Canaan episode one
Actually, the anime that I was sure I was going to watch from the premieres of this summer was Needless. But it proved to be a flick. Neeeext! Canaan, the anime. I can say that because Canaan is inspired after a game for Nintendo Wii, created by Kinoko Nasu and Takashi Takeuchi. The animation studio that handles Canaan is PA Works, and the director is Masahiro Ando, also known for Sword of the Stranger.
My first impression was… oh, it reminds me of Black Lagoon. And a bunch of stuff happens in this first episode. Many characters make their first appearance, lots of shootings, crazy action and what seems like a nice complicated plot to follow.
The anime throws you in the middle of a street festival in a neighborhood that looks like China Town or some similar setting. A reporter, Minoriwaka Minoru, and his photograph, a young woman called Oosawa Maria, seem not to notice that some shootings and strange things are going around. Pretty easy to miss that, since is a party and everybody is acting crazy and making noise.
But after that, the two get separated, and while Minoru follows a guy that he thinks he looks like someone famous from the news, Maria starts to take random pictures of the crowd. Somehow, she manages to take a photo of a guy that starts spits blood and dies shortly after, on a small bridge right under her eyes. Immediately, two guys wearing masks try to grab her.
No can do, because Canaan manages to save her. This Canaan girl soon proves to be someone that Maria knows. She leaves Maria hidden after a trash can and she engages the masked men. Now you will see some unbelievable action scenes. Canaan jumps from rooftops, she swirls in the air and shoots in the same time. I couldn’t believe how great the action is. The moves are fluent, everything is natural in the movements… oh my. And after, we can see that she has some mysterious power that allows her to see the hidden enemies. I liked Canaan in this first appearance of her. While she is a teenager, she looks strong and determined.
The crowd that is participating at the festival seems a little bit mad. They don’t notice the shootings from the rooftops, and they laugh when the man dies on the bridge. Drugs? Mass hypnosis? Minoru notices this weird fact as well, as he tries to take some photos with Canaan running of the rooftops.
Also, we are briefly introduced to some other characters, groups and organizations. We hear about an organization called The Snakes, and it looks like Canaan is with them. Another organization looks like is being formed by powerful industrial moguls, who seem involved in some high-tech researches.
At the end of the episode we are shown a military convoy who is escorting a prisoner. This prisoner, a girl that looks like a mercenary, looks a lot like Revy from Black Lagoon. The convoy is truck by some serious fire power and things start to blow up. At then end of the episode, we are left with many questions and maybe a big opened mouth.
The story is complicated, and if you did not understood too much, do not worry. You are not alone. By the sheer number of characters and events that this episode bombards you with, it looks like we are in for great story. It is complicated, but not in a bad way. I am sure that things will gradually start to reveal in the next episodes and we will be properly introduced to all the characters, to their personal dramas and stories. I cannot tell if the story makes sense or not, I need to see more, but it IS exciting. And is delivering all the thrills and action possible in an episode. While other anime slowly build up in their first episode, Canaan starts at full strength.
And about the animation, whoa! The studio that animates Canaan is doing a terrific job. Almost all the people that participate at the festival move, and there are lots of background small animation that contributes to the atmosphere. No money was spared in doing the animation. Visually, technically and artistically great in any possible sense. Episode two is expected with high hopes now. We ended up with one great anime, from a summer season that didn’t seemed to have too much in it.
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