BaBanjoTheBear
February 22, 2015
Recommended
(This has been adapted from my reddit thread) It's strange to think about everything that has gone on in one's life to get to this specific moment. The people one has seen, the events one has experienced, and the magical moments one has witnessed all culminate into a single, solitary point in time. These various encounters seem miniscule and largely unrelated. But if one looks at the bigger picture, it's easy to see that these tiny dots form quite the beautiful image. Such is the case with Aria the Natural and most of what it has to offer. STORY Aria the Natural begins where its previous season, Ariathe Animation, left off. Akari, Aika, and Alice are still aspiring Undines, experiencing everything that Neo-Venezia, Aqua, and life throws their way.
Aria the Natural follows quite well in its predecessor's wake. Calmness oozes from every corner of the show, and the girls' escapades are mostly aimed at teaching and learning lessons that someone needs in order to become a well-rounded person. However, the mood actually deviates from this path on a semi-regular basis. It takes on creepy scenarios that test Akari's resolve, romantic scenes that expand Aika's emotions, and angry situations that reflect Alice's inner turmoil. Now, the changes in mood are not grand; they're as small as a gondola's displacement while rocking silently on the sea. But being able to see the show literally leave its comfort zone provided it with both interesting and unique outlooks.
These outlooks aren't just standalone, though. The themes are, once again, quite general and applicable to most people. Meaning there is a lost sense of worth attached to many of them. Individually, these themes are simple, but hearkening back to the introduction, it's the entire scope that matters. For Aria the Natural, it kicks off with the idea of "encounters" and never lets up. Without fail, each episode binds its personal message with this over-arching motif. For countless examples: it's best not knowing everything in order to encounter new things, some encounters are better left alone, an encounter may last a lifetime or not at all, particular encounters can happen vicariously, etc. What it does incredibly well is getting across the notion that encounters are indescribable. There are so many variations, so many definitions, that it just isn't possible to sum up succinctly what one encounter entails. In Akari's words, an encounter is simply "wonderful."
It's best to think of Aria the Natural's themes as one of the buildings that populates Neo-Venezia. The foundation and pillars are the general ideas presented. While alone they just "sit" there, they fully support the roof, or overall theme, that rests atop them. And what one is left with is a structure that, no matter the season, remains steadfast and strong.
Aria the Natual also continues the tradition of placing heavy emphasis on the world of Aqua. The exploration of the underground, information on Pair graduation, and the Redentore Festival are apt instances that further promote how rich and detailed the environment really is. And just like the mood and themes before it, Aria the Natural goes above and beyond once more by providing better balance. Aqua and Neo-Venezia remain a focal point, but more attention is given to the cast -- both main and side -- and to the fantastical nature of the setting itself.
Going into the intricacies, the story still follows Akari, but actually gives the other characters a chance to "strut their stuff." Aika and Alice get their own tales, and some of the side characters -- such as the mailman, Akatsuki, and even the townspeople -- get their own chance in the spotlight, providing the show with even more diversity. At the same time, Aria the Natural incorporates more of the supernatural. That is, among the realistic adventures being had are the dream-like ones. The "fox's wedding," the looping canal, and the appearance of the spirit of the gondola boosts both the city's and the show's feeling of being otherworldly, something that is constantly alluded to. In short, by spreading out the story, and not strictly revolving it around Akari, this newfound balance elevates the anime that much further.
ANIMATION
Aria the Natural, as already discussed, loves to talk about its world. And if there is anything that it does more than describe it is show it to the audience. Once again, the art captivates: the beautiful scenery on the oceanfront, the Venetian statues and towers, the plazas and alleys; at this point, it feels less like the Italian version and more like the Aquan. On top of all this, the comedic faces for the whole gang are also back in full-force.
The character designs, likewise, maintain their past-yet-future look. The girls, at certain points, do don more domestic drab, which was a nice change of pace. There are two notable occurrences of vastly different style changes, however. The lesser of the two is during the filler story, where the cast has their gender's swapped. The goal of making it seem unsettling worked, due in part to everyone's uncharacteristic male and female looks. The greater, and obviously most important, is Aika's hair. This will be talked about further ahead.
The animation sees a bit of an increase this time around, if only because of the length of the season and because of the actions the characters take. In other words, Akari, Aika, and Alice do a lot more this time around besides sitting and standing. Walking, running, and jumping happen regularly, since the peaceful nature of the show is shaken up every now and again.
CHARACTERS
The cast of Aria the Natural begin to shed their one-dimensional status and actually see some proper development over the course of the season.
As the youngest of the trio, Alice actually comes off as the most mature. Her stoic demeanor and often quiet way of speaking makes her seem older than she is. While she is most often perceived as an adult, the struggles she faces are entirely childlike in nature. For Alice, she has extreme difficulty establishing relationships with other people. And this is a two-way street: it's giving and receiving the connections. Having the courage to socialize with others and understanding that not everything can be handled alone allowed her to grow into the person she always came off as being.
Aika's problem was somewhat different, but still two-fold. As is often evident, she is quite outgoing when it comes to speaking and letting Akari and the gang know how she is feeling. But interestingly, while she uses her emotions, she did not fully comprehend what they entailed. That is, she wasn't able to understand herself. In the game of love, her feelings remained repressed because of her uncharacteristic lack of confidence. But a nighttime meteor shower, a few hair-clips, and a man named Al provided the self-esteem boost she required to see that her genuine love is nothing to be unabashed about.
