Kanon (video game)

Last updated
Kanon
Kanon original game cover.jpg
Cover featuring heroine Ayu Tsukimiya
Developer(s) Key
Publisher(s)
Director(s) Naoki Hisaya
Artist(s) Itaru Hinoue
Writer(s)
Composer(s)
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, SoftBank 3G, Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access, PlayStation Portable, Android, Blu-ray Disc, iOS, Nintendo Switch
Release
June 4, 1999
  • Windows
    • 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
    • JP: September 14, 2000
    PlayStation 2
    • JP: February 28, 2002
    SoftBank 3G
    • JP: October 27, 2006
    FOMA
    • JP: December 2006
    PlayStation Portable
    • JP: February 15, 2007
    Android
    • JP: November 30, 2011
    • JP: January 2013
    Blu-ray Disc
    • JP: December 16, 2011
    iOS
    • JP: April 4, 2013
    Nintendo Switch
    • JP: April 20, 2023
Genre(s)
Mode(s) 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.

Contents

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

Text in Kanon is displayed in a dialog box, here depicting the player character talking with Ayu. Kanon Ayu screenshot.jpg
Text in Kanon is displayed in a dialog box, here depicting the player character talking with Ayu.

Kanon is a romance visual novel in which the player assumes the role of Yuichi Aizawa. [1] 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. [2]

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. [1] 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. [3]

In the adult versions of the game, there are scenes with sexual CGs depicting Yuichi and a given heroine having sex. [1] [4] 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. [1] Outside of these, there are two scenes with nudity. [1] 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. [3] Maeda remarked that the sex scenes were not written with reproduction in mind. [3]

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. [1]

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. [5] The act of promising and keeping promises is found throughout the story. [6] 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. [1]

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. [1] 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. [7] These five foods of choice are: taiyaki (Ayu), strawberries (Nayuki), nikuman (Makoto), ice cream (Shiori), and gyudon (Mai). [1]

Kanon heroines (clockwise from top-left): Mai, Nayuki, Shiori, Ayu and Makoto Original Kanon game girls.jpg
Kanon heroines (clockwise from top-left): Mai, Nayuki, Shiori, Ayu and Makoto

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 boku (). She has a fondness for eating taiyaki, and is notorious for her catchphrase, "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. [1]

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. [8] 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. [1]

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 [1] 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. [9] 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. [10] Itaru Hinoue, who had previously worked at Visual Arts once before, introduced Key's founding members to the president of Visual Arts, Takahiro Baba. [10] 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. [10] The planning for the visual novel was headed by Naoki Hisaya who was also one of two scenario writers with Jun Maeda. [11] 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. [11] 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. [1] 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. [12] [13]

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. [4] The limited edition came bundled with the remix album Anemoscope remixing background music tracks featured in the visual novel. [14] Key released an all ages version on January 7, 2000, for Windows. [4] 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. [15] 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. [4] 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. [16] Another all ages updated version compatible for Windows 7 PCs called Kanon Memorial Edition was released on April 30, 2010. [17]

The first consumer console port of the game was released for the Dreamcast on September 14, 2000, by NEC Interchannel. [18] [19] A PlayStation 2 (PS2) version was released on February 28, 2002, also by NEC Interechannel. [20] The PS2 version was re-released as a "Best" version on December 22, 2004. [21] [22] 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. [23] An adult version playable as a Blu-ray Disc was released on December 16, 2011, by Asoberu! BD-Game, a brand of Visual Arts. [24]

Prototype through VisualArt's Motto released a version playable on SoftBank 3G mobile phones on October 27, 2006, [25] and another version playable on FOMA mobile phones in December 2006. [26] 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. [2] 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. [2] A version playable on Android devices was released on November 30, 2011. [27] [28] An adult version for Android devices was released in January 2013. [29] [30] [31] A version playable on iOS devices was released on April 4, 2013. [32] 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. [33] Prototype released a Nintendo Switch version in Japan on April 20, 2023. [34]

