Kanon's Most Memorable Quotes

What is Kanon About?

Kanon is a visual novel from 1999, made by a studio called Key. It's a type of story called a "nakige," or "crying game." These stories are designed to make you feel strong emotions.

The story is about miracles, memories, and sad goodbyes. It all takes place in a town covered in snow.

How Kanon Got Started

The studio Key wanted to tell a certain kind of story. Their stories often start funny but turn very dramatic and sad. Kanon was their first big success and set up this style.

The main character is Yuichi Aizawa. He returns to a snowy town after seven years away. He can't remember his past visits, which is a key part of the plot.

Kanon became so popular it was turned into an anime twice. The first was in 2002 by Toei Animation. The second, more famous version was made in 2006 by Kyoto Animation.

Many fans prefer the 2006 version. It had great animation and voice acting. This made the original lines from the game feel even more powerful.

Main Themes: Memory, Promises, and Miracles

The dialogue in Kanon focuses on three main ideas. These ideas are the fragility of memory, the power of promises, and the meaning of miracles. They all connect to each other throughout the story.

• Forgotten Memories

  Yuichi's memory loss is central to the story. Forgetting is a way to avoid painful memories. The characters constantly test what he remembers, because for them, being forgotten feels like they don't exist.

• The Power of Promises

  Promises are treated like magic in Kanon. When characters make a promise, the world seems to change to make it happen. Breaking a promise causes bad things, but keeping one can lead to a miracle.

• The Nature of Miracles

  The story also asks what a miracle really is. Some characters don't believe in them at all. But Yuichi learns that miracles can happen because of strong feelings and human connection.

Why the Dialogue Works So Well

The dialogue in Kanon has a special rhythm. There are long, funny parts that make you relax. Then, suddenly, a character will say something very serious and sad, catching you off guard.

Catchphrases like "Uguu" and "Auu" became very famous. They are more than just character quirks. They represent a specific time in anime fan culture from the early 2000s.

Best Quotes from Each Character

Here are some of the most important lines from the main characters. These quotes show who they are and what the story is about.

Yuichi Aizawa's Quotes

Yuichi isn't a typical main character from that time. He's sarcastic and has a strong personality. His lines show him changing from a jokester to someone trying to save his friends.

The Jokester

At the start, Yuichi makes fun of the strange things happening around him. He often has funny comebacks for the girls' odd habits. This makes the story feel grounded and real.

"At times like these I find it hard to believe that I share more DNA with Nayuki than a banana."

He says this about his cousin Nayuki's strange behavior. It shows his sharp wit and their sibling-like relationship. It's a funny line that reminds us they're just teenagers.

"A case of mistaken identity my dear. Amnesiacs are not famed for their reliable memories."

Yuichi says this to Ayu, making fun of her search for a lost item. The funny part is that Yuichi also has amnesia. His joke is actually a clue about his own forgotten past.

Becoming a Hero

As the story gets sadder, Yuichi stops making as many jokes. He starts to understand the girls' pain. He tries to help them face reality.

"Every dream has an end… No matter how nice the dream might be, or how scary it is... But now I… I wonder… when the dreams began to never end."

This is a major turning point for him. He realizes that the town is stuck in a dream to avoid pain. He knows they all need to wake up, even if it hurts.

What Miracles Mean to Him

Yuichi argues with Shiori, who doesn't believe in miracles. He comes to believe that people can create their own miracles.

"They're called miracles because they do happen."

This is Yuichi's main belief. He refuses to give up hope. He insists that love and effort can make impossible things happen.

Ayu Tsukimiya's Quotes

Ayu is the main heroine of Kanon. She seems cute and childish on the outside. But her story is actually very sad.

Her Catchphrase: Uguu

Ayu's most famous line is a sound she makes.

"Uguu..."

She says this when she is frustrated or confused. It sounds cute, but it's a sign that she is stuck in the past. She acts like a child because she is a memory of her younger self.

Yuichi: "I couldn't master its usage. 'Ugū' belongs solely to you."

Yuichi points out that only she makes this sound. It shows how lonely and disconnected she is from the real world.

Looking for Something Lost

Ayu is always looking for something she lost, but she can't remember what it is.

"I’m looking for something. Something important... but I forgot what it was."

