Kanon 2006 is a show designed to be rewatched. On the surface, it's a lovingly-made romcom with compelling drama and engaging characters. But the additional intrigue of an amnesiac protagonist and the measured sprinklings of fantasy contribute fathoms of extra depth which keep me coming back to analyse it again and again.

• What do the Minase family make of the spirit of Tsukimiya Ayu?
• Is Yuuichi a reliable narrator, or are we presented his delusion?
• Can everyone see Makoto?
• Are the answers to the whole plot concealed in the opening sequence?

On this latest rewatch, I paid extra attention to these details. Fittingly, the last time I watched the show was about seven years ago, and so, just like Yuuichi, I had forgotten a great deal about the stories behind each character.

Under this interrogation, Kanon does not disappoint. Considering it's a show from which I can recite whole scenes from memory, I was impressed to find myself spotting new details. Some of the characters' glances and gestures were so slight that I hadn't really understood the meaning of them until this rewatch. The Minase family in particular are a goldmine of exposition.

All this said, Kanon is not without blemish. I always found the Ayu dream sequences and childhood memories simply dull. I did pick up a bit more meaning in them this time round (particularly in the colour composition), but still found them difficult to immerse myself in. And yes, it's still somewhat hard to overlook their galaxy-sized eyes. But far worse than that is how each character has a trademark "thing" (taiyaki, nikuman, gyuudon, ice cream, strawberries) and some sort of catchphrase that seem to cheapen the depth that they otherwise have.

It's also unavoidable, of course, to contrast it with its spiritual successor, Clannad. Having just finished rewatching Clannad (strictly just season 1; After Story is another discussion) as well, I'm surprised to conclude... Kanon feels generally the stronger of the two. While both derived from romance visual novels, Kanon far more smoothly solves the challenge of presenting multiple love interests and story arcs. I think this is mostly because Yuuichi has purpose: he wishes to reacquaint himself with the city, so there are things he feels driven to do. Okazaki, by contrast, is mostly dragged around by others, and so Clannad feels more like observing a human pinball machine. This extends to the romance aspect, too: while girls come and fight over Okazaki, Yuuichi is proactive in building up relationships with each of the girls in turn.

All this said, if you haven't yet watched it, I must emphatically urge you to watch it. And if you have already watched it, I must emphatically urge you to rewatch it!