Kanon ep.04

October 27, 2006 | 17 Comments

If you are waiting for Mushishi and Nodame Cantabile entries, I promise they'll get done in the weekend after Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori new entry. As for this episode, I feel it's a bit too slow in comparison to the last 2 episodes. This is basically a return to the first episode where the characters spend time doing menial chores like delivering lunch for someone or moving boxes. If you have played the game, are these 'slice-of-life' (for the lack of a better word) scenes included in the game as well? Or are they something that Kyoto Animation added to the storyline to pad the episode? I am mostly disappointed because we don't get to see the continuation of last week's cliffhanger with Mai and her sword. Thankfully, unlike the first episode, this one also contains a lot of foreshadowing and hints of future story.

The episode begins with a girl narrating about dream as usual. This time around she mentions how there is an end to a dream regardless whether it is a pleasant or a scary one. In between the warm Futon, her mother will shake her awake and interrupt the dream. It's always the same, forever unchanging morning scene. Right now, however, she's not sure when did she lose the end to this dream. After the opening, a flashback shows the continuation of the flashback that Yuuichi had in episode 1. Back then he tried to persuade Chibi Ayu to stop crying and wanted to know why "Ayu Ayu" cried in the first place. Chibi Ayu, however, didn't give him an answer and instead told him that her name is not "Ayu Ayu". Before Yuuichi can leave, however, he heard Ayu's stomach grumbling. Feeling sorry for the girl, he decided to buy her favourite's food, Taiyaki. The two of them then ate Taiyaki together and Ayu pointed out that the cake tastes a bit salty for some reason.

Yuuichi laughed upon hearing this and told her that's because she cried not too long ago. This reminds him to ask her again why she cried in the first place. Once again, however, Ayu did not want to tell him the answer. Because of this, Yuuichi decided to leave but before he can go far, Ayu grabbed his shirt and told him that she'd like to eat Taiyaki again. Upon hearing this, Yuuichi asked her if they should eat together again soon. He then promised to meet her again the next day at the bench in front of the train station. Back then Ayu asked Yuuichi if he is not lying about this. Despite his confirmation, Ayu refused to believe in the promise unless he performs a Yubikiri (pinky swear) with her. Yuuichi eventually gave up and confirmed his promise with Ayu with the pinky swear. After Ayu left, Yuuichi realised that he promised to wait for Nayuki in front of a shop. When he got there, Nayuki was still waiting for him but she looked upset and called him a liar.

Yuuichi is awaken from his sleep and overhears footsteps outside his room. When he notices Makoto sneaking into his room, he pretends to stay asleep. Makoto sneaks into the room with Konnyaku, ready to drop it into Yuuichi's face. When she counts down to zero, however, Yuuichi screams "Zeroo" all of a sudden, shocking her in the process. Yuuichi then asks the girl if the Konnyaku is her night meal. Without thinking about it, Makoto confirms this and is shocked when Yuuichi forces her to eat it. Makoto tries to weasel out of this by telling Yuuichi that she's full but he reminds her that there's retribution for wasting food. Unfortunately for Yuuichi, meddling Akiko then comes into the room and asks them what they are doing. Upon seeing Makoto eating the Konnyaku, she feels sorry for the girl and tells her that she'll make Makoto something to eat. Makoto tries to explain that she's not hungry but Yuuichi sarcastically tells her that she must be glad.

The next morning, Yuuichi plans on tidying up his packed goods when Makoto comes out of her room complaining about heartburn. Yuuichi gives her a satisfaction grin and tells the girl that is because she extorted foods in the middle of the night. Makoto denies this and tells him that's just her trying to.....his face. Yuuichi immediately asks the girl what she was trying to do to his face but she just tells him that she doesn't want to see him. After Makoto goes up into the second floor, Akiko tells Yuuichi that she's going out for a while to go shopping then delivering the lunchbox that Nayuki forgot to bring when she went to her track and field practice. Yuuichi offers to deliver the lunchbox to Nayuki so he proceeds to make his way into the school. Yuuichi arrives in time just as Nayuki goes into her break time. Yuuichi makes a passing comment about the good condition of the building so Nayuki explains that is because they can only get in during club activities days.

While on his way out of the school, Yuuichi ends up meeting Kaori, who's on her way to do her own club activities. Yuuichi finds it hard to believe that both Kaori and Nayuki are so serious on weekends. Kaori tells Yuuichi that is only true for Nayuki since she basically just doesn't want to be in her house at the moment. When Yuuichi asks her if she had a fight with her parents, she tells him that's more or less what happened. After a few uncomfortable and quiet moments, Kaori decides to break the ice by asking Yuuichi if he's used to the school now. She thinks it must be nice to be in the same class with someone that he knows, referring to Nayuki. Having said that, she asks Yuuichi not to trouble Nayuki too much. Kaori also asks him to take care of Nayuki since Nayuki has the tendency to push herself a bit too hard, especially with her club activities. Yuuichi wonders if Nayuki sleeps so often for that reason but Kaori tells him that's just her nature.

