Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Aria (manga)" in English language version.
It's a fantasy of course—no where in the real world does as idyllic a city as Neo-Venezia or as indefatigably positive a person as Akari exist—but it's a gorgeous, seductive fantasy.
This version is a sample track that Kawai made for Makino
Aria's first volume is 180 pages of pure, serene happiness.
Yet this precise style still manages to capture the sense of wonder on planet Aqua: the airborne confetti at the gondola race, the falling autumn leaves in the first chapter, and especially the Japanese architecture and landscape on the shrine island. It's really the backgrounds and landscapes that are the main character in this series.
Aria is unquestionably the nicest anime Junichi Sato has made in his long and storied career as a director of nice anime. It's a nearly perfect pairing of source material and animator.
delicate score (featuring the crystalline arias of the late, great Eri Kawai)
The sweet simplicity of the characters complements that of the stories woven around them, the warmth of their interplay a mirror of that inspired by the series' quiet celebration of the magic of normalcy.
a sweetly convincing performance from Erino Hazuki
Slow, deliberate, and anti-dramatic, Aria isn't a traditionally entertaining series. It dabbles in humor and pathos, but more than anything it is a soft but magnetic invitation to submerge oneself in a world where kindness reigns supreme and life is overflowing with subtle beauty.
Ici, pas de méchant, pas de combats, même les actions évoluent au rythme de la ville: flottantes et imprécises ... À classer quelque part entre Yotsuba & et Yokohama Kaidashi Kikô. (Here, there is no meanness, no combats, just stories evolving with the rhythm of the city: floating and timeless ... To be classed as somewhere between Yotsuba&! and Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō.)
This entry in the series has it all: the quiet wonder that's the bedrock appeal of the books; exploration of the world's mythology; fantasy, action, humor, astounding art. The only thing I'm left wondering is why every character's name begins with an A.
The stories are just brimming with this delightful innocence and whimsy that captivates the readers, and sticks with you after you read it. Its artwork is wonderous [sic], and sometimes captivating in its wide visuals of the beautiful city of Neo Venezia (both above and below ground).
Aika, Akari's best friend and fellow Undine-in-training, has to tell her to stop being such a wide-eyed grinning sap maybe two or three times each episode.
Although Aria might not have any exciting conflict to speak of, it's unquestionably lovely to look at. The setting is very pretty, designed as a deliberately idealized version of Venice, and the girls are prettier still.
Most of the characters are so inhumanly pleasant and cheerful that one starts to wonder what they put in the water on Aqua.
This isn't a show for everyone. Aria is not without its strong points, though. Visually, it's something special, and the tone is very pleasant if you happen to be in the mood for it.
Whimsical, smooth, the measured pace of the chapters follows a "slice-of-life" rhythm, but in a magical, imaginative frontier.
The character of Akari is a little too much the overly sweet, wide-eyed gawking girl. She is often too enthusiastic about learning new things, meeting new people, about life in general. Too often Amano shows us Akari's effusive reaction to something but does not let us linger on that same discovery.
Aria reads much like a treasured old journal, recounting life events – some big, some little – with the warm personal touch only true joy can bring.
The people who came to live here took Venice as its model and have carved out a very ancient looking city but one that is brimming with life and character. People who live here from birth are obviously quite adjusted to it, with its lack of roads and mainland transportation, and find moving about its small streets and using gondolas as something that is extremely nature.
Ai is the simple cute character that's designed to be our introductory eyes into the world. When she returns to Manhome Akari keeps writing her in email about her exploits and those that she meets, just like writing in a diary. These pieces are done as narration here and there, not always at the end, where Akari talks about what she's experienced and Ai even has some dialogue in return about how she can't wait to visit again.
The initial focus is spent on getting us used to Aika and her instructor Akira. The two are alike, and Aika is absorbing a lot of Akira's traits. However, some of them seem to come by quite naturally. Akira is rather feisty by nature, and that pushes against Aika. However, Aika is almost much the same way which is why it subconsciously irritates her.
If there's anything that annoys me about the series, it's the names being used. Obviously done on purpose, but on planet Aqua, we're dealing with lead characters named Akari, Alice, Aika, Akira, Alice, Athena, Aria and Ai among others. Way too many A's and way too many very close sounding names.
It's one of those shows that really does a solid job of creating an atmosphere and design sensibility that sets it apart from other shows. It's not a show about nothing, but a show about the lives of these women as they go about their jobs and relationships with each other in a little piece of heaven.
Much like when I finished the Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou manga, the ending of Aria fills me with a certain sense of melancholia as much as happiness over having been given the chance to view it in its entirety.
Akari is.... well, still being Akari; cheerful and optimistic to a fault, eagerly taking in everything her environment has to offer.
[w]e also have another quiet and, at the beginning, out of touch with herself girl in Alice
Alice does occasionally get her own episode. Being the youngest of the Undines, her episodes usually touch on the topics of her fights against loneliness and her relationship with the other Undines in Orange Planet, but mainly against herself.
But then, character interaction and quiet, serene atmosphere has always been Aria's greatest boon, along with the optimistic and curiously non-pretentious outlook on life.
