Kanon ep.08

November 24, 2006 | 29 Comments

I'm sorry if things are a bit late in the next few weeks because I'll be busy preparing an application for a scholarship at a graduate school. Although my chance is small, it'll be awesome if I can get this but that means I have to spend a good time writing the application. Anyway, this is a good episode which finally reveals everything there is to know about Makoto. I'm glad that my guess turned out to be correct but I'm not looking forward to next week's episode. Makoto has been my favourite character thus far so I can't believe that it'll end this way. Animation-wise, the episode is a bit middle of the road this time around. Kyoto Animation clearly tried to preserve their budget and decided to use their usual static stills and long shots technique in this episode. Thankfully there are equal amount of eye candy scattered around the episode to make sure that the episode doesn't look like it is composed entirely of static stills and long shots.

The episode begins with Nayuki going to school on her own while inside the house, Yuuichi and Makoto wonder what they are going to do with the cat Yuuichi brought home. Makoto tells Yuuichi that if possibly, she'd like to raise it so Yuuichi suggests that she mentions it to Akiko since he's sure she'd get her answer in 1 second. True enough, Akiko immediately grants her wish in 1 second. Having said that, Akiko asks her not to let the cat get close to Nayuki since the girl has cat allergy. Yuuichi thinks that the next thing they should do is to give the cat a name and jokes around about naming the cat "Niku-man" (meat bun). Since Makoto doesn't want to give the cat a food's name, Yuuichi suggests that they call it "Piroshiki". Makoto thinks it's cute and agrees to call the cat "Piro". Upon hearing this, Akiko tells Yuuichi that "Piroshiki" is a Russian word for meat bun. Yuichi confirms this but thinks it's okay since Makoto likes it. XD

That morning, Yuuichi questions Makoto's decision to bring Piro to the nursery where she works. Especially since the last time around, Makoto actually tried to throw the cat away. In retaliation Makoto claims that she wasn't intentionally throwing the cat away. Besides, she feels that Piro helped her after she lost her memory. Yuuichi thinks that's a foolish talk and besides, the cat does not belong to her. Makoto argues that because the cat is now familiar with her it means that the cat belongs to her. As they walk further, Makoto asks Yuuichi why meat bun tastes good. Yuuichi is weirded out by this since he can't exactly reveal the secret from the maker's point of view. When Makoto suggests that Yuuichi says something like "It's delicious, isn't it?", Yuuichi suddenly says it complete with sparkles but then getting disgusted at his own act. Makoto decides to tease him even further by slapping his ass. Yuuichi is not happy about this and decides to chase her around.

Inside the school, Yuuichi thanks Mai for her suggestion last night since he found Makoto at the location that she specified. Having said that, he wants to know why Mai understands where Makoto could be. He wonders if Mai really doesn't know Makoto. Mai denies of knowing Makoto and claims that she just felt Makoto was there. Yuuichi tells Mai that Makoto can't remember anything so he asks her to tell him if there is anything that she knows. As Amano passes the two of them, Mai tells Yuuichi that there is nothing that she can do but Amano should be able to. Before Yuuichi can asks Mai what she meant by this, Mai already left. That afternoon, Yuuichi notices Makoto waiting for him in front of the gate and wonders what the girl is doing in the middle of cold day like this. Much to his surprise, Amano tells him that Makoto is waiting for him. Amano then asks him Makoto's name so Yuuichi tells her that it's "Sawatari Makoto".

Yuuichi then remembers that when he was a kid, he once told someone about a girl called Sawatari Makoto. Yuuichi suddenly realises the meaning of this memory and turns around to talk to Amano but she already disappears. A few minutes later, Yuuichi approaches Makoto and observes her face. As the two walk to the city, Yuuichi finds out from Makoto that she was scolded at her workplace for bringing Piro. Because of this, she can't bring the cat tomorrow. In order to cheer Makoto up, Yuuichi decides to buy the girl a meat bun. A few hours later when the two are back inside the house, Makoto barges into Yuuichi's room. Yuuichi is unhappy about this and asks her to knock but she argues that Yuuichi never does it either. Yuuichi doesn't care and asks Makoto to go out since he has to do his homework. When Makoto tells him that she's about to show him a 'good thing', Yuuichi points out that he already saw her naked. XD

Much to Yuuichi's disappointment, the 'good thing' that Makoto wants to show him is just Piro drinking milk. Because of this, he goes back to his room to finish his homework. A few minutes later, she comes back complaining that Piro has stomached. After checking on the cat, Yuuichi tells Makoto that the cat got sick due to cold milk and asks her to be careful next time. That night after Makoto sleeps next to Piro, Yuuichi looks at her and thinks to himself that he did once mentioned Sawatari Makoto but that person is not this Makoto. Sawatari Makoto is the name of an older woman that chibi Yuuichi liked. Having said that, there isn't anyone that Yuuichi knows who knew her name. The next day, Makoto goes to her workplace with Yuuichi as usual. In the middle of the journey, however, she starts to stagger and has to support herself by holding onto Yuuichi's arm. Makoto thinks this is because she didn't get enoug sleep last night.

