CANAAN - 13 (END) September 27
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Summary:
Despite hearing the explosion, Canaan doesn’t let it bother her and instead follows Siam’s advice. The way she stares freaks Alphard out, and Canaan comes out on top in the ensuing firefight. With her arm injured, Alphard decides to try to make her escape via a helicopter that arrives for her, but Canaan sticks with her. When Alphard tries to point out that Canaan should care more about Maria, Canaan affirms her belief that Maria isn’t dead. Indeed, Yunyun had gone back and saved Maria from the train wreckage, but even without knowing that, Canaan believes because Maria is her friend. Regardless, Alphard attempts to escape by helicopter, but Canaan stops her by killing the helicopter’s gunner who then inadvertently kills the helicopter pilot. The two thus go tumbling back onto the train, and Canaan smacks Alphard around until she realizes something. Alphard gets free, but she slips on the side of the train and nearly falls off. Canaan manages to catch her by the arm, and she reveals that she realized that Alphard’s heart died when Siam died. Canaan feels that she herself is different because of the people she’s met, and as someone who is alive, she doesn’t want Alphard to die any more. This causes Alphard to acknowledge to herself that she’s bound to the past, and to free herself from what she considers to be a curse, she shoots her own arm until it breaks off. This causes Alphard to fall into the river below, and Canaan is left holding a bloody arm.
In the aftermath, Maria has a dream about being separated from Canaan, and she wakes up in a Shanghai hospital. Minoru brought her here after finding her and Yunyun on the side of the road, and Yunyun has long since recovered and is working again. He hasn’t been able to contact Canaan though, and he points to how her ultimate goal was to protect Maria. He knows that the girls’ circumstances were too different, but he feels that their hearts can still be close together, and Canaan, who’s keeping her distance from the hospital, indeed feels the same way. While Maria recovers, Minoru wanders around the city and decides to drop the story about the village in favor of the story of Hakko and Santana. He also visits Santana’s old shop and is glad that he’s alive. Later, on the way to the airport with Maria, he hears Maria say sugoi (lit. amazing) like she always used to, and she admits that she had felt that she shouldn’t say it if she wanted to be with Canaan. She knows now that, given how hard every person tries, there’s nothing amazing that’s unreachable, and that’s why she believes what he said about their hearts being close. As her plane flies over the city, Maria vows not to forget what she saw and felt, and upon her return to Japan, she opens up an art exhibit showcasing the photos that she took. At the center of this exhibit are side-by-side photos of Canaan and Alphard, and between them is a single caption that reads “CANAAN.”
Sometime later, in a different city, Canaan gets a call from Natsume about a job targeting a one-armed woman.
Epilogue
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I didn’t like this finale episode very much in the beginning, but certain parts of the finale made me appreciate it a bit more. My initial reaction was based partly on how quickly the Alphard and Canaan battle turned around. I understand that Alphard became afraid of Canaan in sort of the same vein that Siam was afraid of super-soldiers, but it’s harder to believe that the tide of the battle would turn that drastically that fast considering how things were going last episode. I was also disappointed at first that Maria and Canaan didn’t end up together (they soooo should have kissed in the dream sequence), but after digesting what Maria and Minoru said, I was content with how Maria was able to do something on her own while still hold Canaan close to her heart, corny as it may sound. The nice insert song of course helped too.
A bigger problem was Alphard and closure regarding what happens to her. I liked seeing that Cumming survived and became a monk, but I really wanted to know how Alphard felt in the aftermath and what she’s up to at the very end. As I’ve said before, she’s a very complex character who’s awesome in many respects, and it felt like they left us hanging by having her survive and not telling us more. Perhaps it’s set-up for a potential sequel or OVA or something.
Final Thoughts:
Coming into this series, I was psyched about how it had a great voice cast, a proven animation production team in P.A.Works, and a TYPE-MOON influenced story. Looking back now, I think the series succeeded on the first two - especially the animation which was everything I had hoped for and then some - but faltered a little on the story part. It was still a solid story and had some good characters, but I think the final payoff wasn’t quite worth how heavy they were at times on certain themes (like friendship). The fact that Alphard is still alive too makes this feel like it’s not a complete story but rather just a chapter of one, particularly since the original 428 game could be considered as the previous chapter. Would I still recommend it? Yes, probably, but mainly on the strengths of the action scenes.
lorker at 4:16 am on September 27th, 2009
I realy love this scene http://randomc.maximum7.net/image/CANAAN/CANAAN%20-%2013%20-%20Large%2041.jpg
Meery at 4:34 am on September 27th, 2009
I was taken aback with the arm scene. I appreciated her “death” bringing some sort of realization and closure, even though I liked Alphard most and didn’t really want her to die. Then I realized she was alive, and wished she had died. o_O I’m happy Cummings is alive!
- c H i E n - at 4:40 am on September 27th, 2009
I agreed with you that they should kiss during in the Maria’s dream. They were close together!
