In Neo Venezia, Akari, Aika, and Alice continue to work diligently toward the day they become
full-fledged Prima Undine (a professional tour guide gondolier). The girls have come far since they
began their training, and they are slowly forming their own distinctive styles as tour guides for the
city.
On the long journey towards their goal, the girls have relied on the advice of their seniors from
their respective companies: the patient and understanding Alicia from Aria Company, the strict and
proper Akira from Himeya Company, and the clumsy yet caring Athena from Orange Planet Company.
Will the girls be able to blend the advice from their mentors with their personally acquired knowledge
of Neo Venezia to become praiseworthy Prima Undines?
Welcome once more to Neo Venezia; the city that personifies warmth and tranquility.
~~~__[DISCLAIMER]__ _As I want to get all my points across, as well as bring this show the justice it deserves, the following review is a lengthily-detailed breakdown of every factor ranging from the story to the overall experience. You may look for other reviews to find a more concise criticism of the show._~~~ ~~~__Introduction__~~~ When we usually talk about things we truly love, it becomes hard to explain why. Most people would not understand the appeal one would get from something—this is especially hard when trying to relay why your favorite book is your favorite book, or why your favorite film is your favorite film. In cases, the often reasons for this are because one, we might sound too forceful and biased, and two, we feel that our recommendations are not doing our experiences with the said medium any justice. As such, it becomes difficult for a person to talk about his favorite without trying to sound illogical. This is hard for someone looking for a more grounded response. This review may contain any form of bias, but I will try my best to address the criticisms one may find with this show, and offer my own insights with regards to it, and why it may be irrelevant to my own judgment. Ladies and gentlemen, I offer you a heartfelt review of my favorite anime, _Aria the Origination_. Whenever someone hears the name "Aria" thrown around in the anime community, it is often referred to by many as the "healing anime". Along with the likes of _Mushi-shi_ and _Kino's Journey_, it is a type of show one would usually mention as an atmospheric series—to say, a show that relies on its execution of audiovisual stimulations to produce an effect of serenity and immersion into the world it's trying to present. It may rely more on enveloping the viewers with its artistic presentation rather than plot progression. True enough to what people claim it is, _Aria_ is a franchise that needs some patience getting into, which can lead to either one of two things: 1) You feel like you belong with the show, or you become attached to it, or 2) You get bored. Atmospheric anime, after all, take its 20-minute episode runtime to dive in with intentionally slow pacing, allowing the audience to let its philosophy or environment sink in. Of course, this would not pose true for others, who may have a different preference for how things should be presented. Despite that, I can still say with courage that everyone should still watch _Aria_. Whatever one person may gain out of it, the series still provides lot of ground for one to get immersed or be appreciative of, whether it may be the story, its characters, its world, or its music. ~~~__Story and Characters__~~~ >"Lots of things change with the flow of time." With 13 episodes, _Aria the Origination_ is the third and final season to the _Aria_ franchise. Three aspiring girls—Akari Mizunashi, Aika Granzchesta, and Alice Carroll strive forward to reach their dreams of being Prima Undines, the highest-ranking tour guides in the gondola services of Neo-Venezia, an exact replica of Earth's Venice situated in the planet of Aqua, or Mars as it was once called. While the first episodes of the series are episodic and are self-contained tales—again, attributing to its slow and atmospheric nature, _Origination_ retains the mood and flow of its predecessors but handles it with rising intensity with each succeeding episodes. How Animation, the first season, and Natural, the second, were trying to attain that execution, often resulting in an assortment of hit-and-miss episodes, _Origination_ does not. It finally finds its footing and rids of its usually subtle approach to a more well-handled presentation. However, it does take a considerably inferior beginning, in which the first three episodes can fit in any prior season. Although, after those three episodes, _Origination_ brings new situations and scenarios that provide a refreshing perspective both on the world and its characters. Certain characters get the time to interact with one another in ways unexpected, and it connotes how the cast has developed with time in their own little manners through other characters. It pays a large amount of thankfulness to its previous seasons, and significantly builds on what it began. What follows is a majestic conclusion that makes the story go hand-in-hand with the resolution of the Undines' individual stories. How _Origination_ works in contrast to the first two seasons is the way it is generally built out. From the beginning up until the end, it reveals a planned direction it's going to take, and as such intertwines these individual tales as essential to the show's overall picture. A major theme that can be recognized from the series is the concept of change—and while it is natural that a story must eventually end, _Origination_ takes the viewers into the eyes of its characters to emphasize how significant this impending change is. Gone will be the days that we see the girls bonding through practice, and the same also poses true for the Undines as they all step forward to face a new tomorrow. This is nothing short of compelling and remarkable, as the use of _Aria_'s episodic strengths into a sequential structure amplifies its impact. >"But there are things that never change." Along with its fresh take on Neo-Venezia, the show prepares to wrap up its story by presenting the final steps the beloved Undines need to face, both in the physical and the emotional sense, as well as expanding and solidifying the relationships they have with their mentors. Every supporting character also gets their fair share of screen time, with great stories surrounding Akatsuki and Al, along with reappearances of characters such as the mailman and Caffe Florian's owner. Aika reveals a much more realistic side of her, portraying her doubts and fears as the trio's most work-oriented person. While noticeably her focus is relegated to a background character for most of the show, the episodes that do focus on her make up for its well-written setup. Like how Akari affects the people around her, Aika gets her development through her impact with other characters, most especially with Akira. Natural had already done its piece in fleshing out Aika, which may have reduced the necessity to explore her character even further. This series simply leads her into an epilogue as the heir to Himeya. Meanwhile, Alice's large involvement this time around is monumental not only for the people around her but also for her maturity. Some of the best moments in _Origination_ arguably belong to her, and it surmounts to a satisfying resolution with her initially antisocial demeanor. Bits revolving around Athena's character also show how the two are actually similar, and builds up to a very emotional climax that cements their relationship and solidifies Alice's overall development. There are many things to be said about Akari's character, but the most subtle yet significant revelation about her is how she actually stands out as an Undine. _Aria_ has always focused on Akari's adventures of the rustic and mystic Neo-Venezia, and thus veered away from depicting her skills as a gondolier. _Origination_ brings her efforts into light, and proves how she is ready to take on the reins of being a Prima. Another thing to point out about her is the further emphasis of her relationship with Alicia. As the final episode of Natural and the succeeding OVA Arietta sows the seeds through moments where they bond together, it is in _Origination_ where this dynamic between them really blooms—portraying through its scenes how both are influential to one another. Through this, Alicia unravels as a more humane character, as opposed to how the trio perceives her as an unreachable being of perfection. With the whole theme of _Origination_ revolving around change, Akari, as the audiences' eyes through Aqua, becomes the most affected person within the environment around her. Cheerful and always upbeat, her reaction to these life-changing events pose an internal conflict within her. While she always sees change within the world of Aqua, she has never had the experience to encounter it firsthand—and the way she responds to it shows her strength, and a huge leap for her character to welcome the future that awaits her. In a sense, _Origination_ serves as a journey to hone her as an Undine, one that truly symbolizes the loving and caring welcome of Aqua. >"Things that are precious because they change, and things that are precious because they don't change...both are precious. >"Don't you feel the same?" ~~~__Sound__~~~ _Origination_ starts off with another beautiful and calming piece through Yui Makino's "Spirale," setting the tone of this final chapter to the world of _Aria_. Where _Aria the Animation_'s OP immerses you into the world and _Aria the Natural_ encouraging you to join in its rustic beauty, _Aria the Origination_'s opening song reaches out to you in a nostalgic way. Containing this balance of serene and upbeat elements, it plays in an oxymoronic manner of cheerful and melancholic, much like a prelude to a happy farewell. The ending song, "Kin no Nami Sen no Nami" by Akino Arai seems to go along with this theme as well, although with a feeling that is more on looking forward to the future—again, a significant motif in _Origination_. Despite its departure from the usually calming song equal to that of its OP, it still finds a place to exist within _Origination_'s somber