Some of the background works are just breathtaking, especially near the end of the show.
Aurally, on the other hand, Aria is just fantastic.
Ultimately, though, your enjoyment of this show will – much as with the first season – depend on how you feel about the characters, as they are the main focus of the show.
The Japanese actors really do a good job on this show, in particular the VAs for Akari and Akira. Akira's stern and strong voice carries all the warmth of the character she carries underneath the tough exterior without losing any of her personality no matter what mood she's in. And Akari's actually managing to play a somewhat ditzy character without it becoming majorly annoying, which is a pretty hard task to succeed in.
I'll have to admit that Aria is a show made for a certain audience. Hardened cynics will probably hate it for what it is, while the restless ones out there might find it a bit slow and boring for their tastes. And those who like to give their minds something heavy to chew on might want to look elsewhere as well. Aria is a show about life, about friends, about everyday situations and challenges and about all the small things we sometimes take for granted. And for that, I love this show.
The people who came to live here took Venice as its model and have carved out a very ancient looking city but one that is brimming with life and character. People who live here from birth are obviously quite adjusted to it, with its lack of roads and mainland transportation, and find moving about its small streets and using gondolas as something that is extremely nature.
Much like when I finished the Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou manga, the ending of Aria fills me with a certain sense of melancholia as much as happiness over having been given the chance to view it in its entirety.
Akari is.... well, still being Akari; cheerful and optimistic to a fault, eagerly taking in everything her environment has to offer.
Ai is the simple cute character that's designed to be our introductory eyes into the world. When she returns to Manhome Akari keeps writing her in email about her exploits and those that she meets, just like writing in a diary. These pieces are done as narration here and there, not always at the end, where Akari talks about what she's experienced and Ai even has some dialogue in return about how she can't wait to visit again.
The initial focus is spent on getting us used to Aika and her instructor Akira. The two are alike, and Aika is absorbing a lot of Akira's traits. However, some of them seem to come by quite naturally. Akira is rather feisty by nature, and that pushes against Aika. However, Aika is almost much the same way which is why it subconsciously irritates her.
[w]e also have another quiet and, at the beginning, out of touch with herself girl in Alice
Alice does occasionally get her own episode. Being the youngest of the Undines, her episodes usually touch on the topics of her fights against loneliness and her relationship with the other Undines in Orange Planet, but mainly against herself.
This version is a sample track that Kawai made for Makino
Aria reads much like a treasured old journal, recounting life events – some big, some little – with the warm personal touch only true joy can bring.
Aria's first volume is 180 pages of pure, serene happiness.
This entry in the series has it all: the quiet wonder that's the bedrock appeal of the books; exploration of the world's mythology; fantasy, action, humor, astounding art. The only thing I'm left wondering is why every character's name begins with an A.
The stories are just brimming with this delightful innocence and whimsy that captivates the readers, and sticks with you after you read it. Its artwork is wonderous [sic], and sometimes captivating in its wide visuals of the beautiful city of Neo Venezia (both above and below ground).
Yet this precise style still manages to capture the sense of wonder on planet Aqua: the airborne confetti at the gondola race, the falling autumn leaves in the first chapter, and especially the Japanese architecture and landscape on the shrine island. It's really the backgrounds and landscapes that are the main character in this series.
If there's anything that annoys me about the series, it's the names being used. Obviously done on purpose, but on planet Aqua, we're dealing with lead characters named Akari, Alice, Aika, Akira, Alice, Athena, Aria and Ai among others. Way too many A's and way too many very close sounding names.
The character of Akari is a little too much the overly sweet, wide-eyed gawking girl. She is often too enthusiastic about learning new things, meeting new people, about life in general. Too often Amano shows us Akari's effusive reaction to something but does not let us linger on that same discovery.
It's one of those shows that really does a solid job of creating an atmosphere and design sensibility that sets it apart from other shows. It's not a show about nothing, but a show about the lives of these women as they go about their jobs and relationships with each other in a little piece of heaven.
But then, character interaction and quiet, serene atmosphere has always been Aria's greatest boon, along with the optimistic and curiously non-pretentious outlook on life.
Some of the background works are just breathtaking, especially near the end of the show.
Aurally, on the other hand, Aria is just fantastic.
Ultimately, though, your enjoyment of this show will – much as with the first season – depend on how you feel about the characters, as they are the main focus of the show.
The Japanese actors really do a good job on this show, in particular the VAs for Akari and Akira. Akira's stern and strong voice carries all the warmth of the character she carries underneath the tough exterior without losing any of her personality no matter what mood she's in. And Akari's actually managing to play a somewhat ditzy character without it becoming majorly annoying, which is a pretty hard task to succeed in.
I'll have to admit that Aria is a show made for a certain audience. Hardened cynics will probably hate it for what it is, while the restless ones out there might find it a bit slow and boring for their tastes. And those who like to give their minds something heavy to chew on might want to look elsewhere as well. Aria is a show about life, about friends, about everyday situations and challenges and about all the small things we sometimes take for granted. And for that, I love this show.
What really makes Aria work, though, is the sense of whimsy that fills the pages ... very chapter is filled with some moment of life that was totally worth having been there for.
