Aria the Origination

A Fantasy Slice-of-Life portrayed in Anime is generally a treat for many fans. They have the delightful unordinary right beside the warm everyday life, making for a tale that’ll give us all something meaningful to walk away with. Regardless, we seek an entertaining show as well. Thus there are the hits and the misses, so what truly makes a delightful series of this kind?

“Aria the Origination,” also known as “Aria Season 3,” is a 13 episode TV Anime series that aired from the 8th of January until the 1st of April, in Winter 2008. It was produced by Production I.G, TV Tokyo, Media Factory, Shochiku, and Mag Garden, licensed by Nozomi Entertainment, and brought to life by Studio Hal Film Maker.

The central staff behind its creation include Satou Junichi as Director, Sound Director and on Storyboard, Itou Tatsufumi as Episode Director, on Storyboard and Key Animation, Fuseki Kazunobu as Episode Director and Script and Urahata Tatsuhiko also on Script. It features the genres of Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Slice of Life, aimed at the Shounen demographic. It received a rating of G for all ages to enjoy.

This Anime series is based on the source Manga series titled “Aria” (Aria The Masterpiece), which ran for 12 Volumes from the 28th of February 2002 until the 29th of February 2008. It featured Adventure, Comedy, and Drama and was serialized in Comic Blade. It is the work of Author and Artist Amano Kozue. It was first published in English by ADV Manga and then republished by TokyoPop. A prequel was released in a single OVA episode titled “Aria the OVA: Arietta” on the 21st of September 2007.

A sequel was also released in three Special episodes titled “Aria the Avvenire” on the 26th of September 2015 by Studio TYO Animations. Two Side Stories were released: a single Special episode titled “Aria the Origination: Sono Choppiri Himitsu no Basho ni...” (Aria the Origination Special, Aria the Origination: In That Secret Little Place..., Aria the Origination Episode 5.5, Aria The Origination: Un Endroit Plus ou Moins Secret) and a seven-episode Special series titled “Aria the Origination Picture Drama.”

The series is set on the planet Aqua in its 24th century. The protagonists Akari Mizunashi, Alice Carroll, and Aika S. Granzchesta are three girls who continue to work hard every day, progressively coming closer and closer to achieving their ultimate goal of finally becoming “Prima Undines,” professional tour guide gondoliers. They are not alone in this endeavor as well, because luckily, they have the guidance of the three best Prima Undines in all of Neo-Venezia to help them.

These teachers, Alicia Florence, Athena Glory, and Akira E. Ferrari, are widely known as the "Water Fairies" in honor of their outstanding skills. With their aid, the three young apprentices train tirelessly and work hard to overcome all situations and hardships they find themselves facing as they continue down their path. This series follows all the difficulties and everyday lives of these unwavering young girls, who strive to improve as tour gondoliers within Neo-Venezia, a terraformed replica of Venice.

To fully enjoy Aria the Origination, viewers must have watched  “Aria the Animation” and  “Aria the Natural”  in that order. The Story is episodic, and it continues in a manner similar to the series above involving the daily lives of Akari, Aika, and Alice.

The significant difference is that the characters achieve major and sound development in Origination. While doing this, it effortlessly tells its numerous tales, with each episode having an extremely fluid plot, and it progresses into unmissable high gear as the climax steadily approaches.

The series has a clear goal in its scope and constantly gathers momentum heading towards it while not branching off too much. While The Animation introduced the characters and Neo Venezia, The Natural introduced viewers to Aqua’s world and its many wonders and oddities. Thus Origination proceeds with the story and character development, assuming viewers are already familiar with those aspects. This series is an absolute joy to watch as long as they are.

The Characters of Aria the Origination are lovable and adorable, with a different air to boot. Their actions beautifully translate into phenomenal character development. This applies to supporting characters like Alicia, Akira, Athena, Akatsuki, Al, and Grandma Akino. They all have a new and refreshing air about them, further enhanced by the Music, Setting, and Voice Acting. They are not lacking in focus and a definite conclusion either; thus, the plot and character development complement each other well, without feeling rushed or congested at all.

The Art and Animation of Origination are pretty similar to the previous series. The character designs, Neo Venezia setting, and Aqua backgrounds are all familiar yet refreshing. The backdrops, in particular, are mainly centered in Neo Venezia, and the Animation quality is superb. There isn’t much to complain about in this department, as it lacks noticeable flaws, and the level of detailing in both the Art and Animation are excellent.

The Sounds and Music of Origination are some of its most vital points. The sheer quality in this department is praiseworthy, and Origination is a step above the prequels. The subtle and highly detailed sound effects are incredible, and the thematic OSTs feel familiar yet refreshing.

The Voice Actors deliver a magnificent performance and emanate a slight difference in portrayal; the characters sound much more self-assured than before, which is a welcome change. The Opening theme is "Spirale" by Yui Makino, and the Ending themes are “Kin no Nami Sen no Nami" by Akino Arai and "Undine" by Yui Makino, all of which complement the series well and are great overall.

Overall, Aria the Origination is absolutely enjoyable and is easily recommended to any type of Anime fan. Once again, if you wish to make the most of this, you need to watch The Animation and The Natural first. This series is relaxing, adventurous, and of high quality.

The characters become more endearing as the story progresses in an episodic manner, without suffering from any ambiguity. It is an excellent watch that retains the essence of the whole series while consecutively developing the characters and advancing the plot. It has the added feature of remedying any bitter tastes left behind by the prequels, and the fact that it achieved it so well is indeed praiseworthy.