Aria the Origination

Summary: >

Time passes and still the girls train almost daily in their quest to become full fledged gondoliers. Akari and Aika are still journeymen (Singles) and Alice is still an apprentice (Pair) who has yet to make it to Single. The time of their graduation is fast approaching. The carefree days spent dreaming will come to an end, and their mentors will become their peers.

Thoughts: >

I've accapted being an Aria fan, so I knew I'd enjoy this last season. Looking back to my review of the first season, my only critisizm was that visuals could be improved. That single issue has been rectified, and Aria is now the perfect show with its leisurely atmosphere. It didn't seem possible that I could love Aria more, and yet here I am thinking exactly that.

Visually Aria has never been bad, it's simply on a TV budget. The big issue was the strange contrast with CG water not blending with everything else. With the water problem rectified, Aria is a seamless portrait all around. With cleaner lines, there is certainly a level of detail and polish that wasn't there before. The animation has improved as well. While not an action show, The Origination does add considerable flair to some sequences. Other smaller touches also enhance the atmosphere, particularly with the occasional breeze that will blow by.

In the first two seasons (or any good anime really) there is almost always one or two stand out episodes / moments I remember above the rest. I liked The Origination so much, that I'd say half of the episodes were of this kind. By episode 6 I already didn't want this series to end. If you've ever had the feeling mid way through a week long vacation, or towards the end of summer break where you're having fun but you sense things are coming to a close, I had that feeling early on. Aria hits yet another high point by tenderly coming to an end in a way that is completely satisfying. As much as I would like to see more Aria, I think the conclusion is perfect and wouldn't want to see that diminished.

In conclusion Aira finally hits the high I've yearned to see with improved detail and animation. Even as much as I adored the first two seasons, I somehow managed to like this one even more. As I said about The Natural, I had always expected the magic of Aria to evaporate, but that never happened and I think that's amazing. If you've read all this and still haven't watched Aria, I'd certainly give it a try. While I admit to liking many series, Aria falls into the class of shows I not only love, but know I'll look forward to re-watching in the years to come.

Screen Caps: >