ARIA THE ANIMATION

DESCRIPTION

CAST

ANIME FantasyARIA The NATURAL
MANGA AdventureARIA
MANGA AdventureAQUA

REVIEWS

• 

  kc2rxo

  90/100
  An Iyashikei from 2005 that is relevant even today in 2019

  DISCLAIMER: This review was written after watching Aria: The Natural as well. This same review - with edits to pertain to Natural specifically is located on its respective page.

  If you were to ask me a year ago if I had an favorite Iyashikei anime I would of been confused to what you actually mean. Little did I know at the time but I had actually watched a fair number of them and they were some of my more highly rated shows. K-ON!, Non Non Biyori, A Channel, How To Keep A Mummy, New Game and Tanaka-kun Is Always Listless just to new a few.

  The Aria series was another one of those anime on my radar that I subconsciously had added to my watch list many months ago. So when the opportunity arose to watch it with the /r/anime community during a rewatch came up I took my chance - especially since its length would cause me to skip out to watch something shorter.

  The premise of Aria is simple; Mars has been terraformed and is now covered in water and everyone there decided to model it after Venice (dubbing it Neo-Venezia - how original). Akari moves to the planet from Man-Home (aka Earth) and is an apprentice to become a Prima Undine at the Aria Company. It is from this simple premise that the series springboards and shines.

  From the many people she meets, and various activities of our three main characters (each from different companies) we get to live in a world that looks from the Renaissance era (the golden age of real life Venice) but feels like the present and more often than not the future. In a medium filled with wanna-be-heroes, conflict and drama Aria: The Animation stands out as a show with none of that. Its refreshing as whatever conflict there is in Aria is believable, relatable and not overblown for the sake of entertainment. This incidents also are encompassed in each episode - with no higher level plot to speak of (perhaps other than the girls desires to become Undines).

  The cast is well thought out and doesn't ever feel bloated. The main girls (Akari, Alice and Aika) are all fantastic - each fitting a typical role. Akari is an airhead and dreamer (a pink haired deredere), Alice is stoic and shy (our green hair dandere/kuudere), and Aika is energetic and headstrong (a blue haired tsundere). Their mentors (Alicia, Athena and Akira respectively) are a neat glimpse into their students possible future. While similar in many ways they have changed in subtle ways to be different from their students (over their lives) making them perfect mentors for them. The supporting male cast of Akatasuki, Al and Woody are windows into the other main professions on Aqua and serve as comedic entertainment more than anything when on screen (other than Al - which we don't see much of here in The Animation but do in The Natural).

  The meat of this show however comes out with Akari on screen during her encounters. The Sci-Fi tag on this show is not misplaced - something I noticed going in and was a tad confused about. While the setting of a futuristic Venice would check mark this box the visuals make you feel this is not the case. Akari is a special girl on Aqua and her various encounters bring out the Sci-Fi elements in the show - something that you have to watch for yourself to experience as I would spoil it all for you here otherwise.

  As the season moves on we time jump between seasons every few episodes ultimately completing a full year cycle on Aqua with Akari. By the of the 13 episode season what may have started out as your typical SoL show with three cute girls each fitting into a typical boring role morphs into something much more special. Even the characters show a noticeable change by the end of The Animation. This show really captures everyday life and that while overall you may have changed it was done subconsciously with small improvements over this time.

  Being from 2005 this show still stands up to me. I personally was amazed at the beauty in the artwork of the show - even over 10 years later. The animation is smooth and the art style really fits well allowing you to relax and immerse yourself in the world. Voice acting was very well done, each character has their own unique "voice" to them that is recognizable even when they are off screen. A typical gag throughout the show is Akari saying some sort of dreamy line with Aika snapping back at her "No sappy lines allowed" followed by Akari's now signature "Ehhh?" or "Huh?". Music is another thing in this show that is soothing to the soul - it blends perfectly into the setting.

  In an unusual twist Aria's OP animation is different for every episode - with Neo-Venezia being panned over with various day to day activities of its residents. Make sure never to skip the OP cause first you will miss some great scenic shots (with some a fantastic OP) but also sometimes their is a conversation happening that pertains to the episodes events. Another quirk of Aria is its narration style. The beginning of the episode always starts with Akari having some sort of conversation with Alice and Aika, thinking out loud to herself, or reading out an email she is sending to her friend Ai back on Man-Home detailing events of the day. Every episode also ends, before the ED, with either Ai or Akari reading out their reply email to each other from the beginning of the episode. Its such a subtle thing, but it perfectly bookends each episode into its own little story - with its own little lesson or discovery.

