:Kanon (video game)

{{Infobox video game

| title = Kanon

| image = Kanon original game cover.jpg

| caption = Cover featuring heroine Ayu Tsukimiya

| developer = Key

| publisher = {{ubl|Visual Arts (Windows, Android, BD, iOS)|NEC Interchannel (DC, PS2)|Prototype (S3G, FOMA, PSP, Switch)}}

| director = Naoki Hisaya

| writer = {{ubl|Naoki Hisaya|Jun Maeda}}

| artist = Itaru Hinoue

| composer = {{ubl|Jun Maeda|Shinji Orito|OdiakeS}}

| platforms = Microsoft Windows, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, SoftBank 3G, Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access, PlayStation Portable, Android, Blu-ray Disc, iOS, Nintendo Switch

| released = {{collapsible list|title={{nobold|June 4, 1999}}|

Windows{{vgrelease|JP|June 4, 1999|JP|January 7, 2000|JP|November 26, 2004|JP|January 28, 2005|JP|April 30, 2010|WW|June 20, 2024}}

Dreamcast{{vgrelease|JP|September 14, 2000}}

PlayStation 2{{vgrelease|JP|February 28, 2002}}

SoftBank 3G{{vgrelease|JP|October 27, 2006}}

FOMA{{vgrelease|JP|December 2006}}

PlayStation Portable{{vgrelease|JP|February 15, 2007}}

Android{{vgrelease|JP|November 30, 2011|JP|January 2013}}

Blu-ray Disc{{vgrelease|JP|December 16, 2011}}

iOS{{vgrelease|JP|April 4, 2013}}

Nintendo Switch{{vgrelease|JP|April 20, 2023}}

}}

| genre = {{flatlist|

Eroge{{efn|Only the original and 2004 Windows releases, and the 2013 Android version have adult content.}}
visual novel

}}

| modes = Single-player

}}

Kanon is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key, a brand of Visual Arts. It was released on June 4, 1999, for Windows as an adult game. Key later released versions of Kanon without the erotic content, and the game was ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo Switch. The story follows the life of Yuichi Aizawa, a high school student who returns to a city he last visited seven years prior, and he has little recollection of the events from back then. He meets several girls and slowly regains his lost memories. The gameplay in Kanon follows a branching plot line which offers pre-determined scenarios with courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the five female main characters by the player character. The game once ranked as the second best-selling PC game sold in Japan, and charted in the national top 50 several more times afterwards. Kanon has sold over 300,000 units across several platforms.

Following the game's release, Kanon made several transitions into other media. Two manga series were serialized in Dengeki Daioh and Dragon Age Pure. Comic anthologies, light novels and art books were also published, as were audio dramas and several music albums. Toei Animation produced a 13-episode anime television series in 2002 and an original video animation (OVA) episode in 2003. Kyoto Animation produced a 24-episode anime series in 2006. The 2006 anime was licensed and dubbed in English by ADV Films in 2008, but the license was given to Funimation after ADV's closure. The 2006 anime plays on the association between Kanon and the musical term canon by using Pachelbel's Kanon D-dur, or Canon in D major, as a background piece at certain instances throughout the series.

Gameplay

Kanon is a romance visual novel in which the player assumes the role of Yuichi Aizawa.{{cite book|date=June 2000|title=Kanon Visual Fan Book|publisher=Enterbrain|isbn=978-4-7577-0039-0}} Much of its gameplay is spent on reading the story's narrative and dialogue. Kanon follows a branching plot line with multiple endings, and depending on the decisions that the player makes during the game, the plot will progress in a specific direction.

There are five main plot lines that the player will have the chance to experience, one for each of the heroines in the story. Throughout gameplay, the player is given multiple options to choose from, and text progression pauses at these points until a choice is made. To view all plot lines in their entirety, the player will have to replay the game multiple times and choose different choices to further the plot to an alternate direction. After Mai's scenario is completed, a replay of her route will offer an additional choice to play through Sayuri's back-story. Jun Maeda, who worked on the scenario for Kanon, commented in March 2001 that the Japanese public may have fallen under the impression that Key makes soothing games because of Kanon's influence, but Maeda affirmed that there was not one person who worked on Kanon who thought that.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605054025/http://akirunoneko.at.infoseek.co.jp/archive/text/AIR_interview.htm|url= http://akirunoneko.at.infoseek.co.jp/archive/text/AIR_interview.htm|title=カラフル・ピュアガール 2001年3月号 Keyシナリオスタッフロングインタビュー |trans-title=Colorful Pure Girl March 2001 Issue Key Scenario Staff Long Interview|publisher=Colorful Pure Girl|date=March 2001|archive-date=June 5, 2008|access-date=August 11, 2012|language=ja}}

In the adult versions of the game, there are scenes with sexual CGs depicting Yuichi and a given heroine having sex. Later, Key released versions of Kanon without the erotic content. The versions that include the adult content have one explicit sex scene in each of the five main story routes, in addition to one fantasy scene. Outside of these, there are two scenes with nudity. Yūichi Suzumoto, a scenario writer who worked on later Key titles, commented that the sex scenes in Kanon are very self-contained, and can be easily removed without altering the story. Maeda remarked that the sex scenes were not written with reproduction in mind.

Plot

=Setting and themes=

There are several important locations featured in the Kanon story, though the location names are seldom mentioned explicitly in Key's works. The events of the story occur during winter, and since it often snows periodically over the course of the entire story, the city is always presented covered in a layer of snow. The shopping district is featured throughout the story when the characters go into town, and especially whenever Ayu appears in the early story. The high school where Yuichi and the other main characters attend, including the school grounds, is shown predominantly in Shiori's and Mai's stories, and is otherwise a general setting where Yuichi interacts with other characters.

There are recurring themes that appear throughout the story. A music theme is present, as the episode titles from the 2006–2007 anime have parts in their titles related to music, such as overture and introit. Miracles play a large part in the story; Kanon{{'}}s plot line and characters are influenced by various instances where miracles occur.Untranslated quote: 起きないから、奇跡って言うんですよ
Translated quote: "It's called a miracle because it doesn't happen." The act of promising and keeping promises is found throughout the story.Untranslated quote: 約束、だよ
Translated quote: "It's a promise." Yuichi eventually makes important promises to the five main girls while at the same time fulfilling past promises he had made with four of them when he used to visit the city as a kid.

One of the motifs in the story is amnesia, or memory loss; three of the main characters—Yuichi, Ayu and Makoto—suffer from amnesia in varying degrees; this is used as a plot device to advance the story. Another motif deals with the favorite foods of the five main heroines. Newtype USA stated in an article on Kanon that "it's when the characters are eating something really tasty that they seem most beautiful and alive", despite the somber setting and overall tone of the series.{{cite journal |last1=Nakagami |first1=Yoshikatsu |last2=Ikeda |first2=Kazumi |last3=Takeda |first3=Akiyo |last4=Miyata |first4=Kana |last5=Unoguchi |first5=Joh |date=January 2007 |title=Kanon |journal=Newtype USA |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=62–63 |publisher=A.D. Vision |location=Houston, TX |issn=1541-4817 }} These five foods of choice are: taiyaki (Ayu), strawberries (Nayuki), nikuman (Makoto), ice cream (Shiori), and gyudon (Mai).