themes, even though it may not fit entirely with _Aria_'s atmosphere. While it is already undeniable that _Aria_ has great music, it never stopped getting better, and _Origination_ raises the bar with new piano pieces to go along with the original soundtrack. Where _Origination_ stands out against its predecessors is in its well-handled approach to music, never exceeding its use of both instrumental and lyrical pieces. The inserts never seemed off, and everything suited each scene at a most impressive tone. Two new important tracks cement _Aria the Origination_ as a stroke of genius. Ryou Hirohashi's wonderfully haunting "Lumis Eterne" amplifies the climactic scene of Episode 9, evoking a cathartic feeling of tearful bliss and satisfaction. Poetic and symbolic of Alice's character progression throughout the series, this song, much like any other track in _Aria_'s score, acquires its own personality. The other song, "Yokogao," which played in the final episode of the show, is another piece sung by Yui Makino that perfectly captures the essence of Alicia and Akari's relationship, as well as their personal connection to the utopia that is Aqua. While being one of the few melancholic songs in _Aria_'s music, it is still a sublime fit to the scene at hand and _Aria_'s positive and emotional soundtrack. It is also safe to say that the voice actors do not falter in their side of the job as well, and their takes on the Undines in their most emotional moments are nothing but amazing. Chiwa Saito handles Aika's different emotions with good comedic awareness, along with standout scenes of her serious and melancholic demeanor. Ryou Hirohashi's "dekkai" performance-desu of Alice's childish nature is taken in a much more playful way, and her acting is one of the main reasons why Alice had dominated some of the episodes. Erino Hazuki once again lends her voice to the ever-wonderful Akari, and a lot of her contributions to the character from the "Hahi"s to the "Ehh"s make her as the only fitting person for Akari's role. Aside from the main trio, the Three Great Water Fairies Alicia, Akira, and Athena are also reprised by Sayaka Ohara, Junko Minagawa, and Tomoko Kawakami, respectively. While already generally praised for their roles, moments in _Origination_ where these characters are set up in dramatic scenes with their juniors further emphasize their great performances. ~~~__Art and Animation__~~~ With the transfer from 4:3 to 16:9 beginning from Arietta, the world of Aqua has become wider and immersive than ever. Hal Film Maker continues to work its wonders with stellar and faithful backgrounds mirroring that of real-life Venice. The background department shines with their striking, hand-painted scenery that encapsulates the nearly-ethereal beauty of Aqua, rivaling that of Kozue Amano's original illustrations. Of course, with the series mainly being set in Neo-Venezia—with the exception of an episode that takes place in Neo-Burano Island, set pieces are often used consistently and with less diversity from Natural. It's not to say that they slacked on it, though, as the depiction of the places are not only accurate but also highly detailed improvements to Animation and Natural's already captivating backdrops. Aside from the major boost in Aqua's scenery, it is also fairly evident how the studio keeps a keen eye for the characters, with small but noticeable changes to their designs. Along with that, _Origination_ feels livelier than other installments, having more motion with its frames and very, very elaborate facial animations in the show's critical moments. The comedic expressions remain a staple of the show, and still carry the bulk of _Aria_'s funniest instances. This element is not perfect, however, as a 2008 series would somewhat opt to add in CGI to save budget costs. For the most part, the CG in _Aria_ is beautiful and does not really hinder immersion, but there were moments in _Origination_ that it goes beyond using CG water and appears in other elements. Granted, they only appear for two noticeable scenes throughout the show, but these parts were very jarring and could very well be a valid criticism to its animation. Nonetheless, this does not summarize the entirety of the animation, as _Origination_ continues the synchronous blend it has with the soundtrack, initiating a visual and audial experience unlike any. ~~~__Criticisms__~~~ Wrapping up a series is difficult. While _Aria_ ends in quite possibly the best conclusion possible—and quite frankly, one of the best in anime, there are a lot of things to be pointed at that could have made it a bit more fulfilling. Character balancing, for example, was noticeably more unbalanced in _Origination_ compared to the first two seasons. While the first season focuses mostly on Akari—as it should, since it's an introduction, the second season diversifies the tales to give the other characters significant depth that they didn't have. It handles every character equally, with the inclusion of the side characters that added more color to the daily adventures in Aqua. _Origination_ tries to shift this focus onto the main trio only, but even in this department it is considerably affected. As aforementioned, Aika does not get as much screen time as she deserves, and while episodes about her are some of the best _Aria_ has to offer, it pales in comparison to the amount of treatment she got in Natural. More importantly, Aika is not the only one to suffer this issue, but to the show's actual protagonist as well. While the last episodes do bring Akari back into the spotlight, the middle part of the show is obviously oriented at Alice, as if the show itself is hinting what is to come for her. It is still a good buildup, and is not necessarily a bad part of the show, as she is underplayed for most of the first two seasons. However, it does betray the point of _Origination_ being a final chapter for all three of them, and it could possibly hamper enjoyment for people expecting a well-rotated character storyline like Natural. Another important aspect not addressed by _Origination_ was Cait Sith and the mystical side of Aqua. Natural was all about exploring Aqua and building up its characters at the same time, with the introduction of its spirit guardian. It seemed to emphasize that we will see more of Cait Sith's involvement in the story, although it did not turn out to be the case. _Origination_ completely drifted from its magical elements in sacrifice for a character-oriented story which aimed to bring an ending to them rather than to the world. It could also be said that _Origination_'s subtle but important tone shift to put the cast in situations that are much more emotionally testing than its previous iterations. In service of a plot-driven series, after all, is the necessity for conflict to arise. Yet, to bring up a counterpoint, the drama that stirs from _Origination_ can be felt only if you have found the attachment to the characters. When looked at superficially, the conflicts that are brought up in _Origination_ can barely qualify as drama—and even though the themes may still be somewhat deviant from what the first two seasons offered, they still run under the overall concept of optimism and hopefulness. With only 13 episodes to end the story, it's honestly surprising that _Origination_ manages to hold out and fill in every aspect it could accomplish in _Aria_'s quite vast world. Not only that, but it ties every loose end about the characters in a very satisfying manner that one can easily overlook its flaws, and indulge in _Origination_'s well-toned balance of drama and the same-old _Aria_ viewers had come to know and love. ~~~__Enjoyment and Conclusion__~~~ _Origination_ is one of the rare examples of shows that manages to trump expectations from its prequels. What I believed to be _Aria_'s peak in _Arietta_ immediately got dispelled by how _Origination_ mastered its presentation. Other than that, there are few series that get to end on a high note, and this entry to the story of Aqua and its Undines manages to bring its characters into a full circle, despite its hardly noticeable hiccups. _Aria_ has always been atmospheric, and it pretty much takes the cake as one of the best that handles atmosphere overall, but _Origination_ is the cherry on top, being a conclusion to its well-rounded cast of lovable people. It allows us to appreciate more of the mundane, while also revealing the bigger picture of life. Some would say that _Aria_ is as saccharine as it can get with its themes, though I would beg to differ. While the franchise certainly is a defining example of things never going wrong, _Origination_, as it is aptly named, brings us to the beginning of all this happiness—happiness, that you may think is merely blind optimism, but one actually rooted in reality. It is an enjoyable show—cathartic and introspective. When approaching this, one may need to put aside everything within their to-do list, and the time to be alone when watching it. It might seem like a bother, but investing yourself into it is one of the best payoffs one could ever have. Emotionally charged yet void of melancholy, _Aria the Origination_ can easily bring anyone to tears with its innocent and caressive approach. Seagulls fly into the sky as the fresh wind coming from the sea dances through your hair. The campanile tolls its bell, echoing throughout this city of stories. Neo-Venezia is a place filled with wonders and history, and one can easily get lost in the countless experiences you could have. Yet fear not, as someone is always there for you. People of different places and of different journeys, cross paths in this place of miracles. Aqua may seem like an unattainable dream—a place of mere escapism. However, as long as someone welcomes anything before them, whether good, whether bad, like how Akari welcomed Aqua, and how Aqua welcomed her back, there will always exist a Neo-Venezia deep within our hearts. Simply put, _Aria_ is a masterpiece—the quintessential slice-of-life show. Rife with characters and stories that are intertwined in this euphoric utopia, _Origination_ brings all of these great moments together, and reaches out to us playfully. Definitively, it is a one-of-a-kind experience you could not afford to miss.