And the arm shooting scene was really scary. i was shocked but then I also realized that Type-Moon seems to love taking arm off of their characters like the Ryougi Shiki.
Somehow I feel that they purposely leave the plot hanging so that there’ll be another seasons or they will explain further in the 3 movies. I just hope that Maria and Canaan end up meeting again or something because if they value each other so much, there’s no need reason why they NEED to stop communicating at least?
Kabitzin at 4:44 am on September 27th, 2009
I’m surprised Minoru didn’t save Cosplay Santana and give Yunyun a job (in the back).
ssj4jw at 4:50 am on September 27th, 2009
If there is a sequel, it might be like the 428 game: different characters with cameos from the previous arc. Reminds me of the Michiko to Hatchin ending at the end with the theme of friendship. Kinda of ironic Canaan took a hairstyle similar to Alphard at the end.
Mary at 5:25 am on September 27th, 2009
The final episode was a letdown in many ways.
If you came in for awesome gunaction? Yeah, okay, this is where you’d not be disappointed, there ep13 delivered.
If yu wanted some story? NOthing delivered.
If you wanted background info? Never.
Alphard? Who cares.
Yuri? Not really there.
zzz. I’m pretending it only has 12.
Selvy at 5:28 am on September 27th, 2009
yeah taxi driver!
http://randomc.maximum7.net/image/CANAAN/CANAAN%20-%2013%20-%20Large%2032.jpg
kokweng at 7:33 am on September 27th, 2009
i tot maria died after the explosion >< ”
and yun yun put watermelon into her dress lololololz oversize
O.O cuming become monk liao.
Megas at 7:40 am on September 27th, 2009
This was some crazy good shit. How could this have been bad, considering all the damn garbage floating out there now. Too bad there’s only 13 episodes.
Desho? at 8:15 am on September 27th, 2009
HUGE dissapointment. :/ The series would’ve landed a 10/10 in my book if it weren’t for the final episode.
Ah well. Here’s to hoping we get a movie or anything that would make up for this episode. xD
Anon at 9:23 am on September 27th, 2009
If Maria or Canaan(or even Alphard :p) was that close to me like they were in the hospital, I would be all over them in about a ms.
churrochi at 9:35 am on September 27th, 2009
NOT SATISFIED.
-_____- Bring on the fanfics!
Exia at 11:46 am on September 27th, 2009
all i have to say is its better than the Princess lover ending. LOT BETTER>
island esper at 12:16 pm on September 27th, 2009
The episode was good but there were many things that left me unsatisfied:
Natsume and Cummings still alive? nooo
Alphard with one arm left ! nooo big NO I luv to see her kick some more butt
The whole village issue wasn’t resolved the human experiments are still under cover,maybe for more evil canaans ?
The only thing that made my day was Yunyun we need more breast stuffing items for part time jobs!!!!
I’m glad there was no kissing and they stick to an action series; too many yuri out there.
Overall the ride was great; here’s hoping the movie or OVA bring more We need more.
Zenzen at 12:56 pm on September 27th, 2009
Aren’t there supposed to be like 3 canaan movies? Or am I thinking about some other series from this season?
S_1 at 1:00 pm on September 27th, 2009
The series was kinda slow and average wandering from point to point and the only really interesting thread for me was the continuation of the Canaan and Alphard story that Kinoku Nasu originally wrote.
This episode was a surprise as it was a well written and directed ending. In such a morbid series the “Life is different, but it goes on.” theme is a really good one. I love the meaning behind Canaan’s “Bang” statement and as it’s a positive statement it beats some other well known uses of the word.
Also - p-p-p-ponytail! :O
Lulz - totally opposite opinion to Desho? up thar
TJ at 1:39 pm on September 27th, 2009
Not really an ending… and not much in terms of resolution to the story. At least Canaan got to keep Alphard’s arm and is becoming more like Alphard. Maybe there’ll be a sequel.
Precise Moment at 2:50 pm on September 27th, 2009
Maria not ending up with Cannan KILLED the ending for me, im being biased but i really would have liked to see have seen that ending, im giving it an 8, i thought the characters were far superior then the actual plot, Alphard is a pretty complex character and definitely not your generic villian / anti hero (whatever the hell she was)
Chimasternmay at 4:24 pm on September 27th, 2009
girls with guns type of series there is only good action that makes the series good, other stuff u can never expect great stuff of.
BROOKLYN otaku at 5:19 pm on September 27th, 2009
totally agree..
p.s- i was like who the F@ck is this Monk at the end?? but on a second quick skim through i realized! HAHAHAHHA i was like ” OOOOHHHHH its dat nigga”. i thought he blew his brains out. lots of potential for a movie ova is someone so chooses to pick up
bottom line: suspender Alphard is Hot. BUT, Revy of “black lagoon” IS HOTTER!!