The term Canyon is used to refer to the story that is officially recognized and accepted by the creator of the work as part of the main plot. Canon is usually based on the original work from which the anime is adapted, such as the sleevethe light novel or the videogame. Any anime that follow faithfully the original story is considered canon.
On the other hand, there is also the term “not canon” to refer to elements that are not part of the official history or that have not been recognized by the creator of the work. An example is filler in anime, it is considered “non-canon” because they are not based on the source material.
It is important to note that the word “Canyon” is mainly used by fans and followers of the series, and not an official term used by the creators or the anime industry itself. However, it is a term that is frequently used in the anime community to distinguish what is official and true within the universe of a work.
What types of canon are there?
It is important to note that the canon is set by author or creator of the original work on which the anime series is based. Therefore, the canon depends on the decisions that the author take in relation to the story and the characters, and is what is considered “official” or “true” within the story continuity.
original canon
It refers to the elements of the plot, characters, situations, places, etc., that are present in the original work on which the anime series is based. For example, if an anime series is based on a manga, the original canon would be the elements that appear in the original manga. This canon is considered the most important and relevant within the plot, since it is the original source of the story.
Canon Anime
It is the one that is established within the anime series itself, that is, the elements that are presented in the animated adaptation that were not present in the original work, but that are accepted as part of the continuity of the plot. For example:
- Episodes 50 and 51 of the One Piece anime are canonical despite not being adapted from the manga, this is because here it is explained how Ussop got his binoculars and Sanji the fish, in the manga it is only referred to in 2 cartoons.
- In Naruto Shippuden the movie The Last is canonical, this it was announced in the publication of chapters 699 and 700 of the manga and was officially named chapter “699.5”, which in the anime falls between episodes 493 and 494.
- Hiro Mashima created the exclusive anime saga Starry Sky Key that cover the episodes from 125 to 150 of Fairy Tail, it is canonical, that although it does not follow the manga, the author determined it that way.
- In Boruto, much of the anime was not adapted from the manga, but it does not mean that it is filler, since the script and supervision is in charge of Ukyō Kodachi who is also in charge of the manga, in the anime he expands the main plot, deepening the history of characters that the manga could not.
No Canon
Are those elements that they are not part of the original story and they are not present in the anime series. For example, episodes fillers that are not based on the original work, significant changes to the plot or characters, or elements introduced solely for promotional purposes. These elements are not considered canon and they have no relevance in the continuity of the story.
