Aria the Animation Anime DVD Review

Production: Hal Film Maker
Publisher: Nozomi Entertainment
DVD Release Date: October 1st, 2013

Bored by slice of life shows that are mostly on Earth? Yes? What about shows that are mostly on dry land? Need more dosages of crazy cat characters without the need for a shy girl feeding them expired food? How about an emotionally-compelling show that reminds you of the good in life? Then Aria the Animation is for you. Published in the US by Nozomi Entertainment, Aria the Animation quickly grew on me as an anime that everyone should watch. (Many thanks to Nozomi for the review DVDs.)

Akari Mizunashi has moved from Manhome (Earth) to Aqua (Mars) to become an Undine, a gondolier tour guide in the Aquan city of Neo Venezia (a recreation of Earth’s Venice). During her training, she meets many people and trains alongside Aika and Alice (friends of hers in different Undine companies). They face challenges in their training and Akari has a few mysterious encounters. However, at the end of the day, they all can return home to attempt to become the best Undines that they can be. Together, they learn more about each other and the planet that they live on.

Aria the Animation has become my favorite slice of life series to date. The first in a series of shows, Aria the Animation has quickly carved its place in my heart. While there’s no high-octane action scenes save for gondola rowing, each episode moves your heart and brings a smile to your face. The animation is, especially in the beginning, admittedly a little less than good at times, but even that is used to the show’s advantage. At times, the faces are all over the place with eyes that don’t fit on heads, mouths that are halfway on the neck, and so-on. However, a great majority of these are used for comedic effect.

Speaking of comedic effect, there is a TON of comedy in Aria the Animation. From Akari’s slightly-embarrassing-to-speak-out-loud lines to Aika constantly telling her that those lines are ‘forbidden’, the series uses comedy to give the feeling of family between the characters. Vocal ticks such as Alicia’s “Ara Ara” and Alice’s “Dekkai” are more passive than the previous example, but can create many laughs and is reflected well in the subtitles. President Aria’s fat stomach and President Hime constantly turning down his attempts to court her, as well as President Maa constantly biting President Aria are other examples of the comedy used in the series. At the same time, the show takes a very serious look at daily life in a city made of waterways on a planet filled with water.

From dealing with rising tides and learning how to scull their gondolas, the show sometimes takes a dark nod toward why there are so many people deciding to move to Aqua. While never directly dealt with, Manhome is apparently not as nice to live on as it is in our current age. You cannot swim in the oceans. You cannot grow food in the soil. The planet is apparently so polluted that nothing can grow from the ground. At the same time as showing you how precious your friendships are, Aria the Animation also reminds us that we should take care of the nature around us if we want our descendants to enjoy life as well. This is further showed later in the series when you see how much work and how many hopes were put into Aqua’s development.

On the other hand, Aria the Animation truly pushes the fact that you should treasure even the littlest things in life. Even names can become a source of entertainment, such as the names of the characters in the series. You might have noticed this already, but let’s look at some of them: Akari, Alice, Aika, Alicia, Al, Akatsuki, Athena, Ai, Alan, Akira, Akiko, Aria (series name and name of a cat in one!), and Aqua (yes, there’s a kid named Aqua, too). This show really loves its A-list names. The simplest of things can turn into a moment of laugher and is purposely done to provoke feelings of joy. The entire show is meant to put a smile on the viewer’s face while giving a serious lesson on the importance of friendship and love.

From a personal standpoint, I cannot help but recommend this series to everyone. Absolutely everyone. Watch it with your friends, every year if you can. For the price of $39.99 USD on RightStuf for the DVD Litebox, I really hope that you enjoy the series as much as I did. With my birthday having passed just recently (the 18th of May), I was reminded heavily of just how much I am loved. Finishing Aria the Animation shortly afterwards only makes my heart feel warmer and further reminds me that my years can be filled with happiness.

Lolinia gives Aria the Animation a Drastik Moé Measure of 9.1 out of 10.0 (91).