ARIA The ANIMATION

When i first thought about watching the Aria series I was amazed to see how many episodes overall the series has including the 2nd and 3rd season. So this made me wonder was this a series that doesn't want to die or is this show just that good that episode count doesn't matter. Well after having finished the whole series I can say that this is a slice of life series that deserves the time it takes to build the characters and make us never want to leave Neo-Venezia and the planet of Aqua.

A quick description of the series, we are following Akari Mizunashi who decides to move from Earth to the terraformed planet of Aqua (formerly Mars) where she plans to train on becoming undine in the city of Neo-Venezia, a city of canals modeled after Venice, Italy. She is an apprentice at the Aria company, which is the small 2 person company. As the series progresses we meet many characters and learn about this incredible world of Aqua.

Probably the biggest compliment I can pay to this series is that it makes the viewer to live in this city of canals and experience the little things in life that sometimes are taken for granted since we are moving too fast, this series slows us down and gives a relaxed view of something you've never experienced. Also the animes' director went on location to Venice to get true replicated designs of the canals and historic buildings which are replicated in Neo-Venezia.

Akari of course is our bright-eyed rookie who is happy to be living her dream and growing up as the series moves on. The rest of the characters are good, I won't go into detail because part of the enjoyment for the show is learning each of the characters' personalities and motivations.

Also important to note, since this is a slice of life series there is no action/battles/super powers/ etc. There is some small magical/mystery elements but that is not related to the main characters and more to do with the city of Neo-Venezia itself. So the adrenaline junkies might want to move on to something else. But this series is pure "feel good" from the opening song to the closing song everything is orchestrated perfectly to make you happy and at times sad that you can never go to Aqua yourself.

Aria – The Animation is an anime based on a manga drawn by Kozue Amano.
The story is settled in the future and precisely in the 23th century. Akari Mizunashi is a young girl that moves from the Earth to Mars, that in the meantime, after a terraform process, has become similar to the Earth with the name changed into the new one “Aqua”. In her new home, Akari wants to became an undine, a gondolier that guides the tourists in the rebuilt city of Neo-Venezia.
We will follow Akari, together with her kohai Aika Grandcheza and Alice Carrol, on her way to became an expert undine ( a “prima”) under the supervision of three among the best undine of Aqua, Alicia Florence, Akira E. Ferrari and Athena Glory.

Realized as a “Slice of life”, in Aria we don't have a classic plot that develops itself from the beginning to the end ( actually there is a plot but it goes on “in the back”) but a number of events that end in the arc of one episode.
Indeed this is the spirit of Aria. In each episode there will be for Akari the chance to meet new people, to discover new places hidden in Neo-Venezia or to find new meanings for things taken for granted until then.
From the technical point of view, I can say that the character design is very nice but the drawing of the Neo-Venezia's settings is even better with vivid colors and great attention in the details.
The music is also very good. Every track of the OST is capable to create the right atmosphere for each moment of this anime. A big contribution is given by the opening, “Undine”, (a very relaxing song) and by the ending “Rainbow” (sweet and very cathcy).
As a negative feature for this anime I've founded that sometimes the episodes can be a little dull without the need of it.

I suggest to everybody to see Aria. Maybe you will find that it's an anime you would like the most. However this first season is only an introduction in the world of Aria and for the characters that, along with the story, will be fully developed in the second two seasons, “The Natural” and “The – Origination”.
In the end, if you don't like the “Slice of Life” genre this won't probably change your mind.

My final rating: 4/5 (8/10)

Well, Aria the Animation [I'll just say Aria for this review of this part of the series] a trip to a Sci-fi world of Neo-Venezia. The futuristic Utopia and the fruit of years of research of scientists on manhome [Earth]. This setting allows for a calm and relaxing series to take place; such is Aria the Animation.

Overall: 5/5 No doubt it's one of the better series that does not need fighting out epic animation or crazy thought out mind games to make it good. Aria is good solely because of the calmness of this slice of life series. The Elements that bond it altogether each on their own is quite marvelous, but together it forms something that needs time and just relaxing to let it sink in. For those stressed out, watching this series might get a few laughs out of you and make you feel great!

Storyline: 4/5 I guess the only reason why I rated this part 4/5 is because there really isn't any storyline, odd that I gave it so high eh? That's the point, Aria doesn't need a storyline, just the small adventures that happen along with a seemingly main storyline that slowly builds up is all that it needs. Each episode, explores either the characters themselves, or it explores the setting it's placed in. Truly, one of the best styles is that there's no violence and the rebuttals that happen in the story are for the comedy effect or the character development.

Music: 4.5/5...Well If I could I'd rate it 4.9 (9 repeating)/ 5 But sadly I can't the only reason why I'd rate it anything but perfect, is yet again... I know that there is no such thing as perfect music, even if I can't find it. The background music is VAST for 13 episodes, there's a lot of different background musics to suit the mood and the animation. It's sometimes slow, but can easily pick up really quickly. Yet sometimes it comforts you before slamming you with comedy! The opening and ending scenes fit PERFECTLY with the anime and the type it is.

Characters: 5/5 Besides the relaxing episodes, the only reason why I liked watching it is the character development, which is what I look forward to in any anime. The characters don't stay static and not change. Even if Aria gradually and slowly changes them that's still a change to me and that's a-okay!

Animation: Wow, stunning, that's what I would say. The animation is what soem would call "simple" but that's the best part. It's not messy, it's clean and smooth and it supports the story with amazing background images and moods of them~ They match the music even! The flow and transition between scenes is easy to keep up with and it just plain works!

What's pretty much it... This only sets up more for the next two seasons of the series. Aria the Natural and Aria the Origination.~@!!