Kanon - 2006 - Episode 15 Discussion / Poll

[Vexx]

Why Mai took that last action in ep 15:

Spoiler:

This is up for a lot of interpretation. Various ideas:
1) Mai decided that *she* was the last demon and eliminating herself would save her friends (she still hadn't grasped the choices she had).
2) Realizing the demons from her mind had hurt Sayuri and threatened Yuuichi, she couldn't live with that.
3) Just complete total overwhelming depression and sadness that she had to escape from.
4) Her purpose was done, she was done.
5) Some tangled combination of all of the above and other bits.

The suicide (since it would have entailed active blood spurting?) ... they may have mitigated that for censorship purposes (to be added later on DVD). There are a lot of highly publicized suicides of teens going on in Japan at the moment.... perhaps that played into how they portrayed it. Showing browned out blood for Sayuri was necessary to show she had been damaged but we didn't see the actual assault. We actually see Mai brutalizing herself... so they may have decided to back off on blood.
I think it was a mistake not to show how messy such an act is. However, I've also read in a few places that her sword was dull as a butter knife so its also possible that it was damn near impossible for her to do lethal damage to herself (a puncture wound not necessarily gushing blood).

[FatPianoBoy]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Spoiler:

However, I've also read in a few places that the sword was dull as a butter knife so its also possible that it was damn near impossible for her to do mortal damage to herself.

Not true, actually. You can break skin with a butter knife if you put enough force behind it.

Spoiler for gory details:

Especially considering that she stabbed herself in the chest. The ribs will pull the skin taught and prevent it from flexing as much as, say, your stomach, and make it more prone to penetration. Also, remember that she put almost her full weight (looks like around 90 pounds) on the thing. And we get to her the musical sound of ripping flesh as she's doing it.
As for the reasoning behind the lack of blood, I'd say current events would have probably factored in quite heavily. I seem to remember something similar preventing a few episodes of Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu! from airing (but still making it to DVD). I'd say it's a good possibility that we'll see some red blood on the DVD's

[Vexx]

yes I happen to know a butter knife can do serious damage... it just takes a lot more force. I tend to lean heavily in the "think of the children" direction as to why it was portrayed as it was ... hopefully to be corrected in the DVD as the emotional impact would be much more devastating (and make up a bit for the rushed pacing issue).

[aliensporebomb]

Spoiler:

Guilt. Pure and simple. She hurt her friends in a misguided attempt to
attack a perceived enemy not realizing she herself was behind the problem.

[kj1980]

Originally Posted by Meophist

Err... speaking of which, how expensive is health care in Japan? A bunch of characters are having quite a few visits to the hospital, so it kinda makes me wonder.

Thanks to a universal health care system, hospital visits and medical costs are cheap and pretty much covered for.

Remind you that if you live in the U.S., you guys are probably the only first-world country that doesn't have universal health care coverage; that's why you guys pay so much medical costs.

[Meophist]

I live in Canada, so it's not too big of a deal.

[Vexx]

gah... not a soapbox I want to get near other than to note the stupid country I live in is just now starting to grasp how globally uncompetitive that makes us.... but the special interests who like the status quo buy influence like crazy.

right.. back to Kanon and Mai appreciation...

[Mugen-Hut]

Gave this one a 9. Another great job by Kyoani. Chibi Mai (hope) is so cute. I think I'll make a chibi mai for the mugen engine.

[Lost]

This episode was sad, just too sad. Even if it ended well for Mai, the mere thought of her spending those last ten years fighting what were essentially parts of herself is just too sad. While the music was playing, I just found my face contorting to hold back the tears.

Originally Posted by Vexx

Why Mai took that last action in ep 15:

Spoiler:

This is up for a lot of interpretation. Various ideas:
1) Mai decided that *she* was the last demon and eliminating herself would save her friends (she still hadn't grasped the choices she had).
2) Realizing the demons from her mind had hurt Sayuri and threatened Yuuichi, she couldn't live with that.
3) Just complete total overwhelming depression and sadness that she had to escape from.
4) Her purpose was done, she was done.
5) Some tangled combination of all of the above and other bits.

I think that out of your list, (2), otherwise guilt, is the most likely reason. In episode 14, she attempted to pull a suicide - after Sayuri was injured. Then, she didn't believe (or maybe even know) that those demons were her doing. Imagine: now that she has accepted it, how much more blame she would put on herself. I think (3) is most unlikely - (3) because she has lasted this long. For (4), if I may suggest a variant: not really that "Her purpose was done" as in she had completed what she wanted to do - but more like any purpose in what she was doing had been taken away, pulled like a carpet from under her feet, in the realisation that the demons were made up by her. Thus, there was nothing more to live for. Maybe call that point (6). I'd say a combination of (2) and (6) caused her to do what she did.

I was disappointed at the lack of blood - I thought it'd be nice if they had showed a bright-red blood patch growing on Yuuichi's jacket/shirt as he held Mai to himself.

[Lost]

Actually, isn't it symbolic; or meaningful? To Mai, Yuuichi ran away because of her power. In the ten years without him, she fights and destroys the "demons," fragments of her power. It could be that her giving form to and fighting the demons was not so much a ploy to get Yuuichi to return, but to exorcise what she saw as the root of her problems.

[Whitemoon648]

I was abit confused when i watched this episode. So Basically the place that Mai was talking about protecting was the place their school was?.

Actually care some one explain this episode to me ?.

[Skane]

Originally Posted by Whitemoon648

I was abit confused when i watched this episode. So Basically the place that Mai was talking about protecting was the place their school was?.

Actually care some one explain this episode to me ?.

In short, yes.

Recall the first episode when Nayuki brought Yuuichi to see the school for the first time. Yuuichi commented on how the place used to be a barley field.

Cheers.

[Whitemoon648]

I gave it 10/10. The kid Mai KAWAIIIIIII. It almost made me cry watching this episode. I really liked it.

[kohakuslayer]

Can anyone help me please? There's a really good song in Kanon 2006 anime series and I have trouble locating the name of that song. It's episode 15, when Mai is jumping from the roof to slay the last demon (8min 21sec or something). The waltz song kinda, but it's episode 15 on Kanon 2006. If anyone can give me the title or album, I would gladly appreciate it thanks.

[New/Old]

Hmm-hmm.

That would be "Shoujo no Ori", I think.

EDIT: Ah. The question has already been answered. My apologies then.