Key's Self-References

Key Discussion
#1

So I started watching the Air anime yesterday and this is what I noticed.

Turns out that Air has made a reference to Kanon. While I posted the pic on Twitter, @TRBO_188 responded to me saying that Key has always made some sort of reference to their previous work. So I would like to know what are some of your favorite references that Key has made to their previous work? Hopefully this is not a bad topic to talk about. Also add a spoiler tag if you can as the reference might be a spoiler to a previous work. :smile:

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#2

There’s of course the classic one in Rewrite referencing Air.

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#3

Man that reference is dumb, KyoAni always did dumb, no sense making references like that.

A shirt? Cool. An iconic stuffed toy? Nice. A bizarre string of references to random strange animal in particular? Hilarious.

An exact physical duplicate of an established character being INTERACTED WITH.
No that’s fucking dumb.

EDIT: Because @Aspirety needs to get told

Kanon: Nanase Rumi appearing in Yuichi’s classroom(VN and 2006), Peach Juice from Air trucks appearing(Anime)
Air: That stupid Kanon reference(Anime)
Clannad: Akiko Jam(Anime?), the Anteater Plush from Kanon(Anime?)
Little Busters: ANTEATER PANTIES
Angel Beats: Yui had the Air Dinosaur and two other plushes, I think Potato and Botan.
Rewrite: GAO GAO STEGOSAURUS

Off the top of my head.

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#4

These types of references are posted to Twitter at least once a month. Gets kinda old, especially since people commonly make mistakes when pointing out what series’ are referenced in that one AB scene with the plushies.

I swear I’ve seen Nanase in another VN’s Backgrounds too. Can’t remember which one…
A derpy character looking like Akane is seen in the Cafeteria BG as well.

There was a Tomoyo After reference in Clannad too (one that actually made some sense.)

#5

Not as direct, but I always considered Yoshino in Rewrite to be a giant reference/parody to the protagonists in Kanon/Air/Clannad. He aims to be a cool and mysterious character, but he constantly fails or is exposed by Kotarou. His line “What is youth” is also pretty reminiscent of the text in the beginning of LB!'s opening

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#6

Minor Angel Beats! spoilers for this one.
My favorite reference is a three-for-one in the Yui flashbacks where we see three stuffed animals on the shelf.

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(I took the image from the Angel Beats! wiki because I was too lazy and short on time to get my own screen shot.)

From left to right, we have the dinosaur Haruko wanted to give to Misuzu for her birthday from Air, Potato also from Air, and Botan from Clannad.

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#7

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Oh, yeah, that Air reference in LB!

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A really obscure Air reference in Clannad

…Wait!

Anime wise, appearances of the Super Gooey Peach Flavored Juice are always welcome… (The train in Kanon anime, Sunohara in Clannad anime… )

Albeit this last links doesn’t appear in LB! anime…

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#8

Perhaps there’s more than I thought…

#9

Is that Sekine.

#10

If manga count,ZEN made a bunch of them.

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#11

I just love this thread! Too bad I can’t contribute anything because you guys already put in all my favorites haha. Most favorite one would have to be the one contributed by @Bonecuss. GAO GAO!

Oh wait, I just remembered one in Rewrite! In the side-quest to prove the existence of the supernatural to Akane, one of the characters that Kotarou finds is a guy who can control a puppet without any strings. That totally gave me some AIR vibes.

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#12

Everyone knows that Rewrite is the sequel to Air’s Khan route, where Yukito has children with 3 people in every town, village and city he passes through.

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#13

Told you man, you’re a casuaaaaaaaaaaaaal.

#14

Later on they also show Nayuki’s frog doll(very similar at least) being controlled. Slight spoiler.

#15

Yo I dont know if this is considered but I think ill give this a try.
Here is what I noticed - in the first picture we can see those “lights” right that are considered as feelings
from clannad

And here, in the Little busters EX opening we can see Riki with those lights around him. I think they are the same thing for some reason. (I think Key wouldnt just put some random lights like that for special effect…)

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#16

HashtagMaedaTropes

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#17

Yeah about that.

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Maeda’s been in love with light balls for a while now.
It’s possible he does mean for it to be a symbolic thing with the same meaning across all his works, or maybe he just really likes light balls, but I don’t think they’re all referencing Clannad.

Not her, long story, her name is Kii-chan, she is a reference of sooorts reguardless, she shows up in 2006 too.

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#18

Didn’t it all start as like, an analogue to the constant falling snow in Kanon? It’s like upwards-floating snow.

#19

I think it’s just a Maeda thing. It’s generally a visual partner to life/magic/etc. Unsure what caused it, but I think more or less he wanted to give energy a body, and that’s always been the orb because it’s naturally an efficient form… It’s a nice touch though.

#20

I agree with biz here, yeah maybe it kind of reminds the upwards-floating snow. I always tought that Key works are somehow connected, and those lights were one of those things that made me believe so.
But biz said it perfectly. And also thanks for that enegry body part, I wasnt even considersing such a thing.