Visual Arts and Prototype have announced a Windows release for Kanon distributed via Steam with English, Japanese and Simplified Chinese language support. [35]

Adaptations

Nayuki Toei.jpg
Nayuki Kyoto.jpg
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. [76] Thirteen episodes [77] were produced and aired in Japan on Fuji TV between January 31 and March 28, 2002. [78] The series also later aired on Kansai TV. Later, a single original video animation (OVA) episode titled "Kanon Kazahana" was released in March 2003. [79] 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. [80] Additionally, the game's opening theme "Last regrets" is played near the end of episode 13 during the flashback scene. [80]

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 [81] and written by Fumihiko Shimo, aired between October 5, 2006, and March 15, 2007, on BS-i, containing 24 episodes. [82] 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. [83] 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. [84] The first English-dubbed episode was made available via streaming online at Anime News Network between December 23 and December 30, 2007. [85] In July 2008, the licensing rights of the second Kanon anime were transferred from ADV to Funimation Entertainment (now known as Crunchyroll as of 2024) who continued to produce the series in North America. [86] MVM Entertainment released Kanon on DVD in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2022. [87]

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 "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 "Hidamari no Machi" (日溜りの街, A Sunny City); Nayuki's theme is "Yuki no Shōjo" (雪の少女, Girl in the Snow); Makoto's theme is "The Fox and the Grapes"; Shiori's theme is "Egao no Mukōgawa ni" (笑顔の向こう側に, Beyond the Smile); lastly, Mai's theme is "Shōjo no Ori" (少女の檻, Girls' Prison). [88]

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 . [89] The game's original soundtrack was released in October 2002 containing 22 different tracks along with short versions of the two theme songs. [89] A piano arrange album was released in December 2003 called Re-feel which contained five tracks from Kanon and five from Air . [89] 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. [89]

The first anime's first original soundtrack was released in May 2002, [90] and a second followed in July 2002. [91] 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. [92] An album containing music box arranged tracks of music from the first anime was released in July 2003 called Orgel de Kiku Sakuhin Shū . [93] 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. [89]

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. [94] Three years later in June 2002, the original release ranked in again at 45, and then again at 46 the following two weeks. [94] The original release also made the ranking after that at number 41 in early July 2002. [95] The Kanon Standard Edition premiered at number 16 in the rankings. [96] The Kanon Standard Edition remained on the top 50 list for the next two months, achieving the rankings of 47 and 35. [97] 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. [98] The Dreamcast port sold 42,379 units in the first week and was the fourth top selling console game in Japan for that week. [99] Kanon has sold over 300,000 units across several platforms, not counting the PSP release. [33]

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. [100] 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). [101] 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. [3] 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. [102]

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 . [103] 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. [104] 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 . [105]

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." [106] 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. [107] 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. [108] 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. [109]

Notes

  1. Only the original and 2004 Windows releases, and the 2013 Android version have adult content.
  2. In North America and Australia. Until 2008, it was licensed by ADV Films, now known as Sentai Filmworks and Section23 Films.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Key (company)</span> Japanese visual novel studio

Key is a Japanese visual novel studio known for making dramatic and plot-oriented titles. It was formed on July 21, 1998, as a brand under the publisher Visual Arts, and is located in Kita, Osaka.

<i>Clannad</i> (video game) 2004 Japanese visual novel

Clannad is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key and released on April 28, 2004, for Windows. While both of Key's first two previous works, Kanon and Air, had been released first as adult games and then censored for the younger market, Clannad was specifically made for all ages. It was later ported to the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch consoles. An English version for Windows was released on Steam by Sekai Project in 2015.

<i>Air</i> (video game) Japanese adult visual novel

Air is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key, a brand of Visual Arts. It was released on September 8, 2000 for Windows as an adult game. Key later released versions of Air without the erotic content, and the game was ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita and Nintendo Switch. The story follows the life of Yukito Kunisaki, a traveling showman searching for the "girl in the sky". He arrives in a quiet, seaside town where he meets three girls, one of whom is the key to the end of his journey.