File:Original Kanon game girls.jpg

=Main characters=

The player controls Yuichi Aizawa, the game's protagonist and a cynical 17-year-old high school student. He is known to play jokes on the girls his age he knows and interacts with throughout the story. Despite this, Yuichi is very loyal and will go to great lengths to please others, even at the expense of his own time and money. He generally has a selfless personality and does not ask much from others in return for what he does for them. Ayu Tsukimiya, the game's main heroine, is a short, strange, and mysterious girl immediately recognizable by her winged backpack, red hair band, and tendency to refer to herself with the masculine first-person pronoun {{Nihongo|boku|僕}}. She has a fondness for eating taiyaki, and is notorious for her catchphrase, {{Nihongo|"ugū"|うぐぅ}}, which she mutters as an expression of various negative emotions such as frustration, pain, and fear. Yuichi's first cousin Nayuki Minase, another of the game's heroines, has been in love with him since childhood, and must learn how to deal with her feelings, especially with the threat that he may fall in love with one of the other girls. Nayuki talks noticeably slower than those around her, and has constant trouble waking up in the morning except on a few occasions when she is up before Yuichi, much to his surprise.

Yuichi is accosted a few days after arriving in the city by the third heroine Makoto Sawatari, a young amnesiac girl. Despite this, she is sure that she holds a grudge against Yuichi from when he last visited the city. Makoto has a mischievous side and constantly plays pranks on Yuichi. She has an affinity towards the spring and once wished that it would stay spring forever.Untranslated quote: 春がきて･･･ずっと春だったらいいのに
Translated quote: "If only spring would come and stay forever." Yuichi coincidentally meets Shiori Misaka, another heroine and first-year high school student suffering from an unexplained illness since birth. Her affliction has caused her to become very physically weak, and she is almost always absent from school because of it. She tries to be strong in the face of her condition, and gets along well with others, even though she does not know very many people her age due to her condition. The fifth and final heroine of the game is Mai Kawasumi, a third-year student of the same high school that Yuichi attends. She has a cold attitude towards almost everyone, but despite this, she is actually a very kind and caring person; she "punishes" someone who makes a playful joke about her by giving them a light karate chop to the head.

=Story=

Kanon{{'}}s story revolves around a group of five girls whose lives are connected to the same boy. Yuichi Aizawa is a second-year high school student who had visited the city where the story takes place seven years prior to Kanon's beginning. The story opens on Wednesday January 6, 1999 when Yuichi arrives in the city and is very detached from it and its inhabitants. Prior to his return, it is decided that he is to stay with his first cousin, Nayuki Minase, and her mother, Akiko. After his long absence, Yuichi has forgotten almost everything except minor details of what happened seven years before and is in need of being reminded of what he left behind. Nayuki initially tries repeatedly to jog his memory, but is unsuccessful. Throughout the story, as he learns about the supernatural undertones of the city, Yuichi is reminded of the events of seven years ago.

On the day after Yuichi's return, he is out with Nayuki who is showing him around the city. Nayuki remembers that she has to buy things for dinner, but Yuichi is reluctant to go into the store with her. Moments after Nayuki leaves him waiting on the sidewalk, a strange girl named Ayu Tsukimiya collides with him with little warning. Upon recovering, she drags him away to a nearby café and confesses to inadvertently stealing a bag filled with taiyaki after being accidentally scared away by the salesman before she had a chance to pay. They decide to meet up again another day and Ayu scampers off. A few days after he has been in the city, Yuichi is accosted by a girl named Makoto Sawatari who has lost her memories, though still remembers that she has a grudge against him from when he last visited the city. After she collapses in the street, he takes her home and learns about her situation. Akiko gives her permission to live with them for the time being, which is against Yuichi's plan to hand her over to the police.

Another girl who is connected to Yuichi's past is Mai Kawasumi who attends his high school as a third-year. She takes it upon herself to fight and defeat demons at night while the school is deserted.Untranslated quote: 私は魔物を討つ者だから
Translated quote: "I'm a demon hunter." Due to this, she is constantly blamed for accidents because she never denies them, being too sincere to say anything and knowing that no one will believe that there are demons in the school. Yuichi coincidentally meets a fifth girl named Shiori Misaka who he gets to know along with the other four heroines in the story. She has suffered from an unexplained affliction since birth which makes her weak to the point of missing school because of it. Yuichi starts to talk with her more after noticing her in the school courtyard one day. It turns out that Shiori stands outside on the school grounds nearly every day because she wants to meet someone dear to her.

Development

Most of Kanon{{'}}s development staff originally worked for the visual novel publisher Nexton under the brand Tactics. After the release of the brand's third game One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e, most of Tactics' staff left Nexton to pursue work in another publishing company where they could have the freedom to produce their next game.{{cite journal|year=2009|journal=Key 10th Anniversary Book|title=Jun Maeda Long Interview|publisher=Kadokawa Shoten|pages=48–60|language=ja}} Itaru Hinoue, who had previously worked at Visual Arts once before, introduced Key's founding members to the president of Visual Arts, Takahiro Baba. Baba gave the developers the freedom they desired, and they officially transferred to Visual Arts where they formed Key on July 21, 1998, and started production on Kanon. The planning for the visual novel was headed by Naoki Hisaya who was also one of two scenario writers with Jun Maeda.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228084754/http://erogamescape.ddo.jp/~ap2/ero/toukei_kaiseki/game.php?game=187|url=http://erogamescape.ddo.jp/~ap2/ero/toukei_kaiseki/game.php?game=187|archive-date=December 28, 2007|title=Kanon ErogameScape－エロゲー批評空間－|trans-title=Kanon ErogameScape - Eroge Commentary Room -| publisher=Erogamescape|access-date=October 19, 2014|language=ja}} Hisaya wrote the scenarios for Ayu, Nayuki and Shiori, while Maeda wrote the routes for Makoto and Mai. Art direction was headed by Key's artist Itaru Hinoue who worked on the character design and computer graphics. Further computer graphics were split between three people—Dinn, Miracle Mikipon, Shinory—and background art was provided by Torino. The music in the game was composed by OdiakeS, Shinji Orito and Jun Maeda. Kanon was the first and last visual novel developed by Key that two of the main staff—Naoki Hisaya, and OdiakeS—worked on before pursuing a similar line of work in other visual novel studios.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304212350/http://erogamescape.ddo.jp/~ap2/ero/toukei_kaiseki/creater.php?creater=937|url=http://erogamescape.ddo.jp/~ap2/ero/toukei_kaiseki/creater_allgame.php?creater=937|archive-date=March 4, 2012|title=久弥直樹関わったゲーム一覧－ErogameScape－エロゲー批評空間－|trans-title=Naoki Hisaya Games Involved in Summary - ErogameScape - Eroge Commentary Room -|publisher=ErogameScape|access-date=October 19, 2014|language=ja}}{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220051254/http://erogamescape.ddo.jp/~ap2/ero/toukei_kaiseki/creater_allgame.php?creater=940|url=http://erogamescape.ddo.jp/~ap2/ero/toukei_kaiseki/creater_allgame.php?creater=940|archive-date=February 20, 2012|title=OdiakeS 関わったゲーム一覧－ErogameScape－エロゲー批評空間－|trans-title=OdiakeS Games Involved in Summary - ErogameScape - Eroge Commentary Room -|publisher= ErogameScape|access-date=October 19, 2014|language=ja}}

