ARIA The ORIGINATION Episode 4 Review and Review: The Charm of the Water City and Character Growth

Detailed review and recommendation of ARIA The ORIGINATION

■Overview of the work

"ARIA The ORIGINATION" is the third season of the anime series based on Kozue Amano's popular manga "ARIA", and was broadcast on TV Tokyo and other networks from January 7 to March 31, 2008. This healing anime series is set in the tourist city of Neo-Venezia on the water planet "Aqua", which was created by planetary modification, and depicts the daily lives of gondola guides (Undines). The main character, Akari Mizunashi, is a 15-year-old girl who trains hard every day to become a Prima Undine.

■ Story

Aqua is a water planet created by planetary modification. In its tourist city, Neo-Venice, the most coveted occupation is a gondola pilot called an Undine. Akari Minashi, a 15-year-old girl, came to Aqua from Manhome with the dream of becoming an Undine. Akari trains every day at ARIA Company, a piloting shop run by Alicia Florence, one of the three great water fairies. Although she sometimes has worries, she is working hard to become a Prima Undine together with Aika from Himeya and Alice from Orange Planet.

■Explanation

Akari Minami is a girl who dreams of becoming a Prima Undine. The "ARIA" series is a futuristic healing animation that depicts the daily lives of Akari and other Undines with great emotion. The theme of the long-awaited third season "ORIGINATION" is "Beginning". New changes are about to come to Akari and her friends who have been training hard until now. With the same staff and cast, including Director Junichi Sato, who has spun the story of ARIA, we will deliver a new and wonderful story that will connect to the future to all of you who love ARIA.

■Cast

• Akari Mizunashi/Erino Hazuki
• Ai / Kaori Mizuhashi
• Alicia Florence/Sayaka Ohara
• Aria Pokoten (President of Aria) / Chinami Nishimura
• Aika S. Grantchesta/Chiwa Saito
• Akira E. Ferrari/Junko Minagawa
• Alice Carroll/Ryo Hirohashi
• Athena Glory/Tomoko Kawakami

■ Main staff

• Original work: Kozue Amano ("ARIA" published by Mag Garden)
• Director, Series Composition: Junichi Sato
• Screenplay: Reiko Yoshida, Ayuna Fujisaki, Tatsuhiko Urahata
• Assistant Director: Kenichi Takeshita
• Character design: Makoto Koga
• Chief animation director: Masayuki Otochi
• Art Director: Kenichi Tajiri
• Color design: Yoshimi Kawakami
• Director of photography: Hiroshi Yoshida
• Edited by Kentaro Tsubone (REAL-T)
• Music: Choro Club feat. Senoo
• Producer: Tetsuo Uchida
• Animation Production: Hal Film Makers
• Produced by ARIA Company

■ Main Characters

• Akari Minami: A girl who is training to become an Undine (a sea guide). Although she is still a beginner, she is invincible when she uses her own (wrong) way of rowing, which involves rowing in the opposite direction.
• Aika S. Granchesta: Akari's first friend. She is the heir to the long-established guided tour company "Himeya", but is a big fan of Alicia and spends all her time at "ARIA Company".
• Alice Carroll: Belongs to Orange Planet. Although she is an apprentice at the Pair of Gloves, she has considerable skills. She is unsociable and bad at socializing, but she also has a genuine and cute side.
• Alicia Florence: Alicia Akari's senior at her company. She is one of the top guides in the industry, even called one of the "Three Great Water Fairies." She is the object of everyone's admiration.
• Aria Pokoten (President of Aria): A male aqua cat. He serves as the president of "ARIA Company" due to the tradition of the pilotage shop making a cat with blue eyes the symbol of the shop and a prayer for safety.
• Akira E. Ferrari: Affiliated with Himeya. He is one of the top guides in the industry, and is known as one of the "Three Great Water Fairies" along with Alicia and Athena. He is Alicia's childhood friend and often sees her as a rival.
• Athena Glory: Affiliated with Orange Planet. She is clumsy, to the point that even her junior, Alice, is astonished by her, but her skills as a guide and her boatmanship are impressive to everyone.
• Ai: A girl who lives in Manhome. At first she hated Aqua, but after meeting Akari, she fell in love with Aqua. She keeps in touch with Akari through email.