Mariko Kouda is a Japanese actress, voice actress, J-pop singer and radio personality. She graduated from Kasukabe Kyōei High School and went on to major in Communications at Tamagawa University in Machida City, Tokyo, graduating in 1990. Kouda has had at least one song appear on the program Minna no Uta.

<i>Planetarian: The Reverie of a Little Planet</i> 2004 video game

Planetarian: The Reverie of a Little Planet is a Japanese post-apocalyptic visual novel developed by Key, a brand of Visual Arts whose previous works include Kanon and Air. It was released over the Internet on November 29, 2004, for Windows, and is rated for all ages. The game was later ported to the PlayStation 2 (PS2), PlayStation Portable and Nintendo Switch, as well as mobile devices. The story centers on a man who comes across a malfunctioning robot in a dead city. The man, known simply as "the junker", stays with this robot for a time and attempts to fix the projector of the planetarium where the story takes place.

<i>To Heart 2</i> Video game

To Heart 2 is a Japanese romance visual novel developed by Leaf and published by Aquaplus. It was first released for the PlayStation 2 on December 28, 2004 as an all-ages title, and was followed by an adult version playable on Microsoft Windows and subsequent all-ages versions for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3. This deviated from the release history of the game's predecessor, To Heart, which was originally released with adult content prior to receiving versions with such content removed. The gameplay in To Heart 2 follows a branching plot line with multiple endings, which offers pre-determined scenarios and courses of interaction based on the player's decisions. Its story centers on the male protagonist Takaaki Kouno, and focuses on the appeal of the female main characters.

<i>Snow</i> (2003 video game) 2003 eroge visual novel

Snow is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Studio Mebius for Windows PCs on January 31, 2003. It was later ported without the erotic content to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable consoles. The story of Snow revolves around the life of Kanata Izumo, who is revisiting a village to help his relative manage a hot spring inn. The gameplay in Snow follows a branching plot line which offers pre-determined scenarios with courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the female main characters by the player character.

<i>Utawarerumono</i> 2002 visual novel

Utawarerumono is a Japanese adult tactical role-playing visual novel developed by Leaf, which released in April 2002 for Microsoft Windows. It was ported to the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. In releases subsequent to the initial 2002 version, it is known by its more specific title Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen.

<i>Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru</i> 2005 Japanese adult visual novel (video game)

Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru, commonly known as Otoboku (おとボク), is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Caramel Box and released on January 28, 2005 playable on Windows PCs. The game was later ported to the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable (PSP) with the adult content removed. The Windows version was released in English by MangaGamer in 2012. The story follows the life of Mizuho Miyanokouji, an androgynous male high school student, who transfers into an all-girls school due to his grandfather's will.

Kanon is a visual novel developed by Key and published by VisualArt's in 1999. The story follows Yuichi Aizawa, who has returned to the town where seven years ago he would spend his school vacations, but has forgotten many of the details regarding his previous visits. Over the course of the series, Yuichi slowly regains these memories as he meets new friends and is reacquainted with others from his past. It was adapted by Toei Animation into a 13-episode anime television series broadcast in 2002 along with an accompanying original video animation episode released in 2003, both directed by Takamichi Itō with music direction by Hiroyuki Kōzu. Kyoto Animation also adapted it into a 24-episode anime television series broadcast between 2006 and 2007 directed by Tatsuya Ishihara with music direction by Shinji Orito. The discography of Kanon and its anime adaptations consists of one compilation album, three singles, three soundtracks, and three remix albums.

