I have returned! I have succeeded in watching almost all the episodes of Aria. I must admit, my taste must have changed during the last 3 years cuz it is now,*drum roll* not that bad. Still a bit boring in some places but i have come to appreciate it for what it is more. Maybe i should revisit some other shows i deemed crummy. Maybe Inuyasha. . . . . . . . . No, no, it's still a big steamy pile of sewage.

Aria does seem to be one of those shows that doesn't have much in between. You other love it or hate it because it's so slow paced. No plot, no action, very serene, completely character driven. Maybe that's where your tastes have changed. You've seen so much of what you consider to be your type of show that you're attracted to the difference? That happens to me sometimes. And Aria was just such a wonderful pleasure to watch.

for anyone who enjoys the slice-of-life genre such as ARIA, needs to also check out:

Strawberry Marshmallow
Mushishi
Mokke
Sketchbook ~full color'S~ (which i also have a review for on Denkyu.com)
Bartender
Hataraki Man
Kino no Tabi
Shinigami no Ballad
Azumanga Daioh
Yotsuba& (the manga)

and for a totally original anime experience, check out Mononoke.
(and no, i am not talking about Mononoke Hime. it's a tv series.)

just finished watching ARIA the Origination.
O___O
. . .
oh. my. goddess.
Beautiful. Timeless. Aquamarine.

i said it on my lj and i'll say it here: hands down, one of the best anime series i have ever been privileged to be a part of in over 12 years of watching anime.

i would sell bodily organs to get all of ARIA in the states.
*sparkles at TRSI/Nozomi*
you know you want to =^.^=

I was only able to see up to episode 10 of Origination because my subbers quit releasing it as soon as Nozomi made the announcement. So because there is no dub *grumble* you guys will hopefully whip this out onto DVD quickly so I get the last couple episodes of my Gondola wuv

no single anime has ever made me fall in love with a country, a city, without having ever been there and now determined to go there asap, like ARIA has. seriously, when i'm watching ARIA i feel like i am right there riding the gondola, eating a baked potato, sipping a tea outside on the terrace of my favorite cafe.

i wanted to visit italy before ARIA, but now i absolutelu must visit italy, especially venice. i want to enjoy venice for venice, but i also want to totally geek out and see how much ARIA lovingly reproduced and rendered this seemingly magical city i've never even been to

does that make me weird?
oh well, if it does, i don't care :P

And the answer is: quite a bit. I've been to Venice, and I loved it. I suffered a sort of mental double vision, seeing the city as it really is, and seeing the Neo-Venezia of Aria at the same time. It is obvious that the manga-ka and the anime director both researched the city very well, to the point that I can recognize many of the locales that Akari wanders through. "That sure looks like the end wall of the fish market by the Rialto. [camera angle pulls back] Hey! That IS the fish market by the Rialto!"

There were only a few stubbed toes. The "Burano" to which Akari and Aika go in the first season looks like a generic back alley of Venice. The Burano of the last season is the true Burano, so somewhere in the intervening two years, the director made it over there.

None of that matters. Neo-Venezia IS Venice, and if it weren't for the fact that the whole issue of female gondoliers is a political hot-button issue in the real Venice, they'd be crazy not to use this series as a promotional item. As it is, not the faintest chance.

However, the amazing chance encounters of Neo-Venezia are reflected in the real Venice. I was having dinner at a trattoria on the Strada Nova and looked over at the next table. Remember the old gentleman who attempted to rent the Doge's gondola? It was him. Not someone like him, it was him. Apparently the manga-ka ran across this fellow in her travels, and decided to sketch him. He must either be a resident or a frequent visitor. I didn't have the courage to tell him that he was "big in Japan".

For all of you who love Aria, I hope you all get the chance to visit Venice. You'll have a wonderful, wonderful experience. Venice ruled the world for 1,000 years, and that glory remains today. That gorgeous, golden city...

OMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!

that is such wonderful news! i thought that would be the case, but to hear it is so from someone who has been there and seen ARIA. thanx so much for the insight. Venice just moved itself to the #1 spot on my overseas travel trip. seriously, time to start saving. i have to go now, and that is so awesome that the one guy is actually based off of a real person.

Only 2 months left, I can't wait for this. Is there any update on what the special offer thing is for the preorder people?

Fairly soon! I'm trying to have an image for the announcement.