Aria the Animation - Recommendations

abunai says...

There is a certain Japanese quality of storytelling called mono no aware -- a consciousness of the world's transient nature. It pervades Japanese writing and films, but usually as a background theme. It is rare that it takes center stage, so to speak, in a book or film. Yet this is the case with both Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (and its sequel, Quiet Country Cafe) and Aria the Animation (and its sequel, Aria the Natural).

Both sets of anime deal with people reacting to an environment of great beauty and complexity, as well as to each other. By making the landscape a character in its own right, the viewer gains an additional opportunity for empathy with the protagonists, as they move in, and are moved by, the extraordinary worlds that they inhabit.

All of these anime are must-see anime for the sensitive and mature anime viewer, and I can hardly recommend them highly enough.

AngryJellyfish says...

Both Aria and Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou are perfect series iif you want something that isn't too action packed, or complicated - if you just want to relax. Their great characters, nice music, and beautiful animation make them worth watching, and if you liked one then you should like the other.

chii says...

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou and Aria the Animation are two shows about absolutely nothing. Both have pretty graphics and music. Warning both may cause drowsiness. If you liked one you'll probably like the other.

cassiesheepgirl says...

Both Aria and Yokohama focus on the daily life of young girls with a somewhat futuristic twist, one is based on another planet, the other is a robot. If you enjoyed the semi-futuristic twist in an otherwise traditional slice of life world of one then it is worth watching the other.

OkamiHime95 says...

Both anime are at a slow, relaxing pace, so if you're looking for something that doesn't have too much action, and you want something to calm you down, either one I would highly recommend. :)

Stmated says...

While the fact that Aria and Sketchbook were made by the same studio (and most of the same cast) is a good thing, the two also have many similar themes, including slice-of-life.

Sketchbook, the in-between of the new Aria seasons, has adopted quite a few references from Aria. Both have slow and quiet, scenic, and peaceful scenes.

alexander says...

Aria and Sketchbook have a lot in common production-wise, but they are also a very specific kind of slice-of-life anime. Both central characters are dreamy girls unusually preoccupied with the architecture, landscape and cats around them. If you can get joy and satisfaction out of little discoveries and new encounters, give these series a try.

cassiesheepgirl says...

Both Sketchbook and Aria are very slow paced, and very little actually happens other than the day-to-day experiences of the protagonists. If you enjoyd the quiet charm of one of these then you're likely to enjoy the other.

kenikki says...

Heartwarming and tranquil. That's the best way to describe these shows. And because both shows excel in these fields, it means that if you liked one, then you'll probably like the other.

Garylikesmanga says...

Both series feel the same when you watch them. They have that warm tingly feeling vibe that is intended just from viewing a day in the life of the characters. They both showcase cats in major roles, as well. Sketchbook even references Aria, solidifying the link between the two series.

freakzilla says...

Even though there aren't many similarities in the story or characters, the flow and unusual topic of both Mushishi and Aria make them different from your everyday anime. If you're looking for another relaxing story, check this one out

Mew7931 says...

Both these animes are amazing. They both have an underlying romance (shoujo) aspect, as well as a relaxing mood throughout the episodes. The main chatacters are interesting enough to keep your attention, and yet, they don't steal the show. Both animes are well written and will leave an impact on you.

rogueman999 says...

Both are unusual anime in lacking a proper story line and not caring about it. They are "more about the travel then the destination", and the scenes, poeple and colors (blue for Aria and green for Mushishi) in them will follow you for a long time. 

Also they are equaly good for sleepless nights... not because you will fall asleep watching them :)  (never!) but because you will feel much calmer and at peace then before.

Deer50 says...

They are both episodic anime which has a mysterious calming feel. Both show alot of scenery and the world around them. The music is calming in both.

senileseinen says...

Both series are seinen slice-of-life set in a small utopian world. In Aria's case, the world is a terraformed mars. In Hidamari Sketch's place, the world is the Hidamari apartments and arts high school next door.

Both shows feature lively female characters in lead roles and bright animation. Aria is full of set-piece paintings, but Hidamari Sketch uses lively artistic pastework as suits its art student characters.

Aria is soothing while Hidamari Sketch is lively, but if one leaves you smiling, I'm pretty sure the other will as well.

cassiesheepgirl says...

While the subject matter of these two series is very different, one about girls on gondolas on another planet, and the other four high school girls, both share a similar tone to them. Both Hidamari Sketch and Aria are quite slow-paced and just plod along quietly. Also both contain a gentle sort of humour, though the comedy is more prevalent in Hidamari. If you like gentle slice of life, both of these are for you.

Rilkar says...

Both shows take place in a perfect world where almost all of the character are beautiful girls. And both shows are meant to be "healing" anime for men with stressful lives. Also both are about a girl moving to a new place and growing up.

seine says...

Extremely high profile non-miyazaki slice-of-life anime that get many installment.In one famous opinion piece about anime, "rowing a boat" is a coined term means slice-of-life anime with slow pace that watch the everyday life of bishoujo characters. 

Both anime are rowing a boat. One is rowing in a utopia future re-make of classical Venice city, the other row a boat in a modern day Japanese high-school setting. Rowing-a-boat anime will be highly soothing or extremely boring depends on your preferences (of girls in the show or maybe settings.) Let's just say that rowing-a-boat is not new of a genre, but somehow only recently become highly-anticipated.