<i>Little Busters!</i> 2007 visual novel by Key

Little Busters! is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key. It was released on July 27, 2007 for Windows PCs and is rated for all ages. Little Busters! is Key's sixth game, along with other titles such as Kanon, Air, and Clannad. An adult version of the game titled Little Busters! Ecstasy was released on July 25, 2008 for Windows, unlike Kanon and Air, which were first released with adult content and then had later versions with such content removed. Ecstasy was later ported to the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Switch with the adult content removed under the title Little Busters! Converted Edition. An English version for Windows was released on Steam in 2017. The story follows a group of childhood friends now attending high school called the Little Busters, as they decide to form a baseball team. Riki, who is diagnosed with narcolepsy, is tasked to recruit more girls in preparation for a baseball game, and he bonds with each of them on account of their internal conflicts. Meanwhile, Rin gets mysterious letters from her cat Lennon to complete various tasks to learn the "secret to this world".

<i>One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e</i> 1998 Japanese adult visual novel

One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e is a Japanese adult visual novel, developed by Tactics, a brand of Nexton, released on May 29, 1998 playable on Windows PCs. The erotic content was later removed when the game was ported to the PlayStation. The story follows the life of Kōhei Orihara, a high school student who has fun spending time with several girls about his age, while at the same time he is gradually being drawn into a mystical alternate space known as the Eternal World.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jun Maeda</span> Japanese screenwriter, lyricist, and composer (born 1975)

Jun Maeda is a Japanese writer and composer. He is a co-founder of the visual novel brand Key under Visual Arts. He is considered a pioneer of nakige visual novels, and has mainly contributed as a scenario writer, lyricist, and musical composer for the games the company produces.

<i>Rewrite</i> (video game) 2011 Japanese visual novel developed by Key

Rewrite is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key, a brand of Visual Arts. It was released on June 24, 2011 for Windows PCs and is rated for all ages. Rewrite is Key's ninth game, following other titles such as Kanon, Air, and Clannad. Key released a fan disc expanding on the game's story titled Rewrite Harvest festa! on July 27, 2012 for Windows. Rewrite was ported to the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, while Harvest festa! was ported to the PlayStation Vita. An English version of Rewrite for Windows was released by Sekai Project in 2021; they will also release Harvest festa! in English. The story follows the life of Kotarou Tennouji, a high school student with superhuman abilities who investigates supernatural mysteries with five girls from his school in the fictional city of Kazamatsuri. This ultimately leads him into the middle of a conflict between familiar summoners and superhumans with the fate of the world at stake.

<i>Kud Wafter</i> 2010 visual novel by Key

Kud Wafter is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Key, released on June 25, 2010, for Windows. Kud Wafter is Key's eighth game, along with other titles such as Kanon, Air, and Clannad. Key released a version of Kud Wafter without the erotic content, and the game was ported to the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita. The story follows the lives of high school students Riki Naoe and his close friend Kudryavka Noumi as they start to see more of each other in a romantic relationship. The gameplay in Kud Wafter follows a branching plot line which offers pre-determined scenarios with courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the title character Kudryavka, also known as "Kud" for short.

<i>Love, Election and Chocolate</i> Japanese adult visual novel

Love, Election and Chocolate, abbreviated as Koichoco (恋チョコ), is a Japanese eroge visual novel developed by Sprite, which was released in Japan on October 29, 2010 for Windows PCs and later ported to the PlayStation Portable on September 27, 2012. The gameplay in Love, Election and Chocolate 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. There have been two manga adaptations serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine and Dengeki Daioh. A 12-episode anime television series adaptation produced by AIC Build and directed by Tōru Kitahata aired between July and September 2012, with an additional episode released on the series' final Blu-ray Disc and DVD volume in March 2013.

<i>A Good Librarian Like a Good Shepherd</i> Japanese adult visual novel developed by August, and manga and anime adaptation

A Good Librarian Like a Good Shepherd, known in Japan as Daitoshokan no Hitsujikai, is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by August and released on January 25, 2013 for Windows as a DVD. The gameplay in Daitoshokan no Hitsujikai 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. A fan disc for Windows titled Daitoshokan no Hitsujikai: Hōkago Shippo Days was released in August 2013. A second, adult fan disc titled Daitoshokan no Hitsujikai: Dreaming Sheep was released in March 2014. A PlayStation Vita port of the original game and fan discs featuring additional content was released in February 2015.

