CANAAN / First Impressions

Summary:

After a nightmare about Maria shattering into pieces, Canaan wakes up to find Maria standing over her hospital bed. Both are glad that the other is actually okay, but Canaan is bothered by how she can’t sense people’s colors anymore. Minoru meanwhile is on the phone with Maria’s father talking about survivors of the Ua Virus from the village that disappeared. Minoru suspects that Alphard’s organization somehow got the anti-virus and are using the village survivors, meaning that what happened at the village was actually human experimentation. In response to this, Maria’s father thinks that there’d be clues in the village. Meanwhile, at Santana’s shop, Hakko has a flashback to how she watched a child die from the Ua Virus while in a facility somewhere. She’s only able to find solace from these memories by drinking and kissing Santana.

Back at the hospital, Canaan is discharged, but she still feels lost without the colors she’s used to sensing, Maria decides to take her out for some fun, and they happen to find a live concert being held in an open area. What they don’t realize it that Hakko is there too, and when she tries to sing along with the song, it causes everyone around her great pain, including Maria and Canaan. Hakko doesn’t realize it and stop until she hears a child crying, and afterward, Canaan leads Maria away from the area. All of this has made Canaan aware of the fact that she can no longer protect Maria without the colors she’s used to seeing. Minoru, meanwhile, goes to confront Santana about Hakko, and Hakko and Santana decide to take him, Maria, and Canaan to her old village. On the car trip west, Canaan notices that Hakko is looking at her funny, but for the time being, neither of them act on it.

When they stop for the night, Maria admires the stars with Canaan and tells her about the encounter with Alphard. She then segues into how she used to feel empty and how Canaan shined, and Maria had wanted to be at Canaan’s side so that she herself could one day shine. She wants Canaan to always be with her, and the two hold hands. Later that night, after everyone else has fallen asleep, Hakko tries to strangle Canaan, but Canaan is able to fight her off. Hakko then runs away, so Canaan chases after her, and Santana soon wakes up and notices that they’re missing. Santana’s yelling for Hakko wakes Minoru, and Santana ends up revealing that Hakko hasn’t forgiven him for erasing her village. Canaan meanwhile catches up with Hakko and questions if Hakko hates her, but she can’t figure out Hakko’s true feelings without being able to see the colors. Hakko eventually gets back up and silently tells Canaan that it’s her fault, but she goes back to the car. The next morning, the only one unaware of what happened is Maria. Everyone’s attention though is soon turned towards a long figure biking down the road: Yunyun.

Preview

After the action and tension in the last two episodes, this week was a bit of a let-down. It had Canaan lamenting at every turn that she couldn’t see those colors anymore, which was fine at first, but it got repetitive after the third or fourth time. I suspect that the ability will come back either sometime during their visit to the village or in a really bad situation when Maria’s life in danger. The episode also had a few confusing scenes where a lot of political buzzwords got thrown around, including the one where Alphard talks to the U.S. vice-president. I don’t know if the writers are trying to make a political point about the U.S.’s foreign policy or if it’s a precursor to something big happening in the story, but I don’t think conversations like that are the most interesting way to develop the story.

What I did find amusing was the friendship scene between Maria and Canaan. They should have kissed or something in that scene since they’re basically like lovers without any of the overt romance/lesbianism. In any case, I liked all the Hakko character development as well, and of course it was nice to see Yunyun again. I don’t think that all that much time has passed since we last saw her though (in real-life or in the series), so it’s kind of odd that she’s back already. Then again, this show is only a single season long, and it’s probably important to have her around when they reach the village. As for next episode, I’m looking forward to Liang Qi coming back and attacking with a helicopter – that should be fun to watch, and maybe Canaan will get her powers back.

21 Comments

  2. I would frankly be disappointed if the show never took a moment like this to rest up and get some real plot development going, and in the grand scheme of things, it suits the pacing perfectly. Plus, the budget probably needed a major rest after that last episode, and it’s better that you don’t try to go and animate huge-budget gunfights when you’re fighting the cutbacks. Very wise move on the part of the producers, I think.

    Also, I don’t see why you find Canaan’s inability to see colors repetitive. Understand how completely overwhelming the new world is for her. Her entire experience is governed by the various colors she sees that allow her to understand things. Now, she has no idea what is going on around her at any time. It’s complete chaos for her. this is accentuated by her general unknowing of what to do when Hakko assaulted her. I think the repetition of Canaan’s distraught nature is what made the bit about being able to see Maria’s kindness without seeing her color that much more powerful 🙂

    digitalboy
    Reply

  7. digitalboy: I’m not saying that they shouldn’t take time to develop the story in non-action ways. I’m just noting that the last two episodes got me excited about the action potential of this series, of which there was almost none of in this episode. A little disappointment is to be expected since they obviously can’t do thriller material 24/7, but it’s worth noting anyway.
    You do raise a good point about Maria’s kindness in relation to Canaan’s inability to see colors, and I certainly did understand what point they were trying to make, but that doesn’t change the fact that it still felt repetitive.

    Omni
    Reply

  17. “Meanwhile, at Santana’s shop, Hakko has a flashback to how she watched a child die from the Ua Virus while in a facility somewhere.”

    That’s not true. Hakko KILLED the child due to the “shockwaves” from her voice. The kid was doing fine (well crying) until Hakko starts talking to him.

    DH
    Reply

  18. oops pressed “submit” already.

    From what I was saying, I think it was the first time that Hakko woke up after being upgraded to a booner, and hence has no idea that her ability was “sound shockwaves”. I am positive since that’s the only reason why that incident would be such a terrible flashback for her.

    DH
    Reply

  20. In regards to episode 7:

    I’m not quite understanding that bit with the video other than the
    fact that something was pulled.

    What’s the meaning of the pigeon disappearing in the one frame of the
    video then reappearing in the next?

    Disillusion
    Reply

  21. @ Disillusion: it shows video surveillance was tampered with allowing for covert getaway of Maria’s father…
    I am sick of US “helping terrorists to get itself global cop mandate” theories, even in anime. I am surprised VP is still in charge given POTUS was apparently rescued and given dr Ozawa’s medicine. I wonder what “factory” related to Qiang Li is to be destroyed in Alphard’s orders? Is it related somehow to the village or a site for medicine production – or Ua Virus production? For whom do work the agent duo handling Canaan, and presumably worked the bartender?
    Questions needing answers…

    ewok
    Reply

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