When Yuuichi arrives in the city center, he meets Akiko and ends up carrying a bag of rice for her. Akiko apologises for making Yuuichi busy but he doesn't seem to mind. He thinks it must be hard for Akiko to do all of these things on her own before. Their conversation, however, is interrupted when Ayu comes and screams Yuuichi's name. She then falls flat on her face as usual. Akiko ends up helping Ayu back on her feet and wonders if she is Yuuichi's friend. Yuuichi, of course, sarcastically says outloud that Ayu is just a girl that he doesn't know very well much to Ayu's annoyance. She wonders if Yuuichi actually hates her but Yuuichi tells her that was just a joke and he doesn't hate her. When he sees the bag of Taiyaki in her hand, however, Yuuichi asks Ayu if she just stole food as usual. Ayu denies this, claiming that she got it from the old man who sells Taiyaki. Yuuichi is surprised to hear this especially after Ayu caused so much trouble for the kind old man.

Yuuichi then introduces Ayu to her aunt and vice versa. For some reason, Akiko is surprised when she finds out that Ayu's name is Tsukimiya Ayu. She momentarily looks as if she's either seen or heard about Ayu before. Akiko, however, quickly pretends as if there is nothing wrong. Ayu then asks Yuuichi what he'll do now. When she finds out that he's about to go home and tidy up his belongings that are still in the moving boxes, she offers her help. After all, he did help her yesterday. When they arrive at the house, Ayu realises that Makoto has been looking at them from afar. Yuuichi asks Makoto to come out and introduce herself so the girl reluctantly comes out of her hiding. Yuuichi also asks her if she can help him carrying the box. Makoto refuses to do this but ends up carrying one box upstairs. However, since she seems to have difficulty carrying the box, Yuuichi decides to just let the girls talk to each other while he carries the rest of the box upstairs.

Inside the room, there are some uncomfortable quietness until Ayu breaks the silence and offers Makoto one of her Taiyaki. Upon tasting it, Makoto thinks it's sweet but she likes it anyway. After Yuuichi carries all of the boxes upstairs, Ayu and Makoto help him to unpack the belongings which range from clothes to books. Not surprisingly, however, a minor disaster happens along the way, one which causes Ayu to fall flat on her face. Eventually, the three of them manage to unpack everything and cleans up Yuuichi's room. Akiko then invites everyone to have some tree and Castella cake. When she wonders where Makoto could be, Yuuichi guesses that she's probably just tired. Unknown to them, Makoto has been watching over them quietly from upstairs. Meanwhile, Yuuichi asks Ayu if she managed to find the thing that she was looking for but it seems she hasn't found it. After finishing the cake, Ayu bids goodbye to Yuuichi and Akiko and leaves the house.

On her way out of the place, however, she notices that Makoto has been watching over her. Ayu quickly waves her hands towards Makoto and the other girl reluctantly returns the favour. That night Nayuki returns home and knocks on Yuuichi's room, causing the guy to assume that she wants a massage. She basically wants the note that she lend him back. Unfortunately for Nayuki, Yuuichi left the note at school. She is shocked to hear this since she has to do her homework and Yuuichi doesn't help situation by saying that he'll return it to her tomorrow. Nayuki is annoyed with Yuuichi's lack of concern especially since the teacher in question is strict. Eventually Yuuichi gives up and decides to go back to school to fetch the notebook for her. After obtaining the note from his class, Yuuichi is about to head back home. When he arrives at one of the school halls, however, he realises that there is a girl carrying a sword standing next to the window.

Impression:

There are several mysteries included in this episode. The first one is Kaori and the situation in her home. She told Yuuichi that she just had a fight with her parents but never specified the cause of this fight. Another mystery revolves around Ayu and her mysterious identity. It's interesting to note that Akiko seems to recognise or have heard about Ayu before. The scene in question also suggested that she never expected to see Ayu either. I was also surprised to see the interaction between Ayu and Makoto. At first I thought Makoto is simply shy around new people but she doesn't seem to be this way with Akiko and Nayuki. In addition to this, she clearly went out of her way to observe Ayu when she first arrived in the house and later on after she left the house. I think just like Akiko, Makoto recognises Ayu as well but didn't expect to see her around. The last mystery basically involves Mai and her reason for carrying a sword into a school at night.

Judging from the pattern that has emerged so far, the storyline seems to be concentrated heavily around the mystery that surrounds Ayu and Makoto. It's probably not a coincidence that Ayu couldn't find something that she looks for while Makoto can't seem to remember her past. I'm not sure how Mai's secret profession fits into the show but if there is some kind of supernatural happening in this town, then her profession as a slayer being simply confirms that this is one supernatural-infested town. That leaves Shiori and Nayuki as the only two girls whose problem seems relatively 'normal' in comparison to the others. Of all the girls, I probably like Makoto the most since her mischieveous nature is entertaining to see. I hope she gets to one-up Yuuichi in the future because that will be fun to see. As a side note, I thought the gym teacher looks like Tsuruya-san from Suzumiya Haruhi but that's most likely just the drawing style of the character designer.

Preview

On next week's episode: Makoto gets to meet Mai.

© memento 2003