Aria the Origination

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Aria Season 3

Japanese: ARIA The ORIGINATION

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Information

Type: TV

Episodes: 13

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Jan 8, 2008 to Apr 1, 2008

Premiered: Winter 2008

Broadcast: Tuesdays at 02:00 (JST)

Producers: Production I.G, TV Tokyo, Media Factory, Shochiku, Mag Garden

Licensors: Nozomi Entertainment

Studios: Hal Film Maker

Source: Manga

Genres: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life

Theme: Iyashikei

Demographic: Shounen

Duration: 24 min. per ep.

Rating: G - All Ages

Statistics

Score: 8.48¹ (scored by 31,164 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #134²

² based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #1682

Members: 125,521

Favorites: 4,091

Available At

Official Site

@ARIA_SENDEN

Resources

AniDB

ANN

Streaming Platforms

Crunchyroll

Funimation

8.48

Ranked #134Popularity #1682Members 125,521

Winter 2008TVHal Film Maker

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Episodes: /13

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Synopsis

In the 24th century on the planet Aqua, three girls—Akari Mizunashi, Alice Carroll, and Aika S. Granzchesta—continue to work hard toward achieving their goal of becoming Prima Undines: professional tour guide gondoliers. Luckily, the girls have the guidance of the three best Prima Undines in Neo-Venezia—Alicia Florence, Athena Glory, and Akira E. Ferrari—who are known as the "Water Fairies" in honor of their skill. With their help, the young apprentices train hard and work to overcome any situations that they find themselves in.

Aria The Origination follows the hardships and daily lives of these three young girls, who are doing their best to improve as tour gondoliers in Neo-Venezia, a terraformed replica of Venice.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Episode Videos

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Related Anime

Adaptation:	Aria
Prequel:	Aria the OVA: Arietta
Side story:	Aria the Origination: Sono Choppiri Himitsu no Basho ni..., Aria the Origination Picture Drama
Sequel:	Aria the Avvenire

More characters

Characters & Voice Actors

Mizunashi, Akari

Main

Hazuki, Erino
Japanese

Carroll, Alice

Main

Hirohashi, Ryou
Japanese

Florence, Alicia

Main

Ohara, Sayaka
Japanese

Granzchesta, Aika S.

Main

Saitou, Chiwa
Japanese

Pokoteng, Aria

Main

Nishimura, Chinami
Japanese

Glory, Athena

Main

Kawakami, Tomoko
Japanese

Ferrari, Akira E.

Main

Minagawa, Junko
Japanese

Aino, Ai

Supporting

Mizuhashi, Kaori
Japanese

Maa

Supporting

Watanabe, Akeno
Japanese

Izumo, Akatsuki

Supporting

Nojima, Hirofumi
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Beniya, Yoshikazu

Producer

Iizuka, Toshio

Producer

Satou, Junichi

Director, Sound Director, Storyboard

Fuseki, Kazunobu

Episode Director, Script

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Opening Theme

"Spirale (スピラーレ)" by Yui Makino

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Ending Theme

	1: "Kin no Nami Sen no Nami (金の波千の波)" by Akino Arai (eps 1-12)
	2: "Undine (ウンディーネ)" by Yui Makino (eps 13)

Reviews

Aug 1, 2022

DeadlyChuck314

Recommended

(P.S. This is my first review, don't be too harsh on me)

In simple words, Aria is an anime series about life. I had fallen in love with Animation and Natural, and seeing that Origination had a significantly higher score and number of favorites, I assumed this was a departure from the episodic, light-hearted tales from the prior seasons. I assumed that there would be more drama, perhaps a tone shift, perhaps more elaborate themes. But I was mistaken. The tone didn't shift. Aria remained just as heart-warming and beautiful as it always was.

After completing origination, the only word I could think of to describe ... it was 'wonderful', after all, I had never seen anything so full of wonders as it. Origination presents a significant spike of quality within the series, in terms of both production and story-writing. The 2 seasons prior to this, Animation and Natural, didn't have any real goal in mind. Aria the Animation focused on people, their relationships and how one lives there life. Aria the Natural showed us the wonders that the world around us has to offer. The final installment, Aria the Origination tells us the point of it all. Why we cherish moments we find dear. Why we look for happiness in this world. I have never cried watching an anime, TV show, movie or literally any piece of fiction for that matter, but I couldn't help crying when I realised that these 3 girls (Akari, Alice and Aika) we have followed these past 40 episodes, these girls who showed us, the viewers, the love that exists in life, these very girls would grow up. They would move forward in life. There was something in me that didn't want them to move forward, I didn't want to those beautiful moments I had with them to end, despite every theme in the show presented so far encouraging me to be happy for them to move forward (which I was of course). This anime is undoubtedly as life-changing as everyone else makes it out to be, but don't forget to watch the 2 prior seasons (and the OVA).

The art and sound are simply outstanding. Very few shows have blown me away with their raw skill in direction, but Aria was one of them. Every shot is beautiful and the colour palette is relaxing to the eyes. The voice acting isn't too impressive, but the OSTs are beyond amazing. The soft plucks of the guitar as we enjoy a day at the seaside to the high-pitched piano melodies on a snowy evening. OP is really great too, I usually skip OPs, but this is one of the few shows where I felt like just leaving it on. I can't say the same for the ED though.

All the characters are 3-dimensional and all of them are best girl. They all have distinguishable personally traits that some may attribute to generic troupes, but they all feel human during moments of emotion. They all have that wish for their friends to have the best life possible, and they all have inherent flaws. My favourite character is Aria-shachou (it's amazing how there isn't a single bad scene with him on screen), but our main character, Akari Mizunashi, definitely deserves to be crowned the best-written. She is a living ray of sunshine and is just someone you want to succeed in life.