This is the sad truth of her story. She is searching for her own lost life and memories. The "lost thing" is everything she can't remember about her accident.

The Three Wishes

Yuichi wins her an angel doll, and she makes three wishes. Her wishes reveal her true feelings.

"For my first wish... purely for my own selfishness... please don't forget about me. Even when you wake up, and realize that this was all a dream... please, don't forget ."

Here, she admits she knows she is part of a dream. Because she is in a coma, the only way she can exist is in Yuichi's memory. She is begging him to keep her alive in his mind.

Her Dream

Ayu sometimes speaks in a poetic way that explains her situation.

"I liked the flowing seasons. But like winter puddles that froze into ice, my time was frozen. I was always all alone within the season-less time..."

This is a beautiful way of describing what it's like to be in a coma. Her time is "frozen" while the world moves on without her. The winter setting of the show reflects her personal tragedy.

Nayuki Minase's Quotes

Nayuki is Yuichi's cousin. She represents a stable, normal life for him. But she's also dealing with her own quiet sadness.

The Morning Routine

Nayuki is famously hard to wake up in the morning. Her voice on her alarm clock is a key part of the game's sound.

"Asa... Asa dayo... Asa..." (Morning... It's morning... Morning...)

The sleepy way she says this is funny. But it also hints that she is "sleepwalking" through her own sadness. She is waiting for Yuichi to wake her up emotionally.

Strawberry Jam

Nayuki loves strawberry jam. It is a small detail that shows her simple, sweet personality.

"Ichigo jamu... oishii..." (Strawberry jam... is delicious...)

This love for a simple food shows her childlike innocence. It makes the sad parts of her story feel even more painful. It's a piece of the normal life that is threatened by tragedy.

Remembering the Past

Nayuki remembers everything that Yuichi forgot about their childhood. This has been a heavy burden for her to carry alone.

"Do you still remember my name?"

She asks Yuichi this simple question, but it's full of pain. For seven years, she has held onto her feelings for him. The thought that he might have forgotten her completely is her biggest fear.

Hating the Snow

After her mother is in an accident, Nayuki's view of the world changes. The snow she once loved now feels cold and cruel.

"My hands are cold… The bench I sit upon is cold… The snow that fell to meet my face vanished from sight."

In this scene, she feels completely alone and disconnected from her past self. The physical cold of the snow matches the cold feeling of despair in her heart. She no longer sees any magic in the winter.

Makoto Sawatari's Quotes

Makoto's story is one of the saddest. She starts as a funny prankster. But she is slowly losing her memories and herself.

Her Catchphrase: Auu

Like Ayu, Makoto has a unique sound she makes.

"Auu!"

At first, "Auu" is a funny sound she makes when her pranks fail. Later, we learn she is a fox spirit, and "Auu" is a sound from her animal self. As she loses her human mind, it becomes the only way she can communicate.

Love for Meat Buns

Makoto is almost always thinking about food, especially meat buns. This shows her simple, animal-like nature.

"Nikuman! Treat me to nikuman!"

Her relationship with Yuichi is built around him taking care of her. He buys her food and gives her a place to stay. This makes it even sadder when she gets so sick she can't even ask for food anymore.

Wanting Spring to Last

Makoto knows her time as a human is short. She often talks about spring, which for her means happiness.

"When spring comes... it would be nice if it would last forever."

She wishes for an endless spring because she knows she won't live to see another one. It's a sad wish for her happy time with Yuichi to never end.

The Wedding

At the end of her life, Yuichi holds a small wedding for her on a hill. By this point, she can barely speak.

"I wish Spring came, and it continued forever."

She repeats her wish for spring, but now it has a different meaning. It's about their love lasting forever in memory. Her final "Auu" is understood as her way of saying "I love you."

Shiori Misaka's Quotes

Shiori is a girl who is very sick. She acts cheerful but has accepted that she is going to die. She uses smiles to keep people from getting too close.

What is a Miracle?

Shiori offers a very sad and logical view on miracles. Her belief is the opposite of the show's hopeful message.

"They're called miracles because they don't happen."

She says this with a smile, which makes it even more heartbreaking. She has given up all hope to protect herself from disappointment. Yuichi's goal becomes proving her wrong.

Ice Cream in the Snow

Yuichi first meets Shiori while she is eating ice cream in the snow. He thinks it's strange, but she has a reason for it.