Before I begin this review I want to thank the reddit user 'thisismyanimealt' for hosting a rewatch of the entire series on /r/anime. While this show may have been in my PTW for sometime I probably never would of finished it without the rewatch. Spoilers ahead (maybe...)! I sat looking at this blank space for a long time trying to think what to write for this show, the whole "Review must be greater than 2200 characters" is really frustrating. The reason so is because this entire series can be boiled down to probably way less than that for me and filling space is not my forte - I was always told I write too little and get straight to the point too quickly (which is rather ironic as I type this section filling this space with meaninglessly prose [thank Kizumonogatari chapter 0 for this]). Aria as a whole is a wonderful example of showing us all the beautiful and mystical things around us. It teaches us to accept things in the world as they come to us (even if the event is unexpected or predetermined) and embrace them with enthusiasm and learn to love everything (be it happy, sad or any other emotion). We see this with every character by the end of the season (and series). Each one of them faces a slightly different aspect of life but with one common thread: they must learn to embrace change and move forward on the path in front of them (chosen for them, chosen by them, or handed to them). ~!With Alice its the unexpected decision for her to skip ranks (becoming Orange Princess), surpassing both Aika and Akari before they came become Primas. With this happy moment comes inevitable loneliness as she finds herself without them.!~ ~!For Aika, no matter what she would do, she was bound to become a Prima (Rosen Queen) as the heir to the family company. For her it was the stress of taking such a prestigious position so early and having to leave her friends behind to fulfill her duties.!~ ~!Akari must learn to continue forward without that safety net beneath her. With Alicia leaving, Aria becomes her own company which she must embody. Something rather unexpected for a brand new Prima (who is aptly name Aquamarine).!~ With this season it marked the end of the story (that is until Avvenire came out in 2015). To be honest I would be fine without the special 10th anniversary OVAs (even though I have yet to watch them yet). It is sad Aria (and more or less Akari's) story is over, however its ending was nothing short of perfect. To me the OVAs are just additions to a fantastic series which proudly sits in my all time favorites. This show also sits as one of 5 that has made me cry - so there is that if it means anything to you. What is wonderful is that Aria is shows that everything in its own way is a cycle. ~!This is especially true when we finally get to see Ai wearing her Aria uniform as a pair and Akari gazing at her the same as Alicia once did.!~ Overall this season is perfect. So why no 10/10 (instead its a 9.8/10 for me)? To be honest it is probably something to do with toying with me for a few episodes teasing the main casts imminent promotions - and that its only 13 episodes instead of The Naturals 26. Also it may be due to giving it a 10 would make me feel like this show is perfection - which seems odd considering I called it perfect a few times. I have given a lot of shows 10s and to be fair its significance has been lost to me. A 10 feels over praised and biased - something I don't want to have happen to this show for me. I hope that whoever is reading this will take Akari's hand (when she asks for us to do so) and let her and everyone else of Aqua show you the wonders of life and enjoy every last second of it. I know I did and I can't wait to ride in their gondolas again in the future.
I would recommend reading the two previous reviews before checking out this one, but at last, we made it to Aria the Origination. The conclusion of the Aria series and a large part of why I decided to watch Aria in general. Granted, a Discord server I'm on has the majority of the users there raving about it, which is a part of the reason, but I was really excited to see how this series would come to a close and why it was so beloved. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Animation and I loved Natural, but Origination is such an emotionally charged conclusion that it transcends most anime for me. I haven't connected with an anime quite like this since Sangatsu no Lion. It really is a thing of beauty. Now with that said, let's get started! ____ __Aria the Origination__ youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBVG0u6zBJ0) The improved animation quality from Arietta remains the same here, with Origination doing away with the 4:3 aspect ratio and makes it fullscreen. Also, Origination does make the real to life impression of Venice even more impressive with beautiful scenery and backgrounds. Episode 2 of Origination is probably the best example of this, with beautiful flowers and a Wisteria tree as well that was hidden away from the rest of the city. While exploring Neo-Venenzia isn't the main focus of the season like it was in Natural, it still gives the impression that Origination is a beautiful way to conclude the series. One thing worth mentioning is that Cait Sith and the other supernatural elements of the last season are not present in this season at all, opting instead to focus on ending the character arcs of the Aria series. While I do adore the conclusions of the characters, I do kind of wish that we at least mentioned Cait Sith one more time. He is brought up in Avvenire, but it would have been nice to mention him. Regardless, this season is more about the main trio ending their character arcs and becoming Prima Undines once and for all. At first glance, Origination seems like it's business as usual, starting off by focusing on Akari herself. We are reintroduced to the cast, like Akari is with Aika and Alice for practice, Akatsuki studying with AL for his promotion exam, Woody doing his usual job of delivering packages, and all the mentors and the students meeting up in the Aria company to eat together. The students talk about good moments with their mentors during the festival while they were giving tours to customers, like Alicia with her soothing words to the customers, Akira saving an idiot customer from falling into the water, and Athena making goofy faces to make a crying baby laugh. The episode concludes with the mentors telling them that they still have a long way to go and tell them not to be complacent with your skills and continue to improve. It's a nice way to bring focus on the fact that the end is soon enough. There are some interesting episodes to start off with, like the second episode where a lady requests a ride with Akari as the tour guide, or one where Akari inspires a chocolate salesman. Episode 4 was a particularly good episode where at the request of Alicia, Akari decides to work for the traghetto. It's where two singles use a single gondola as a ferry to transports a bunch of luggage and people across the city. Akari meets some other singles like Ayumi from Himeya and Atora and Anzu from Orange Planet. Anzu is a little depressed because she failed her promotion exam once again, and we hear from Atora that becoming a Prima Undine via a promotion exam is significantly harder than becoming a single. Atora and Anzu both have the same instructor, and she's apparently a very strict woman. Ayumi on the other hand is uninterested in becoming a Prima Undine and wants to continue working in the traghetto to get to know the people there better. By the end of the episode, the others admire Akari's skills as she was able to work on the traghetto immediately, and Atora and Anzu both reflect on what they can do as far as becoming a Prima Undine. Where this season really begins to shine is episode 5, which primarily focuses on Aika and Akira. It starts off normally with the three singles all practicing when summer returns to Aqua. They all go get lunch after once again witnessing Athena's incredible singing and Alicia's graceful sulling. During lunch, they all reflect on how talented they are, or as to how Alice puts it: "Those two were bestowed with natural talent. They're natural geniuses, don't you think?". This unintentionally forces Aika to reflect on how Akira potentially felt when compared to her friends, and makes her afraid of her own inadequacies. Akira explains that she was also somewhat depressed over how inadequate she felt compared to her amazingly talented friends, but by the end was inspired to make herself become a prodigy. It explores the idea that while natural talent and skills can certainly get you far in life, hard work can also achieve talent in and of itself. That even without some incredible skill unique to you, you can still prevail through hard work and patience. Episode 6 is more about how Alicia goes about teaching. It does show how Alicia goes for a more gentle approach when