<i>Blue Archive</i> 2021 video game and its franchise

Blue Archive is a role-playing game developed by Nexon Games, a subsidiary of Nexon. It was released in 2021 for Android and iOS, first in Japan by Yostar and worldwide later that year by Nexon. The game is free-to-play with gacha game mechanics as a means to obtain new characters. An anime television series adaptation titled Blue Archive The Animation aired from April to June 2024.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Kanon Visual Fan Book. Enterbrain. June 2000. ISBN   978-4-7577-0039-0.
  2. 1 2 3 "PROTOTYPE Kanon" (in Japanese). Prototype . Retrieved January 24, 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "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" [Colorful Pure Girl March 2001 Issue Key Scenario Staff Long Interview] (in Japanese). Colorful Pure Girl. March 2001. Archived from the original on June 5, 2008. Retrieved August 11, 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Kanon Key Official HomePage" (in Japanese). Key . Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  5. 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."
  6. Untranslated quote: 約束、だよ
    Translated quote: "It's a promise."
  7. Nakagami, Yoshikatsu; Ikeda, Kazumi; Takeda, Akiyo; Miyata, Kana; Unoguchi, Joh (January 2007). "Kanon". Newtype USA . 6 (1). Houston, TX: A.D. Vision: 62–63. ISSN   1541-4817.
  8. 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."
  9. Untranslated quote: 私は魔物を討つ者だから
    Translated quote: "I'm a demon hunter."
  10. 1 2 3 "Jun Maeda Long Interview". Key 10th Anniversary Book (in Japanese). Kadokawa Shoten: 48–60. 2009.
  11. 1 2 "Kanon ErogameScape-エロゲー批評空間-" [Kanon ErogameScape - Eroge Commentary Room -] (in Japanese). Erogamescape. Archived from the original on December 28, 2007. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  12. "久弥直樹 関わったゲーム一覧 -ErogameScape-エロゲー批評空間-" [Naoki Hisaya Games Involved in Summary - ErogameScape - Eroge Commentary Room -] (in Japanese). ErogameScape. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  13. "OdiakeS 関わったゲーム一覧 -ErogameScape-エロゲー批評空間-" [OdiakeS Games Involved in Summary - ErogameScape - Eroge Commentary Room -] (in Japanese). ErogameScape. Archived from the original on February 20, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  14. "Kanon 初回限定版" [Kanon limited edition] (in Japanese). Visual Arts. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  15. "Kanon Standard Edition" (in Japanese). Visual Arts. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  16. "Key 10th MEMORIAL BOX" (in Japanese). Key . Retrieved April 6, 2009.
  17. "Keyの過去五作品がメモリアルエディションで発売です!" [Key's Previous Five Titles Get Memorial Editions!] (in Japanese). Key. April 7, 2010. Retrieved April 8, 2010.
  18. "Kanon" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp . Retrieved June 9, 2009.
  19. 深い雪に覆われた街で語られる、小さな奇跡の物語 (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on 2013-02-27. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  20. "Kanon" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp . Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  21. "インターチャネル Kanon(ベスト版)" [Interchannel Kanon (Best Version)] (in Japanese). Interchannel. Archived from the original on January 8, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
  22. "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!" [The Masterpiece Kanon Gets a Re-release at a More Affordable Price and with Additional Features!] (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  23. "key3部作プレミアムBOX" [Key 3-part Work Premium BOX] (in Japanese). GungHo Works. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  24. "Kanon ~あそBD~ ver.1.01" [Kanon: Aso-BD ver.1.01] (in Japanese). Asoberu! BD-Game. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
