As the last of the summer season winds down, I can’t help but recall different endings to different shows with a sense of fondness and in a few years from now, when Anime Diet shall become a huge multinational conglomerate in the world of fandom, I shall recall the summer of 2009 with nostalgia.
Canaan ended and I breathed a sigh as if finishing a long and great thrill ride of a movie. The movie had action, drama, pathos, emotional firework; gun firework; personality and agenda clashes; love, hate, sadness, humor, triumph, defeat…There has been so many things happening in this show that I sat breathlessly on the edge of my seat sometimes and staring at the screen in disbelief at other times; from almost overtly complex plots to superhuman abilities; from great drama to over the top acting; from colorful characters to messianic stereotypes. So much has happened in this show.
The showdown between Alphard and Canaan (or is it really, Canaan Alpha and Canaan Beta) continues. In the last episode, we saw that it was probably impossible to save Maria from a certain death. Well, guess what? Yun Yun does have a superpower after all – it’s the power of not giving up. Somehow, she jumps off the train, chases down the sections left behind, saves Maria, who weights as much as she does, by carrying her on her back and saves the day. I didn’t know having two appendixes makes one a super fast runner and endurance athlete!
As Canaan experiences the near loss of Maria, she understands something. She’s been out of the past for a long while now thanks to Maria, who isn’t her light (messiah) exactly, but a good friend that accepts her and supports her. It’s an old concept and can be added as extra cheese sometimes, but in this case, thanks to Maria’s strong character, this support is firm and not flimsy. Canaan no longer needs someone to be her light; she finds the strength just knowing that someone compassionate cares for her, which is enough for her to become invincible.
Alphard loses the fight; she realizes what Siam meant when he called her not by the name “Canaan”, but by the name “Alphard”. It’s a bright and the strong existence but lonely. Alphard is at the top of the game, but she’s also alone. Wanting nothing else but away from her past shadows, she has been doing her very best to become the top and in her pursuit of being the one, she loses her feelings, emotions and caring. In the end, she has no real allies but people whom obey her out of fear.
After all, Alphard never got rid of the past and that’s why she has been trying to kill Canaan. But ultimately, Canaan, who has moved on, is stronger.
Alphard falls into the water below.
Maria is saved.
Minoru goes to the bar and shuts the TV off and mourns for the loss of his friends in the adventure by awkwardly talking about missing Hakko’s nice butt.
As the Maria and Minoru rides in the Taxi driver’s car, the almost pointless Anime idol’s slow song sends them off with a hint of longing and sadness, in addition to a gladness of flying home. It just fits everything so perfectly all of a sudden.
As for the rest, please view it on your own. It’s best just savored and not spoiled.
Additional notes: Wondering what happened to Cummings? Watch and be surprised!
Just finished writing my thoughts about Canaan as well =) Nice interpretation of Canaan and Alphard’s showdown. I too found the endless thrills and action of this series very enjoyable.
Read your article. It is true that unfortunately, even at the end, it was hard to really understand the “spiritual” relationship among Siam, Alphard and Canaan.
I really loved this show, but I hate that both main characters survived the last episode, but cant pyshically be together for what I feel is a weak reason. Im not saying that they should have been all over each other, but they could have stayed in the same city and mainted a friendship.
@ Dragonbow0 – You know, I thought Maria should have died and somehow her power only comes out after death. There were hints that she had some sort of power, other than being a sunny and happy girl, but that wasn’t really fulfilled. That miracle save by Yun-Yun was almost borderline stupidity. As far as for the Canaan and Maria not get together, well I guess technically Maria could search for Canaan when she gets stronger and get good enough to be with her, but that’s weak, all right.