=Release history=

Kanon was released as an adult game on June 4, 1999, in limited and regular editions, playable on a Windows PC as a CD-ROM.{{cite web|url=https://key.visualarts.gr.jp/product/kanon|title=Kanon Key Official HomePage|publisher=Key|access-date=November 30, 2007|language=ja}} The limited edition came bundled with the remix album Anemoscope remixing background music tracks featured in the visual novel.{{cite web|url=https://product.co.jp/products/item/148 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204113100/http://product.co.jp/products/item/148 |archive-date=2020-12-04 |title=Kanon 初回限定版|trans-title=Kanon limited edition|publisher=Visual Arts|access-date=December 15, 2014|language=ja}} Key released an all ages version on January 7, 2000, for Windows. An updated adult version called the Kanon Standard Edition was released on November 26, 2004, with added support for Windows 2000/XP as a DVD-ROM.{{cite web|url=https://product.co.jp/products/item/152 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204102946/http://product.co.jp/products/item/152 |archive-date=2020-12-04 |title=Kanon Standard Edition|publisher=Visual Arts|access-date=December 15, 2014|language=ja}} The Standard Edition incorporates the extra graphics added to the earlier all ages version of the game, and other technical changes such as more save slots. An all ages version of the Standard Edition was released on January 28, 2005. An updated all ages version of Kanon compatible for Windows Vista PCs was released by Key on July 31, 2009, in a box set containing five other Key visual novels called Key 10th Memorial Box.{{cite web|url=https://key.visualarts.gr.jp/10thfes/memorialbox.htm|title=Key 10th MEMORIAL BOX|publisher=Key| access-date=April 6, 2009|language=ja}} Another all ages updated version compatible for Windows 7 PCs called Kanon Memorial Edition was released on April 30, 2010.{{cite web|url=https://key.visualarts.gr.jp/info/2010/04/post_73.html|title=Keyの過去五作品がメモリアルエディションで発売です!|trans-title=Key's Previous Five Titles Get Memorial Editions!|publisher=Key|date=April 7, 2010|access-date=April 8, 2010|language=ja}}

The first consumer console port of the game was released for the Dreamcast on September 14, 2000, by NEC Interchannel.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00006LJFY/|title=Kanon|publisher=Amazon.co.jp|access-date=June 9, 2009|language=ja}}{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130227113234/http://sega.jp/dc/000905/home.shtml|archive-date=2013-02-27|url=http://sega.jp/dc/000905/home.shtml|script-title=ja:深い雪に覆われた街で語られる、小さな奇跡の物語|publisher=Sega|access-date=2021-03-09|language=ja}} A PlayStation 2 (PS2) version was released on February 28, 2002, also by NEC Interechannel.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00005UOHG/|title=Kanon|publisher=Amazon.co.jp|access-date=February 10, 2012|language=ja}} The PS2 version was re-released as a "Best" version on December 22, 2004.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108204822/http://www.interchannel.co.jp/gamesoft/g99905083021.html|url=http://www.interchannel.co.jp/gamesoft/g99905083021.html|title=インターチャネル Kanon（ベスト版）|trans-title=Interchannel Kanon (Best Version)|publisher=Interchannel|archive-date=January 8, 2007|access-date=June 6, 2010|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://sega.jp/ps2/kanon/home.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129013203/http://sega.jp/ps2/kanon/home.shtml |archive-date=2014-11-29 |title=名作「Kanon」がお求め易い価格帯で追加機能を加え再リリース!|trans-title=The Masterpiece Kanon Gets a Re-release at a More Affordable Price and with Additional Features!|publisher=Sega|access-date=May 19, 2013|language=ja}} The PS2 version was bundled in a "Key 3-Part Work Premium Box" package together with the PS2 versions of Air and Clannad released on July 30, 2009.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716022102/http://www.gunghoworks.jp/game/3title/index.html|url=http://www.gunghoworks.jp/game/3title/index.html|title=key3部作プレミアムBOX|trans-title=Key 3-part Work Premium BOX|publisher=GungHo Works|archive-date=July 16, 2011|access-date=February 10, 2012|language=ja}} An adult version playable as a Blu-ray Disc was released on December 16, 2011, by Asoberu! BD-Game, a brand of Visual Arts.{{cite web|url=https://bd-game.product.co.jp/product/product01.html|title=Kanon ～あそBD～ ver.1.01|trans-title=Kanon: Aso-BD ver.1.01|publisher=Asoberu! BD-Game|access-date=December 16, 2011|language=ja}}

Prototype through VisualArt's Motto released a version playable on SoftBank 3G mobile phones on October 27, 2006,{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215032237/http://motto.product.co.jp/index.php?mode=past_show&date=200610|url=http://motto.product.co.jp/index.php?mode=past_show&date=200610|title=「kanon」がソフトバンクのケータイアプリにっ!|publisher=Visual Arts|date=October 31, 2006|archivedate=February 15, 2008|access-date=February 12, 2022|language=ja}} and another version playable on FOMA mobile phones in December 2006.{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215032242/http://motto.product.co.jp/index.php?mode=past_show&date=200612|url=http://motto.product.co.jp/index.php?mode=past_show&date=200612|title=アニメやってるしね♪|publisher=Visual Arts|date=December 20, 2006|archivedate=February 15, 2008|access-date=February 12, 2022|language=ja}} A PlayStation Portable (PSP) version of the game was released in Japan on February 15, 2007, by Prototype. The first release of the PSP version came with a special DVD featuring a message from five of the voice actors and a recompiled opening video from the video game version.{{cite web|url=https://prot.co.jp/psp/kanon|title=PROTOTYPE Kanon|publisher=Prototype|access-date=January 24, 2007|language=ja}} The five voice actors on the DVD included: Mariko Kōda as Nayuki Minase, Akemi Satō as Shiori Misaka, Mayumi Iizuka as Makoto Sawatari, Yūko Minaguchi as Akiko Minase, and Tomokazu Sugita as Yuichi Aizawa. Yui Horie as Ayu Tsukimiya voiced the short introduction of the DVD, but was not featured in the contents of the DVD itself. A downloadable version of the PSP release via the PlayStation Store was released by Prototype on November 9, 2009. A version playable on Android devices was released on November 30, 2011.{{cite web|url=https://market.android.com/details?id=jp.co.prot.kanon|title=Kanon|publisher=Android Market|access-date=December 10, 2011|language=ja}}{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507122829/http://product.co.jp/products/item/843|url=http://product.co.jp/products/item/843|title=Kanon Android版|trans-title=Kanon Android edition|publisher=Visual Arts|archivedate=May 7, 2021|access-date=December 15, 2014|language=ja}} An adult version for Android devices was released in January 2013.{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208133759/http://vamarket.jp/main/game/23/|url=http://vamarket.jp/main/game/23/|title=Kanon|publisher=Visual Arts|archivedate=February 8, 2013|access-date=February 12, 2022|language=ja}}{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206230327/http://vaap.jp/|url=http://vaap.jp/|title=ビジュアルアーツアプリポータル|publisher=Visual Arts|archivedate=February 6, 2013|access-date=February 12, 2022|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=http://anigema.jp/main/game/23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105113310/http://anigema.jp/main/game/23 |archive-date=2015-01-05 |title=Kanon {{!}} アニゲマ - Smartphone Appli Game|trans-title=Kanon {{!}} Anigema Smartphne Appli Game|publisher=Visual Arts|access-date=January 4, 2015|language=ja}} A version playable on iOS devices was released on April 4, 2013.{{cite web|url=https://key.visualarts.gr.jp/info/2013/04/iphoneipadkanon.html|title=iPhone&iPad用『Kanon 全年齢対象版』発売開始!|trans-title=Kanon All Ages Edition for iPhone & iPad Goes on Sale Today!|publisher=Key|access-date=April 4, 2013|language=ja}} In the original release, there was no voice acting for the characters, but in the later versions produced for the Dreamcast and PS2, full voice acting was included. The only exception was Yuichi, who was not voiced in either version. However, the PSP release features voice acting for Yuichi, provided by Tomokazu Sugita.{{cite web|url=http://sega.jp/psp/kanon/|title=Kanon 深い雪に覆われた街で語られる、小さな奇跡の物語|trans-title=Kanon A Story Told in a Profound, Snow Covered Town, a Story of a Small Miracle |publisher=Sega|access-date= January 10, 2007|language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070429002509/http://sega.jp/psp/kanon/ |archive-date=April 29, 2007}} Prototype released a Nintendo Switch version in Japan on April 20, 2023.{{Cite web |date=January 25, 2023 |title=Kanon for Switch launches April 20 in Japan |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2023/01/kanon-for-switch-launches-april-20-in-japan |access-date=January 27, 2023 |website=Gematsu}}