  25. "「kanon」がソフトバンクのケータイアプリにっ!" (in Japanese). Visual Arts. October 31, 2006. Archived from the original on February 15, 2008. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  26. "アニメやってるしね♪" (in Japanese). Visual Arts. December 20, 2006. Archived from the original on February 15, 2008. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  27. "Kanon" (in Japanese). Android Market . Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  28. "Kanon Android版" [Kanon Android edition] (in Japanese). Visual Arts. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  29. "Kanon" (in Japanese). Visual Arts. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  30. "ビジュアルアーツアプリポータル" (in Japanese). Visual Arts. Archived from the original on February 6, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  31. "Kanon | アニゲマ - Smartphone Appli Game" [Kanon | Anigema Smartphne Appli Game] (in Japanese). Visual Arts. Archived from the original on 2015-01-05. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  32. "iPhone&iPad用『Kanon 全年齢対象版』発売開始!" [Kanon All Ages Edition for iPhone & iPad Goes on Sale Today!] (in Japanese). Key . Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  33. 1 2 "Kanon 深い雪に覆われた街で語られる、小さな奇跡の物語" [Kanon A Story Told in a Profound, Snow Covered Town, a Story of a Small Miracle] (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on April 29, 2007. Retrieved January 10, 2007.
  34. "Kanon for Switch launches April 20 in Japan". Gematsu. January 25, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  35. Stenbuck, Kite (17 May 2024). "Classic Visual Novel Kanon Will Appear on Steam". Siliconera. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  36. "Kanon DVD 6 - Review". Anime News Network. November 9, 2008. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  37. Kanon 雪の少女[Kanon Yuki no Shōjo] (in Japanese). ASIN   4894900580.
  38. Kanon 日溜まりの街[Kanon Hidamari no Machi] (in Japanese). ASIN   4894900947.
  39. 清水マリコ (June 2009). Kanon 雪の少女[Kanon: Yuki no Shōjo] (in Japanese). VisualArt's. ISBN   978-4-89490-623-5.
  40. 清水マリコ; Key (March 2011). Kanon ~彼女たちの見解~[Kanon: Kanojotachi no Kenkai] (in Japanese). ビジュアルアーツ. ISBN   978-4-89490-628-0.
  41. Shepherd, Samuel (2023-03-24). "Kanon TCG: A Mysterious Y2K Anime Trading Card Game". Good/Bad Marketing. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  42. "Kanon-カノン- Vol.1 沢渡真琴ストーリー" [Kanon Vol. 1 Makoto Sawatari Story] (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  43. "Kanon-カノン- Vol.5 月宮あゆストーリー" [Kanon Vol. 5 Ayu Tsukimiya Story] (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  44. "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」" [Official Anthology Drama CD "Kanon Anthology 1" Prologue: Shiori Misaka "Things Promised"] (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  45. "公認アンソロジードラマCD「Kanon-anthology.5」" [Official Anthology Drama CD "Kanon Anthology 5"] (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  46. "公認アンソロジードラマCD Kanon「水瀬さんち」 第1巻" [Official Anthology Drama CD Kanon "Minase-sanchi" Vol. 1] (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  47. "公認アンソロジードラマCD Kanon「水瀬さんち」 第2巻" [Official Anthology Drama CD Kanon "Minase-sanchi" Vol. 2] (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  48. "公認アンソロジードラマCD Kanon「水瀬さんち」 第3巻" [Official Anthology Drama CD Kanon "Minase-sanchi" Vol. 3] (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  49. "公認アンソロジードラマCD Kanon「水瀬さんち」 第4巻" [Official Anthology Drama CD Kanon "Minase-sanchi" Vol. 4] (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  50. "公認アンソロジードラマCD Kanon「水瀬さんち」 第5巻" [Official Anthology Drama CD Kanon "Minase-sanchi" Vol. 5] (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  51. "Kanon". Dengeki Daioh (in Japanese) (February 2000). MediaWorks.
  52. "Kanon". Dengeki Daioh (in Japanese) (July 2002). MediaWorks.
