I'm a bit unsure about putting this thread here, because it's not really romance. And yet, the anime gives off such a nice feeling that it's hard not to think of it as a tad romantic.
In any case! ARIA the ANIMATION is the first part of this series. In ARIA, we humans have made the earth so filthy that it's almost inhabitable and created a new "earth" on the moon or another planet - I'm not really sure. In any case, the anime takes place on a planet not so unlike ours, called Aqua. Not surprisingly, the largest part of this planet is covered in water.
One of the main places on there is Neo-Venezia, a city modeled like Venice on Earth. The entire anime centers around this place, and about the undines who ferry the gondolas in this beautiful city. Main character is Akari, a sort of trainee when it comes to being an undine, who is so sweet and cute and gentle that she can easily match Belldandy. Seriously.
It's hard to explain what makes this series so wonderful. No big events happen, but the warmth and fluffy feelings this anime has given me are unlike any other. I got Lionfish equally hooked to it, and Jimmy - being the smart man he is - found it on his own. I recommend this series to everyone who enjoys a slice of life series or who simply needs a break from all the drama or action.
Let me know what you think. ^_^
10-Jul-2007