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Originally Posted by Vexx
Calling Kanon a "harem anime" is kind of like calling The Diary of Anne Frank a "nazi story" ... well... yes.. and no, not really. Simple labels or rote categorization usually undervalue a story. I mean, Deathnote is just a detective story with a few monsters, eh?
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Yes, you're right. Each work has its own uniqueness, and categorizing them would be a deadly sin. However, the general idea does not change. There are stories and there are great stories; there are fictions and there are literary fictions. No matter how much Kanon tries to break the convention, the basis of the story is still founded upon the harem concept-- a broken concept. Really, it is because Kanon is a harem that prevents it from reaching its full potential.
So why is harem a broken concept? Arguably, it's just a love triangle, rectangle, pentagon, hexagon... right? Well, that's exactly what is wrong. Except that instead of the main character choosing the person he likes the most, he chooses each and every one, browse through what they have to offer, then ultimately stops at the final destination of the one he thinks is the best. More importantly, harem really got in the way of the reoccuring theme of miracles. The romance in each arc really distracts the miracle motif. In a harem, romantic interest conflicts with one another in different arcs, tearing down this dramatic build up of occurances of miracles (and the devastating effects of them) to the final one that sets everything right.
Well, I have to admit, I was wrong when I said that the emotional impact cheapens because of the "favorite girl" bias. There are people (much more mature than I am) who is able to like instead of just to tolerate each arc.
Of course, every point I'm making is from my own opinion (it's really redundant to say IMO when what I say must be from my own opinion, or else this post wouldn't exist).