Disclaimer: This review covers "Aria the Animation," the first season (13 episodes) released in 2005, and not the subsequent sequel seasons and films.I like to think I'm adventurous when it comes to anime, watching a variety of genres from viewer recommendations, especially for shows recommended many years after their original broadcast. "Aria the Animation" is one of those shows. I suppose both the manga and anime were a minor hit in the 2000's, but got renewed attention in the late 2010's, thanks to a reprint of the manga in English, and a successful Kickstarter by Rightstuf (Nozomi Entertainment) for a new English dub and Bluray release (one of their first major such releases in this period). There were even a few new OVA and feature films developed, over a decaade after the anime had ended. It was only then that I heard how much love there was for the series. ... I was a little hesitant though, and only committed to buying the first season (13 episodes) on the new Bluray, instead of all four sets (50+ episodes total). That's because "Aria" is one of those examples of the "slice-of-life" genre that exclusively anime seems to popularize. There's no real story, each episode is simply a day in the life of the lead characters. This type of genre is relaxing, but doesn't feel like a real genre at all... even other anime like it try to be a hybrid, heavily relying on comedy, sports, romance, or sexy fan-service. Or even simply overt cuteness, with characters you want stickers of. "Aria" doesn't lean too much into any of that. It's relaxing all right... but could it be too boring?One of the best parts of "Aria" is simply the premise and setting. It's a peaceful science-fiction story, set on a fictional planet called Aqua, where many humans have moved to (or occasionally visit for lesiure). There are allusions to Earth, named "Manhome" in the English dub, and what the state of the planet is like for people to move to a different planet, but it's not really a major factor. Aqua is mostly water, and human towns are built with inspiration to Venice, Italy, like futuristic, sterile but picturesque marble structures and streets made up of canals and rivers. Like Venice, boats and gondolas are crucial to get around.And that's where the Aria Company comes in. It's a small gondalier service, made up of just a few staff, one of three competing companies in the town. Our main character is Akari, a pink-haired new hire in-training, dreaming to become a Prima Undine that everyone admires for their beauty and serenity. The job involves peacefully paddling people around town, usually for leisure, sometimes with some tour-guide commentary on the landmarks, while keeping an appropriate speed and preventing a bumpy ride. Akari has a sweet and well-respected mentor, and some friends from the competing gondalier companies. Through their eyes, from morning to sunset, we experience the planet and its people.Also, each boating company's president is a cat. Aria Company's president is a white alien-looking cat named Aria. It doesn't talk, just saying "boing-nya" while wearing a little sailor's hat. It's weird looking but adorable. And everyone calls it president, with all the respect you'd give a higher manager, even when Aria seems more preoccupied with cat food and birds. This is my second favourite part of the show, and I wouldn't say no to a plush doll of the kitty. So... yeah, that's kind of it. Each episode has a different little adventure, usually of Akari driving a new customer, hanging out with friends over an afternoon tea, or some other small adventure that lets us see a new part of Aqua. Characters are sometimes funny, shifting to comedic-looking chibi muppets (the chibi style relies on the manga's artist Kozue Amano, and I rather like it). Some of the episodes have more dramatic or interesting stories, but not significantly so. "Aria" seems aware of this, even referencing it in the first episode: a young girl speaks out loud about how she thought the planet Aqua was too boring, until she eventually grew to love it with Akari's help.
This took me by surprise: I fully expected to write-off "Aria" as being too boring, but I liked the first episode, and continued to like the show as it proceeded. No matter what little drama occurred, the setting is excellent, and I liked the characters. The show is exceptionally peaceful. In real life, I happened to be preparing for a job transition, and all the stress and self-anguish for my incompetance that came with it. To watch Akari get through her new job, with support from friends, and live in this wonderful place, was like chicken soup for the soul. Even though I fully admit liking "Aria," I still didn't love it or ever feel passionate for it. That's more a limitation of the genre than the anime. It's cute, but not too cute. It's funny, but not too funny. It's pretty, but not especially pretty. It's strongest feeling is simply "peaceful." I'm happy to have watched it, but I can't imagine why there were multiple seasons of it, and don't plan to watch the others any time soon. Meanwhile, similar shows like "Mushishi" could keep be hooked for hundreds of episodes.The visuals for "Aria" are pleasant, with the outfits of the characters being especially iconic, and the serene cities on Aqua being a pretty idea, overcoming any limits in imagination or production quality (they lack the detail they aught to have had). The animation really shows its age though, being grossly limited throughout much of the show, and with a few clear mistakes if you pay attention. The end credits, painted with a watercolor and crayon style, is the most ambitious part of the show, and it's a shame it couldn't exist more frequently. The audio is pleasant, especially the soothing opening and ending themes. The new English dub is good, feeling like a strong dub from 2005 (though it was recorded more than a decade later), but helping a lot to portray the characters' personalities, and a much more relaxed watching experience than subtitles.Nozomi's English Bluray for the anime looks good, but not exceptional. Remember, this is an older mid-2000's anime, animated in 4:3 aspect ratio. The colors and picture in general is kind of soft, and not really worth the upgrade from a DVD (the major upgrades here are the new dub, and sharper-looking subtitles: the Bluray even includes the option for subtitles in yellow or white text!). In fact, the Bluray does make some minor animation errors, like seeing overlaying cels not blend with those underneath, more noticable, a case where detail isn't always a good thing.And a small note: the American Bluray lists this as having a 14A rating. This baffles me: there's no swearing, no violence or blood, and the nearly all-female cast is safe from any content that's the slightest bit sexualized. This is one of the safest anime I've ever seen, perfectly suitable for famlies of all ages, from 5 to 105. Slice-of-life is an important genre in anime, and increasingly, I see people reference "Aria the Animation" as one of the best representations of the genre. I agree, for better and for worse. It's one of those shows you need to be in the right mood and mindset for... or sometimes, a show you need most when you're mind is cluttered and your heart is blue. It's good medicine, and I'll keep a copy on my shelf.