Visual Arts and Prototype announced a Windows release for Kanon distributed via Steam with English, Japanese and Simplified Chinese language support,{{cite web |last1=Stenbuck |first1=Kite |title=Classic Visual Novel Kanon Will Appear on Steam |url=https://www.siliconera.com/classic-visual-novel-kanon-will-appear-on-steam/ |website=Siliconera |date=17 May 2024 |access-date=May 17, 2024}} which released in 2024.{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Dustin |title=After 25 years, one of the OG anime visual novels has finally hit Steam with its first official English translation |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/adventure/after-25-years-one-of-the-og-anime-visual-novels-has-finally-hit-steam-with-its-first-official-english-translation/ |website=GamesRadar |access-date=April 29, 2025 |date=June 29, 2024}}

Adaptations

{{Infobox animanga/Header

| name = Kanon

| genre = Drama, supernatural{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/kanon/dvd-6|title=Kanon DVD 6 - Review|publisher=Anime News Network|date=November 9, 2008|access-date=February 12, 2022}}

}}

{{Infobox animanga/Print

| type = light novel

| author = Mariko Shimizu

| illustrator = Itaru Hinoue

| publisher = Paradigm

| demographic = Male

| imprint =

| first = October 23, 1999

| last = August 1, 2000

| volumes = 5

| volume_list =

}}

{{Infobox animanga/Print

| type = manga

| author = Key

| illustrator = Petit Morishima

| publisher = MediaWorks

| demographic = Shōnen

| magazine = Dengeki Daioh

| first = February 2000

| last = July 2002

| volumes = 2

| volume_list =

}}

{{Infobox animanga/Video

| type = tv series

| director = Naoyuki Itō

| producer = Mamoru Yokota

| writer = Makoto Nakamura
Ryōta Yamaguchi

| music = Hiroyuki Kouzu

| studio = Toei Animation

| network = Fuji TV, Kansai TV

| first = January 31, 2002

| last = March 28, 2002

| episodes = 13 + OVA

| episode_list = List of Kanon episodes#Kanon (2002)

}}

{{Infobox animanga/Print

| type = manga

| title = Kanon: Honto no Omoi wa Egao no Mukōgawa ni

| author = Key

| illustrator = Kinusa Shimotsuki

| publisher = Fujimi Shobo

| demographic = Shōnen

| magazine = Dragon Age Pure

| first = June 29, 2006

| last = October 20, 2007

| volumes = 2

| volume_list =

}}

{{Infobox animanga/Video

| type = tv series

| director = Tatsuya Ishihara

| writer = Fumihiko Shimo

| music ={{flatlist|

}}

| studio = Kyoto Animation

| licensee = {{ubl|Crunchyroll{{efn|In North America through Crunchyroll, LLC (formerly known as Funimation), and in Australia through Crunchyroll Pty. Ltd. (formerly known as Madman Anime). Until 2008, it was licensed by ADV Films, now known as Sentai Filmworks and Section23 Films.}}|{{English anime licensee| UK = MVM Entertainment}}}}

| network = BS-i, TBS

| network_en = {{english anime networks

| NA = Anime Network

| ZA = SABC 3

}}

| first = October 5, 2006

| last = March 15, 2007

| episodes = 24

| episode_list = List of Kanon episodes#Kanon (2006-2007)

}}

=Light novels=

Five adult light novels written by Mariko Shimizu and published by Paradigm were released in Japan between October 1999 and August 2000.{{cite book|title=Kanon 雪の少女|trans-title=Kanon Yuki no Shōjo|id={{ASIN|4894900580|country=jp}}|language=ja}}{{cite book|title=Kanon 日溜まりの街|trans-title=Kanon Hidamari no Machi|id={{ASIN|4894900947|country=jp}}|language=ja}} The cover art and internal illustrations were drawn by Itaru Hinoue, the artist who drew the artwork in the visual novel. The basis for each novel was one of each of the five heroines and had titles that were taken from the musical themes pertaining to each character in the original game. The first two released were {{Nihongo|Yuki no Shōjo|雪の少女|Girl in the Snow|Nayuki}} and {{Nihongo|Egao no Mukougawa ni|笑顔の向こう側に|Beyond the Smile|Shiori}} in December 1999. The third was {{Nihongo|Shōjo no Ori|少女の檻|Girl's Prison|Mai}} released in April 2000 and the fourth novel was titled The Fox and the Grapes (Makoto), released two months later. The final novel titled {{Nihongo|Hidamari no Machi|日溜りの街|A Sunny City|Ayu}} was released in August 2000. Paradigm re-released the five novels in conjunction with Visual Arts under their VA Bunko imprint, which removed the erotic scenes, starting with Yuki no Shōjo on June 27, 2009,{{cite book|title=Kanon 雪の少女|trans-title=Kanon: Yuki no Shōjo|language=ja|isbn=978-4-89490-623-5|author1=清水マリコ|date=June 2009|publisher=VisualArt's }} and ending with Hidamari no Machi on December 26, 2009. To make up for the missing erotic content, Shimizu wrote additional content for each volume. A sixth novel titled {{Nihongo|Kanojotachi no Kenkai|彼女たちの見解|The Girls' Opinions}} for the supporting character Sayuri Kurata written by Shimizu and illustrated by Zen was released on March 31, 2011.{{cite book|title=Kanon ~彼女たちの見解~|trans-title=Kanon: Kanojotachi no Kenkai|language=ja|isbn=978-4-89490-628-0|author1 = 清水マリコ|author2 = Key|date = March 2011|publisher=ビジュアルアーツ }}

=Trading card game=

Following the release of the original visual novel, Key collaborated with TI Tokyo to release the Kanon Trading Card Game.{{Cite web |last=Shepherd |first=Samuel |date=2023-03-24 |title=Kanon TCG: A Mysterious Y2K Anime Trading Card Game |url=https://www.goodbadmarketing.com/samuel/kanon-tcg-anime-trading-card-game/ |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=Good/Bad Marketing |language=en-AU}} The game was showcased through Comiket, with the original beta cards and promotional materials appearing in winter 1999. This release would also be expanded to include the Air Trading Card Game, based on Key's followup visual novel, Air, alongside several expansions to the core game.

