Canaan review

From the first episode and onward, Canaan has been a well animated, action-packed thrill ride that always kept me in suspense. Although I had some issues with the ending of the series, as a whole I think it was one of the best to come out this year…

One of the first good qualities Canaan possesses is stellar animation. I don’t think anyone can deny that its animation quality is above average for an anime TV series. Not just the fluid movement of the animation itself, but the detailed backgrounds, such as the amazing depiction of the colorful, crowded Shanghai festival in episode 1. For an action series, animation quality can make a world of difference. The character designs are also unique and various, further emphasizing the universal quality of the series. Type Moon definitely put a lot of emphasis on giving Canaan top notch animation and design.

The series also has an excellent opening, which perfectly conveys the action and intensity present in the show. The way the episode previews were done stood out to me too. That awesome echoing effect as the characters say the preview and upcoming episode title will be missed.

As for the story and theme, they too excel. While shady terrorist groups, government conspiracies, and deadly viruses are not too uncommon in anime, Canaan utilizes these plots well with a great amount of suspense and unpredictability. The awe-inspiring action scenes conveyed through high-budget animation, as well as the more heartfelt scenes where the characters such as Canaan and Maria reflect on their inner feelings and conflicts, were intermingled with equal intensity. The concept of synthesia and the conflict it brings to Canaan’s ability to see the truth around her, and Maria’s desire to capture the truth as a photographer with her camera, is one of many thought-provoking themes spread throughout the series. Lighter scenes such as Yunyun’s comic relief and Canaan and Maria’s friendship were also blended well and did not seem too disruptive to the dark plot and serious tone of the series.

The Canaan characters themselves were as dynamic and engrossing as the story and setting they dwell in. Canaan’s toughness and killing skills are juxtaposed well with her inner conflicts and childlike understanding of the world. The air-headed Maria becomes much stronger and independent by the end of the series. The mute and seemingly delicate Hakko suddenly becomes vengeful and proactive before having her life ended in tragedy. Comic relief Yunyun shows her own strengths and weakness, such as her fate as a useless Borner and her dedication to protect Maria in Canaan’s absence. Even the brutal Alphard and psychotic Liang Qi, as disturbing as they often were, had something engrossing about them.

The relationship between Canaan and Maria is one of the driving points in the series and I felt it was very well construed. Without having to be physically close to each other much, they simply needed to exist and think about each other; with each of them knowing that the other existed and thought of her, they were able to become stronger without needing any spoken words between them. Each acted as the “light” for the other in trying to find their true selves. Whether you interpret their bond as a yuri romance or simply deep friendship, I felt it was a very memorable and unique relationship.

As much as I loved episodes 1 through 12 of Canaan, the final 13th episode left me somewhat disappointed. First off, it would have been fine if Alphard died during her intense, self-realization confrontation with Canaan on the train. What was the point of bringing her back at the last second and then have a vague, unseen battle with Canaan yet again? In addition to Alphard surviving after falling from such a great height, Yunyun being able to save Maria from the train explosion was also a bit unrealistic. I’m sure the writers could have thought of something better than that. I also think it would have been better if Canaan and Maria had at least seen each other before going their separate ways, instead of each of them assuming that the other survived and was doing okay. Instead of having an arbitrary showdown between Canaan and Alphard again, I think the last few seconds of the series would have been better spent with a hint at a chance meeting between Canaan, Maria, and/or Yunyun in the future.

Besides the less than perfect ending, one more thing that I felt the series lacked was proper background about the relationship between Canaan, Alphard, and Siam. Maybe I simply missed out on some key facts while watching the episodes, but I still don’t understand why Alphard killed Siam, why they both had the name “Canaan” at some point, what exactly Siam did with/for each of them, and how the relationship between the three of them ended in such violence and hatred. If anyone wants to clear this up for me, that would be much appreciated.

In summary, with the exception of a flawed conclusion, I felt that Canaan excelled in just about everything else – animation, characters, plot, setting, etc. Despite a disappointing 13th episode, it had 12 episodes of pure awesomeness that always grabbed my attention and kept me in utter suspense. I definitely won’t forget this show anytime soon =)