There isn't any 'story' so to speak of, the show is very episodic. We're realistically just watching a handful of characters' everyday life, but even so it is perfect. We see how these characters learn from this life, cherish it, and find happiness in it. There may be no plot, but you will end up crying nonetheless. If anything, the lack of a plot to want you to keep watching is this series' biggest flaw, but apart from that there isn't much. The world is built very well however there are some logic errors that can be derived from the show's raw premise (set in a few hundred years in the future in a terraformed Mars) but it isn't something that hinders your enjoyment.

This may very well be the only show that I wished would last forever, but all good things must come to an end. It may not have been the best, but it was definitely the most beautiful journey I have ever experienced. Thank you for reading so far, and I hope this makes you want to give this anime a try.

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Aug 13, 2022

Doofenheimer

Mixed Feelings

Wow, what an improvement. I gave Animation and Natural both 6's and now I give Origination an 8. I was very unimpressed in this anime, thinking it was just another episodic slice of life with a unique setting. And honestly, I would agree with that statement for the entire show until the last 5 episodes of Origination, where somehow everything just comes together perfectly. Think like a present that has horrible wrapping and is all beat up but has the most perfect red bow on top of it, and that was my experience with Aria. But now that I've watched the conclusion, I feel that ... the entire build up of those episodic slice of life episodes is why the ending was so perfect. Anywho, let's begin.

The story is easily the weakest part of this show, because it didn't really need one. Aria is a character driven show and it knows it is too. The story was just a set up for the characters to flourish and make you feel warm inside. If you come in expecting some action packed thriller, I implore you to never watch Aria. This series can be summed up in one word: Relaxing. Aria is something you chill out to on a cold December day with hot coco and sit with a blanket on. If you go in trying to analyze everything and everyone, you will just ruin the vibe this show is trying to set up for you. Just turn off your critical side and let yourself sink into the land of Neo Venezia. I will say, however, that it does get quite repetitive and boring after the first dozen or so SoL episodes, which is the entire show basically. You can only use the same formula for so long before even if you are into the relaxed side of the show, can still feel like a drag. And if you think this show does anything more, then go look for something else. Cause the 52 episodes that make up Aria, up until the last 5, is just an episodic SoL about 3 girls and their trip to being a Prima Undine. If you have the tolerance to sit through that, then congratulations because you will be crying your eyes out in the last 5 episodes. All of the SoL elements the show creates for 40 episodes straight all pay off magnificentely and create a dagger that stabs you right in your heart, with love, of course. Overall, the entire show was a 6/10 and then the last 5 episodes singlehandedly brought it to a 7.5.

Now let's talk about the characters. We follow Akari, Alice and Aika as they pursue the position of Prima Undine. They do so in their own style and it's a joy to watch them be on screen. The dynamic they share is really something special and without them, this show would be nothing. Of course you have the already Prima's: Alicia, Akira and Athena as the teachers of the 3, representing the contrast of what the younger 3 will become. The show really just sat down and let these characters do their thing and let it run with them, and I really don't think anyone is bothered with that. Just sit down, relax, and let these girls take you on a trip you can chill to.

Overall, I really do think (after the ending) that this show had a clear beginning, middle and end. It was tied up perfectly and should be left to rest (I know there's a sequel movie but I'm not going to bother). If you want something that will keep you on the edge of your seat, dying to see what happens next, go watch something else. However, if you want that seat to turn into a blanket and pillow as you chill out to some SoL, try a few episodes why don't you.

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Jan 21, 2011

ran88dom99

Not Recommended

Preliminary (2/13 eps)

Didnot like this. Probably the only one who ever got recommended this and tried it. Now there needs to be a review that fell asleep during the show. Am sure after 2 eps. I am not a fan of Aria series. The recommendation came from a top list. Aria the Animation reviews are probably better.

Cats very ugly. Show is all about the slice of life without even comedy thrown in. There are more exciting types of work. Lots a cuteness though. Seems to be the main focus in fact. That and ppl being nice to each other. And how awesome they are. Infact ...

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Poll: Aria the Origination Episode 3 Discussion StarCreator - Jan 30, 2008	38 replies	by Jungle_Warrior »» Sep 9, 1:38 AM
Poll: Aria the Origination Episode 13 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) dtshyk - Mar 31, 2008	316 replies	by Uguu_Tsukimiya »» Aug 31, 2:57 PM
Poll: Aria the Origination Episode 12 Discussion ( 1 2 ) dtshyk - Mar 24, 2008	90 replies	by Uguu_Tsukimiya »» Aug 30, 12:59 PM
Poll: Aria the Origination Episode 11 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Faust721 - May 5, 2008	51 replies	by Uguu_Tsukimiya »» Aug 30, 1:59 AM
Poll: Aria the Origination Episode 10 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Faust721 - Apr 30, 2008	72 replies	by Uguu_Tsukimiya »» Aug 28, 11:01 AM

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Characters & Voice Actors

Mizunashi, Akari

Carroll, Alice

Florence, Alicia

Granzchesta, Aika S.

Pokoteng, Aria

Glory, Athena

Ferrari, Akira E.

Aino, Ai

Maa

Izumo, Akatsuki

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Aria the Origination

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Synopsis

Background

Episode Videos

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Characters & Voice Actors

Staff

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Ending Theme

Reviews

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