=Drama CDs and radio shows=

A set of five drama CDs were released between September 29, 2000, and April 27, 2001, with each volume focusing on a different heroine.{{cite web|url=https://www.neowing.co.jp/product/MACB-6001|title=Kanon-カノン- Vol.1 沢渡真琴ストーリー|trans-title=Kanon Vol. 1 Makoto Sawatari Story|publisher=Neowing|access-date=February 28, 2012|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://www.neowing.co.jp/product/MACB-6005|title=Kanon-カノン- Vol.5 月宮あゆストーリー|trans-title=Kanon Vol. 5 Ayu Tsukimiya Story|publisher=Neowing|access-date=February 28, 2012|language=ja}} A set of five anthology drama CDs were released between December 22, 2001, and May 25, 2002, with each volume again focusing on a different heroine.{{cite web|url=https://www.neowing.co.jp/product/MACP-1001|title=公認アンソロジードラマCD「Kanon-anthology.1」プロローグ・美坂栞「約束をしたこと」|trans-title=Official Anthology Drama CD "Kanon Anthology 1" Prologue: Shiori Misaka "Things Promised"|publisher=Neowing|access-date=February 28, 2012|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://www.neowing.co.jp/product/MACP-1005|title=公認アンソロジードラマCD「Kanon-anthology.5」|trans-title=Official Anthology Drama CD "Kanon Anthology 5"|publisher=Neowing|access-date=February 28, 2012|language=ja}} A radio show to promote the Dreamcast port of Kanon titled {{nihongo|Kanon: The Snow Talk Memories Yuki Furu Machi no Monogatari|Kanon -The snow talks memories- 雪降る街の物語}} broadcast 13 episodes between October 6 and December 29, 2000. The show, produced by Movic, was hosted by Yukari Tamura and Tomoko Kawakami, the voices Mai Kawasumi and Sayuri Kurata, respectively. A radio drama titled {{Nihongo|Minase-sanchi|水瀬さんち}} broadcast 53 episodes between October 6, 2001, and October 5, 2002. The show, which was broadcast on TBS Radio and Radio Kansai, was hosted by Yūko Minaguchi, the voice of Akiko Minase, and narrated by Atsushi Kisaichi. The voice actors from Kanon were also featured as guests. Five CD compilation volumes containing all of the show's broadcasts were released between August 30, 2002, and April 26, 2003.{{cite web|url=https://www.neowing.co.jp/product/MACP-1006|title=公認アンソロジードラマCD Kanon「水瀬さんち」第1巻|trans-title=Official Anthology Drama CD Kanon "Minase-sanchi" Vol. 1|publisher=Neowing|access-date=February 28, 2012|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://www.neowing.co.jp/product/MACP-1007|title=公認アンソロジードラマCD Kanon「水瀬さんち」第2巻|trans-title=Official Anthology Drama CD Kanon "Minase-sanchi" Vol. 2|publisher=Neowing|access-date=2021-10-04|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://www.neowing.co.jp/product/MACP-1014|title=公認アンソロジードラマCD Kanon「水瀬さんち」第3巻|trans-title=Official Anthology Drama CD Kanon "Minase-sanchi" Vol. 3|publisher=Neowing|access-date=2021-10-04|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://www.neowing.co.jp/product/MACP-1015|title=公認アンソロジードラマCD Kanon「水瀬さんち」第4巻|trans-title=Official Anthology Drama CD Kanon "Minase-sanchi" Vol. 4|publisher=Neowing|access-date=2021-10-04|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://www.neowing.co.jp/product/MACP-1016|title=公認アンソロジードラマCD Kanon「水瀬さんち」第5巻|trans-title=Official Anthology Drama CD Kanon "Minase-sanchi" Vol. 5|publisher=Neowing|access-date=February 28, 2012|language=ja}}

=Manga=

The first Kanon manga illustrated by Petit Morishima was serialized in MediaWorks' manga magazine Dengeki Daioh between the February 2000 and July 2002 issues.{{Cite journal|title=Kanon|journal=Dengeki Daioh|publisher=MediaWorks|issue=February 2000|language=ja}}{{Cite journal|title=Kanon|journal=Dengeki Daioh|publisher=MediaWorks|issue=July 2002|language=ja}} The individual chapters were later collected into two separate tankōbon volumes published by MediaWorks under their Dengeki Comics imprint released in September 2000 and on July 27, 2002.{{cite book |title=Kanon 1|id={{ASIN|4840216789|country=jp}}|language=ja}}{{cite book |title=Kanon 2|id={{ASIN|4840221308|country=jp}}|language=ja}} There are six chapters in total, three in each volume. Aside from the prologue in volume one and the epilogue in volume two, the other four chapters concern four of the main heroines. From chapters one through four, the main heroines presented are: Shiori Misaka, Makoto Sawatari, Mai Kawasumi and Ayu Tsukimiya. To make up for Nayuki not getting a chapter of her own, the story is altered in that Nayuki is in most of the scenes Yuichi is in. The first manga is different from the visual novel in that Shiori's, Makoto's, and Mai's stories are not told in their entirety. Near the end of each of these girls' stories were originally intended to give the viewer the remaining answers, but the manga version ends these girls' stories prematurely.{{cite book|last=Morishima|first=Petit|title=Kanon manga |volume=1|publisher=MediaWorks| language=ja}}{{cite book|last=Morishima|first=Petit|title=Kanon manga |volume=2|publisher= MediaWorks|language=ja}} This was due to the manga putting more focus on Ayu's story.

The second manga illustrated by Kinusa Shimotsuki, under the main title {{Nihongo|Kanon: Honto no Omoi wa Egao no Mukōgawa ni|Kanon ホントの想いは笑顔の向こう側に|Kanon: The Real Feelings of the Other Side of the Smiling Face}} with the subtitle each regret of Kanon, was serialized between volumes two and seven of Fujimi Shobo's Dragon Age Pure magazine sold between June 29, 2006, and October 20, 2007, respectively.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622041253/http://www.fujimishobo.co.jp/pure/2006/06/post_75.php|url=http://www.fujimishobo.co.jp/pure/2006/06/post_75.php|archive-date=June 22, 2007|script-title=ja:大人気ゲーム｢Ｋａｎｏｎ｣をコミカライズ!!|trans-title=Highly Popular Game Kanon Becomes a Comic!!|publisher=Fujimi Shobo|date=June 30, 2006|access-date=October 19, 2014|language=ja}}{{cite journal|title=Kanon|journal=Dragon Age Pure|publisher=Fujimi Shobo|volume=2|language=ja}}{{cite journal|title=Kanon|journal=Dragon Age Pure|publisher=Fujimi Shobo|volume=7|language=ja}} The first volume was released in Japan on April 1, 2007, and focused on Nayuki's story.{{cite web|url=http://kadokawa.co.jp/comic/bk_detail.php?pcd=200701000223 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130701142220/http://kadokawa.co.jp/comic/bk_detail.php?pcd=200701000223 |archive-date=2013-07-01 |title=Kanon ホントの想いは笑顔の向こう側に1|trans-title=Kanon: The Real Feelings of the Other Side of the Smiling Face 1|publisher=Kadokawa Shoten|access-date=December 3, 2007|language=ja}} The second volume was released on December 8, 2007, and focused on the other four heroines.{{cite web|url=https://www.kadokawa.co.jp/product/200707000422|title=Kanon ホントの想いは笑顔の向こう側に2|trans-title=Kanon: The Real Feelings of the Other Side of the Smiling Face 2|publisher=Kadokawa Shoten|access-date=December 3, 2007|language=ja}} There are nine chapters in total, five in volume one and four in volume two.

