ARIA - The animation
Original title: Aria the animation
Characters: Akari Mizunashi, Aika S. Granzchesta, Alice Carroll, Alicia Florence, Akira E. Ferrari, Saeko, Athena Glory, Akino Ametsuchi "Grand Mother", Atora Monteverdi, Ayumi K. Jasmine, Anzu Yumeno
Production: Hal Filmmaker
Regia: Jun'ichi Sato
| Country: Japan
Year: 2005
Gender: Anime / Science fiction
Episodes: 13
Duration: 30 minutes
Recommended age: Children from 6 to 12 years old |
The anime series Aria - the animation was taken from the manga comic by Kozue Amano, published in Japan in May 2002 and released in Italy thanks to the Star Comics editions for a total of 12 albums. The anime consists of 13 episodes lasting 30 minutes each which were made by the animation studio Hal Film Maker Co. under the direction of Jun'ichi Sato and Kazunobu Fuseki. In Italy the rights of the animated series belong to Yamato Video, which was broadcast on the channels RaiSat Smash Girls, Rai 4, Rai gulp
e Manga. Although with some small variations regarding the chronological order of events and the inclusion of new characters such as Ai-chan, the anime faithfully traces the history of the manga comic, with a further study of some themes and episodes, made exclusively for the series. animated. In addition to the series The animation, from the manga there are also 2 other animated series such as: "Aria - The Natural" consisting of 26 episodes and "Aria - The Origination" consisting of 14 episodes also directed by Jun'ichi Sato.
The story is set on the planet Mars of a hypothetical future, when due to the melting of the glaciers of the poles, water has covered almost the entire surface of the planet, also increasing the production of oxygen. So man has colonized it, adapting it to his needs with sophisticated ecological technologies, thanks to the terraforming process, and has renamed it with the name of Aqua. The events take place in the city of Neo Venezia, faithfully built on the basis of the famous Italian city, which also thrives on tourism. Here, instead of the gondoliers, we find fascinating Undine, girls who transport tourists aboard particular gondolas. The Undine are divided into three categories based on their experience and ability. At the first level we find the Pair, characterized by two gloves. Since they are novices and have no experience, they must faithfully follow the directions of their instructor. On the second level we find the Singles, characterized by a single glove, which cannot yet carry tourists, but who can work in pairs. Finally, at the third level there are the Prima, the experienced professional Undine, who row without gloves. In addition to transporting tourists, they entertain them with their melodious song and with descriptions of places to visit. They are responsible for educating the Pairs and Singles. At the top of this pyramid are the three great water fairies, Alicia of the Aria Company, Akira of the Himeya Company and Athena of the Orange Planet, the three most talented Prima di Neo Venezia champions of rowing, dialogue and singing.
The main protagonist is Akari Mizunashi, a 15-year-old girl characterized by two long strands of hair above her ears, belonging to the Single level of the Aria Company, who arrived on Aqua after a hard training job on Earth. Akari has an expansive and sunny temperament that amazes her with anything, especially the extraordinary places and breathtaking landscapes of Neo Venezia. Together with her Single colleagues she takes care of the maintenance of the gondolas, which are continually scuffed and cleaned. Among these we find Aika S. Granzchesta of the Himeya Company, the first person with whom Akari befriended upon his arrival in the city. Aika is a Single characterized by blue braids and is continually obsessed with bans. Then there is Alice Carrol who is a year younger than them. She is still a simple Pair, but according to all tourists she has an innate talent for maneuvering the gondola. The director of the Aria Company is a funny alien cat, gifted with an intelligence similar to humans, but who uses strange lines to communicate. He has tender feelings for the director of the Himeya company, the cat Hime.
Akari, Aika and Alice dream of becoming expert Undines like the three great fairies of Aqua, who move beautiful and gracefully with their gondolas. Akari's instructor is Alicia Florence, one of the three fairies nicknamed Snow White (Snow White), due to her candor and her serenity, and is characterized by a long blonde braid.
Akari is in charge of answering customer calls, who intend to book a gondola trip with Alicia Florence, but are often not very kind to Akari. Being an apprentice, Akari cannot transport clients alone on board a gondola, however one day she meets Ai-Chan a very insistent girl, who forces her to drive the boat using her friend's quirk, rather than proposing herself as a customer. Akari agrees, under the supervision of the director of the Aria Company, who sets the pace of the rowing. Shortly after they meet Aika and get on board her gondola, but the girl is very sincere and severe in judging their way of rowing and acting as tour guides. While they stop to enjoy some delicious hot potatoes, the director cat falls into the water and risks being run over by Neo Venezia's motorboats. Akari and Aika feel called in the heroic enterprise of saving the director and putting to good use the teachings of their tutors on the use of the gondola. Akari has an ace up her sleeve: in fact, having trained on land to row on the wrong side (the one that blocks the customers' view) she is very strong when she has to row backwards. In this way and following Aika's instructions, within a few seconds they reach the director, who, however, has already been rescued by Alicia Florence who preceded them.