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: The spring wind that will soon come... (2008/01/07)
• Episode 2: The smiling customer... (2008/01/14)
• Episode 3: The thoughts that went into it... (2008/01/21)
• Episode 4: Those who aim for tomorrow... (2008/01/28)
• Episode 5: The Clover of Memories... (2008/02/04)
• Episode 6: That extracurricular class...(2008/02/11)
• Episode 7: In the Gentle Time... (2008/02/18)
• Episode 8: In memory of that precious person... (2008/02/25)
• Episode 9: Wrapped in that orange wind... (2008/03/03)
• Episode 10: The excitement of the night of the moon viewing... (2008/03/10)
• Episode 11: In those ever-changing days... (2008/03/17)
• Episode 12: In the blue sea and wind... (2008/03/24)
• Episode 13: A new beginning... (2008/03/31)

■ Related works

• ARIA The Animation
• ARIA The NATURAL
• ARIA The OVA ARIETTA
• ARIA The ORIGINATION Special Navigation
• ARIA The ORIGINATION Picture Drama
• ARIA The AVVENIRE

■ Theme songs and music

• OP1 "Spirale"
• Lyrics by Eri Kawai
• Composer: Mina Kubota
• Arrangement: Mina Kubota
• Vocals: Yui Makino
• ED1 "Golden Waves, A Thousand Waves"
• Lyricist: Akino Arai
• Composer: Akino Arai, Hisaaki Hokari
• Arrangement: Hisaaki Hokari
• Vocals: Akino Arai
• ED2 "Undine"
• Lyrics by Eri Kawai
• Composer: Mina Kubota
• Arrangement: Mina Kubota
• Vocals: Yui Makino
• IN1 "Barcarolle"
• Lyricist: Eri Kawai
• Composer: Mina Kubota
• Arrangement: Mina Kubota
• Vocals: Eri Kawai
• IN2 "Birdcage Dream"
• Lyricist: Akino Arai
• Composer: Akino Arai, Hisaaki Hokari
• Arrangement: Hisaaki Hokari
• Vocals: Akino Arai
• IN3 "Seven-Colored Sky"
• Lyrics: SONOROUS
• Composer: SONOROUS
• Arrangement: Choro Club
• Song: SONOROUS
• Strings arrangement/Joji Sawada
• IN4 "Loomis Eterne"
• Lyrics by Mina Kubota
• Composer: Mina Kubota
• Arrangement: Mina Kubota
• Sung by Ryo Hirohashi
• IN5 "Profile acoustic version"
• Lyricist: Rieko Ito
• Composer: Rieko Ito
• Arrangement: Yasushi Sakurai, Rieko Ito
• Vocals: Yui Makino
• IN6 "Profile"
• Lyricist: Rieko Ito
• Composer: Rieko Ito
• Arrangement: Yasushi Sakurai, Rieko Ito
• Vocals: Yui Makino
• IN7 "Tomorrow, Until Dusk"
• Lyricist: Rieko Ito
• Composer: Kitagawa Katsutoshi
• Arrangement: Katsutoshi Kitagawa
• Vocals: Erino Hazuki
• Strings arrangement by Yasushi Sakurai

■Detailed evaluation

"ARIA The ORIGINATION" is the final chapter of the series, and will leave viewers deeply moved and satisfied. Below, we will take a closer look at the story, characters, music, visuals, and overall evaluation.

story

"ARIA The ORIGINATION" is a story about the growth and new beginnings of Akari and her friends. From episode 1 to episode 13, each episode carefully depicts the growth and change of Akari, Aika, and Alice through their daily lives. In particular, the final episode, "At That New Beginning...", depicts the moving moment when Akari is promoted to Prima Undine, leaving a strong impression on viewers. This series has the power to draw out great emotions from small everyday events, providing healing and hope to viewers.

