Kanon ep.21

February 22, 2007 | 37 Comments

I have to say that the way Kyoto Animation approaches this arc is pretty interesting. I think most people are aware that Ayu's arc is not complete yet but here we are at the start of another arc. I suppose this is mostly because Ayu and Nayuki's story has that crossover feel to it. The thing is, with the way things are, there's a likelihood that some viewers will think that Ayu's arc has ended and Nayuki is the last girl available for Yuuichi. Come to think of it, it must suck to be Yuuichi since it looks like the girls that he like are practically dropping like flies every couple of weeks. And judging from the end of this episode, it seems the casualties are not limited to girls that Yuuichi like. If I were Kitagawa, I'd steer clear from Yuuichi from now. That guy seems to carry a lot of misfortune with him.

The episode begins with a flashback revealing that Chibi Ayu's 2nd wish back then in the forest was for her and Yuuichi to attend school together. She wanted the two of them to attend a school here, study together, have lunch together, clean up the class, and then she wants to go home together with Yuuichi. Upon hearing this, Yuuichi declared that right now this place is school, one where strict rules and wearing uniform do not exist. It's a free school where there is no homework and test, where they can have break and go home anytime they want to. Upon hearing this, Ayu declared that she wants to have Taiyaki for lunch everyday. Yuuichi thinks that everyday is a bit too much but Ayu insisted on it so he simply smiled at her. He then told her that this would be their meeting place next time. In the present time, Yuuichi wakes up in his room thanks to the alarm. He then recalls how Ayu told him that she may not be able to see him again.

During breakfast, Nayuki notices Ayu's disappearance and wonders if she has gone back home. Upon seeing Yuuichi's tired look, Akiko suggests that he rests at home today. Despite the advice, Yuuichi decides to attend school and ends up looking into the distance after he's inside the class. During lunchtime, Nayuki asks Yuuichi if he doesn't know her home address or mobile phone and Yuuichi admits that he didn't ask and therefore he only knows her name. When Yuuichi refuses to eat his food, Nayuki remarks that Yuuichi really does like Ayu. Yuuichi wonders if Ayu said something but Nayuki denies this. After school, Yuuichi tries to look everywhere for Ayu: Taiyaki seller, the forest, the bench, but he can't find her. Instead he meets Nayuki, who asks him if he manages to find Ayu. Yuuichi tells her that he was hoping she'll be here since this is their usual meeting place. Upon hearing this, Nayuki remembers when Chibi Yuuichi cried on that bench.

After the two sit at a Cafe, Nayuki asks Yuuichi if he and Ayu managed to find the item that Ayu lost. After seeing Yuuichi's worried face, she assures Yuuichi that Ayu will come back since he has her bag. She then ordered to cake in order to cheer Yuuichi up. At home, Akiko tells Yuuichi that unfortunately Ayu hasn't contacted her. That night, Nayuki decides to keep Yuuichi company by doing her homework with him. However, Nayuki being Nayuki means that she feels sleepy in no time. After some encouragement, Nayuki manages to wake up again and tells Yuuichi that this is similar to the time when they do homework together during winter holiday. Unfortunately for her, Yuuichi can't remember this. All of a sudden, Yuuichi feels that someone touches his legs. At first he thinks it's Nayuki but then he starts feeling ticklish and upon checking underneath the table, he realises that Piro the Cat is the one who's been tickling his leg.

Yuuichi picks the cat in an attempt to move it. However, Nayuki immediately spots the cat and wants to give it a big glomp. A few hours later, Nayuki is sleeping on the floor so Yuuichi grabs a blanket and places it over her. He then quits the room and quietly thanks her for trying to cheer him up. Another flashback shows Chibi Yuuichi taking Chibi Ayu out of the forest as it starts getting dark. "Boku" claimed that she's afraid but Yuuichi assured her that he is near her. He also told her that once they get out of the forest, there will be light. Ayu corrected him by saying that this is not forest but school. Eventually the two reached a well-lit street outside the forest. As they walked through the path, Ayu noticed an empty jar laying on the side of the street. She then asked Yuuichi if he knows something about "Time Capsule". Yuuichi confirms this by saying that it's someone who store the items they want to reminisce.

Ayu believed she can use the jar as a time capsule but Yuuichi wondered what she'd put in it. In response Ayu pulled the doll that Yuuichi gave her and wondered if it's okay with him. Yuuichi told her it's okay but he also reminded her that there's one wish left. Ayu didn't mind since she already had 2 wishes granted. She wanted one last wish to be saved for her future self. Yuuichi wasn't sure about this and wondered if they'd ever find the doll again since they buried the time capsule in the middle of nowhere. Ayu, however, was sure that they'd find it again. She told him that if this doll is needed, then surely it would show up again. After the two arrived in the city, they parted ways and promised to meet again at 'school' tomorrow. The two then did Yubikiri as usual before going to their respective home. In the present time, a sleepy and seemingly on drug Nayuki points out the name of every single cat face in her pyjamas.

