CANAAN Anime, Disk 2 Blu-Ray (English)

Liang Qi says it along. She says it repeatedly. But since she's crazy, we don't really listen.

It's all about Love.

Cummings loves Liang Qi who loves Alphard. Alphard loved Siam, to her detriment. Yun Yun loves life. Santana loves Hakko and Hakko loves him. Maria loves Canaan and Canaan loves Maria, both the to the extent that they each are a bit blind about the other.

On Disc 2, we approach a series of climactic moments that fail to actually build to a single climax. Hakko's tragic story ends in more tragedy, Liang Qi's story drags on painfully until it ends in pain. Maria, Yun Yun and Canaan escape one horror to walk right into the middle of another.

And, in the middle of that horror and sacrifice, Maria, Yun Yun and Canaan finally come face to face with themselves and don't shrink away from what they see.

The final battle between Alphard and Canaan is everything a final battle between implacable enemies should be. i.e., on top of a speeding train, crossing a mountain bridge, while a helicopter shoots at them.

Because this is Okazu, and because the first two episodes of Disk 2 establish that Canaan and Maria love ("aishteru") each other, let's talk a little about the scene in which Canaan says that Maria is not her "light," but her "friend." When I watched this series originally, it seemed awfully like a denial of their feelings. But upon reflection, I have found an interpretation I can live with - Maria had given up the idea of walking by Canaan's side, but at that moment, Canaan embraces it. Up to that point, her desire was to "protect" Maria. By naming her friend, Canaan has in fact awarded equal status to Maria in her heart.

Mino-san says that, although they can never truly walk side by side, they can be close. It's true that they can not live side by side in Canaan's world, nor in Maria's, but I think it becomes obvious that they are close enough to hold hands across that gap. While not the ending I'd write, it's good enough for me.

Extras are clean OP/ED and a clip episode, narrated by Mino-san.  Nothing to write home about.


I've already touched upon the visuals in my review of Disk 1, but let me reaffirm that this was a really good choice for a BD purchase. The battle scenes make it very worth your while to watch this large.

Ratings:

Art - 8
Story - 8
Characters - 8
Yuri - 5
Loser FanBoy - 4

Overall - 8