There have also been many releases of manga anthologies produced by different companies and drawn by a multitude of different artists. The first volume of the earliest anthology series, released by Ichijinsha under the title Kanon Comic Anthology, was released in November 2000 under their DNA Media Comics label.{{cite book|title=Kanonコミックアンソロジー (DNAメディアコミックス) (コミック)|trans-title=Kanon Comic Anthology (DNA Media Comics) (comic)|language=ja|isbn=4-921066-59-0|author1=アンソロジー|date=November 2000|publisher=スタジオDna }} Volumes for this series continued to be released for another two years, ending in December 2002 with the 14th volume;{{cite book|title=Kanonコミックアンソロジー 14 (DNAメディアコミックス) (コミック)|trans-title=Kanon Comic Anthology 14 (DNA Media Comics) (comic)|language= ja|isbn=4-7580-0081-6}} an additional 15th volume was released later in February 2007.{{cite book|title=Kanonコミックアンソロジー 15 (DNAメディアコミックス) (コミック)|trans-title=Kanon Comic Anthology 15 (DNA Media Comics) (comic)|language= ja|isbn=4-7580-0369-6}} Ichijinsha also released two more volumes of anthology collections of four-panel comic strips titled Kanon 4-koma Kings in April and June 2001.{{cite book|title=Kanon4コマKINGS|trans-title=Kanon 4-koma Kings|id={{ASIN|4921066906|country=jp}}|language=ja}}{{cite book|title=Kanon4コマKINGS(Vol.2)|trans-title=Kanon 4-koma Kings(Vol.2)|id={{ASIN|4921066892|country=jp}}|language=ja}} Softgarage released an anthology in a single volume in December 2002 titled Kanon Anthology Comic.{{cite book|title=Kanon・アンソロジーコミック (Sofgare comics) (コミック)|trans-title=Kanon Anthology Comic (Sofgare comics) (comic)|language= ja|isbn=4-921068-75-5}} In April 2004, Ohzora released an anthology composed of works based on both Kanon and Air titled Haru Urara: Kanon & Air.{{cite web|url=https://ohzora.co.jp/release/detail?format=comics&isbn=4-7767-1263-6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517180241/http://ohzora.co.jp/release/detail?format=comics&isbn=4-7767-1263-6 |archive-date=2021-05-17 |title= 春うらら～Kanon&AIR～傑作選|trans-title=Haru Urara: Kanon & Air Best Work Selection|publisher=Ohzora|access-date=February 26, 2008|language= ja}}

Between June and August 2004, Ohzora also released five separate volumes of manga based on Kanon drawn by five separate artists.{{cite web|url=http://ohzora.co.jp/release/detail?format=comics&isbn=4-7767-1306-3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517180239/http://ohzora.co.jp/release/detail?format=comics&isbn=4-7767-1306-3 |archive-date=2021-05-17 |title=Kanon Remix （かのんれみっくす）|trans-title=Kanon Remix|publisher=Ohzora|access-date=June 11, 2009|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=http://ohzora.co.jp/release/detail?format=comics&isbn=4-7767-1365-9 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517180039/http://ohzora.co.jp/release/detail?format=comics&isbn=4-7767-1365-9 |archive-date=2021-05-17 |title=キミと出会えたこの場所～Kanon傑作選～|trans-title=Kimi to Deatta Kono Basho: Kanon Best Selection|publisher=Ohzora|access-date=June 11, 2009|language=ja}} Ohzora later collected some of the previously published manga anthologies into two volumes titled Kanon Anthology Comics Best Selection released in December 2006 and January 2007.{{cite web|url=http://ohzora.co.jp/release/detail?format=comics&isbn=4-7767-2116-3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517195935/http://ohzora.co.jp/release/detail?format=comics&isbn=4-7767-2116-3 |archive-date=2021-05-17 |title=Kanonアンソロジーコミックスベストセレクション1|trans-title=Kanon Anthology Comics Best Selection 1|publisher=Ohzora|access-date=June 11, 2009|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=http://ohzora.co.jp/release/detail?format=comics&isbn=978-4-7767-2139-0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517183154/http://ohzora.co.jp/release/detail?format=comics&isbn=978-4-7767-2139-0 |archive-date=2021-05-17 |title=Kanonアンソロジーコミックスベストセレクション2|trans-title=Kanon Anthology Comics Best Selection 2|publisher=Ohzora|access-date=June 11, 2009|language=ja}} Additionally, Ohzora released another 13 volumes of an anthology series titled Kanon under their Twin Heart Comics label. The now-bankrupt publisher Raporto also released 21 manga anthology volumes titled Kanon under their Raporto Comics label between November 2000 and October 2002.{{cite book|title=Kanon 1 (ラポートコミックス) (コミック)|trans-title=Kanon 1 (Raporto Comics) (comic)|language=ja|isbn=4-89799-380-6}}{{cite book|title=Kanon 21 (ラポートコミックス) (コミック)|trans-title=Kanon 21 (Raporto Comics) (comic)|language=ja|isbn=4-89799-461-6}} The last manga anthology, a collection of four-panel comic strips released in a single volume by Enterbrain titled Magi-Cu 4-koma Kanon, was released in January 2007 under their MC Comics label.{{cite book|title=マジキュー4コマ Kanon (マジキューコミックス) (コミック)|year=2007|publisher=エンターブレイン |trans-title=Magi-Cu 4-koma Kanon (Magi-Cu Comics) (comic)|language=ja|isbn=978-4-7577-3335-0}} Each of the anthology series are written and drawn by an average of 20 people per volume.

=Anime=

{{stack|{{multiple image

| image1 = Nayuki Toei.jpg

| width1 = 160

| alt1 =

| caption1 =

| image2 = Nayuki Kyoto.jpg

| width2 = 210

| alt2 =

| caption2 =

| footer = A comparison depicting the introductory scene of Nayuki Minase from the Toei (left) and Kyoto (right) anime versions of Kanon. The first anime aired in a 4:3 aspect ratio, and the second anime aired in a 16:9 ratio.

}}}}

The first Kanon anime was produced by the Japanese animation studio Toei Animation and directed by Naoyuki Itō.{{cite web|url=https://lineup.toei-anim.co.jp/ja/tv/kanon/staff/|script-title=ja:東映アニメーション|trans-title=Toei Animation|publisher=Toei Animation| access-date=June 11, 2009|language=ja}} Thirteen episodes{{cite web|url=https://lineup.toei-anim.co.jp/ja/tv/kanon/episode/|title=First Kanon anime official episode listing|publisher=Toei Animation|access-date=June 11, 2009|language=ja}} were produced and aired in Japan on Fuji TV between January 31 and March 28, 2002.{{cite web|url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/C10298|title=Kanon|website=Japan Media Arts Database|access-date=October 4, 2021|language=ja}} The series also later aired on Kansai TV. Later, a single original video animation (OVA) episode titled "Kanon Kazahana" was released in March 2003.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060108184258/http://www.animate.tv/pv/detail.php?id=p000000008|url=http://www.animate.tv/pv/detail.php?id=p000000008|title=TVアニメーション『Kanon』DVD・CDキャンペーンプレゼントAコース用特典映像『風花』|trans-title=TV Animation Kanon DVD/CD Campaign: Present Bonus Footage Kazahana|publisher=Animate|archive-date=January 8, 2006|access-date=June 11, 2009|language=ja}} The anime series and OVA used the songs "Florescence" and "Flower" for the opening and ending themes, respectively. While it does not appear as the ending theme in the first 12 episodes or in the OVA, the game's ending theme "Where the Wind Reaches" is used as the ending theme for the series in episode 13.{{cite episode|title=Where the Wind Leads|series=Kanon|episode-link=List of Kanon episodes#ep13|number=13|publisher=Toei Animation| date=March 27, 2002|language=ja}} Additionally, the game's opening theme "Last regrets" is played near the end of episode 13 during the flashback scene.