That afternoon, Yuuichi ends up talking to the girl who approached him yesterday. The girl turns out to be a first year student called Amano Mishio. Upon hearing this, Yuuichi asks Amano if she remembers the girl whom she saw yesterday and asks her if she can become friends with this girl. Because of a 'circumstance', the girl doesn't know anyone. Much to Yuuichi's surprise, Amano immediately guesses that Makoto lost her memory and refuses to become her friends. She also denies of ever knowing Makoto. If anything, it was Yuuichi who has met her before. As soon as she said this, Yuuichi's memory floods back and he asks Amano to stop before she can tell him what Makoto was when he first met her. That afternoon after school is over, Yuuichi finds Makoto waiting outside the gate. She tells him that she wants to track down her past. Because of this, they return to the Hill because Makoto feels as if she used to be there for a long time.

As the two enter the forest, Yuuichi wonders if something happened here. Makoto doesn't seem to know until the two reach an open field. Yuuichi finally realises that this is the place where he and 'that person' parted ways. All of a sudden, Makoto punches Yuuichi on the chest because she feels that something bad happened in here. Since the weather starts to snow, Yuuichi decides to take Makoto back and promises to buy her a meat bun on their way home. Makoto becomes excited again but she loses her balance and falls flat on the ground. Later on, the two end up walking around the city as they munch the meat bun. Makoto, however, looks sad when she sees the photo booth at the amusement centre. When the two arrive home, Nayuki informs Makoto that tonight's dinner is Oden. After Makoto goes inside, Nayuki tells Yuuichi that they still can’t find Makoto’s parents.

Nayuki's attention, however, goes haywire when she sees Piro. She immediately forgets her point and starts to stroke the cat's head and jaw. That night Makoto keeps bothering Yuuichi by asking him to make paper plane and later on, by asking him to read manga with her. Since Makoto can't read some parts of the manga, Yuuichi eventually relents and decides to read it to her. He, however, is shocked upon finding out that the manga is shoujo manga. :P Suffice to say, the manga ends with the male character promising to marry the female character before bidding goodbye to her. Makoto cries upon seeing this but Yuuichi is not that impressed. When they're about to have dinner, Makoto for some reason drops her chopstick up to 3 times. Makoto explains that she can't move her hand for some reason. Because of this, Akiko suggests that Makoto uses spoon for now. Yuuichi, on the other hand, uses the opportunity to take Makoto's portion of the oden.

Later on while Yuuichi tries to sleep, Makoto wakes him up and asks him if Piro came here. Makoto tries to take Piro back but Yuuichi tells her to leave the cat here since it is sleeping and he doesn't mind having it around. Before Yuuichi can say anything else, Makoto decides to sleep with him on the bed. Because of this, Yuuichi plans on sleeping in Makoto's room but before he can do this, Makoto grabs his shirt. A few hours later, Yuuichi still unable to sleep so he starts thinking about Sawatari Makoto. All of a sudden, Makoto can be heard talking in her dream, saying that she thought they'll always be together. Suddenly Yuuichi tells himself that it feels as if he was in a long dream. He remembers how 10 years ago, he was laying next to someone, telling that person about Sawatari Makoto. Apparently he has helped this person with the injury on the person's hand....except that person wasn't a person but a little fox.

The next day, Yuuichi asks Makoto if she's still planning her revenge. Much to his surprise, Makoto tells him that lately she doesn't feel like it. He then remembers his conversation with Amano about the fact that Makoto is not a human. Amano understood if Yuuichi could not understand this because she once felt the same way. Yuuichi is surprised to know that Amano has encountered similar experience. Amano told Yuuichi that she's sure Makoto only wants to see Yuuichi and there's no other reason apart from this. Makoto simply wants to see Yuuichi and it's because of this, that it took a human form. Amano also explained that for this miracle to happen, two sacrifices were required out of Makoto: her memory and her life. Yuuichi is shocked to hear this so Amano tells him that Makoto doesn't know about this. However, she'll slowly lose her physical strength and ability to stand like normal human. There is no hospital or doctor who can help her.

Impression:

I didn't know that "Piroshiki" means meat bun in Russian. When Yuuichi suggested the name, I actually remember Piro from Megatokyo. Also, nice sparkles, Yuuichi! Anyway, after last week's episode, I thought that the series will end with Makoto returning into her form but I didn't expect her to sacrifice her memory and her life just to see Yuuichi. Judging from what transpired in this episode, I assume Yuuichi saved the little fox and it became infatuated with him. However, when Yuuichi had to move away from the place 10 years ago, he left the fox in the forest's open area. I think this is what Makoto meant when she said a bad thing happened in that area. She always thought that she'll be with Yuuichi forever. I assume this is also the reason why Makoto was angry with Yuuichi when she first met him as a human. She was angry that he left her on her own in the forest. What I don't understand is how she transformed into a human. Is there some kind of a powerful being that allowed her to do this? Also does anyone know the relevance of the classic music title?

Preview

On next week's episode: Nooo!! Please tell me it's not happening....and what's with the classical song episode name? Has anyone else played Resident Evil: Code Veronica? Well, here's Chopin's Berceuse.

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