  53. Kanon 1 (in Japanese). ASIN   4840216789.
  54. Kanon 2 (in Japanese). ASIN   4840221308.
  55. 1 2 Morishima, Petit. Kanon manga (in Japanese). Vol. 1. MediaWorks.
  56. 1 2 Morishima, Petit. Kanon manga (in Japanese). Vol. 2. MediaWorks.
  57. 大人気ゲーム「Kanon」をコミカライズ!! [Highly Popular Game Kanon Becomes a Comic!!] (in Japanese). Fujimi Shobo. June 30, 2006. Archived from the original on June 22, 2007. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  58. "Kanon". Dragon Age Pure (in Japanese). 2. Fujimi Shobo.
  59. "Kanon". Dragon Age Pure (in Japanese). 7. Fujimi Shobo.
  60. "Kanon ホントの想いは笑顔の向こう側に1" [Kanon: The Real Feelings of the Other Side of the Smiling Face 1] (in Japanese). Kadokawa Shoten. Archived from the original on 2013-07-01. Retrieved December 3, 2007.
  61. "Kanon ホントの想いは笑顔の向こう側に2" [Kanon: The Real Feelings of the Other Side of the Smiling Face 2] (in Japanese). Kadokawa Shoten . Retrieved December 3, 2007.
  62. アンソロジー (November 2000). 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)[Kanon Comic Anthology (DNA Media Comics) (comic)] (in Japanese). スタジオDna. ISBN   4-921066-59-0.
  63. 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)[Kanon Comic Anthology 14 (DNA Media Comics) (comic)] (in Japanese). ISBN   4-7580-0081-6.
  64. 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)[Kanon Comic Anthology 15 (DNA Media Comics) (comic)] (in Japanese). ISBN   4-7580-0369-6.
  65. Kanon4コマKINGS[Kanon 4-koma Kings] (in Japanese). ASIN   4921066906.
  66. Kanon4コマKINGS(Vol.2)[Kanon 4-koma Kings(Vol.2)] (in Japanese). ASIN   4921066892.
  67. Kanon・アンソロジーコミック (Sofgare comics) (コミック)[Kanon Anthology Comic (Sofgare comics) (comic)] (in Japanese). ISBN   4-921068-75-5.
  68. 1 2 "春うらら ~Kanon&AIR~傑作選" [Haru Urara: Kanon & Air Best Work Selection] (in Japanese). Ohzora. Archived from the original on 2021-05-17. Retrieved February 26, 2008.
  69. "Kanon Remix (かのん れみっくす)" [Kanon Remix] (in Japanese). Ohzora. Archived from the original on 2021-05-17. Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  70. "キミと出会えたこの場所 ~Kanon傑作選~" [Kimi to Deatta Kono Basho: Kanon Best Selection] (in Japanese). Ohzora. Archived from the original on 2021-05-17. Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  71. "Kanonアンソロジーコミックス ベストセレクション1" [Kanon Anthology Comics Best Selection 1] (in Japanese). Ohzora. Archived from the original on 2021-05-17. Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  72. "Kanonアンソロジーコミックス ベストセレクション2" [Kanon Anthology Comics Best Selection 2] (in Japanese). Ohzora. Archived from the original on 2021-05-17. Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  73. Kanon 1 (ラポートコミックス) (コミック)[Kanon 1 (Raporto Comics) (comic)] (in Japanese). ISBN   4-89799-380-6.
  74. Kanon 21 (ラポートコミックス) (コミック)[Kanon 21 (Raporto Comics) (comic)] (in Japanese). ISBN   4-89799-461-6.
  75. マジキュー4コマ Kanon (マジキューコミックス) (コミック)[Magi-Cu 4-koma Kanon (Magi-Cu Comics) (comic)] (in Japanese). エンターブレイン. 2007. ISBN   978-4-7577-3335-0.
  76. 東映アニメーション [Toei Animation] (in Japanese). Toei Animation . Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  77. "First Kanon anime official episode listing" (in Japanese). Toei Animation . Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  78. "Kanon". Japan Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  79. "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』" [TV Animation Kanon DVD/CD Campaign: Present Bonus Footage Kazahana] (in Japanese). Animate. Archived from the original on January 8, 2006. Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  80. 1 2 "Where the Wind Leads". Kanon. Episode 13 (in Japanese). Toei Animation. March 27, 2002.
