空想百科账户

Kanon

"Kanon" tells the winter story of the protagonist moving to a snowy town and staying at the home of his cousin Minase Nayuki, where he meets five girls. Ayu Tsukimiya, Makoto Sawatari, Shiori Misaka, Mai Kawasumi, and others each have their own backgrounds for encounters. The 2024 Steam version adds HD graphics, CG color grading, and full voice support for Windows.

Basic information
DevelopmentVisualArts/Key
Published by SteamVisualArts
Steam release date2024-06-19
TextChinese Simplified, English, Japanese
VoiceJapanese; The protagonist only provides voice acting for part of the scenes

Game format

Players advance the story by reading text and making choices, with different choices leading to different endings. The work was later adapted into an anime.

Steam version

The Steam version, released in 2024, features high-definition visuals and CG color adjustments to suit modern monitors. This version adds voice acting for Windows, supports switching between three text languages in-game, and also supports touchscreen operation.

A reunion in Snow Town

The protagonist moves to a snowy town in the north, stays at the home of his relative Minase, and reunites with his cousin Minase Nayuki, whom he hasn't seen for seven years; After transferring, the two happened to become classmates. The story revolves around encounters with five young women and the search for true smiles beyond romantic relationships.

Five Dans meet

Ayu Tsukimiya met the protagonist in front of the station on the first day they moved, and the two often met again after school on the street. Makoto Sawatari, who has lost her memory, only remembers hating the protagonist and forcibly moves into the Minase household to follow him; Shiori Misaka has been on leave from school for a long time due to illness, and even after returning to school, she still looks lonely. Mai Kawasumi chases the invisible objects in the school building at night, gradually drawing closer to her.

Choices and multiple endings

The Steam version explains that the story changes according to player choices and offers different endings. During the reading process, the protagonist's encounters and interactions with different young girls gradually develop into their own storylines. The main theme of the work is the encounter in Snow Town, relationships between people, and the small miracles that unfold around the girls.

From the original 1999 to Steam HD

The official Key product page states that the original Windows version was released on June 4, 1999, followed by the 2000 All-Ages Edition, the 2004 Standard Edition, and the 2010 Memorial Edition. The current Steam version was released on June 19, 2024, developed and published by VISUAL ARTS/Key; It adds full voice support for the Windows version (with only some scenes dubbed for the protagonist), HD visuals, CG color grading for LED displays, and offers Japanese, English, Chinese Simplified text, and Japanese voice acting.

Schools and Rental Families

Akiko Minase is both Nayuki's mother and the protagonist's aunt. Nayuki and Kaori have been friends for many years, helping the protagonist adjust to his new life after transferring schools. Mai and Sayuri become friends after enrolling; Shiori took a break from school due to illness, while Mishio often spent time alone. The histories of different characters gradually influence reunions in the town.

Switch version language update

The Switch version was released on April 20, 2023, and the free update on December 5, 2024, added English and Chinese Simplified. In full Japanese audio, the protagonist only speaks in certain passages. The script was written by Naoki Kuya and Jun Maeda, with original art by Itaru Higami, and music by Shinji Orito with Key and OdiakeS.

Soundtrack albums and tracklists

"Kanon Original SoundTrack" was released on 2002-10-25, cataloged as the first disc with 24 tracks. Includes the complete and short edition of the soundtrack and Last regrets Japanese-style Destination Place.

Ayu's school and three wishes

[Ayu Route Spoilers] The 'Free School' she mentioned comes from a promise made with Yuichi under a big tree seven years ago. When they returned to their original spot, only the roots remained, and the two gradually recalled the accident of her fall from the tree. The angel doll she has been searching for is a token of Yuichi's promise to fulfill three wishes; In reality, Ayu is still in a coma and hospitalized.

The Misaka sisters and their birthdays

[Shiori Route Spoilers] Shiori is Kaori's younger sister. Kaori denies this relationship because she cannot face the doctor's prediction of her sister's lifespan, while Shiori wants to live the life of an ordinary student in her final days. Yuichi accompanied her to school, went on dates, and prepared for her birthday, and their sisterly relationship gradually improved.

Mai's power and Sayuri's past

[Mai and Sayuri route spoilers] As a child, Mai used special powers to save her mother but was rejected by those around her. A monster invented to keep her summer playmate Yuichi, it becomes reality under the influence of her power, and she fights until the wheat field is converted into a school. The hidden Sayuri arc tells of her younger brother Kazumi's death and her guilt; Mai's kindness toward the stray dog becomes the catalyst for their meeting.

Makoto's identity and brief reunion

[Makoto Route Spoilers] The girl Makoto is the fox Yuichi saved as a child and released back to the hill. "Makoto Sawatari" comes from the name of an older girl Yuichi liked back then. Mixi explains to him that a miracle reunion requires sacrifices of life and memory; As Makoto gradually loses her ability to speak and move, Yuichi holds a small wedding for her at Monomigaoka.

