Kanon - Nayuki Minase Route & Character Discussion

Key Discussion
#1

Discussion topic for Nayuki’s arc & character in Kanon. Feel free to discuss anything from the route, but mark any comparisons to events outside of her arc and the common route with the [spoiler] tag. Her arc was adapted in episodes 22 and 23 of the 2006 anime. and For all intents and purposes, Nayuki’s route commences from the 18th of January onwards, but feel free to refer to earlier events relating to her character as well. Her birthday is the 23rd of December.

This topic also hosted Kanon Bookclub discussion from this post onward, and was referenced in our Nayuki Route Podcast.

What would you rate this route?

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0 voters

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Kanon - General Discussion
Kanon Bookclub Topic
#2

I’ll always remember her for her sleepy face which is still one of the funniest faces I’ve seen. Aside from that though, she was a really good supporting character. She was friendly, likable and I did feel for her when her mother was injured due to an accident in the final events of the series. That and the heartbreak she had to go through when Yuichi destroyed her snow bunny that she created for him 7 years ago.

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#3

Nayuki ehhhh…
She’s got good chemistry with Yuuichi but her and her route are just kind of there.

#4

I honestly consider Nayuki as my favorite character in Kanon. I just love her easygoing and laid-back attitude. It’s like the kind of person you wouldn’t mind chilling with just for fun :stuck_out_tongue:

Her route was, well, a bit weak compared to the rest of the routes in Kanon. I did like the romance that was in the VN, though because, as @Kanon said, they have a really good chemistry together~

#5

I like Nayuki a lot; she is second in best girl in Kanon after Shiori. I feel her route would be better if it was purely romance. The plot point of Akiko’s accident feels weird. It happens at a point where their relationship as lovers is building up and the solution is Yuuichi proving he loves her. I’m sure the same result could be reached with a less dramatic initiation; the different levels of tension makes the climax a bit disappointing. It’s as if they put that in there either just for extra tears or so Ayu’s wish could be used on something.

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#6

In the visual novel, they seemed to be really hinting that Nayuki was perfectly okay with being subject to incest. It really bugged me, which was why I was unable to finish her route. That aside, she and Yuuichi did feel like they were good friends, which I think is something the anime took and ran with. I enjoyed her arc in the anime, especially after poor Akiko-san got hit by a car, but it’s not my favorite of Kanon’s six routes.

Nayuki as a character is just as quirky as Ayu. She’s got a fetish for strawberries, stuffed animals, and sleeping. She is also rather attached to Yuuichi, almost to the point where she considers him more than just another member of the family. Again, the incest thing does not rub me the right way at all, and I very much prefer the anime’s interpretation.

One of the strangest part about Nayuki is her voice. The visual novel described it as slow, feminine and sleepy, which I think the Japanese version nails, but the English version fails at. In the Japanese dub, Nayuki always sounds like she’s tired, which makes sense since she does love sleeping. In the English dub, her voice is more peppy, but she does sound more her age if she were American.

#7

I think those quirks is what I like most about Nayuki. Really fun to see (and listen, as you noted) her always seemingly sleepy :stuck_out_tongue:

But yaddayadda something about incest being technically legal between cousins in Japan but frowned upon. It’s a cultural thing, I guess

#8

[quote=“Pepe, post:7, topic:727”]
But yaddayadda something about incest being technically legal between cousins in Japan but frowned upon. It’s a cultural thing, I guess
[/quote] If I knew that, I would have been less critical about it. Japan has a bizarre culture, but I still respect it. Heck, there used to be a time way back when marrying your sister was okay, so I would not be surprised if marrying cousins was a gray line back then. Nowadays, though, there are extremely distant relatives that need attention, so it would be better to focus on them.

#9

Cousin marriage is legal here in Sweden as well. I’ve never heard of it happening but it’s not just because of the “crazy” Japanese people.

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#10

[quote=“HeliosAlpha, post:9, topic:727”]
Cousin marriage is legal here in Sweden as well.
[/quote] The more I know…

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#11

According to wikipedia it’s legal in a lot more places but barely ever happens outside the middle east. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage#Current_status

#12

Holy shit you’re right. It’s only totally illegal in China, The Philippines (not surprising lol), some Eastern European countries and USA. Even in Australia, it’s legal o.O

The more we know…

Well, in that sense, since it is frowned upon after all, I would have liked it if they touched more on the social strain of having to keep that sort of romance. Instead, in her route, they treat it like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

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#13

Finally finished the route, thanks to @Pepe’s assistance.

I’ve really started to notice the quality of the sprites and CGs looking rather subpar compared to AIR. It’s not bad, but I’ve definitely seen better.

And the route itself really isn’t all that different from how the anime portrays it, although I remember Nayuki being a bit more angry when Yuuichi intrudes on her hikikomori fit in the anime. Nevertheless, it still has a touching ending, and the feels are very light now that I’ve read both AIR and Little Busters! already.

Homemade jam is actually kind of tarty-tasting, now that I think about it…

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#14

Is this good or bad?

#15

That CG will forever scare the crap out of me

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#16

[quote=“HeliosAlpha, post:14, topic:727”]
Is this good or bad?
[/quote] That really depends on the person, but I like tarts. They’re quite sweet, but they also have a touch of sourness to them. Homemade cranberry jam is quite tarty-tasting. Putting too much of it on my PB&J sandwiches makes it taste strange, however, so I use it as sparingly as possible.

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#17

It creeps me out too, whenever I see a “faceless face” like that. Probably the only part of Nayuki’s route that I didn’t like. Though I guess you could always draw your own face over it…

Regarding cousin-based relationships, it didn’t bother me. The wikipedia article @HeliosAlpha posted even mentions that the only biological ramifications are nearly the same as elder women giving birth. With the biological issue neutralized for the first cycle of first-cousin relationships, there’s no argument left against it that can be explained in a purely logical way. (Unless I’m just not seeing it.)

BONUS TIME! Fun phrases I’ve heard (don’t do this at home): “If you can’t keep it in your pants, keep it in the family.” “Incest-is best-est.” That’s all. Excuse the terrible jokes.

Nayuki’s route, and maybe this is just me, was fantastic. Nayuki grew to love Yuichi all these years. (Kanon) Even when he didn’t tell her about Ayu. Even when he was taking care of that fox without her knowledge. Even when he broke her snow bunny. (Note to self: Make a snow bunny someday. It’s okay Nayuki! I’ll make you a new one!) He was never really there for her, yet she somehow came to love him. At least, “seven years ago.” Now Yuichi comes back, and he doesn’t remember anything from back then? Just fragments and pieces? Nayuki uses her strength to keep smiling. Only after Akiko’s accident does she lose that. (And, damn, her reaction isn’t all that bad. Especially considering it wouldn’t have happened had Akiko not went to get her the cake.) So how does Yuichi try to fix the situation? He searches. He tries to think of a way to help her. After having been unreliable in the past, he decides to fix the past to show that he can be reliable. So he goes back to the spot outside of the station, to meet her again. To show that he’s willing to wait, just as she was. To show that he can be there for her, with actions, not just words.

I was planning to say more or elaborate further, but that’ll have to wait for another time… (Perhaps on Nayuki day December 23rd.)

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#18

Hinoue drew Nayuki and posted it on Twitter, 9 hours ago.

I gotta say, seeing this, really makes me wish Kanon had a remake with updated CG’s. Along with that Ayu drawing she did a couple of weeks ago too. :minaamor:

image.jpg1536×2048 297 KB

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#19

Ayu a month ago, Nayuki now.

Obvious hints for Kanon HD ye ye ye.

See you guys April 1st.

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#20