  Discovery and lessons are a big part of Aria - teaching the viewer that you can always learn in life and it will always be unexpected. Akari is a boundless source of optimism throughout Aria and her eagerness to experience new an exciting things drives the shows narratives along. While she may be clumsy and air-headed Akari is thoughtful and perceptive seeing things in such a different light from those around her; teaching even her elders a thing or two from time to time.

  After only 13 episodes Aria has firmly placed itself as a must recommend to anyone from me who enjoys a more laid-back anime that they can unwind to after a long or stressful day. It also may be one of the oldest anime I have ever watched (excluding Neon Genesis Evangelion), but is still is relevant even in 2019 and most definitely beyond.

  Recently a Kickstarter was backed to remaster (bring it up to HD quality) the entire Aria collection and also dub it (if you are into that thing). So I would highly recommend checking it out to see if it is available anywhere (at the time of writing this review it is not). I know I will be buying it and rewatching this show again.

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• 

  Jacklekins

  100/100
  The perfect beginning to an unforgettable journey

  Aria is a masterpiece. Everything from the characters, story, setting, art, and sound all come together to make an experience I will never forget. Aria the Animation is the perfect beginning to this journey. I'll be writing based on the assumption that you have seen or know about this series already. Some spoilers included.

  Aria the Animation introduces you to the characters and world you'll be spending time with throughout the rest of the series. The city Neo-Venezia on the planet Aqua. Neo-Venezia is my favorite setting in anime. It's beautifully detailed with interesting culture and locations. Animation doesn't spend as much time exploring Aqua as it does introducing characters and their relationships with each other. Akari, Aika, and Athena are ones I love in particular. I can see myself in Aika to some extent as I am a blunt straightforward person at times like her. She is just a very interesting and complex character from the get go from her admiration of Alicia, which she doesn't try to hide at all, to her secretly cherishing Akira's mentoring. Her relationship with Akari is also really cute and fun. Their personalities are practically opposite of each other which makes for really entertaining moments. As for Akari herself I adore her love for Aqua and endlessly positive attitude. Athena is memorable to me because of her beautiful singing. I listen to it almost daily and it's always as amazing as it was the first time I heard it.

  When it comes to Neo-Venezia the supernatural elements are my favorite part. This season introduces these elements with a young girl with a bell. The girl sends Akari on a wild goose to deliver an undeliverable letter. By the end the girl is revealed to be a pet cat of someone who lived on Aqua in the past. Another example of the supernatural elements this season is when Akari goes through a tunnel to the past before Aqua became a planet of miracles. We get to see the moment when Aqua becomes said planet and it's a beautiful moment. Easily the best of the season and exemplifies the greatest thing about this series. The mystery, wonder, and miracles of every day life. Art wise Aria has beautiful visuals. The waterways and architecture are all so beautiful to look at. This and the minor/background characters truly bring Neo-Venezia to life.

  My favorite theme of Aria is to find joy in life. Find the meaningful side of every situation and every location. There are miracles all around us. We just have to find them. Akari embodies this mentality and inspires me to do the same. Aria is an unforgettable journey worth the time to go on. It will soothe your soul and create memories to cherish forever. If you haven't seen Aria I wholeheartedly recommend it. Thank you for reading.

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• 

  CyberSage999

  78/100
  A tranquil and charming beginning of a beautiful series.

  __Due to the nature of the show and my opinions on it, this will be split into different reviews. This is also the required order to watch Aria: __

  1. Aria the Animation
  2. Aria the Natural
  3. Aria the Arietta
  4. Aria the Origination (and episode 5.5 and Picture Drama)
  5. Aria the Avvenire

  With that said, let's begin!

  ---

  One kind of anime that I love is the calming and soothing kind, as you would no doubt be able to tell if you looked at my anime list. Shows like Mushishi and Girls Last Tour would fall into this category. They focus on worldbuilding and the characters themselves, while also having mesmerizing audiovisuals. This is why I wanted to try this series out, as the general reception of the show sung high praises of it for it's cast and the unique setting that takes place in a terraformed Mars called Aqua. A world full of water and has many sci-fi elements in the background and houses Neo-Venezia, a city based off of Vence. The show focuses on three girls trying to become Prima Undines, which are tour guides that use gondolas to move around the city for customers. Our protagonist of this tale is Akari Mizunashi, who immigrated from Manhome (Also known as Earth), who moves to Neo-Venezia because she wants to become a Prima Undine herself. A cheerful and laid back girl who loves bringing joy to everyone she meets. Her mentor is Alicia, one of the three Great Water Fairies of the Prima Undines and is known for her calm and soothing personality. The show follows Akari and her adventures trying to become a Prima Undine while also exploring both the setting and the cast. So, let's go through the seasons one by one!

