(L) Aria the Origination

[G. Zeus]

Originally Posted by ricardox

OK, now I'm seriously missing Aria...

Can anyone suggest a "surrogate"?

There was a similar request at MAL's ARIA Fanclub.

EDIT:

Spoiler:

Originally Posted by xbandaidx

Hey guys, wondering if anyone knows any other good slice of life animes to recommend? You can check out my anime list to see what I have seen already. I've been lacking lately...

Originally Posted by Yuunagi

First and foremost:
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (manga) (OAV 1) (OAV 2)
- described by some fans as ARIA's "elder sister". I suggest that you read the manga first.

Kamichu! (manga) (anime) (DVD specials)
- similar to ARIA: clean, light, and easygoing SOL with fantasy elements

Haibane Renmei (anime)
- gets pretty dramatic towards the end

Azumanga Daioh (manga) (anime)
- already considered by many as a classic

Shirley (manga)
- about a 13-year-old moe maid in Victorian England

What a Wonderful World (manga)
- a collection of short stories

Hidamari Sketch (manga) (anime) (DVD specials) (upcoming sequel)
- along the same vein as Azumanga Daioh and Ichigo Mashimaro

Originally Posted by HalberdierRetsel

Yotsuba&! (Manga)
- From the creators of Azumanga, with a greater slice of life twist to it.

Bartender (anime) (manga)
- A true slice of life with a collection of reactions given to people by the actions of a bartender

Kino no Tabi (anime) (manga)
- A slice of life with a rather dark feeling to it

Yokohama Kaidaishi also as 2 OVAs (2 episode each), but I don't recommend it, since unless you've read the manga, you won't have a clue what they're talking about.

Originally Posted by Wind-UpBird

Denno Coil
Lucky Star
Binbou Shimai Monogatari
Mokke
Minami-Ke
Sketchbook
Ichigo Mashimaro

Don't expect replacements (in fact, don't ever expect replacements of anything), but they are good slice-of-life anime shows.

[NaweG]

Originally Posted by ricardox

OK, now I'm seriously missing Aria...

Can anyone suggest a "surrogate"?

My first suggestion, if you haven't already seen them, are the Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō OAVs (the later 2 by Sony are better than the first two, but all four are enjoyable). Of course I'm such a big YKK fan you might want to take that with a bit of salt

Other good series would be Sketchbook Full Colour and Hidimari Sketch. Of course you could also go with Azumanga Daioh, but that's a little bit of a stretch...

My .02 worth.

[ricardox]

Originally Posted by G. Zeus

There was a similar request at MAL's ARIA Fanclub.

EDIT:

Spoiler:

First and foremost:
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (manga) (OAV 1) (OAV 2)
- described by some fans as ARIA's "elder sister". I suggest that you read the manga first.
Favorite manga of all time. Though I wouldn't give it a 11/10 since I don't believe in "more perfect" as does founders of my nation. OAV's felt a bit disjointed and hence I felt weren't up to par for such great manga. Maybe it's just about expectations.

Kamichu! (manga) (anime) (DVD specials)
- similar to ARIA: clean, light, and easygoing SOL with fantasy elements
Absolutely adored this anime. It was seriously overlooked by fansub groups. Shame.

Haibane Renmei (anime)
- gets pretty dramatic towards the end
I liked this series also. Though unlike some, it really didn't resonate with me. Maybe could have used a smidgeon more humor, even somber.

Azumanga Daioh (manga) (anime)
- already considered by many as a classic
Agreed. A classic.

Shirley (manga)
- about a 13-year-old moe maid in Victorian England
I enjoyed this much more than the other series Emma. Too bad there is just so little of it.

What a Wonderful World (manga)
- a collection of short stories
Haven't seen this. Sounds pretty nice.

Hidamari Sketch (manga) (anime) (DVD specials) (upcoming sequel)
- along the same vein as Azumanga Daioh and Ichigo Mashimaro
Though I enjoyed this series, I didn't connect with characters of this series like I did with Aria, Ichigo Mashimaro, Azu etc. Same applies to Sketchbook. Something missing in the characters of these series for me.