it comes to teaching and how she is that guiding hand to lead rather than someone who would just tell you got it wrong. It's nice to get an episode focusing on Alicia's perspective. Episode 7 is simply a beautiful episode through and through. When Alicia and Akari meet up with an old friend of Alicia, who also used to be apart of the Aria company but retired due to getting married, and Grandma who also happens to be in the area. When Grandma was younger and was a Prima Undine, she stumbles upon a cat. This next part is difficult to explain without spoilers, so I'll just put a spoiler tag here for this part only: ~! So by the time Grandma (Her actual name is Akino Ametsuchi) meets Aria, she's already an accomplished Prima Undine working for Himeya. She has worked there for about 14 years, and while she does love her job, it can also be tiring since she gets constant bookings for tours every single day. When she sees Aria just staring off to the ocean in the middle of the city, she wonders what he’s there for. He’s also a stray cat by this point, so he honestly looks a lot more slim in this flashback. As he’s even willing to wait outside while it’s raining. We never truly find out why he was staring off into the distance, but staying the night outside with him made her realize her want to appreciate the beauty of the world, and so she founded the Aria company with President Aria. This last bit of the flashback is also accompanied by a beautiful song in the background. The song beautifully reflects on these events, describing Neo-Venenzia as a “town I have yet to discover”, representing Akino’s want for exploring and appreciating her surroundings. It’s such a beautiful way to see how the Aria company began. !~ The strongest part of the season and the entire show would have to be the second half. These last 6 episodes in particular is such an emotionally satisfying end for all of the characters in the show. Remember in the Natural review where I mentioned how Alice doesn’t get quite as much focus as Akari and Aika as far as character arcs are concerned? This time, Alice is the focus of at least three episodes of the season, and I’d argue episode 9 is the best in the entire show because of this. Originally, Alice was more shy and less willing to talk than her two friends, but these episodes are where she fully understands and talks about her feelings regarding her clumsy mentor Athena, or how when Athena and Alice are together, she explains how you’re able to convey your emotions into song and how others would be able to understand those feelings as well. Or how Alice would have a hard time hanging out with her friends due to story related reasons. Alice truly becomes her own in these three episodes, and grows from that shy and timid girl we met in the beginning. Sadly, Aika doesn’t get as much focus as Akari or Alice does in this season. One could argue that thanks to Natural and the two episodes in this season focusing on Aika, as well as her conclusion at the beginning of episode 11 of this season that she already had a complete arc, but it would have been nice to have just one last episode focusing solely on her, but the last two episodes focus on Akari and Alicia’s relationship and rapping up their relationship on a neat little bow. Bringing Akari’s efforts to become a Prima to an end and also looking towards the future regarding the Aria company. Alicia and Akari’s reconciliation towards the end of the show really pulls at one’s heartstrings. It reinforces the main theme of this season, and that would be change. How change can be great, or sad, but regardless, one must move forward, even if they’re afraid of change. ____ Aria the Origination: Picture Drama Picture Drama is a 7 episode mini series with different individual stories. I believe the reason why it’s called Picture Drama is because it literally has no animation, and it just has the characters talking. I don’t have too much to say aside from it being a decently enjoyable time waster. Each episode is only seven minutes long, and my favorite one of the bunch would probably be the last one focusing on Akari and Grandma. It explores on Akari’s worries after the end of Origination and how Grandma tells her that it’s ok to express your anxieties and worries to the people you care about, including Alicia. Most of Picture Drama is either a nice relaxing little episode like the pajama episode, or can be surprisingly funny like episode 4, which plays out like some kind of weird ass war thing between the three companies, with Akatsuki as the narrator. It’s just a nice, quick watch. ___ Aria the Avvenire youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUCNk3Xt_sk) Last but not least, we have Aria the Avvenire! Taking place a few years after Origination, it presents the three main girls now being successful Undine's and teaching their own students. One thing that you'll notice immediately is the animation has gotten even better than before. It's genuinely movie quality stuffed into 3 24 minute episodes. Everything I said about Origination animation wise is improved ten fold and everything looks so crisp and beautiful. Especially the backgrounds, which are honestly wallpaper worthy. Aside from that, it primarily focuses on Akari's student, who is a single and I won't say who because it's a neat surprise. Beyond that, it also focuses on some past elements, like Cait Sith making one last appearance, and how the students of our original trio are very much alike their mentors, which could be said about our original cast. The final episode is a touching conclusion to the series, with the new trio setting up a party with all of the other girls. Akari even points out that saying good bye is sad, but that sadness reflects on how much you love that person, almost reflecting on the fact that this is the end of Aria (Well, the movie will come out next year, but the point still stands.) ___ If there’s one way I would describe Aria the Origination, I would call it an emotionally cathartic end to such a lovely series. Everything about it is so soothing but is still filled with so many legitimate life lessons that anyone can take from it. It’s the pinnacle of a slice of life, and one that I would recommend to anyone.
Aria - A brief review of my experience watching the anime. Aria is undoubtedly one of the best or if not the best Slice of Life I have ever seen and one of the few that made me feel moved in some parts, that hasn't happened since Ef: Tale Of Melodies. Well, the story is about a girl with the dream of becoming an Undine living a peaceful life while knowing more about the world she lives in and meeting people. About Neo Venezia: As futuristic as it may seem, Neo Venezia is still full of rustic beauty; gondolas in wide channels and waterways are the main means of transport. This is the workplace of Akari Mizunashi, a free-spirited teenager from Manhome who is now an Undine rookie (the title given to tour guides). Join Akari as she becomes intimately familiar with other Undine, tourists, residents of Neo Venezia and even the city itself, learning many valuable life lessons along the way, such as the wonderful truth that there are such things as miracles done for the man. Despite having a monotonous and slow start, Aria improves with the passing of the episodes and consequently when the other characters are introduced and without a doubt the cast of Aria is one of the strongest points of the work. Of course, if you want to see the journey of these three towards professionalization as being "the plot" I could perhaps understand the criticism that anime is slow. But such a claim would not really be within the spirit or intentions of the work itself, but rather a personal projection of the viewer of what a story should be, as opposed to what it wants to be or, indeed, it is. Aria is a series that strives for the atmosphere, for taking advantage of each episode as an episode, as an individual unit, while a plot driven work strives for taking advantage of each episode within the larger context of the series as a whole. In this second case, it is the set that gives meaning to each episode, while in Aria each episode has meaning in itself. This is the fundamental difference between more narrative stories, so to speak, and more episodic stories, and because of this difference, it is necessary to adjust one's expectations to the intentions of each format. This does not mean that the Aria set is a badly stitched patchwork, not even by far. As I will argue throughout the text, each season has a theme that connects and gives meaning to the set of episodes that compose it, but the fact remains that Aria should not be watched by its story. Animation: So, I think the animation has improved a lot from Aria the Animation to Origination, even if the animation is simple it can be very good in some specific moments / scenes. Soundtrack: Well, the soundtrack is one of the best things I've ever heard and it becomes quite striking right at the beginning of the series and it combined a lot with the Venice theme, there are times when it's almost impossible not to just listen and admire. Characters: So, Aria has a wonderful and very well written cast, it's just incredible to see how well the anime works all the characters so well and not to mention the various parts in which they made me feel emotional. img400(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/798291340495945752/821096329584967760/20210315_160146.jpg) img400(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/798291340495945752/821099507545800764/20210315_160201.jpg) img400(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/798291340495945752/821099831640457256/20210315_160217.jpg) img400(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/798291340495945752/821099914091036732/20210315_160232.jpg)
