This and Maria-sama were 2 of my most wished someone should license titles. Thank you so much for bringing them to the US. Sure, like many, I would prefer a dub, but if the economics doesn't make sense, I'm more then happy with a sub only release. I loved these shows when I watched them on fansubs, and I can't wait to get my own copy for my collection.

you would think with the announcements of Emma and Maria-sama, i would have registered here months ago...but ARIA sucked me in and so here i am.

of course, i have all three on preorder

i could ramble on about how awesome ARIA is, but i think i will let my review i wrote (for Wasabi Anime) do that for me. it's awaiting a final spell-check/grammar edit, but it's otherwise complete. i tweaked the end paragraph since it initially ended with me wishing for a license.

all below content is property of me, Kristyn, aka otakuden.

"Amazingly enough, it's been 10 years since Cowboy Bebop stormed onto the anime scene and changed our perception and appreciation of what anime is and can do. It became a work unto itself for mature, intellectual anime for the thinking adult. As much as I love Cowboy Bebop, that's not what I would like to talk about this review; I'll save Bebop for another review. In 2005, a little gem of an anime aired on Japanese tv and it was called Aria. Originally based on the manga by Kozue Amano, with a prequal manga titled Aqua, Aria has grown into an anime phenomenom all its own. After watching episode 9 of season three (Aria the Origination) the other day, it hit me - Aria isn't just an anime anymore, it has become a work unto itself. The storytelling, animation, music, and loveable characters of Aria have received the breathe of life.

["Don't say "those days were fun", but say it as "those days were fun AS WELL"...."So, treasure this moment now, for this "now" will change eventually in the future..."]

Aria is quietly beautiful. It lives moment to moment, the quintessential slice-of-life anime, imo. I treasure each episode of Aria, each moment in the lives of Akari, Aika, and Alice because they are fun now, and where they may be, what they may be doing tomorrow will be different from today. Each moment with them is uniquely inseparable. As the third season (and potentially final season) of Aria approaches it's inevitable conclusion, I can't help but feel I am being privileged to see a great masterpiece be completed. The final brush-stroke of a modern classic, if you will.

Brilliant blues. Lush greens. The soft hues of a warm sunset. Cotton ball puffs dancing in a sky so deep one sometimes wonders where the sky ends and the gentle waters of planet Aqua and the city of Neo-Venezia begin. Aqua, once known as Mars, has been terraformed into a vivid world of water, rivaling Man-Home (aka: Earth) in it's oceanic beauty. In fact, Aqua is mainly an oceanic planet now, with humanity building small pockets of life and culture in harmony with their new home. The main feature of Aqua and where Aria takes place is in the city of Neo-Venezia. As one can probably deduce by the name, Neo-Venezia is modeled after the old city of Venice back on Man-Home which finally sunk into the waters years ago. Replete with aquaducts, bridges, and Gondoliers, Neo-Venezia will capture your heart and you will never want to leave. If Venice could ever be reimagined on a distant planet in a very near future, it would be Neo-Venezia. I have never been to Italy, much less Venice, but the magic of Aria makes me feel in some small way as if I have. And when I do go to Venice, it will look almost exactly as Neo-Venezia does in Aria.

The planet is Aqua and the city Neo-Venezia, so where the heck does the name Aria come from? Aria is the name of one of the Gondolier companies on Aqua, one of the three premier companies no less. Our main character, Akari, is an apprentice undine (gondolier) at Aria Co. where one of the three water fairies, Alicia is president. She was apprentice to and took over Aria Co. from it's predacesor who also founded Aria Co., a genius Prima Undine in her own right. The other two main gondolier companies are Orange Planet and Himeya Co. The president of each company is a cat; Aqua cats are actually very intelligent, almost on the level of humans, but can't talk and are pampered as such. The three 'water faeries' of Neo-Venezia work at the three companies, respectfully. While Akari is Alicia's apprentice at Aria Co., Aika is the apprentice of 'water faerie' Akira of Himeya Co. and Alice is the apprentice of 'water faerie' Athena from Orange Planet.

