Kanon (visual novel)

Kanon
Original visual novel cover
カノン
Genre	Drama, Fantasy, Harem, Romance
Game
Developer	Key
Publisher	VisualArt's (Windows) NEC Interchannel (DC, PS2) Prototype (PSP, FOMA, S3G)
Genre	Eroge, Visual novel
Platform	Windows, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, FOMA, S3G, Android, iOS
Released	June 4, 1999 Windows JP: June 4, 1999 JP: January 7, 2000 (All ages) JP: November 26, 2004 (Standard DVD) JP: January 28, 2005 (Standard All Ages) Dreamcast JP: September 14, 2000 PlayStation 2 JP: February 28, 2002 JP: December 22, 2004 (Best Version) PlayStation Portable JP: February 15, 2007 JP: November 9, 2009 (PlayStation Store) iOS JP: April 3, 2013 Android JP: August 28, 2013
Light novel
Written by	Mariko Shimizu
Illustrated by	Itaru Hinoue
Published by	Paradigm
Demographic	Male
Original run	October 23, 1999 – August 1, 2000
Volumes	5
Manga
Written by	Key
Illustrated by	Petit Morishima
Published by	MediaWorks
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Dengeki Daioh
Original run	February 2000 – July 2002
Volumes	2
Anime television series
Directed by	Naoyuki Itō
Produced by	Daisuke Kawakami Mamoru Yokota
Written by	Makoto Nakamura Ryōta Yamaguchi
Music by	Hiroyuki Kozu Michihiro Ito
Studio	Toei Animation
Original network	Fuji TV, Kansai TV
Original run	January 31, 2002 – March 28, 2002
Episodes	13 (List of episodes)
Original video animation
Kanon Kazahana
Directed by	Naoyuki Itō
Produced by	Kazumitsu Matsusaka
Written by	Makoto Nakamura Ryota Yamaguchi
Music by	Hiroyuki Kozu
Studio	Toei Animation
Released	March 2003
Runtime	20 minutes
Manga
Kanon: Honto no Omoi wa Egao no Mukōgawa ni
Written by	Key
Illustrated by	Kinusa Shimotsuki
Published by	Fujimi Shobo
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Dragon Age Pure
Original run	June 29, 2006 – October 20, 2007
Volumes	2
Anime television series
Directed by	Tatsuya Ishihara
Produced by	Naohiro Futono Shinichi Nakamura Yoko Hatta Yoshihisa Nakayama
Written by	Fumihiko Shimo
Music by	Shinji Orito Yota Tsuruoka
Studio	Kyoto Animation
Licensed by	AUS Madman Entertainment NA Funimation
Original network	BS-i, TBS
English network	NA Anime Network
Original run	October 5, 2006 – March 15, 2007
Episodes	24 (List of episodes)

Kanon (カノン^?) is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Key released on June 4, 1999 for Windows PCs. Key later released versions of Kanon without the erotic content, and the game was ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. The story follows the life of Yuichi Aizawa, a high school student who returns to a city he last visited seven years prior, and he has little recollection of the events from back then. He meets several girls and slowly regains his lost memories. The gameplay in Kanon follows a branching plot line which offers pre-determined scenarios with courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the five female main characters by the player character. The game once ranked as the second best-selling PC game sold in Japan, and charted in the national top 50 several more times afterwards. Kanon has sold over 300,000 units across several platforms.

Following the game's release, Kanon made several transitions into other media. Two manga series were serialized in Dengeki Daioh and Dragon Age Pure. Comic anthologies, light novels and art books were also published, as were audio dramas and several music albums. Toei Animation produced a 13-episode anime television series in 2002 and an original video animation (OVA) episode in 2003. Kyoto Animation produced a 24-episode anime series in 2006. The 2006 anime was licensed and dubbed in English by ADV Films in 2008, but the license was given to Funimation after ADV's closure. The 2006 anime plays on the association between Kanon and the musical term canon by using Pachelbel's Kanon D-dur, or Canon in D major, as a background piece at certain instances throughout the series.