  ---

  Aria the Animation

  So, one thing that's worth noting right away is that each season has a different feel and purpose to them. Aria the Animation introduces the world and the characters, Aria the Natural is expanding on the world and cast, and Aria the Origination is more so about giving the characters emotional closure to their arcs in a very satisfying way. Another general thing worth mentioning is that in order to become a Prima Undine, one would have to go through the three different stages. A pair, which is a beginner who wears two pairs of gloves. A single would wear one glove and a Prima Undine would wear no gloves. A pair and a single are not allowed to take customers on their own and have to be watched by their mentors. One thing I really like about the show is how the openings are used in the show. In any other anime, I can think of, the OPs and EDs are also accompanied by animation exclusive to that song. While this is true for Aria's EDs, this isn't true for the OPs, where the song is playing in the background while the characters are doing their daily activities. This is an amazing way to try and establish the general relaxed vibe that the show is going for, with the soft and composed singing also followed up with a sense of familiarity as the characters are established that this is how they go about their daily lives. The last general thing worth mentioning is that due to this season is more of an introduction, the first season is pretty aimless all things considered. It's still a good season mind you, but it's just not as strong as the latter two seasons. So, this section is more about explaining the general cast and setting as well as the other bits of the show, like animation and music.

  First up, let's talk more about Akari Mizunashi and her role as the main lead. Akari is a very optimistic girl who enjoys being with other people and loves the world of Aqua, calling it a place of miracles and loves to interact with other people in town. From her friends to Alicia, to total strangers, Akari will always help out others. Moving to Neo-Venenzia with the goal of becoming a Prima Undine, she certainly gives that sort of friendly tour guide vibe that would be needed for this kind of job. Under the tutorage of Alicia, she works in the Aria company (named after their cat, President Aria!). The Aria company is a small company, working with just those two and the mentor would eventually leave if the student becomes a Prima. Akari is a solid protagonist because I believe that she is a true embodiment of the main theme of the series: Appreciate the little things in life and enjoy your companions. Time doesn't last forever, so you would be happier to enjoy the little stuff too. One thing that embodies this idea would be her emails to a friend that she meets in the first season and primarily lives in Manhome: Ai Aino

  Ai is an interesting kid. She came to visit Neo-Venenzia with a rather sour attitude due to the fact that her older sister went there with her husband and she kept raving about her time there. Ai ended up finding the place boring and tried to get Alicia to give her a tour. However, Alicia was busy as usual, so she ended up going around with Akari. Akari tries to deny her because she's not allowed to take customers, but Ai gets her to do it by telling her she would yell things like kidnapper, and they would travel on the pretense of Ai being a friend, so Akari agrees. Traveling alongside Aika and Akari, Akari optimism changes Ai's view on Aqua, and she warms up to the city of Neo-Venenzia. When she returns home, Akari and Ai would write emails to one another about how Akari is living in the city, and we would get a letter from Akari at the beginning of the episode and another from Akari at the end of an episode, which Ai's letter ending the episode. It serves as a reflection piece of what the episode is about, and it really drives home the ideas and themes of the series. By the end of the show, what Ai does makes everything come full circle for both herself and Akari.

  Next up would be Alicia Florence, the current head of the Aria company and one of the Great Water Fairies of the Prima Undines: Snow White. Being the youngest girl to become a Prima Undine at the age of 15. Succeeding the previous owner and founder of the company referred to as Grandma (Her name isn't revealed until Origination), Alicia is popular due to her soothing voice and calming personality. She's a very patient and peaceful woman, often praised for her grace and knowledge of Neo-Venenzia. Characters such as Aika and Akari look up to her and see her as a pillar of the Undines, but like anyone else, she's a human being. She explains to Akari that she's made mistakes and she tries to guide Akari to the point where she's able to stand on her own. As a crutch, she's able to be the gentle guiding hand of Akari and leads her to appreciate and discovering more of Neo-Venenzia. What also helps expand on her character would be flashbacks in both Animation and Natural where we explore her life with the other Water Fairies and how she became this respectable person she is today. Everything about her is serene and graceful, while still feeling human underneath that kind exterior.

  Aika S. Granzchesta is the daughter of the CEO of the Himeya company, and like Akari, she's a single. The difference is that while they both have the same goal of becoming Prima Undine's, Aika is also going to run a part of her own father's company and eventually the entire company itself. The Aria company is much smaller by comparison, with only 2 people and a goofy cat to run it. Aika also idolizes Alicia and aspires to become like her. She believes that her mentor, Akira, is too strict on her and starts to feel annoyed with her. The show makes it clear that Aika does look up and cares for Akira as a mentor, but she wouldn't openly admit that until later on in the show. Aside from a running gag about Akari saying a really charming or inspirational line and Aika saying "No cheesy lines allowed!" and Akari going "Huh?", one interesting thing about her is that she has trouble seeing what she's good at compared to her friends. In many ways, she's like Akira: Strict (Although perhaps not as much) and caring to the people so they can succeed. She's a very outgoing and competitive individual, with her saying that she would become a Prima Undine faster than her two friends. She's just a really fun and endearing character.