Himitsu says...

Aria and Yokohama are set in the future with a neat setting of high-tech advances, but both anime are extremely tranquil; it is purely slice of life. You'll really see this unheavy feeling within the use of colours and simply the events that occur. Yokohama has an interesting and cute main character, and it's quite thought-provoking.

senileseinen says...

Both Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou and Aria fall in the category of slice-of-life seinen 'healing' anime. They're pretty to look at, have a relaxed plotline, and have mellow jazz soundtracks.

In fact, they're so much alike in most ways that it's probably more useful to focus on the few differences: Aria is about young women; YKK is about a humanoid robot of indeterminate age. Aria has sentient cats as primary cast members, and President Aria in particular annoys some viewers. YKK is post-apocalyptic; Aria is post-diaspora.

If you like one, there's a very high probability that you'll like the other.

chii says...

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: Quiet Country Cafe and Aria the Animation are two shows about absolutely nothing. Both have pretty graphics and music. Warning both may cause drowsiness. If you liked one you'll probably like the other.

Rilkar says...

Both shows are meant to be "healing anime" for men with stressful jobs that want to watch beautiful girls all day long. Also Akari and Fuu are both "helpless moe" though Akari isn't as "helpless moe" as Fuu.

HarryNRubin says...

Both of these animes have a feeling of calm and tranquility.  Though Aria is much longer as a whole series, Tamayura seems so far to have the same feeling of warmth I got from Aria.  It is even done by the same director.

XMrNiceguyX says...

Tamayura as well as the Aria series are very similar in three mains ways. First, there is an enormous strong atmosphere of conflictless slice of life (iyashikei) in both shows. This is slightly mixed with a tinge of the supernatural and/or magic in both series. In Aria, these mysterious and magical episodes are more frequent than in Tamayura. Third, the main cast in Tamayura and Aria are all female and although there are some male characters, those only play minor roles. 

The main differences (which are minor at best) is the futuristic and outerworldy setting of the Aria series and Aria having somewhat more mature characters and a minor romantic narrative on the side.

prozzaks says...

Just as ARIA takes place in Neo-Venezia on Mars that was terraformed into Aqua, the story told Haibane Renmei happens in a fantastic city confined within walls. Both animes show places that are not totally impossible yet somewhat fantastic and mysterious. Both animes are also centered around female characters and men only have supporting roles. They also give a great importance to the relations and emotions of the characters. Fortunately, they avoid the cheesy romantic clichés of most animes that feature only girls. The stories of theses two animes are quite different, yet the have similarities. They both present a characters who has recently arrived in the “fantastic enclosed world” mentioned above. Haibane Renmei is much more dramatic then ARIA, but ARIA places just as much emphasis on the emotions the characters are feeling. Both animes also have great soundtracks that add a lot of depth and ambiance to the beautiful scenery they present. I would like to warn people who have seen Haibane Renmei about one thing : ARIA has a quite annoying character that is supposed to be a cat even though it doesn't look a bit like it, acts like a human and it makes annoying sounds. I believe the story would have been a lot better with a normal cat. If you can ignore that, I'm sure you can enjoy ARIA just a much as Haibane Renmei.

Omurqi says...

A recommendation with a little warning. While Haibane Renmei get's fairly heavy around the ending and Aria the Animation stays laid back at all times, I still see these two as the perfect recommendation for each other. Out of all the shows I've seen so far, these two shows are the only ones that have succeeded at presenting such an idyllic, tranquil setting and are excellent, soothing Slice of Life series. Perfectly fitting music, amazing enviroment- and clothing design and great ambiance. As long as you don't mind the difference between some drama towards the ending and a fully tranquil experience, these two are the perfect recommendation for each other!

freakzilla says...

Kamichu and Aria are about atmosphere; they have a slow-paced, relaxing mood in which characters are trying to find out more about what they are supposed to do.

Despite being cats, the presidents in Aria also reminded me of the creatures in Kamichu. Another thing is that both could be looked at as slice of life anime. Needless to say, there are quite a few similarities here.

Szwagier says...

You may ask "what does anime about Shinto goddess have to do with anime about riding a gondola". And you are right - storywise they have absolutely nothing in common.

But in termes of light-hearted and heart-warming both are at the same level. They both focus strongly on the mood and entertains viewers with short stories about the daily lifes and growth of characters. And even though Kamichu have a bit more romance and comedy, while Aria shows some nute of nostalgy here and there I'm sure if you love the one you'll love the other.

Kari5 says...

This is more of a gut feeling. I get the same vibe off these two shows. Mostly they're about friendships, between girls.

Rfsancho says...

One show is about romance, and the other is about...well, nothing much at all.But these shows definitely give off the same feel of softness and ease of watching.

Maelkyral says...

Both Someday's Dreamers and Aria are stories of a young girl trying to find her way in a new profession. The two series follow the protagonist as she makes new friends, pursues her apprenticeship, and learns many valuable life lessons. Both are slow paced shows, containing plenty of charmingly sweet moments amid beautiful scenery shots.

JarOfFries says...

Both of these shows follow a girl moving to a new place to pursue the work she's always dreamed of. The format of the two shows is also similar, spending a lot of time on special moments in the lives of the characters, to the point where the main character is often out of the spotlight. This combined with a gentle overall pace lend Aria and Someday's Dreamers a laid-back, introspective feel that works well as a background for the character development that drives each show.