Accidents and alarms on the famous snow route

[Steam Meyuki Route Spoilers] Seven years ago, in despair, Yuichi rejected Nayuki and hasn't returned to town for years. Reuniting and living together gradually brought them into lovers, but Akiko was seriously injured in a traffic accident, prompting Nayuki to shut herself away and reject Yuichi. The alarm recorder she had previously given him had her own voice; Yuichi recorded his own voice again, sent the alarm clock back to her, and recalled the company he hadn't received back then.

The Steam version's route pre-release and hidden section

[Steam Game Guide] Early on, choosing to meet Mai at Night School will interrupt Shiori's progress; The outcome of inviting Ayu to stay at the Minase family also depends on her previous actions. After completing the Dance Arc, entering the related route again will reveal an additional option for Sayuri's hidden arc, so the options for revisiting the Dance Arc for the first time are not exactly the same as revisiting after clearing the stage.

Switch version: Common prologue and early branches

The Switch version opens with a common prologue, but the story branches from the very beginning, leading to the five heroines' individual endings following the player's choices.

Switch version: CG display and scene replay

The original PC version's event CG uses a 4:3 aspect ratio. On the Switch version, you can scroll up or down with the left stick or touchscreen; CG appreciation allows you to zoom in to view the full image. The system supports jumping to read options, jumping from history to specified messages, and backtracking to the save read point.

iPad Ayu Line: Searching with student participation

When searching for Ayu's lost item, Kaori, Kitagawa, and Nayuki join in, and Nayuki also mends the doll.

iPad Sayuri Arc: A friend's help and a new agreement

Mai asks Yuichi to help Yuri and lets the two be alone. Yuichi takes Sayuri to the shopping street for a date with a game arcade; At the end of the story, she asks him to wait until she can change her name to 'Yuichi-kun.' Making Mai Kofuku also a goal Sayuri is willing to strive for.

PC and PS2 Makoto Route: Action and Farewell in Decline

In the PC Makoto route, Makoto breaks bamboo chopsticks while repeatedly practicing difficult daily movements. The final farewell in the PS2 version takes place on Monomi Hill: Makoto, wearing a bell, disappears in Yuichi's arm.

iPad Lineup: Birthday preparation and peer support

After consulting Ayu, Yuichi decides to prepare art supplies for Shiori; Nayuki accompanied the downcast Yuichi, took Kaori to a café for a parfait, and took the initiative to talk to Shiori.

Game Dance Line: Actions for returning to school and the final battle

Yuichi and Sa Yuri petitioned for Mai to return to school, but were blocked by the student council. Afterwards, Yuichi practiced the wooden sword, luring monsters into the courtyard to cooperate with the dance during the final battle; The different outcomes of the all-ages game can return to the title after Yuichi loses consciousness, or continue into Mai's memories and the truth about her power.

Development review: music coordination and delivery

Speaking of their collaboration, Shinji Orito recalled that Jun Maeda wrote the music for his own script and took on other parts himself, without detailed song-by-song meetings. When handing over music to I've, he mainly contacted Kazuya Takase, with Banyuki Nakazawa assisting in communication, and confirmed the audio by mailing DAT tapes.

Moving from instrumental music to singing learning

Orito recalled the production of the song "Kanon," saying that he had previously focused mainly on instrumental music and was used to treating the human voice as a musical instrument. He rented popular CDs of the time, studied melodies suitable for vocals, and gradually adjusted his songwriting.

PSP version voice acting and screenshots

The PSP packaging was released on February 15, 2007, using a single UMD card. It adds Tomokazu Sugita's voice for the protagonist, but the entire series uses partial voice acting based on the main scenes. The publisher's FAQ explains that there are voice lines from the start to the 12 days in the game, some flashbacks, and the latter half of each character's story, while the mid-game does not have voice messages everywhere.

The PSP version can save game scenes to a memory stick and use saved images as custom PSP themes.

Recording and visuals from the 2006 TV animation

During the recording of the TV anime, Yui Horie recalled her long-term involvement in games and radio dramas, describing the scene of working with everyone again as warm and nostalgic.

Episode 6: Animation director Yukiko Horiguchi focuses on expressions in everyday scenes, especially Ayu, who appears frequently in this episode.

Director of photography Ryuta Nakagami created new filters for the winter chill and adjusted the treatment according to the scene; The CG materials also aim to resemble the texture of a cel-colored image.

Switch version controls and saves

The December 5, 2024 Switch trilingual update allows text switching immediately by pressing the minus key or double-tapping to keep existing saves.

This version can create up to 200 archives and can also disable auto-sleep mode during automatic reading or video playback.

Switch Guide: Post-completion CG of Makoto's chapter

After clearing the Meiyuki stage, on January 18th in the Makoto arc, an additional option called "Imagine That Scenario" will appear, where CG can be collected. If your goal is to complete the image records, you need to revisit this location in the Makoto arc after completing the famous snow.

Related entries

References

Data compiled on: 2026-10-16.

本版编辑：免费机器翻译 · 2026-10-24

内容许可：CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

本译文依据的源修订