  Akira E. Ferrari is the Crimson Rose and one of the three Water Fairies. She's also Alicia's childhood friend, and Alicia became a Prima Undine before she did. Just like her student, she is very competitive and also strict. Dishing out harsh criticism of the girls' performances regarding their skills. Compared to Alicia, she has a very different tutoring style. They will both guide you to the correct answer, but Alicia will gentle tell you what you did wrong while Akira will scold you if you messed up. She kind of reminds me of my own mom in some ways. A firm handed woman, but still a kind mother figure like Alicia. The other two seasons make this even more obvious.

  Alice Carroll is the third and final Undine in training and is also the youngest of the main three. She's a middle school student who also happens to be a pair. She gained a lot of attention from other people and has even appeared on the front cover of a magazine. She appears in episode 3 of the show and comes off as far more introverted and shy than the other two main characters. Like when she has to warn other gondola's that she's coming, but she says it too quietly. What made her popular is her skills as an Undine despite her introverted nature, and what's interesting about her is her growth throughout the series to become more independent and less shy throughout the show. Another interesting aspect is her general demeanor with her new friends and practice buddies Akari and Aika. She often gets into small arguments with Aika and buts heads with her, and Aika likes calling her Juinor as well. She admires Akari's optimism and carefree attitude and also learns from her clumsy mentor, Athena, to try and open up to others. As she grows more and more out of her shell, her confidence slowly grows throughout the narrative.

  Last but not least in the Prima Undines list is Athena Glory, the final Water Fairy, and is referred to as the Siren due to her incredible singing voice. Like Alice, Athena doesn't meet Akira and Alica until they are all still in training. And like Alice, Akira realizes it's her because of a magazine/newspaper like Aika did with Alice. As mentioned before, Athena is extremely clumsy, to the point where it's a running gag, and Alice's total indifference due to just getting used to it is also a running gag. Despite her clumsy nature, she's also more reserved than her friends, and she still gives Alice some helpful advice about opening up and accepting help from others. While she's not as present as the other two mentors, she still gets enough screen time to really drive home this relationship with Alice. And just like Aika and Akira, there's more alike with Alice and Athena than one would expect, but more on that in a later review.

  There are a few minor characters that I would like to mention. First, there's Akatsuki Izumo, an appetence Salamander who helps maintain Aqua's climate and also loves to call Akari Sideburns and pulls on her hair to mess with her, like how his older brother likes to mess with him (As an older brother to at least one of my sisters, I can relate to that). He's the first customer that Akari has, and while he likes to ask for her help when it comes to confessing to Alicia, he does genuinely like having Akari around, even if he won't admit it. He's also friends with Woody, a delivery man who can fly around with a scooter and he really doesn't do anything significant in the show aside from one episode in this season. There's also the mailman who travels with a gondola of his own who also loves doing his job, to the point where he considers it his hobby. Lastly, there's Grandma, who also has the best episode in the entire season. What I love about her is she's very similar to Alicia in that she's a kind and gentle woman, but she's retired from the Undine scene and just wants to relax at home. When the group tries to learn how she was so legendary, they instead just enjoy their time with her. She even tells them the same philosophy I mentioned with Akari: To take anything in the world and enjoy it. And your dreams would come true. The setting gets more focus as the series goes on, but it gives us a taste of what we would enjoy.

  Let's wrap things up with the audiovisual section. The show does employ the 4:3 aspect ratio, so it can get some getting used too, but generally, the show is still nice to look at. The best thing about the visuals is the set design. It told us that Neo-Venenzia was based on Venice, and it feels like it from the backgrounds to the landmarks, to the architecture. It's a thing of beauty. The running gag of chibi faces when making comedic scenes is also humorous because of the expressive character animation. The entire show feels distinct and lively. Listening to the music during writing this review, it has certainly become one of my personal favorite tracks in any medium. Everything feels so soothing and calming to the nerves that it immediately just lets you sink into the world without needless exposition. It's a real thing of beauty. The voice acting is also great, as it compliments and gives a lot of character to the cast. This becomes even more apparent in Origination, but we'll get to that. Athena's songs are also a real treat. Certainly worth listening to.

  While the first season can be a little aimless, it still does a good job introducing the cast and setting. The entire show is endearing and just full of life. It makes you want to continue seeing these characters go on different misadventures no matter what the circumstances. This was gonna be a review of the entire show, but this went on for far too long, so next, we'll get into the nitty gritty with Natural!

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