  81. "TVアニメ「Kanon」公式HP" [TV Anime Kanon Official HP] (in Japanese). TBS. Archived from the original on February 27, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  82. "TVアニメ「Kanon」公式HP" [TV Anime Kanon Official HP] (in Japanese). TBS. Archived from the original on December 17, 2008. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
  83. "ADV's Acquisition of 2nd Kanon Series Confirmed at AWA". Anime News Network. September 22, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
  84. "ADV Films Posts Trailers for Second Kanon TV Series (Updated)". Anime News Network. August 8, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
  85. "Kanon - Episode 1 Preview - 2 Days Left". Anime News Network. December 28, 2007. Retrieved December 29, 2007.
  86. "Funimation Picks Up Over 30 Former AD Vision Titles". Anime News Network. July 4, 2008. Retrieved July 7, 2008.
  87. "Kanon Collection (tbc) DVD". Anime On-line. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  88. Maeda, Jun; Orito, Shinji (2002). Kanon Original Soundtrack (booklet). Osaka: Key Sounds Label. KSLA-0006.
  89. 1 2 3 4 5 "Kanon arrange best album 'Recollections'". Chudah's Corner. Archived from the original on 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2021-10-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  90. "TVシリーズ Kanon~カノン~サウンドトラック 第1巻" [TV Series Kanon Soundtrack 1] (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp . Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  91. "TVアニメーション版 Kanonサウンドトラック第2巻" [TV Series Kanon Soundtrack 2] (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp . Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  92. "Kanon ~カノン~ - florescence [Limited Edition][Maxi]" [Kanon "Florescence" (Limited Edition) (Maxi)] (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp . Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  93. "オルゴールで聴く TVアニメーション版 Kanon 作品集 [Soundtrack]" [Orgel de Kiku TV Animation Version Kanon Work Collection] (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp . Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  94. 1 2 "PEAKS PCnewsWEB" (in Japanese). Peakspub. Archived from the original on December 27, 2005. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  95. "PEAKS PCnewsWEB" (in Japanese). Peakspub. Archived from the original on March 7, 2006. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  96. "PEAKS PCnewsWEB" (in Japanese). Peakspub. Archived from the original on June 17, 2007. Retrieved March 13, 2007.
  97. "PEAKS PCnewsWEB" (in Japanese). Peakspub. Archived from the original on December 27, 2005. Retrieved March 13, 2007.
  98. "PEAKS PCnewsWEB" (in Japanese). Peakspub. Archived from the original on December 27, 2005. Retrieved March 13, 2007.
  99. "Now Playing in Japan". IGN. September 29, 2000. Retrieved January 9, 2007.
  100. "A PlayStation 2 Printer". Allrpg.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  101. "Famitsu Scores for the Week of 02/20/2002". Famitsu . February 2002. Kanon (PS2, NEC Interchannel): 7 / 8 / 7 / 7 - (29/40)
  102. "読者が選ぶ MY BEST ギャルゲーランキング 電撃G'smagazine.com" [Reader Chosen MY BEST Girl Game Ranking Dengeki G's magazine.com] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
  103. Twilight Frontier. Eternal Fighter Zero (PC) (in Japanese). Twilight Frontier.
  104. Twilight Frontier. Glove on Fight (PC) (in Japanese). Twilight Frontier.
  105. Fred Gallagher. "MegaTokyo - (67) Saving Points". Fredart Studios. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
  106. Martin, Theron (December 22, 2007). "Kanon DVD 1 Review". Anime News Network . Retrieved July 6, 2009.
  107. Martin, Theron (April 8, 2008). "Kanon DVDs 2-3 Review". Anime News Network . Retrieved July 6, 2009.
  108. Martin, Theron (July 29, 2008). "Kanon DVDs 4-5 Review". Anime News Network . Retrieved July 6, 2009.
  109. Martin, Theron (November 29, 2008). "Kanon DVD 6 Review". Anime News Network . Retrieved July 6, 2009.