~~~__INTRODUCCIÓN__~~~ Hola. Esta es mi primera reseña así que intentaré manifestar mis puntos lo más breve y claro posible. Voy a estructurar esta reseña de manera ordenada para que la lectura sea cómoda. Voy a dividirla en 6 aspectos: ___Sinopsis, Historia, Animación (ambientación y escenarios), Personajes, Sonido (banda sonora, OP y ED) y Conclusión.___ _No contiene spoilers._ ___ ~~~__SINOPSIS__~~~ Narra la vida diaria de un grupo de tres chicas Gondoleras (Undines) que residen en el planeta Aqua (previamente conocido como Marte), en la ciudad de Neo-Venezia. Cada una perteneciente a una compañía diferente y van forjando su propio camino en la industria. ___ ~~~__HISTORIA__~~~ __ARIA The ORIGINATION__ vendría a ser la “última temporada” de la serie, una conclusión, y por eso se presenta un enfoque distinto a lo que ya venía ofreciendo. Para las personas que ven y disfrutan los anime ___Slice of Life (Iyashikei)___, ya sabrán que estos tipos de serie no se caracterizan por tener un argumento o premisa brillante, ya que, estas narran la vida diaria de los personajes desde una perspectiva “tranquila y cotidiana” y siempre con un ritmo considerablemente lento. Pero eso no necesariamente debería significar menos calidad en historia. Esta temporada ofrece un enfoque mucho más emotivo, pero siempre manteniendo los elementos característicos de las anteriores temporadas. Brinda momentos que albergan emociones muy fuertes y reflexivas. Aunque sea una historia simple, eso no debería detenerte de ver esta hermosa serie. Mi limitaré a ser breve en este aspecto ya que pienso que hablar de más sobre la historia puede comprometer un poco el impacto que puede generar en aquellas que deseen verla. ___ ~~~__ANIMACIÓN (AMBIENTACIÓN Y ESCENARIOS)__~~~ Algunas personas pueden atribuir el momento o año en el que una serie fue desarrollada a la calidad de animación e imagen, aunque esto no necesariamente tiene que ser cierto. Si bien esta serie no la destacaría por su brillante animación, fluidez o dinamismo en la imagen, tiene una ambientación y escenarios bellísimos. Una ciudad representada de manera muy detallada, muchos paisajes, un gran trabajo con los colores y contrastes que te hacen querer meterte dentro de la pantalla y pasar un buen rato en ese lugar. Creo que en ese aspecto la serie cumple muy bien con su trabajo. Pienso firmemente que una representación de un mundo que me genere una enorme sensación de envidia por vivir ahí, un incontrolable anhelo por formar parte de ese mundo y un insaciable sentimiento de querer pertenecer a la comunidad siempre cumple exitosamente con el propósito de una buena ambientación. ~~~IMG(https://i.ibb.co/P9DxzSp/Neo-Venezia-Background-1.jpg)~~~ ___ ~~~__PERSONAJES__~~~ Este es el elemento más fuerte de la serie, donde expone su máximo potencial. Esta temporada continúa con los mismos personajes ya conocidos previamente; ___Akari, Aika, Alice, Alicia, Akira, Athena y el Presidente Aria___, también personajes secundarios que no considero realmente necesarios para manifestar mis puntos. Cada personaje tiene su propia historia, trasfondo, aunque no se profundiza demasiado en el pasado de los personajes, ni tampoco lo creo necesario ya que el atractivo radica en su vida diaria, presente y sus ambiciones a futuro, siempre mirando hacia adelante. Los personajes expresan un gran desarrollo a lo largo de la serie, las amistades entre ellos prosperan, sus formas de ser y de percibir a su planeta también cambian, a través de distintos eventos y encuentros que los irán moldeando, principalmente a nuestra protagonista principal, ___Akari.___ No me avergüenza admitir que realmente amo a ___Mizunashi Akari___. Es mi protagonista mujer favorita de todo el anime. Es un personaje que desborda optimismo, amabilidad, generosidad y una hermosa sonrisa que puede ser contagiosa. Siempre me envuelve en esa sensación de calidez de la que nunca me canso. Ella individualmente es el personaje que más desarrollo tiene a lo largo de la serie. Al principio muy torpe, algo tímida y con muy poco sentido de pertenencia, se la podía percibir un poco excluida, no debido a su entorno y a sus amigos sino debido a ella misma. Pero a medida que la serie progresa, ___Akari___ se ve expuesta a distintos encuentros y maravillas que la ciudad de Neo-Venezia le va ofreciendo, y debido a eso se pueden observar muchos cambios en su percepción y sentido de pertenencia. Y por último la comedia. Un sólido humor que nunca lo encuentro fuera de lugar y siempre me saca una sonrisa, especialmente por las expresiones de los personajes. Cada uno tiene su propia expresión característica que le da un impacto y empuje creativo al humor. Un dato no tan relevante, pero lo considero un aporte necesario a mi reseña. ~~~IMG(https://i.imgur.com/3yBFFVq.jpg)~~~ ___ ~~~__SONIDO (BANDA SONORA, OP Y ED)__~~~ Otro aspecto hermoso de la serie, el sonido. Siempre preciso y nunca fuera de lugar el momento para incorporar a la escena algún sonido o música. Personalmente pienso que esta serie tiene de las mejores bandas sonoras del anime. No soy experto en música así que no puedo opinar demasiado del tema, pero, la música es simplemente hermosa, realmente es un aporte fantástico a la serie que puede llegar a climatizar el ambiente y condicionar tu estado de ánimo. En cuanto a los OP y ED, es algo interesante lo que hace la serie, no es posible saltear los OP ya que la serie nunca se detiene, siempre hay escenas incorporadas al OP, o, mejor dicho, se incorpora el OP a las escenas. Musicalmente son muy agradables de escuchar, con una lindas visuales y canciones muy bonitas las cuales no puedo dejar de escuchar. ~~~youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsnAyz4AgrA)~~~ ___ ~~~__CONCLUSIÓN__~~~ Para ir cerrando esta reseña, quiero recalcar que es una serie lenta, como todos los ___Slice of Life (Iyashikei)___ que vi, y mucha gente puede encontrar el ritmo tedioso y aburrido. Es por eso que no recomiendo esta serie para cualquiera. Pero en caso de que te guste este tipo de series, la disfrutaras muchísimo, ya que yo personalmente (después de haber visto la serie de __ARIA__ dos veces) la considero el mejor Slice of Life de todos y una de mis favoritas. Y esta es sin ninguna duda la mejor temporada de __ARIA__, potenciando todos sus aspectos. Espero que hayan leído y disfrutado de mi breve reseña, y si tienen alguna crítica constructiva para sugerirme, soy todo oídos. ~~~IMG(https://i.imgur.com/TxxrioJ.jpg)~~~ # __English translation:__ ~!__INTRODUCTION__ Hello. This is my first review so I will try to make my points as brief and clear as possible. I will structure this review in an orderly manner so that reading is comfortable. I'm going to divide it into 6 aspects: ___Synopsis, Story, Animation (setting and scenarios), Characters, Sound (soundtrack, OP and ED) and Conclusion.