Aria the Animation

Finished re-watching Aria the Animation.

I give it an 8/10.  I recently ordered the whole Aria trilogy on DVD from Right Stuf.  I got them all in from Amazon last week and I've been watching them.  Being that Aria the Origination is one of my top five favorite anime of all time, with the Aria trilogy probably being my favorite anime saga, I could no longer rely on my old, shitty .avi TV rips from 2005.  I had to step it up.  Although I'm not a fan of 4:3, this was the norm back then, and it can't be helped.  Still, the DVD versions are much cleaner.  I probably won't have any new anime to review for a while, so I'll review one of my favorites for you guys.

Story: Set on Mars (now called Aqua) in the distant future, Aria is the story of a girl, Akari, who is training to become an undine (gondolier) in the city of Neo-Venezia.  Akari is an employee of Aria Company, under the tutelage of the only other employee, the "Great Water Fairy" Alicia.  Alicia has a very laid-back and friendly approach to training.

Classy Ladies.

What I like about the story in Aria is that it's not over the top.  There's no fighting to speak of, hell there really isn't even any action.  Nearly every episode is about Akari and her friends struggling to become gondoliers, and along the way finding the little heartwarming moments that make an ordinary person's life magical ("No sappy lines allowed!!" ~Aika).  People in the future are no different from those living today.  They have the same worries as we do, the same troubles.  Being that Akari is such a positive, kind person, the everyday story makes it possible to see the world through her eyes, and it has a surprisingly warm effect.  The show has a good-natured humor that's very soothing.

Another thing I liked about the story is that we only see a small portion of Aqua, and much is left to the imagination.  Considered a paradise in the future, we see little hints dropped here and there that Aqua was a hell of a problem for people who terraformed it in the past.  Some episodes reflect on the blood, sweat, and tears that went into their paradise world.  Also, we're left to wonder what's happened to Earth (now called Manhome).  We get hints that something has changed it permanently, and it's unclear whether or not it's for the good.  At one point a tourist says something to the effect of "There are no gardens on Manhome."  I liked this ambiguous aspect of the details, because it promotes speculation.

Animation: Aria is animated very well for the time period.  I liked the character designs, which are very conservative.  There's no fanservice in this show to speak of, all of the characters are high-class ladies.  The settings, backdrops, and architecture in the anime are simply stunning, and add a lot to the atmosphere.  Some of the settings were story centerpieces, and all of them work very well.  There's a nice mix of old Venice and a few high-tech installations to remind you it's the future (a giant weather-generating island in the sky), and they mesh very well to bring Neo-Venezia to life.

Characters:  The characters in Aria are all wholesome individuals.  There's no treachery underfoot or bodies being discovered in the alleys.   The characters are simple, normal people.  This is one of the things I love about Aria.  You won't find anyone with super powers, insane killers, teen mecha pilots (well one guy drives an airspeeder and delivers packages..), mutants, or Gods.  Everyone has a believable character which is easy to relate to, and thus it's easier to get into the story.  The most strange characters you'll see are the cats.  You'll understand when you get there.

Voice Acting:  The voice work in Aria is good.  There aren't any scenes that get hammed-up, so there really isn't much to mention.  All of the cast give a good performance. 

Soundtrack:  Without a doubt my favorite album for any genre, including "normal" music.  The soundtrack is phenomenal.  Takeshi Senoo and Choro Club's score is something that has to be experienced, and fits so well with the anime that nothing else even comes close.  The addition of this wonderful music makes everyday moments in the anime especially moving, to the point of tears in some cases.  Eui Makino sings the opening song "Undine" and Round Table featuring Nino sings the ending song "Rainbow."  Both are great.  The song posted is a good example of the high standard that this anime has in the score department.  The song gets even better when Athena sings it in the second season.  Kawai Eri, who gives her singing voice to Athena, deserves special mention.  Such an amazing voice.

In the end, I would recommend Aria the Animation to anyone who likes slice of life anime.  The younger crowd might not like Aria because of its slow pace, but I found it charming.  If you liked Aria then you'd probably like Sketchbook ~full colors~. The atmosphere is similar, but Sketchbook isn't even on the same level.  You may also like Ikoku Meiro no Croisee, another slice of life in a "classic" setting which has a fantastic soundtrack.  I can't wait to get to Origination!