Yotsuba&! (Manga)
- From the creators of Azumanga, with a greater slice of life twist to it.
Read it religiously. One of the few mangas to fill some of the void after the end of YKK.

Bartender (anime) (manga)
- A true slice of life with a collection of reactions given to people by the actions of a bartender
Haven't seen this. I'll queue this up next.

Kino no Tabi (anime) (manga)
- A slice of life with a rather dark feeling to it
Liked it. Not much more than that.

Denno Coil
THE anti-Unchi

Lucky Star
I liked it. But didn't enjoy it as much as the fans here. Maybe I'm just not hip to the scene.

Binbou Shimai Monogatari
Another gem missed by many.

Mokke
Currently watching.

Minami-Ke
Watched the first set. Then a strange Deja-vu series began.

Sketchbook
Ichigo Mashimaro
Commented on above.

There is one not on this list that I recommend often: Potemayo.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[WanderingKnight]

Keep in mind that Haibane Renmei has a lot of dramatic elements mixed in. It has an actual plot, unlike ARIA. I wouldn't lump them in the same category. Still, it's a very recommendable watch, definitely one of my favorite series.

Oh, and I definitely do not consider Lucky Star to be slice of life. More like an assortment of gags without the sense of stillness and continuity slice of life needs. For 4-koma comedic purposes with a slice of life feeling to it, Azumanga Daioh is ages beyond what Lucky Star tried to accomplish.

(By the way, what's up with the "drama" tag down below?)

[escimo]

Originally Posted by WanderingKnight

Keep in mind that Haibane Renmei has a lot of dramatic elements mixed in. It has an actual plot, unlike ARIA. I wouldn't lump them in the same category. Still, it's a very recommendable watch, definitely one of my favorite series.

I wouldn't say that Aria doesn't have an a actual plot. It's quite simple, vague and less prominent than usual and isn't really advanced in every episode but I thought it was there. Akari trying to become part of the Neo-Venezian community and all of the girls aspiring to become primas. Not comparable though to something like Haibane Renmei that has a clear plot that is rather to the point.

I think Aria and the beginning of the Haibane Renmei are somewhat similar but unlike Aria, Haibane Renmei gets really serious and dramatic towards the end.

Definitely worth watching, but it's not really a feel-good series all the way through.

[X10A_Freedom]

I watched 2 eps of Sketchbook and there are times when I get an Aria-esque feeling. Afterall, it's made by the same people!

[nojay]

Comparisons of Aria with other anime series...

A girl descends from the sky into a nurturing community composed entirely of females where she has to learn everything anew. Her environs are strictly limited and she has to grow and develop under the watchful eye of an all-powerful organisation while being marked out in appearance from the other inhabitants of the local conurbation which uses windmills for power generation. She is employed rowing on a canal, and finally she earns a new name amidst emotional trauma and the loss of her beloved mentor.

OK, what series have I just described?

Aria or

Spoiler for another series...:

Haibane Renmei

?

[G. Zeus]

Originally Posted by WanderingKnight

(By the way, what's up with the "drama" tag down below?)

Besides that, Comic Blade is supposedly a shounen magazine. But then again, I'm not sure either if the demographic category automatically carries over to the anime adaptations.

@nojay: Two birds with one stone.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by G. Zeus

Besides that, Comic Blade is supposedly a shounen magazine. But then again, I'm not sure either if the demographic category automatically carries over to the anime adaptations.

Fixed the drama tag, but I think I'd be a little hard pressed to call the anime a "shounen" work. That being said, you are right that Comic Blade is a shounen magazine, and I guess the manga isn't all that different from the anime. So... shounen it is?

[germanturkey]

in its purest form, ARIA has nothing thats like it. there are other slice of life shows which are great in their own respects, but they're different from the way ARIA presented and executed its main characteristics.