___ Does not contain spoilers. __SYNOPSIS__ It narrates the daily life of a group of three Gondolier girls (Undines) who reside on the planet Aqua (previously known as Mars), in the city of Neo-Venezia. Each belonging to a different company and they are forging their own path in the industry. __STORY__ __ARIA The ORIGINATION__ would be the "last season" of the series, a conclusion, and that is why it presents a different approach to what it had already been offering. For people who watch and enjoy ___Slice of Life (Iyashikei)___ anime, you will already know that these types of series are not characterized by having a brilliant plot or premise, since they narrate the daily lives of the characters from a “calm and everyday perspective” and always at a considerably slow pace. But that shouldn't necessarily mean less quality in history. This season offers a much more emotional approach, but always maintaining the characteristic elements of previous seasons. It provides moments that harbor very strong and reflective emotions. Even if it's a simple story, that shouldn't stop you from watching this beautiful series. I will limit myself to being brief in this regard since I think that talking more about the story can compromise a little the impact that it can generate on those who wish to see it. __ANIMATION (SETTING AND SCENARIOS)__ Some people may attribute the time or year a series was developed to animation and image quality, although this does not necessarily have to be true. Although this series does not stand out for its brilliant animation, fluidity or dynamism in the image, it has a beautiful setting and scenarios. A city represented in a very detailed way, many landscapes, a great job with colors and contrasts that make you want to get inside the screen and have a good time in that place. I think that in that aspect the series does its job very well. I firmly believe that a representation of a world that generates a huge feeling of envy for living there, an uncontrollable longing to be part of that world and an insatiable feeling of wanting to belong to the community always successfully fulfills the purpose of a good setting. IMG(https://i.ibb.co/P9DxzSp/Neo-Venezia-Background-1.jpg) __CHARACTERS__ This is the strongest element in the series, where it exposes its full potential. This season continues with the same characters already known previously; ___Akari, Aika, Alice, Alicia, Akira, Athena, and President Aria___, also supporting characters that I don't really consider necessary to make my points. Each character has its own story, background, although it does not delve too deeply into the past of the characters, nor do I think it necessary since the attraction lies in their daily life, present and their ambitions for the future, always looking forward. The characters express a great development throughout the series, the friendships between them flourish, their ways of being and perceiving their planet also change, through different events and encounters that will shape them, mainly our main protagonist, ___Akari___. I'm not ashamed to admit that I really love ___Mizunashi Akari___. She is my favorite female lead in all of anime. She is a character that overflows with optimism, kindness, generosity and a beautiful smile that can be contagious. It always envelops me in that feeling of warmth that I never get tired of. She individually is the character with the most development throughout the series. At first very clumsy, somewhat shy and with very little sense of belonging, she could be perceived a bit excluded, not because of her environment and her friends but because of herself. But as the series progresses, ___Akari___ is exposed to different encounters and wonders that the city of Neo-Venezia offers her, and because of that many changes can be observed in her perception and sense of belonging. And finally the comedy. A solid humor that I never find out of place and always brings a smile to my face, especially with the expressions of the characters. Each one has its own characteristic expression that gives an impact and creative push to the humor. A not so relevant data, but I consider it a necessary contribution to my review. IMG(https://i.imgur.com/3yBFFVq.jpg) __SOUND (SOUNDTRACK, OP AND ED)__ Another beautiful aspect of the series, the sound. Always precise and never out of place the moment to incorporate any sound or music into the scene. Personally, I think this series has some of the best anime soundtracks. I am not an expert in music so I cannot comment too much on the subject, but the music is simply beautiful, it really is a fantastic contribution to the series that can acclimate the environment and condition your mood. As for the OP and ED, it is something interesting what the series does, it is not possible to skip the OP since the series never stops, there are always scenes incorporated into the OP, or rather, the OP is incorporated into the scenes . Musically they are very pleasant to listen to, with nice visuals and very beautiful songs that I cannot stop listening to. youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsnAyz4AgrA) __CONCLUSION__ To conclude this review, I want to emphasize that it is a slow series, like all the ___Slice of Life (Iyashikei)___ that I saw, and many people may find the pacing tedious and boring. That is why I do not recommend this series for anyone. But in case you like this type of series, you will enjoy it very much, since I personally (after having seen the __ARIA__ series twice) consider it the best Slice of Life of all and one of my favorites. And this is undoubtedly the best season of __ARIA__, enhancing all its aspects. I hope you have read and enjoyed my short review, and if you have any constructive criticism to suggest me, I am all ears. IMG(https://i.imgur.com/TxxrioJ.jpg)!~
~~~img1000(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/ariaps2b.jpg)~~~ All things eventually have to end, especially with series that have left a mark on many people. One series that has cemented itself as the king of accomplishing this for many is the Aria series. What many consider the series’s magnum opus, Aria the Origination is the last chapter in the anime adaptation of the beloved manga. As you might figure out, it is just about as glamoured with gorgeous music, cheerful characters, and dramatic optimism as one can handle. Despite all of the beautiful aspects of the series, there’s still that one question that has bugged me each season: Why am I not smiling? Before I start voicing my criticism on these issues, I’d like to explain the positive aspects of Origination that leave it off from being just a "decent" show and try to describe it without comparing it to previous seasons. Origination is supposed to be the accumulation of everything the series was building up to. As we see the characters grow from their past experiences, they inevitably want to make it into a big emotional climax to end it all. I can concur that it is a satisfying conclusion to the series. ~~~img1000(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/aria-the-origination-picture-drama-01-large-03.jpg)~~~ Since Origination is focused on character development, this is where Origination truly shines. It tries to develop the characters little by little. Because we have followed three of these girls and their elder undines for so long, their complex relationships have been built up for the inevitable climax that shows them growing into leaving their profession as full-time undines. Its slow pacing is why it works as lovely character development because there are no awkward transitions between episodes that feel problematic to the characters' growth. Of course, you can’t talk about a season of Aria without ever mentioning its musical composition. It is no secret that the series is known for its beautiful and memorable scores, and Origination does not fail in this aspect. Although I would consider this to be the weakest of the series, there is no reason to suggest that the instrumentation of the songs in Origination still keeps the spirit of the series going. The music involves a lot of Celtic guitar instrumentation that feels fitting with the setting and atmosphere. Vocals are exceptionally graceful and give an excellent introduction to the show as the opening guides us into a new kind of adventure with each episode. ~~~img1000(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/c88ab384.png)~~~ As the series progressed, the animation and art got better and better as their budget had increased by the time they started with Animation. Origination’s celebrated blend of colors and misty backdrops gives the show a dreamy atmosphere with transparent white overtones of the environments and characters. Character designs are neatly colored with nice clean looks to their facial features and expressions, especially when they are in chibi form whenever a comedic moment happens. It creates a decent flow of showing a new dimension to the show by not just being a melancholy slice of life but also a comedy with zany edges to it. They are not what you would call hilarious or hysterical, but they are funny tidbits that have a nice spark of humor to Origination. Now, what many might conceive as one of the best facets of Aria is the atmosphere. It is often praised for being very relaxing and bringing happy emotions to the audience, from the artistic aspects to the character interactions. Nobody can deny that the features that inhabit it do not exist in some form, but that sort of ethereal atmosphere only does very little to impact the series. To put my criticisms into perspective, an atmosphere that wants to make the audience feel any emotion needs to have some semblance of a structure that makes it feel natural and effective. In the case of Aria, it feels as though it just wants to be a relaxing atmospheric show just for being one and nothing else. ~~~img1000(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/aria-the-natural-04.jpg)~~~ Another troubling aspect of the atmosphere that doesn’t make for a worthwhile experience is that it is always the same impending tone. There are some moments when we are given a slightly different