And Aika sees even further improvement in regards to herself. She had always wanted to be Alicia; copy her elegance, mannerisms, and beauty as best as she could. But following an unfortunate accident, she learns an incredibly powerful lesson; that one shouldn't try to replicate anyone else but one's self. It sounds cheesy, but it's true. You are your own person, and that means that the experiences, emotions, and events you encounter cannot be emulated again. Everyone is special, is unique, in their own way, and Aika discovers this in a somber yet heartfelt manner. And though the symbolism of cutting one's hair is common, it fits here perfectly; she transitioned from someone "unknown" to her and into the person that not Akira, not Akari, and even not Alicia could be: herself.
Not to be outdone in development, Akari goes more philosophical. Known for her unending kindness and unparalleled optimism, this season tests her beliefs. What does this mean? Once again, there are two sides to investigate: facing both the real and the unreal. For the first time, Akari undergoes situations that aren't "pretty." She senses fear, trepidation, anxiety, longing, seriousness; complete opposites to the personality that she normally boasts. This made her more human, more real, than she has ever been before. But ironically, it's the fake that reaffirms her that the world isn't just filled with these more degenerate feelings. Before, Akari's love toward the city was prominent. Now, it's the city's love toward Akari -- in the form of Cait Sith -- that takes center stage. It protects and guides her, letting her know full well that, despite the hardships that life may contain, her way of thinking and acting is something truly precious.
For each girl -- Akari, Aika, and Alice -- they're development can be summarized as maturing. And each goes about it in different ways: Alice becomes an adult, Aika finds herself, and Akari is grounded to reality. This would not have been possible without the helping hand of their respective mentors, namely Alicia, Akira, and Athena. Besides merely complementing the girls, this season sees them being teachers not in the art of the Undine, but in this aforementioned maturity. Athena pushes and grabs Alice at just the right moments; Akira is the unyielding rock that forces Aika's hand; and Alicia acts as a mother, giving Akari the wisdom that only years of life experience could match. Now more than ever, the Three Great Water Fairies are more than just the greatest Primas of their age. They're symbolic gondolas, guiding their apprentices down the canal known as life.
SOUND
The OP follows in the character designs' footsteps. That is, it embodies both an out-of-reach yet close vibe that makes one at ease whenever it is heard. The beautiful vocals, water-like sound effect, and simple beat in conjunction with the piano and violins really do make the piece euphoric.
The ED lends itself well to avoiding the use of lyrics. The plain guitar, piano, and violin work together in a catchy manner, while simultaneously soothing the atmosphere. The piece isn't stellar like the OP or other parts of the OST, but it fits well enough.
The soundtrack is, once again, great. Like the ED, the dainty guitar, the soft piano, and varying violin playing meld as one, capturing not only the simple life, but one that fits Neo-Venezia to a tee. Especially so is the track with the slow-and-fast guitar-playing combined with various instruments. It's rising and falling notes create a piece that can be happy or sad to fit whatever situation needed.
An issue that persists into this season, though, is the use of lyric-heavy tracks. During certain segments, the soundtrack uses pieces that are filled with vocals. The lyrics themselves are fine, but their use distracts the viewer and lessens the impact of those particular scenes.
Voice-acting is above-average across the board. Ryou Hirohashi as Alice with her no-tone way of talking, Junko Minagawa as Akira with her stern yet soft voice, and Chiwa Saito as Aika with her girly and funny way of speaking perform wonderfully. And this applies to every woman involved, too; all-around great job.
ENJOYMENT
What I always found fascinating was the show's ability to use the same tactics to get a laugh out of me. The first season did this as well, but it still never feels repetitive. In fact, it was a game for me, trying to correctly guess when Aika would shout her famous phrase or when Alicia would softly say those two small words. Alice's "fish-face," combined with the sparkle, always made me smile, as did everyone's minimalist expressions. Also, that meat dance at the barbecue was not only out of nowhere, but pretty hilarious, too.
This season also got to me a few times. Not crying, but getting that lump in the throat and the watery eyes. Specifically, it was the student's letter, the "nightshine" chime, and the gondola. Each dealt with saying goodbye, and each time it emotionally resonated with me. Which is really intriguing; they're "just" inanimate objects, but the set-ups, the characters, and the mood made those moments stand out.
As a sequel, Aria the Natural improves in many key areas. The story finds more overall worth and the characters become more than just placeholders. Combined with small tweaks to sound and animation, its nearly done all that it can. With one season left, hopefully Akari, Aika, and Alice are given the proper sendoff that this season demonstrated that they deserve.
SUMMARY
Story: Great, multiple moods, individual and collective themes, nice balance in storytelling
Animation: Good, nice art style, appropriate character designs, average actual animation
Characters: Good, Akari, Aika, and Alice see nice development, with Alicia, Akira, and Athena guiding them along the way
Sound: Good, good OP, good ED, great soundtrack with some distracting pieces, great VA work
Enjoyment: Good, usually funny, sometimes emotional, always Aria
Final Score: 8/10
