About
$595,676
2,648
Join this campaign to help create an English Dubbed HD release for the ARIA series - all seasons!
See below for help on which reward pledge tier might be right for you, as well as what is required to access specific items later during our post-campaign options!
NOTE: We're nearing the campaign - read this if you are interested in pledging but may not have funds to pick up the higher tiers:
If you want access to the post-campaign catch-up "slacker backer" options, you must pledge at least $1! See the FAQs and Update 31 for details! This is a good way to later pick up seasons you might not have funds for right now.
We realize everyone might not have the budget to pick up every single set immediately. Aria is a relaxing and calm show, and we don't want you to be stressed! So, Backers ONLY will be able to add-on Seasons 1, 2 and 3+OVAs after the Kickstarter campaign, along with the Guidebook. More information is included in Update #31.
If you want the Kickstarter exclusive merchandise (chipboard box, t-shirt, mug, sticker set, stationery set), make sure it is included in the base tier your pledge-- those items will NOT be available as a-la-carte add-ons after the campaign.
ALL STRETCH GOALS REACHED!
I want to pledge, but I don't know which one of the rewards tiers is the one I want??
The STANDARD group (these are the ones that do not have "PLUS" in their names) includes Season 1 and the various merchandise items, including those reached in stretch goals.
The PLUS group includes Season 1, Season 2 Part 1, and the various merchandise items, including those reached in stretch goals.
The DOUBLE PLUS group includes Season 1, Season 2 Part 1, Season 2 Part 2, and the various merchandise items, including those reached in stretch goals.
The TRIPLE PLUS group includes the entire Aria series - all seasons - all applicable merchandise items in all stretch goals, AND receive a special TRIPLE TIER exclusive button set.
ADD-ON ITEM: You can add on the Guidebook by "over pledging" -- $60 for domestic customers, $80 for non-US customers (shipping included). See the FAQs for details!
Here's an example, using the PAIR tier:
The $1000+ tiers will include all seasons - we can't change/edit tiers after they have backers, and since there are backers for these, just want you to know that you're covered for the additions!
I WANT this Guidebook thing mentioned in the Stretch Goals, how do I get it?
You can add on the Guidebook by "over pledging" -- $60 for domestic customers, $80 for non-US customers (shipping included). See the FAQs and Update #31 for details! Any backer, at any level, will also have access to the Guidebook as part of our post-campaign Slacker Backer options.
I want to talk about how excited I am:
Discuss the Kickstarter in our forums: https://www.animenation.com/forum/official-forums/nozomi-aria-kickstarter-discussion/2527358-aria-kickstarter-has-been-launched
ALL STRETCH GOALS REACHED!
Now that we have met the initial goal, we're going to hit the ground running. ADR scripts will be started and we'll get to work finalizing voice actors and compiling all of the necessary materials. We should be into the studio about the time that the Kickstarter closing period ends - we're not going to wait - so that we can get this into your hands as quick as we can!
Akari Mizunashi, at the age of 15, has left everything behind to travel to a sparkling planet covered in water, Aqua, formerly known as Mars. By the 24th century, humans have found a way to colonize the formerly uninhabitable planet.
More than anything, Akari wants to be an "undine" - a female gondolier who navigates the canals of the Aquan city of Neo-Venezia. The city itself is a faithful replication of Manhome's (Earth) city of Venice. To make sure that residents and tourists alike get the most from Neo-Venezia's many wonders, companies offering guided tours via gondola were formed, one of which is named Aria Company.
As she begins her training with the prestigious Aria Company, will she be up to the challenges that await her on the path to achieve her dream?
ARIA The ANIMATION’s gentle poetry will take you to the truth: It’s all about savoring each moment of the journey along the way.
TRAILERS
Episode 1 for you to sample (this is the Japanese with English Subtitles version):
Directed by Junichi Sato, who also directed Sailor Moon, Princess Tutu, Magic User's Club, Kaleido Star, Tamayura, amongst others, and has also been involved with almost 100 programs in various capacities, including series composition, storyboard, theme music, supervision, and scriptwriter.
The show is based on a series of manga by Kozue Amano.
ARIA's genre is often referred to as slice-of-life, in that the storylines are not rushed and more time is spent on exposition and visuals. Sato-san often refers these titles as "Healing Anime."
We're dubbing it all - Here's a trailer for Season 3!
And a trailer for Avvenire!
A little over 75% of the project funds will be used for the dub and updating of the source materials of the program to Blu-ray Quality, 15% will be used for the production of the physical media and packaging, and the remainder will be overhead, working capital, the fees to run the project on the platform, and a little something for our hard working staff.
Your funds will go toward creating the best possible Blu-ray release that we can - one that you will be proud to have on your shelf. Our production team are anime fans and collectors themselves, and will be uncompromising when it comes to review and approval of the dubbed script, the dub tracks, the video quality, and the authoring.
By adding additional seasons we're going to be able to keep the cost down by having continuous production versus having to re-mount the production process later on.
The anime market has become very difficult in terms of licensing and costs, and production, especially of deep catalog and niche titles, has become much more risky. We love these shows, to be sure, but the market for them is certainly different. Fans in general are focused on simulcasts and more recent programs, and this creates more hurdles when making investments in older shows or programs with specific audiences.
We have lots of projects and programs that we would like to work on and bring to market in English, but because we are a smaller licensee, we have to be more conservative in our production decisions. We also aren't completely sure what the size of the audience is for dubbing of back catalog. So we received permission from our licensor to test this as a business model to see if it's something we might continue to use to bring titles to fans in HD and in English.