As the two head towards the school, Nayuki and Yuuichi gets into a light talk about Akiko and what she's done for Nayuki. Nayuki admits that she's grateful for and loves her mother. Although it's just the two of them most of the time, Nayuki doesn't feel lonely at all. When the two enter the school gate, Nayuki notices a crumbled snow rabbit on the ground. She quickly sees a quick flashback of someone throwing similar-looking snow rabbit into the ground, causing her to look sad. In the present time, Nayuki wonders who could possibly made this snow rabbit and decides to fix it up. She then asks Yuuichi if she can use the red marble that he bought to substitute the snow rabbit's missing eye. Yuuichi is surprised to see this and wonders if Nayuki always holding on to it. Nayuki confirms this and claims that it's an important item to her but wants to use it on the rabbit. Much to her relief, Yuuichi claims that he doesn't mind her using it on the rabbit.

After placing the marble into the snow rabbit, Nayuki wonders if Yuuichi remembers anything when he sees this snow rabbit. Unfortunately for Nayuki, Yuuichi only recalls that a girl who made snow rabbits for the sake of her sick mother. When Nayuki asks her about this person, Yuuichi refers to this person as her female acquintance. He mentioned how since they couldn't go to the zoo, this girl made a lot of snow rabbits for her mother. Yuuichi tells Nayuki not to worry because the girl's mother got well and the girl got along well with another girl. This, however, makes Yuuichi wonder about what Nayuki actually remember. Nayuki, however, tells Yuuichi that it's nothing important. Later on after school, Yuuichi, Nayuki, and Kitagawa head to the forest to look for this item that Ayu was looking for. After some failed attempts, including a rotting bucket that Nayuki find, Kitagawa finally hits the jackpot or rather, the jar containing the doll.

That night, Nayuki helps Yuuichi to clean up the doll. Yuuichi apologises for this but Nayuki doesn't mind since this is the only thing that she can do. Later on as they stand on the balcony, Yuuichi notices Nayuki's hair and wonders if she changed her hairstyle. Nayuki is confused to hear this since her hair has always been this way. Yuuichi disagrees and reminds her that during primary school, she used to braid her hair. Nayuki confirms this but she decided to ditch the style after one year. When Yuuichi asks her why she did it, Nayuki refuses to answer the question. The next day, Nayuki is the one who gets to be a live alarm clock for Yuuichi. Yuuichi wonders if this is a dream and when Nayuki tells him it's not, he tells her he finds a situation where Nayuki awakes him to be unbelievable. An upset Nayuki tells her no-good cousin that he's very rude. During breakfast, Nayuki tells Yuuichi that her mother is sad because Makoto and Ayu have gone.

Since her mother likes the house to be lively, Nayuki wants to make sure that Yuuichi is not going anywhere. Yuuichi assures her since the only house he can go home to is this one. When the two arrive at school and see the snow rabbit again, Yuuichi finally remembers that at one point when he was crying, Nayuki made a snow rabbit to cheer him up. She then confessed that she's always liked Yuuichi. However, because he was upset, he smacked the snow rabbit out of Nayuki's hand, causing the girl to become sad. All of a sudden, a teacher comes to the classroom, asking Nayuki and Yuuichi to come with him. He then asks the two to calm down while listening to what he has to say. As it turns out, after buying a cake for Nayuki, Akiko tried to cross the street using Zebra-cross. However, while doing so, two speeding cars collide into each other due to the slippery road. Akiko, who's trapped in between the two car, ended up getting hit by one car.

Preview

Impression:

What a horrific way to end the episode. It didn't really dawn on me until a second viewing of how horrific the impact of the hit must have been on Akiko. This episode also makes me sympathise with Nayuki a lot. I think it's kind of lousy of Yuuichi to destroy her snow rabbit when she just wanted to cheer him up. What's his deal anyway? Did that scene happen not long after something happened to Ayu or something? Speaking of Ayu, I feel like a slowpoke for not realising earlier that the item that Ayu has been searching all of these times is that angelic doll. It just never occured to me that she's looking for it since she seems to have it during the flashback. This episode also did a good job in explaining why Ayu thinks that there is a school inside the forest all of these times. It seems Ayu somehow ended up believing her make-believe promise with Yuuichi. Since Yuuichi pretended that the forest is school, Ayu thinks that it's a real school.

It also makes sense why someone around Ayu's age believes about going to a school without homework and test. If she heard about this when she was a kid and then something happened to her and put her in a coma, then technically her mind stays as a 10 years old. The same thing can be said about her belief that the time capsule that she buried in the middle of nowhere would show up when it's most needed. I think it was a pure chance that Yuuichi and his friends manage to find it. In reality, it's probably hard to find something that is buried in the middle of nowhere without any kind of mark to distinguish the original location. Anyway, I think the majority of mysteries have been uncovered so far. The only thing left was what happened 7 years ago to Ayu and what was it that caused Yuuichi to lose his memory? It seems the two are related and is probably why Yuuichi was crying a lot in one of his/Nayuki's flashbacks.

On next week's episode: Nayuki kicks Yuuichi's freeloading butt out.

© memento 2003