shift to a more somber, depressing one, but those are very few and far between. Because of this, the whole atmosphere feels incredibly fake and alienating for someone like me who does not feel the need to take the atmosphere for granted. The atmosphere is entirely stagnant and makes Origination a relatively dense slice of life show that seems to think life is always this happy-go-lucky experience with halfhearted expectations of things getting better. In conjunction with the atmosphere, the characters that inhabit Aria are not necessarily the most magnificent cast of characters that you might’ve been told so. As I’ve said before, all of their developments are great and make them stand out. You can’t make bland characters any better by just developing them to excuse all the yawning. Besides that, what other characteristics do they have that make them any more significant? Is it the fact that they continuously throw in monotonous catchphrases to try to make them not dull? The fact that they all have similar optimistic outlooks that hardly make them any more distinct from any other character? Or that they constantly throw in pointless poetic dialogue to somehow make them seem more insightful than they are? ~~~img1000(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/ariatheoriginationep13d.jpg)~~~ I can appreciate some of the quirkiness thrown out here and there from the characters, but that is not enough to think of any of them as inspired characters. Once in a while, I can chuckle at the catchphrases, but it is quickly forgotten due to the uninspired way they implement them into the show. Some character side stories don’t go anywhere that can be construed as the show cutting some things off of the manga, like the awkwardly written romance between Aika and Albert. It all comes down to the fact that no characters have anything to offer in terms of creativity or intrigue other than their development, which is two completely different things in character writing. Despite all of the negatives, Origination is not something that I would consider terrible, for that matter. It is decent for what it is, which is a positive overall evaluation for the series as a whole. Origination is not the remarkable life-changing show that many like to make it up to be, in my opinion, but it is not the polar opposite to that effect. There are plenty of qualities that anyone can look upon with fresh eyes. All that is left to do is pinpoint what stands out for them as an experience worth going through. Grade: B-
Ao longo de suas três temporadas,Aria constroe um mundo,ou melhor dizendo,as pessoas constroem o mundo que Aria é Antigamente conhecida como Marte,após sua terraformação e seus grande e lindo mar cobrir todo o planeta laranja,seu nome ficou conhecido como Aqua,e nossa amada terra como Man Home Em uma grande cidade de Aqua inspirada em uma cidade que fora extinta em Man Home,a grandiosa Neo Venezia,uma garota sorridente com a tendência de dizer coisas constrangedoras e fazer rostos engraçados,Mizunashi Akari sai de uma nave e entra no planeta com o intuito de se tornar uma Prima Undine (sendo prima o maior nível da profissão Undine do mundo de Aria,os níveis dessa profissão são Pair,Single e Prima,e são determinados pelas luvas,ambas as luvas significa que a garota é uma Pair,uma luva só significa que é uma Single,sendo esses dois níveis uma iniciante que nn pode trabalhar na profissão e sim apenas treinar e atender clientes com acompanhamento de uma senpai,e sem nenhuma luva é uma Undine profissional ,uma Prima) Akari é contratada para ser uma Undine em uma pequena,porém lendaria,empresa chamada Aria Company,onde tem o acompanhamento do fofissimo Presidente Aria e onde aprende a como ser uma Undine com sua tutora e senpai,Alicia-san (aliás,o trabalho de uma Undine é basicamente uma gondoleira e guia turística de Neo Venezia,e o nome Undine se dá por conta do espírito da água,que tbm pode ser dito e lido como Ondina) Akari faz amizade com duas garotas após um tempo,Aika da Himeya Company e Alice da Orange Planet,e as três treinam sempre juntas com esse objetivo em mente,e isso é Aria Um anime extremamente simples mas que cada ep consegue passar uma boa lição,consegue entreter e prender a pessoa que está assistindo naquele mundo maravilhoso,e até as vezes literalmente e surpreendente mágico, feito com o suor da própria humanidade e tendo um coração pulsante naquele belo e vasto mar As músicas da obra,o clima que ela possue,a calmaria que Aria consegue dar ao coração de quem assiste,os personagens e suas interações divertidas dia após dia,o apego sentimental que vc tem com os mesmos que te faz reconhecer o esforço e a força deles pra ter um desfecho de obra maravilhoso e extremamente bem pensado, tudo um Aria é tão bom que fica até difícil de falar sobre Aria é uma das provas que pra se fazer um anime bom,uma obra boa no geral,nn é precisa uma animação incrível,uma motivação impossível,uma quantidade absurda de personagens,mas sim uma obra feita com o coração, algo que consiga agarrar a pessoa com força pelo peito e dizer "eu sou mais do vc pensa",e provar isso Algo choravel com momentos simples,mas extremamente humanos,que te faça refletir sobre a vida,mas sem a nescessidade de um significado psicológico absurdo,algo que tenha impacto sobre você de uma forma natural,seja relaxando você pra dormir em paz com um sorriso no rosto ou te fazendo acordar e dar o melhor de si mesmo por ver que nossas pequenas heroínas fazem o mesmo sempre Aria passa uma lição e também prova algumas coisas,mas suas qualidades técnicas são muito boas também logicamente,sua animação é extremamente boa principalmente pra época,pois pode nn parecer mas o anime é de 2008 pra baixo, literalmente sua última temporada foi em 2008 e as outras em 2005 e 2006,e o mangá é de 2001,sendo uma obra extremamente antiga e mesmo assim com uma qualidade maravilhosa,cenários lindos (mesmo que o anime só tenha em SD) e de brinde momentos atemporais e engraçados,envelheceu como vinho em um barril de madeira,se vc pega pra ver hj vc ainda pode rir,mas é mais provável chorar mesmo,igual eu chorei em uma cacetada de eps desse anime zé ruela,que me fez chorar até com coisas que eu só tinha chorado uma vez no passado e pensado que nunca mais choraria dnv,que nn contarei pra evitar o spoiler Enfim,me alonguei demais pra falar sobre essa obra magnífica e extremamente divertida até me custou um mês e pouco de vida,mas que valeu extremamente a pena e me divertiu do início ao fim,msm que eu tenha visto devagar quase parando suponho que pra esse tipo de anime eu até tenha sido rápido,já que o normal é consumir de forma bem devagar um iyashikei,mas eu nn posso esquecer de dizer nesse final que eu logicamente recomendo imensamente a obra que é Aria,e que se vc quer muito mesmo ver um anime bom,vale muito a pena esse,talvez vc nn goste tanto da primeira temporada,eu gostei mt mas ela é só o iníciozinho de algo mt maior,mas insista caso comece pois essa obra é ouro e vale muito a pena mesmo Um anime lindo Uma historia cativante Personagens maravilhosos Um mundo mágico e extremamente belo que lhe faz pensar onde a humanidade pode chegar se esforçando bastante E sem dúvidas,bem vindo Aria The ORIGINATION a minha aba de favoritos,junto a Mizunashi Akari graças as suas frases encantadoras,expressões fofissimas e divertidas,mas principalmente por sua força e amor por Aqua,que me fez amar e desejar que esse planetinha um dia exista img520(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/805835849136210020/1116626007823224962/c1aa9328d942b1b9942813b8f5f83d3c.jpg)
In simple words, Aria is an anime series about life. I had fallen in love with the first 2 seasons, and seeing that Origination had a significantly higher score and number of favorites, I assumed this was a departure from the episodic, light-hearted tales from the prior seasons. I assumed that there would be more drama, perhaps a tone shift, maybe more elaborate themes. But I was mistaken. The tone didn't shift. Aria remained just as heart-warming and beautiful as it always was. ~~~img440(https://tenor.com/view/akari-aria-anime-gif-10629924.gif)~~~ After completing Origination, the only word I could think of to describe it was 'wonderful', for I had never seen anything so full of wonders as it. This season presents a significant spike in quality within the series, in terms of both production and story-writing. The 2 seasons prior to this, Animation and Natural, didn't have any real goal in mind. Aria the Animation focused on people, their relationships and how one lives there life, Aria the Natural showed us the wonders that the world around us has to offer, and the final installment, Aria the Origination tells us the point of it all. Why we cherish moments we find dear. Why we look for happiness in this world. Why we look on into the future. I have never cried watching an anime, TV show, movie or literally any piece of fiction for that matter, but