Starting in 2006, Kyoto Animation, the animators of another Key game-turned-anime, Air, decided to animate a new adaptation of Kanon. This version, directed by Tatsuya Ishihara{{cite web|url=https://tbs.co.jp/anime/kanon/02stca/stca.html|title=TVアニメ「Kanon」公式HP|trans-title=TV Anime Kanon Official HP|publisher=TBS|access-date=June 11, 2009|language=ja|archive-date=February 27, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227083052/http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/kanon/02stca/stca.html|url-status=dead}} and written by Fumihiko Shimo, aired between October 5, 2006, and March 15, 2007, on BS-i, containing 24 episodes.{{cite web|url=https://tbs.co.jp/anime/kanon/03story/story.html|title=TVアニメ「Kanon」公式HP|trans-title=TV Anime Kanon Official HP|publisher=TBS|access-date=June 9, 2009|language=ja|archive-date=December 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217231520/http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/kanon/03story/story.html|url-status=dead}} The series was later rebroadcast on TBS. ADV Films announced on September 21, 2007, at the Anime Weekend Atlanta anime convention that they have officially licensed the second Kanon anime series.{{cite web|url=https://animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-09-22/adv's-acquisition-of-2nd-kanon-series-confirmed-at-awa|title=ADV's Acquisition of 2nd Kanon Series Confirmed at AWA|publisher=Anime News Network|date=September 22, 2007|access-date=September 22, 2007}} ADV had previously posted a trailer for the series in August 2007, but was soon taken offline once the news had been spread on the Internet.{{cite web|url=https://animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-08-08/adv-films-posts-trailers-for-second-kanon-tv-series|title=ADV Films Posts Trailers for Second Kanon TV Series (Updated)|publisher=Anime News Network|date=August 8, 2007| access-date=September 22, 2007}} The first English-dubbed episode was made available via streaming online at Anime News Network between December 23 and December 30, 2007.{{cite web|url=https://animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-12-28/kanon-episode-1-preview-2-days-left|title=Kanon - Episode 1 Preview - 2 Days Left|publisher=Anime News Network|date=December 28, 2007|access-date=December 29, 2007}} In July 2008, the licensing rights of the second Kanon anime were transferred from ADV to Funimation Entertainment (now known as Crunchyroll as of {{currentyear}}) who continued to produce the series in North America.{{cite web|url=https://animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-07-04/funimation-picks-up-over-30-former-ad-vision-titles|title=Funimation Picks Up Over 30 Former AD Vision Titles|publisher=Anime News Network|date=July 4, 2008|access-date=July 7, 2008}} MVM Entertainment released Kanon on DVD in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.anime-on-line.com/kanon/31204-kanon-collection-tbc-dvd.html|title=Kanon Collection (tbc) DVD|website=Anime On-line|accessdate=December 10, 2021}}

The second TV Kanon animation features updated animation quality, and uses the same voice acting cast as the first anime, with the exception of Yuichi and Kuze. Unlike the first anime, the actual theme songs from the Kanon game are used for the second anime's opening theme, ending theme and soundtrack. There is one song featured as an insert song in episode 16 that did not come from the visual novel titled "Last regrets (X'mas floor style)" by Eiko Shimamiya from I've Sound's first album Regret. Other songs are used from the arrange albums released over the years, which include Anemoscope, Recollections, Re-feel, and Ma-Na.

Music

The visual novel has two main theme songs, the opening theme "Last regrets", and the ending theme {{Nihongo|"Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho"|風の辿り着く場所|Where the Wind Reaches}}, both sung by Ayana. The lyrics for both songs were written by Jun Maeda, and arranged by Kazuya Takase of I've Sound. The five heroines have leitmotifs. Ayu's theme is {{Nihongo|"Hidamari no Machi"|日溜りの街|A Sunny City}}; Nayuki's theme is {{Nihongo|"Yuki no Shōjo"|雪の少女|Girl in the Snow}}; Makoto's theme is "The Fox and the Grapes"; Shiori's theme is {{Nihongo|"Egao no Mukōgawa ni"|笑顔の向こう側に|Beyond the Smile}}; lastly, Mai's theme is {{Nihongo|"Shōjo no Ori"|少女の檻|Girls' Prison}}.{{cite AV media notes |title=Kanon Original Soundtrack |title-link=Music of Kanon#Kanon Original Soundtrack |year=2002 |first=Jun|last=Maeda|author-link=Jun Maeda|first2=Shinji|last2=Orito|author-link2=Shinji Orito|type=booklet |publisher=Key Sounds Label|location=Osaka|id=KSLA-0006}}

The first music album released was Anemoscope which came bundled with the original release of Kanon in June 1999. The next release was a single, "Last regrets/Place of wind which arrives", which contained the opening and ending themes plus arranged versions of three background music tracks and a male vocal version of the opening theme. A compilation album containing tracks from the two albums was released in December 2001 called Recollections.{{cite web|url=https://chudahs-corner.com/soundtracks/index.php?catalog=KSLA-0003|title=Kanon arrange best album 'Recollections'|publisher=Chudah's Corner|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523070721/http://chudahs-corner.com/soundtracks/index.php?catalog=KSLA-0003|archive-date=2012-05-23|url-status=usurped|access-date=2021-10-04}} The game's original soundtrack was released in October 2002 containing 22 different tracks along with short versions of the two theme songs. A piano arrange album was released in December 2003 called Re-feel which contained five tracks from Kanon and five from Air. Excluding the first two albums, each of the albums released for the visual novel version were released on Key's record label Key Sounds Label; this is due to the first two albums being released before the label was formed.

The first anime's first original soundtrack was released in May 2002,{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B000063L17/|title=TVシリーズ Kanon~カノン~サウンドトラック第1巻|trans-title=TV Series Kanon Soundtrack 1|publisher=Amazon.co.jp|access-date=June 11, 2009|language= ja}} and a second followed in July 2002.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0000677N9/|title=TVアニメーション版 Kanonサウンドトラック第2巻|trans-title=TV Series Kanon Soundtrack 2|publisher=Amazon.co.jp|access-date=June 11, 2009|language= ja}} The first anime's opening theme is "Florescence" and the ending theme is "Flower", both sung by Miho Fujiwara; the maxi single containing the anime's opening and ending themes was released in June 2002.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B000065BG7/|title=Kanon ~カノン~ - florescence [Limited Edition] [Maxi]|trans-title=Kanon "Florescence" (Limited Edition) (Maxi)|publisher=Amazon.co.jp|access-date=June 11, 2009|language= ja}} An album containing music box arranged tracks of music from the first anime was released in July 2003 called Orgel de Kiku Sakuhin Shū.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00009V9OR/|title=オルゴールで聴く TVアニメーション版 Kanon 作品集 [Soundtrack]|trans-title=Orgel de Kiku TV Animation Version Kanon Work Collection|publisher=Amazon.co.jp|access-date=June 11, 2009|language=ja}} The albums released for the first anime were produced by Frontier Works and Movic. A single was released in commemoration for the second anime called "Last regrets/Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho" which contained the game's original opening and ending themes in original, short, and remixed versions; the album was produced by Key Sounds Label.

