Kanon (2006) - 8/10
A teenage boy returns to the town in which he spent time as a ten-year-old, a time he doesn't remember too well. Staying with his hot aunt and cute cousin (those crazy Japanese), he attends school and has chance encounters with girls who seem to have some connection to his missing past.
The cynic in me wants to dismiss Kanon as wish-fulfillment fluff that shamelessly manipulates the audience with calculated tragedy and cute anime girls crying rivers of tears from their planet-sized eyes. And while that's true to an extent, Kanon, aside from one particular character's story, is actually rather subdued and keeps the melodrama to a minimum. All the characters are at least likeable, particularly in the English dub where teenage girls actually sound like teenage girls, and the interplay between them is entertaining. And though the fantasy elements require the viewer to suspend disbelief, they -- along with the nostalgic snowy scenery and gorgeous lighting -- bring a sense of dreamlike whimsy to the story. Its languid pace, humour, and warmth makes Kanon very easy to watch.