I couldn't help crying when I realised that these 3 girls (Akari, Alice and Aika) we have followed these past 40 episodes, these girls who showed us, the viewers, the love that exists in life, these very girls would grow up. They would move forward in life. There was something in me that didn't want them to move forward, I didn't want to those beautiful moments I had with them to end, despite every theme in the show presented so far encouraging me to be happy for them to move forward (which I was of course). This anime is undoubtedly as life-changing as everyone else makes it out to be, but don't forget to watch the 2 prior seasons (and the OVA). ~~~img220(https://tenor.com/view/akari-mizunashi-clap-aria-anime-happy-gif-22547013.gif)~~~ The art and sound are simply outstanding. Very few shows have blown me away with their raw skill in direction, but Aria was one of them. Every shot is beautiful and the colour palette is relaxing to the eyes. The voice acting isn't too impressive, but the OSTs are beyond amazing. The soft plucks of the guitar as we enjoy a day at the seaside to the high-pitched piano melodies on a snowy evening. OP is really great too, I usually skip OPs, but this is one of the few shows where I felt like just leaving it on. I can't say the same for the ED though. All the characters are 3-dimensional and all of them are best girl. They all have distinguishable personally traits that some may attribute to generic troupes, but they all feel human during moments of emotion. They all have that wish for their friends to have the best life possible, and they all have inherent flaws. My favourite character is Aria-shachou (it's amazing how there isn't a single bad scene with him on screen), but our main character, Akari Mizunashi, definitely deserves to be crowned the best-written. She is a living ray of sunshine and is just someone you want to succeed in life. ~~~img440(https://tenor.com/view/aria-shachou-aria-the-animation-president-aria-cookies-eating-gif-17740672.gif)~~~ There isn't any 'story' so to speak of, the show is very episodic. We're realistically just watching a handful of characters' everyday life, but even so it is perfect. We see how these characters learn from this life, cherish it, and find happiness in it. There may be no plot, but you will end up crying nonetheless. If anything, the lack of a plot to want you to keep watching is this series' biggest flaw, but apart from that, the show is mostly perfect. The world is built very well however there are some logic errors that can be derived from the show's raw premise (set in a few hundred years in the future in a terraformed Mars) but it isn't something that hinders your enjoyment. This may very well be the only show that I wished would last forever, but all good things must come to an end. It may not have been the best, but it was definitely the most beautiful journey I have ever experienced. Thank you for reading so far, and I hope this makes you want to give this anime a try. ~~~img440(https://tenor.com/view/aria-gif-21920056.gif)~~~
~~~img400(https://media.tenor.com/LCZZXGIOX3EAAAAd/aria-the-animation-president-aria.gif)~~~ At surface level, watching Aria is not unlike completing a jigsaw puzzle. Aria the Animation, as an introduction to Aqua, provides an assortment of puzzle pieces: individually, many are quite attractive, but it’s not always immediately apparent how they fit together. That said, watching Animation gradually allows you to lay out the puzzle border, at which point you can hone in on assembling its center, representing Aria the Natural’s focus on character and relationship building. Subsequently, Aria the Origination represents the placement of the final few pieces, after which you can sit back and admire the end product. The picture produced by the puzzle is nothing out of the ordinary; after all, you could’ve easily Googled the same image and saved yourself some time. Likewise, Origination’s culmination is relatively predictable in the grand scheme—in fact, it’s possible to skip the 50 episodes separating Animation’s premiere and Origination’s finale and get the gist. The beauty of both, therefore, lies not only in the final product, but also the journey taken to achieve it: the gratification of watching tiny, seemingly unrelated decisions ultimately amount to an achieved goal. Indeed, Aria is deceptively simple in its premise, electing to focus on more episodic snapshots rather than plot-driven narratives. We observe Alice, Aika, and Akari through thick and thin in numerous situations, ranging from advancements in their careers to more run-of-the-mill responsibilities like scraping barnacles off a gondola. The payoff of these seemingly unrelated segments may not be immediately apparent, yet they slowly (but surely) humanize these characters to the audience, inviting us to partake firsthand in their struggles, ambitions, and relationships. Rather than rely on sudden drama or climaxes to flesh out its characters, Aria takes its time introducing the world of Aqua; their interactions with each other and their environment, no matter how seemingly mundane, help contextualize their multifaceted personalities and motivations, giving them a well-roundedness I’ve seen in few other fictional characters. In other words, Aria does “show, don’t tell” proud, allowing us to fall in love with Neo-Venezia and delve into what makes these characters quintessentially themselves. A buildup is hardly satisfying in the absence of a conclusion, however, nor is a journey complete without a buildup. In this manner, Origination capitalizes on the foundation laid by its predecessors to conclude their journeys not only as undines, but also as rapidly maturing teenagers. With the elusive Prima Undine title now in reach, the characters are forced to deal with the prospect of new burdens and increased separation from each other, making for palpable tension and nervous excitement throughout the season. ~~~img400(https://i.imgur.com/bxGQdnQ.gif)~~~ Though the futuristic world Akari, Aika, and Alice inhabit is fictional, their fear of the unknown is very much human, as are their insecurities; whether it be Aika’s competitiveness and lack of self confidence, Alice’s fear of losing her friends, or Akari’s reluctance to let go, I couldn’t help but sympathize with their struggles and root for them. These insecurities are nothing new, yet this season adds further nuances by pairing them with the pressures of impending adulthood, making for heightened emotional climaxes and conversations relative to the rest of the series. In doing so, Origination retains its iyashikei qualities while becoming an equally powerful statement regarding coming-of-age. As pure-hearted as the characters’ goals are, they’re still susceptible to the faults of adolescence, and their worldviews remain egocentric to an extent. The narration of Animation and Natural reflects as much, with inner monologues supplying the three main characters’ thoughts but not much beyond that; in other words, we only see as much as they do. Origination, on the other hand, departs from this style to flesh out other characters’ perspectives on the three protagonists, catching not only them by surprise but also the viewers. Episode 4, for instance, shows Akari really come alive as an undine as she tries her hand at the traghetto. Akari is understandably nervous, yet her co-workers are quickly impressed by her skill and quick adaptation to the new challenge, and a heartfelt conversation about the pressures of becoming a Prima ensues. Narratively, this is the first time her skill as an undine is truly contextualized, giving her newfound motivation to work towards her promotion. As an audience, we finally see Akari reap the benefits of her countless practice montages and share in her validation; furthermore, we’re reminded that Akari isn’t alone in her insecurities and pursuits—a line of thought many teenagers fall victim to. Indeed, Origination builds on the mentor-student relationships to underscore how deep their love and respect for each other runs, while the protagonists remain as involved in Aqua’s culture as ever, making clear that these undines share a vast support system. Their future may be shrouded in uncertainty, but everyone has their backs as they step into their new roles and come into their own. ~~~img450(https://i.imgur.com/vSFpUgo.gif)~~~ In the end, this relationship building is precisely what makes this season’s conclusion so powerfully moving. Origination comes full circle in a manner I’ve yet to see in another anime, illustrating both the fruits of the characters’ labor as well as the unfettered joy and renewal genuine connections can bring. Whether it be the top-notch soundtrack, the relaxing, healing atmosphere, the enigmas surrounding Aqua, or the heavily entrenched life themes, Aria truly offers something for everyone, making for an enrapturing series you can’t help but fall in love with.