Reception and legacy

According to a national ranking of how well bishōjo games sold nationally in Japan, the original Kanon release for Windows achieved its highest rank at number two in the ranking.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051227192346/http://www.peakspub.co.jp/ranking/rank102.htm |url=http://www.peakspub.co.jp/ranking/rank102.htm |archive-date=December 27, 2005 |title=PEAKS PCnewsWEB |publisher=Peakspub |access-date=June 14, 2007 |language=ja |url-status=dead }} Three years later in June 2002, the original release ranked in again at 45, and then again at 46 the following two weeks. The original release also made the ranking after that at number 41 in early July 2002.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060307102139/http://www.peakspub.co.jp/ranking/rank103.html |url=http://www.peakspub.co.jp/ranking/rank103.html |title=PEAKS PCnewsWEB |publisher=Peakspub |archive-date=March 7, 2006|access-date=June 14, 2007 |language=ja |url-status=dead }} The Kanon Standard Edition premiered at number 16 in the rankings.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070617202907/http://www.peakspub.co.jp/ranking/rank160161.html |url=http://www.peakspub.co.jp/ranking/rank160161.html |title=PEAKS PCnewsWEB |publisher=Peakspub |archive-date=June 17, 2007 |access-date=March 13, 2007 |language=ja |url-status=dead }} The Kanon Standard Edition remained on the top 50 list for the next two months, achieving the rankings of 47 and 35.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051227192606/http://www.peakspub.co.jp/ranking/rank163.html |url=http://www.peakspub.co.jp/ranking/rank163.html |title=PEAKS PCnewsWEB |publisher=Peakspub |archive-date=December 27, 2005 |access-date=March 13, 2007 |language=ja |url-status=dead }} The all ages version of the Kanon Standard Edition premiered at number 42 on the national ranking, went up to 35 the next month, and did not appear on the rankings after that.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051227181834/http://www.peakspub.co.jp/ranking/rank165.html |url=http://www.peakspub.co.jp/ranking/rank165.html |title=PEAKS PCnewsWEB |publisher=Peakspub |archive-date=December 27, 2005 |access-date=March 13, 2007 |language=ja |url-status=dead }} The Dreamcast port sold 42,379 units in the first week and was the fourth top selling console game in Japan for that week.{{cite web|url=https://ign.com/articles/2000/09/30/now-playing-in-japan-342|title=Now Playing in Japan|publisher=IGN|date=September 29, 2000|access-date=January 9, 2007}} Kanon has sold over 300,000 units across several platforms, not counting the PSP release.

Five days before the first PS2 release for Kanon, a PS2 printer called Tapis MPR-505 went on sale which enabled the user to print out game screens. Kanon was one of the three games supported at launch, the other two being America Ōden Ultra Quiz from DigiCube and Marle de Jigsaw from Nippon Ichi Software.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080111195733/http://www.allrpg.com/cgi-bin/news/archives.cgi?category=1&view=1-02|url=http://www.allrpg.com/cgi-bin/news/archives.cgi?category=1&view=1-02|title=A PlayStation 2 Printer|publisher=Allrpg.com|archive-date=January 11, 2008|access-date=June 8, 2009}} The first PS2 release in 2002 was reviewed by the Japanese video game magazine Famitsu where the game received an overall score of 29/40 (out of the four individual review scores of 7, 8, 7, and 7).{{cite magazine|title=Famitsu Scores for the Week of 02/20/2002|magazine=Famitsu|date=February 2002|quote=Kanon (PS2, NEC Interchannel): 7 / 8 / 7 / 7 - (29/40)}} Yūichi Suzumoto commented in an interview in March 2001 that he felt the end of Kanon's story could be summed up as "the prince and princess live happily ever after. The end," resulting in an ending that does not expand on what could possibly happen afterwards. In the October 2007 issue of Dengeki G's Magazine, poll results for the 50 best bishōjo games were released. Out of 249 titles, Kanon ranked fifth with 71 votes.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011213916/http://gs.dengekinet.com/ranking/index.html|url= http://gs.dengeki.com/ranking/index.html|title=読者が選ぶ MY BEST ギャルゲーランキング電撃G'smagazine.com|trans-title=Reader Chosen MY BEST Girl Game Ranking Dengeki G's magazine.com|publisher= ASCII Media Works|archive-date=October 11, 2007|access-date=January 3, 2011|language=ja}}

Characters from Kanon have appeared in several dōjin games not directly based on the Kanon series such as the Eternal Fighter Zero game by Twilight Frontier where most of the playable characters either came from Kanon or from One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e.{{cite video game|title=Eternal Fighter Zero|developer=Twilight Frontier|publisher=Twilight Frontier|platform=PC|language=ja}} The dōjin game Glove on Fight featured at least two Kanon characters: Ayu Tsukimiya and Akiko Minase in a fighting style game along with various other characters taken from other media.{{cite video game|title=Glove on Fight|developer=Twilight Frontier|publisher=Twilight Frontier|platform=PC|language=ja}} The character Ayu Tsukimiya in particular is known to appear in works outside Kanon, such as in strip 67 of the webcomic Megatokyo where Ayu is shown eating taiyaki.{{cite web|author=Fred Gallagher|url=https://megatokyo.com/index.php?strip_id=67|title=MegaTokyo - (67) Saving Points|publisher=Fredart Studios|access-date=June 15, 2009|author-link= Fred Gallagher (cartoonist)}}

The second Kanon anime series was reviewed at Anime News Network where Theron Martin commented how the series is a "formulaic moe haremfest", and how the moe aspects of the series may make viewers "feel like they're drowning in a vat of gooey cuteness". The series is described as being similar to the anime television adaptation of Air, saying "Like Air, the first four episodes can be simply summarized as 'male lead arrives in town and kills time interacting with cute girls.' Unlike Air, however, these interactions can occasionally be very funny."{{cite web|url=https://animenewsnetwork.com/review/kanon/dvd-1|title=Kanon DVD 1 Review|author=Martin, Theron|publisher=Anime News Network|date=December 22, 2007|access-date=July 6, 2009}} Martin also compares Kanon to the anime adaptation of Shuffle! which is described as "bombing" where Kanon "works". The reviewer chalks this up to the characters "endear[ing] themselves to the viewer...far better than what Shuffle!'s do." Martin cites the transition between humor and serious content as a defining feature of the series.{{cite web|url=https://animenewsnetwork.com/review/kanon/dvds-2|title=Kanon DVDs 2-3 Review|author=Martin, Theron|publisher=Anime News Network|date=April 8, 2008|access-date=July 6, 2009}} However, Martin comments how one of the series' flaws is how it "overplays the mundane cutesiness and moe cards at times" causing little to happen with the plot. Yuichi is described as being "too erratic to be fully credible" or easily believable.{{cite web|url=https://animenewsnetwork.com/review/kanon/dvd-5|title=Kanon DVDs 4-5 Review|author=Martin, Theron|publisher=Anime News Network|date=July 29, 2008|access-date=July 6, 2009}} Despite the series' drawbacks, Martin still describes the series as "one of the best moe-centric series to date" and lauds Kyoto Animation's production values making Kanon "one of the prettiest-looking anime series of the past year". Martin adds another series comparison, citing Kanon as the "polar opposite of Gurren Lagann", which deals primarily in its action-oriented content.{{cite web|url=https://animenewsnetwork.com/review/kanon/dvd-6|title=Kanon DVD 6 Review|author=Martin, Theron|publisher=Anime News Network|date=November 29, 2008|access-date=July 6, 2009}}

Notes

References

External links

[https://key.visualarts.gr.jp/product/kanon Kanon] at Key {{in lang|ja}}
[https://store.steampowered.com/app/2850310/Kanon/ Kanon Steam page]
[https://lineup.toei-anim.co.jp/ja/tv/kanon/ Kanon anime] at Toei Animation {{in lang|ja}}
[https://tbs.co.jp/anime/kanon/ Kanon anime] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918070340/https://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/kanon/ |date=2021-09-18 }} at TBS {{in lang|ja}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191207185902/http://funimation.com/shows/kanon Kanon anime] at Funimation
{{anime News Network|anime|313|Kanon (2002)}}
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