Ai-Chan is favorably impressed by the Undine and changes her mind on the idea she had of Neo Venezia. Some time before his sister had come to Neo Venice, to spend the honeymoon and so on his return to earth, he did nothing but talk about his journey. Tired of those talks, she began to hate Aqua and Neo Venezia, but decided to come alone, because she could have appreciated those places better, only in the absence of her family. Despite wanting to get on Alicia Florence's gondola, the same Undine her sister spoke of, Ai-Chan is equally happy to have met Akari and Aika and now when she returns home, she will be able to tell about her travel experience in his sister. Akari explains to Ai-Chan that his sister probably told him about Aqua not to brag to her, but only to share with her the things she had loved and known. At the end of the trip, Ai-chan's parents apologize to Akari for the inconvenience and the inconvenience caused by the child. Ai-Chan would like to return to Neo Venice one day only to take a trip on the gondola in his company with Akari, with the hope that in the meantime she can become a professional Undine.
That evening Akari shows Alicia a photo of Ai-Chan's sister with her husband, so Alicia remembers the trip she took in the company of those young newly wed tourists, who had done nothing but fight. Alicia is happy to see that couple fulfilled and deduces that even giving vent to small quarrels contributes to mutual knowledge and the solidity of the couple's relationships. So he also attributes this little miracle to Ai-Chan. 
In the second episode "On that special day ..." Akari discovers the phenomenon of high water, which floods all the houses and stops all the activities of Neo Venezia. Unable to bring tourists, Alicia instructs Akari to provide food for the manager cat. Akari enjoys walking the water-covered streets and pulling the cat in a small gondola. She soon realizes that she is lost and is also caught in a sudden storm. While taking shelter inside a telephone booth, the manager catches a glimpse of his beloved kitten Hime on the edge of a window in Aika's house. Akari enters Aika's ancient and luxurious home and the staff serve the cat director's food. Akari marvels at the blue eyes of the cat Hime. The director cats of the Undine companies have blue eyes because it is the color of the divinity of the sea, which protects the boats, calms the wind and alleviates fears. Aika's leading Undine is Akira Ferrari one of the three great water fairies, also called the Crimson Rose. She is very strict with Aika and constantly encourages her to engage in the study of singing. After a verbal confrontation with Akira, Aika decides to move to the Aria Company, much to the amazement of her friend Akari. Aika asks Alicia Florence to be part of the Aria Company, promising to cook delicious dishes. In fact that evening they are all happy, in tasting the delicious dishes cooked by Aika for dinner, which proves to be a perfect cook. Aika never misses an opportunity to criticize Akira's severity, but Alicia defends her, saying that behind her toughness there is a very good person.
Aika secretly tells Akari her sympathy for Alicia, which dates back to when she was still a child. One day one of her shoes ended up in the water, so it was recovered by Alicia, who was still a Single at the time. In spite of everything, he offered her a ride aboard his gondola and combed her, tying her hair with a pair of braids. That meeting changed her life and since then she vowed to become a wise and good Undine, just like Alicia. However, being the heir of the Himeya company, she was unable to join the Aria Company. The following morning, the furious Akira Ferrari shows up at the Aria Company to recover Aika and show an evident envy towards her childhood friend Alicia, always before her in reaching the most ambitious goals. Akira proposes a speed race with gondolas between Aika and Akari, if Aika wins she will be able to join the Aria Company instead of Akari. But the race is canceled, because the girls stop to buy some tasty hot potatoes, with Akira's relief that in her heart she didn't want to miss her favorite pupil.
The largest company of Undine di Neo Venezia is that of Orange Planet, which includes Pair Alice Carrol and Prima Athena Glory. The latter is nicknamed Sinren and being one of the three water fairies, in addition to an extraordinary experience in maneuvering gondolas, she has the talent of singing. Although she is very distracted, she is particularly dedicated to Alice's education.
The Orange Planet mascot is the cat Mah, so called because it meows "mah!" every time he is picked up. On the planet we find the Silphs of the postmen who on board the flying motorbikes, Air-bikes, fly to deliver letters and packages. The Salamanders, on the other hand, are technicians who take care of the maintenance of the "floating islands", thanks to which it is possible to have control over the temperature and climate of the planet Aqua and finally the Gnomes, the technicians who live underground, who are entrusted with the task of controlling the gravity force of the planet, which must be equal to that of the earth. The sensations that you breathe watching this anime are those of peace and serenity, this due to the slow rhythms of the narration and the splendid settings, full of breathtaking landscapes and a detailed reconstruction of Venice. The final touch is given by the background music of the Choro Club feat, which play a role of primary importance, since they help to convey feelings of calm and sweetness. The original opening and closing themes are sung by Yui Makino.
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The names, images and registered trademarks of Aria the animation are copyright Kozue Amano / Mag Garden / Star Comics / Hal Film Maker Co / Yamato Video and of those entitled and are used here for information and dissemination purposes.
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