[G. Zeus]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

Fixed the drama tag, but I think I'd be a little hard pressed to call the anime a "shounen" work. That being said, you are right that Comic Blade is a shounen magazine, and I guess the manga isn't all that different from the anime. So... shounen it is?

Technically correct but possibly misleading. Perhaps it would be best to leave the demographic classification out of the tags for ARIA-related threads. It seems to be a matter of taste rather than age or gender anyway.

[WanderingKnight]

Originally Posted by nojay

Comparisons of Aria with other anime series...

A girl descends from the sky into a nurturing community composed entirely of females where she has to learn everything anew. Her environs are strictly limited and she has to grow and develop under the watchful eye of an all-powerful organisation while being marked out in appearance from the other inhabitants of the local conurbation which uses windmills for power generation. She is employed rowing on a canal, and finally she earns a new name amidst emotional trauma and the loss of her beloved mentor.

OK, what series have I just described?

Aria or

Spoiler for another series...:

Haibane Renmei

?

Well... I really wouldn't say Aria and Haibane Renmei are on the same tone. Yes, it's easy to find that sort of correlations, but let's simply say that HR deals with very, very different issues--and psychological traumas are much more heavier and darker.

Personally, I loved Haibane, but I'd never recommend it for people who want another Aria--I'd recommend it in general, anyways.

[Kamui4356]

Originally Posted by G. Zeus

Technically correct but possibly misleading. Perhaps it would be best to leave the demographic classification out of the tags for ARIA-related threads. It seems to be a matter of taste rather than age or gender anyway.

I'd have to agree here. Aria doesn't really seem like it's targeted at any particular demographic. It's the kind of series I'd recommend to anyone with enough attention span to watch something relaxing instead of an action series.

[fict_ticious]

Originally Posted by ricardox

OK, now I'm seriously missing Aria...

Can anyone suggest a "surrogate"?

Well, there's the Hidamari Sketch manga and S.S. ASTRO manga that I'm using to tie me over until the Animation hits stateside. The latter is very interesting, so I recommend it.

[Tabris]

Aria the Origination related goodness

[fict_ticious]

Originally Posted by Tabris

Aria the Origination related goodness

Ah, do you have images of the stuff that comes with the Origination ps2 game?

[Tabris]

It comes out today, so I'll be buying it when I go to Akihabara later on.

Edit:

So, I went to the store today, and they said they were out of stock for people who hadn't reserved it. Luckily, Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara had it in, so I got it from there, for 1000yen cheaper too. Which isn't much, but at least I have it now. Expensive for a PS2 game though, £60. Totally worth it for the SD figures and OST alone

[fict_ticious]

Originally Posted by Tabris

It comes out today, so I'll be buying it when I go to Akihabara later on.

Edit:

So, I went to the store today, and they said they were out of stock for people who hadn't reserved it. Luckily, Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara had it in, so I got it from there, for 1000yen cheaper too. Which isn't much, but at least I have it now. Expensive for a PS2 game though, £60. Totally worth it for the SD figures and OST alone

Egad, you're in moonland. I'm stuck buying the non-special edition ;_;.
Here's hoping the OST hits eBay and this one gets an artbook like the first PS2 game.

[Tabris]

No artbook with the game. Just the OST, a drama CD and 6 SD figures.

I got two of the three Aria artbooks today too. I was only going to buy one, but I didn't think I was going to get the special edition game...so I bought two. I've spent so much on Aria this holiday, it's almost untrue. Totally worth it though.

[KrebMarkt]

Originally Posted by Tabris

No artbook with the game. Just the OST, a drama CD and 6 SD figures.

I got two of the three Aria artbooks today too. I was only going to buy one, but I didn't think I was going to get the special edition game...so I bought two. I've spent so much on Aria this holiday, it's almost untrue. Totally worth it though.

You mean the OST of the game + 1 Exclusive drama CD.
I had to update Aria manga wikipedia page with your information.

It's hard to catch up with the tons of Aria related goodies released especially if you don't know japanese.