character

Each character in "ARIA The ORIGINATION" is unique and charming. The main character, Akari Minami, is portrayed as a pure and hardworking girl, evoking sympathy from viewers. Don't miss Aika's friendship and Alice's growth. Additionally, the "Three Great Water Fairies" - Alicia, Akira, and Athena - also have a strong presence. Their characters enrich the story and leave a deep impression on viewers. In particular, Aria Pokoten's cuteness soothes the hearts of viewers.

music

The music of "ARIA The ORIGINATION" is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work. The opening theme "Spirare" features Yui Makino's clear and impressive singing voice, drawing the viewer into the world of the story. The ending themes "Golden Waves, a Thousand Waves" and "Undine" are also beautiful songs that symbolize the theme of the work. The inserted songs also express the emotions of each episode in a rich way, with "Barcarolle" and "Birdcage Dream" in particular resonating deeply with the viewer's heart. Choro Club feat. Senoo's music perfectly expresses the worldview of ARIA.

picture

The visual beauty of "ARIA The ORIGINATION" is unmatched. The beautiful landscapes of Neo-Venice and scenes of gondolas gliding across the water provide visual healing. Character design by Makoto Koga faithfully reproduces the atmosphere of the original while bringing out the unique charm of anime. Under the direction of Chief Animation Director Masayuki Otochi, the animation in each episode is consistently of high quality, drawing the viewer into the story. Art director Kenichi Tajiri's background art also enriches the worldview of the work.

Overall rating

"ARIA The ORIGINATION" is the culmination of the series, and will leave viewers with deep emotion and satisfaction. The story, characters, music, and visuals are all of a high standard, drawing viewers into the world of ARIA. In particular, the final episode, which depicts Akari's growth and new beginnings, will leave a strong impression on viewers. This work has the power to draw out great emotion from small everyday events, giving viewers emotional healing and hope. We recommend this not only to fans of the ARIA series, but to anyone looking for a healing anime.

■Recommendation

"ARIA The ORIGINATION" is the final chapter of the ARIA series, and will leave viewers deeply moved and satisfied. I highly recommend this work for the following reasons:

1. A moving story

"ARIA The ORIGINATION" is a story about the growth and new beginnings of Akari and her friends. Each episode gives viewers emotional healing and hope through their daily lives. The touching scene in the final episode in particular is sure to leave a lasting impression on viewers.

2. Charming characters

Each character in "ARIA The ORIGINATION" is unique and charming. Akari's purity, Aika's friendship, and Alice's growth all resonate with viewers. The "Three Great Water Fairies" also have a strong presence. Their characters enrich the story and leave a deep impression on viewers.

3. Beautiful Music

The music of "ARIA The ORIGINATION" is an important element that enhances the atmosphere of the work. The opening theme, ending theme, and insert song are all beautiful songs that symbolize the theme of the work. Choro Club feat. Senoo's music perfectly expresses the worldview of ARIA.

4. Visual beauty

The visual beauty of "ARIA The ORIGINATION" is unmatched. The beautiful scenery of Neo-Venice and the scene of the gondola gliding across the water provide visual healing. The character designs and background art are also of high quality, drawing the viewer into the story.

5. Healing Effects

"ARIA The ORIGINATION" has the power to draw out great emotion from small everyday events, giving viewers healing and hope. I recommend it not only to fans of the ARIA series, but to everyone looking for a healing anime.

Conclusion

"ARIA The ORIGINATION" is the final chapter of the ARIA series, and is a work that will leave viewers deeply moved and satisfied. The story, characters, music, and visuals are all of a high standard, drawing viewers into the world of ARIA. In particular, the final episode, which depicts Akari's growth and new beginnings, will leave a strong impression on viewers. This work has the power to draw great emotions from small everyday events, giving viewers healing and hope. We recommend this work not only to fans of the ARIA series, but to anyone looking for a healing anime.