"I wanted to eat the same thing you were eating."

It wasn't about the ice cream at all. It was about feeling connected to someone. By copying Yuichi, she gets to feel like a normal girl for a moment.

Letting Her Feelings Out

After pretending to be happy for so long, Shiori finally breaks down. She asks Yuichi for permission to be sad.

Shiori: "Yuichi-san, can I… can I… cry now?"

Yuichi: "I'll be in trouble if you don't."

This moment shows how much pain she was hiding to protect others. Yuichi’s response gives her the comfort and permission she needs to finally be honest about her fear. It's a powerful and emotional scene.

Mai Kawasumi's Quotes

Mai is the quiet, cool girl who is always by herself. She claims to be fighting invisible monsters at school every night. Her lines are often short, which makes them feel very important.

Demon Hunter

Mai's introduction is very strange. She lives in a different world than the other students.

"I am a demon hunter."

She says this very seriously, which makes Yuichi wonder if she's telling the truth. It creates a wall between her and everyone else. Yuichi has to break through that wall to get to know her.

Why She's So Quiet

Mai rarely speaks. Her silence is a choice.

"..."

She is quiet because she believes getting close to people will put them in danger from the demons. Her silence is her way of protecting others. Yuichi is the first person who understands her without needing words.

The Truth About the Demons

The sad truth is that the "demons" are not real. They are a product of Mai's own power, which started from a lie she told as a child.

"Demons are attacking our place, we need to protect it together..."

As a child, she made up the story about demons so Yuichi would have a reason to stay and play with her. She was lonely and scared of being left alone. Her entire life as a "demon hunter" was built on that childhood fear.

A Song That Explains Her

Her best friend Sayuri uses a piece of music, Pachelbel's Canon, to describe Mai.

"It repeats the same melody and crescendos gradually... It would be nice if life changed like that; slowly but surely , while being seemingly unchanged from day to day."

This explains why Mai fights to keep things the same every night. She is afraid of sudden changes, like people leaving her. She wants life to be predictable and safe, like the repeating melody in the song.

How the Dialogue Shows Kanon's Themes

The lines in Kanon are not just random conversations. They are carefully written to build on the story's main ideas. The writers use repeating words and phrases to make you feel the story's themes.

Funny and Lighthearted Lines

Kanon uses a lot of comedy before the story gets sad. The humor helps you get to know and care about the characters.

Yuichi: "We're talking about Mai's constipation."

Sayuri: "Mai, do you want medicine for it?"

Mai: "I'm not."

This kind of funny exchange shows the friendship between Yuichi, Sayuri, and Mai. These lighthearted moments make the later tragedies feel much more impactful. They show the happy life that is at risk of being lost.

Lines About Miracles, Promises, and Memory

The story's main ideas are repeated in the dialogue. Words like "promise" and "miracle" appear over and over. They are the building blocks of the plot.

"It's a promise."

This simple phrase is like a magic spell in Kanon. Making a promise has real power. The story's main problem is that Yuichi broke his childhood promises, and he must remember them to fix everything.

Sad and Emotional Lines

The goal of a "crying game" is to make the audience cry. This is usually done with a single line that reveals a heartbreaking truth.

Ayu: "I... I was always waiting. Waiting for you to come back to this town. I wanted to see you one last time."

This line reveals why Ayu has been trying so hard to be with Yuichi. Her entire existence in the story was a final, desperate wish from a dying girl to see the boy she loved.

Why These Lines Stick With You

The dialogue of Kanon is powerful. It uses simple words like "promise" and "miracle" to explore deep feelings about life and loss. The show attaches big emotions to small things, like meat buns or strawberry jam.

That is why the quotes are so memorable. They are unique to the characters but also talk about feelings everyone can understand.

Tables of Structured Data

Table 1: Character Catchphrases and Their Meanings

Table 2: How Food Connects to Each Character

Kanon's Lasting Impact

The dialogue in Kanon is important to its legacy. The 2006 anime by Kyoto Animation is especially praised for its careful pacing. It allowed the quiet moments to be just as important as the spoken lines.

The show's quotes have also been referenced in fan works and other games for years. Catchphrases like "Uguu" are still remembered by fans from that era. These lines helped define a style of emotional storytelling that continues to influence anime today.