It's possible if this project funds we will likely continue with others.
The Nozomi team has over the years dubbed more than five hundred episodes of anime, and we are focused on creating quality programs. We want to make sure that you'll be able to, if you haven't seen the show before, fall in love with it, and if you have seen it, to fall in love with it all over again. Our greatest hope is that adding an English track to this program will let more people discover this infectiously happy story.
As our partner on this project, we have chosen to work with Joe DiGiorgi at Headline Studios as our director, who we have worked closely with as a director and a producer on a number of our titles, including His and Her Circumstances, Comic Party, Boogiepop Phantom, The Third, amongst others. Joe has also handled many well known dubs from classic titles such as Record of Lodoss War, Genshiken, Queen's Blade, and Ikki Tousen. Headline Sound is based in New York City.
All of the production staff we'll be using to do the work have been involved with anime productions in the past, including the director, the producer, and all voice actors. Together with Joe, we wanted to bring together a creative team of seasoned anime pros who can produce a timely delivered, high quality dub within our budget constraints.
Most importantly, Joe is excited about working on this project and to welcome backers into the studio for the Skype sessions, dubbing sessions, and to provide behind-the-scenes updates on the dubbing process.
We think this campaign can be a great win-win for YOU and the anime industry as a whole. As a backer, you can know that your funds are bringing the VAs into the recording booth, and you’ll come out of the project with a fabulous dub on Blu-ray AND insights into the creative process (plus lots of Kickstarter-exclusive goodies!)
This is a Kickstarter Special Edition. Once we have fulfilled all of the rewards, we will have a six month (or longer) holdback waiting period before we will release a regular edition to the public. We will be allowing others to buy some of the items at the Kickstarter pricing for a while through our website, essentially as after-funding for those with interest, but that will be cut off as we get production completed. See Update #31.
Those who select options that do not include the Blu-ray itself your rewards will be shipped as soon as the manufacturing of them is complete. Those who order options that include the Blu-ray, your rewards will be shipped along with the product when it is completed.
For those of you who select anything beyond the basic tiers (anything with PLUS in it), you will receive a shipment of all of the merchandise items with your Season 1 Blu-ray and all Season 2 material and Season 3 materials will come separately. However, if you are located outside of the US, your full tier pledge will be held and shipped all together versus in part, unless you instruct us otherwise (additional shipping cost may apply.)
PLEASE NOTE: AS WE HAVE CHANGED BACKER REWARDS, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL PLEASE POST A COMMENT OR SEND A MESSAGE AND WE'LL GET YOU COVERED!
In the original tiers above, the $55 tier and above will include a Himeya Company Patch, and the $95 tier and above will include the numbered lithograph as these were reached with stretch goals. The $1000+ tiers will also include both of these AND every other Season as well.
The PLUS tiers provide Season 2 part 1. The DOUBLE PLUS tiers provide both Season 2 part 1 and Season 2 part 2.
The TRIPLE PLUS tiers are for Season 3 (they include all Seasons of Aria, and all of the little extra bits too).
If you are confused on any tier, please send a message or post a comment, we're happy to help you! And the community will too!
As the licensee, this Kickstarter project is being run by Nozomi Entertainment, the production division of RightStufAnime.com. Comments, commentary and posts will come from the producers of the show internally, from the cast and crew, and we will also be assisted by Ann Yamamoto of Pied Piper, who we have worked with on other Kickstarter projects, including Time of Eve and Skip Beat! You'll see our special begging appeal from the President and Dark Lord of Right Stuf as part of the kick-off video as well.
Yes, we will include both the new English Dubbed version as well as the Japanese with English subtitled version on the disc when created. Please note the Blu-ray discs will be Region A only. As we have reached our stretch goal, the audio on the English track for all Blu-rays will be presented in 5.1 sound.
Risks and challenges
Nozomi Entertainment is a division of Right Stuf, Inc. We’ve been producing and selling anime since 1987. In the past (Pre-Kickstarter) we completed the industry’s first crowdsourcing project when we produced and created our first DVD project for Irresponsible Captain Tylor back in 2001. We also produce monthly releases of anime, most recently titles from the Gundam Franchise, Junjo Romantica, Revolutionary Girl Utena, and many more.
We have selected a studio to work with in order to complete the dubbing process, but availability for actors and the director could cause some delays. This studio and those involved all have experience in working on anime. In addition, should we reach stretch goals, it may take longer for us to produce the title and get it to the backers. All other production work will be completed in-house.
We already have all of the source materials required in order to do this production, and have the approval to do this Kickstarter project from the production committee. However, the project could be delayed due to the need to have certain approvals, especially for merchandise items, that are required. We’ll document in the ongoing project updates how the production and approval process works to be transparent about its status.
We may ask supporters to vote or help make decisions on certain items, which could also add time to the project and the fulfillment of rewards, only in that it may take longer to complete the work.
Should the project not fund we might not receive permission to create similar projects in the future. Should we not make the super-stretch goals for additional seasons but make the regular goal, we might create a different project for those other seasons or may simply release them in HD without an English track.
We have fulfilled many Kickstarter projects for other companies, and one of our main business divisions does order fulfillment every day, so we do not anticipate any issues with getting materials to customers once the project is complete.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterQuestions about this project? Check out the FAQ