So far Aria has lived 2 full tv seasons, one OVA, and is in the final stretch of season 3. Aria, Aria the Natural, Aria: Arietta, and Aria the Origination respectfully. I say lived because we get to watch Akari, Aika, and Alice grow, day by day through the years into fabulous undines. Truly, they will be 'water faeries' of their own right, proud successors to the current legends and creating their own.

So intimate and open is Aria, I really feel like I am a part of their world and their lives. I have been able to watch Akari, Aika, and Alice mature as they stumble through and overcome their doubts and fears. I've celebrated their successes and marveled in the magic of Aqua which has embraced Akari in its watery womb. Aria is every-day slice-of-life, held together by the subtle magic that surrounds the world of Aqua, and our main character Akari. I'm not quite sure what yet, but there is something truly special and intimate in their relationship, something more than Akari loving the town of Neo-Venezia and the planet Aqua. While it is definitely not the main focus of Aria, I can feel a culmination coming in Aria the Origination. A birth of something truly wondrous which I can only imagine.

The manga Aqua and Aria are being translated after a years long hiatus and are available for your reading pleasure. But, even more so than the manga, I cannot recommend Aria enough. Maybe it is because I was in love with the anime long before I dabbled in the manga... But no, it is because Aria truly is a work unto itself. I cannot compare it to anything else, but will probably end up comparing others to it. Please give Aria a home in your heart. Hopefully all of Aria will be licensed and then I can buy it asap, including seasons 2 and 3 and the OVAs. But in the meantime, I will pull back a chair and enjoy the moment of now, because tomorrow will be a different now to enjoy all together, September 30th, to be exact ^_^"

Don't worry, the forums have only been here a couple weeks =P

Crikey. I can't say I know a whole lot about Aria but what what tidbits I've gathered in my Katamari-like ramblings about the internet, I've been quite intrigued by the storyline, peoples' descriptions and the atmosphere the the wallpapers exude. The clearly had all the hallmarks of a show that I'd be likely to enjoy and I'm totally ready to buy but...

I'm crushed, however, to hear that there won't be a dub. I've bought several dub-only releases in recent months but I now fear that doing so has reinforced a trend that is now beginning to encroach on highly noteworthy shows such as this. It's a damn shame too; I think TRSI/Nozomi have the golden touch when it comes to producing excellent titles....crikey.

Typically licensing announcements fill me with a sense of "eh..." but this is one announcement I can get excited about. ARIA is probably my favorite series, and I'd long given up hope that a company would bring it over here. The lack of a dub doesn't bother me in the slightest; I prefer it that way, actually. Thanks for making it happen, TRSI/Nozomi!

My only request is that you please, please do not follow Tokyopop's trend of altering things that didn't even need to be touched: changing the beautiful title logo to something that looks better on a shampoo bottle, replacing the Pair/Single/Prima terminology with uninspired apprentice/journemany/full-fledged Undine, etc.

Overall, not very enthused, but glad it's sub only. Long live subs! I knew i shouldn't ave gotten my hopes up. Thats why i didn't. And it worked out well.
Here is my impression of me watching Aria. *ahem* "Ah cool! This is on a terraformed Mars! .....Ok......ok...........ok..... Gondolas? Seriously?....ok.....................*snores loudly*" (based on a true story)
Despite my affinity for the eclectic, this series disappointed me. Oh well, maybe next time. yeah, right....

Yes and hopefully grow and grow.

The Cult of Kleckner has a new home.

Aria, huh? I don't know too much about it beyond the work ADV did on the manga a while ago, but I do recall liking it. It seems like my type of show. Pity about the lack of a dub, as I can think of a few voices that would go well with a show like this. Still, quiet slow-paced shows like this don't do too well far as I can tell so I guess it makes sense.

Now excuse me while I go preorder this thing.

Hmm, upon inspection everyone here seems to be tossing each other off in anticipation of this show. Perhaps i shall watch the show again to see if it got better later on. I never really got past episode 3 or abouts. I mean, yeah some "ha-ha's" and "awww" moments and very artsy but..... Meh. Seems like with it's current trend it never really goes anywhere or gets better. And it just didn't do it for me. Oh well, lets try not to fall asleep this time soldier! *readies his 2L bottle of Mountain Dew and SunChips* To the Otaku basement, i mean, Cave! Away! *roll batman theme music*