe to a degree. Now compared to Air which was sad but didnt really get to me Kanon certainly affected me emotionally in the already mentioned last five episodes which is when it starts getting heavy on the feels and the hardest part of the show to watch is Ayus arc since Yuuichi having a long lost memory for seven years of a person he loved but lost is just heartbreaking that he wasnt able to remember her for all this time her arc was handled incredibly well and certainly got the message across this time around I joined the feels train and it has become my favorite arc as well as character in the show. Surprise surprise I didnt pick Mai the obvious kuudere as best girl even though she certainly was 1 while watching her arc but Ayus arc tops it in the end and hits me pretty hard which certainly left a lasting impression. Now that covers the 2002 adaption of Kanon as mentioned before Kyoto also did their own adaptation of their own VN four years later which is twice as long as Toels so you know what Im gonna say here Im super excited and hyped to see how Kyoto handled their own work and holding high hopes for it to be a masterpiece near the level of Clannad but thats just not gonna happen is it but alas its going to be a super enjoyable rewatch in a sense but twice as long with refined art and from the original creator of the VN and well its Kyoto and they have only once let me down in terms of their writing. In the end if you liked Clannad then you have to check out Kanon but if youre gonna watch both adaptations then probably best to start with this one because if Kyotos is better then watching Toels may feel like a slog but thats all Im gonna say here. Go and watch Kanon already if you enjoyed Clannad and are looking for an amazing slice of life/supernatural show Review of 2006 Kanon https://anilist.co/review/13076