Fifteen
years don't come every day, and even less so in an industry where series are
usually forgotten after a couple of seasons. To break that trend, the publisher
Kadokawa has just confirmed this week the production of a new
short anime based on the successful action light novels created
by Chugaku Akamatsu, Aria the Scarlet Ammo (Hidan no Aria). This
project has been launched with the sole purpose of celebrating the 15th
anniversary of its first television adaptation, demonstrating that
readers' interest in this explosive story is still more than active.
A
mystery in the recording and production booth
As it was a
commemorative announcement in its earliest phase, the production committee
decided to reserve the technical information. The official statement issued by
the publisher omitted any mention of which animation studio will take the
reins, the identity of the director or an approximate release window. Likewise,
there is no solid confirmation on the voice cast, so we will have to wait for
future updates to find out if the original cast from 2011 will return to the
microphones to give life to the assembled students.
Nine
million copies and an expanding universe
The
sustained impact of this work is truly remarkable. Since its debut on Japanese
television, the series built a fan base that did not stop consuming the printed
material. Currently, the original story already accumulates 45 volumes, while
the manga adaptation illustrated by Yoshino Koyoka continues
to add compilation volumes in the magazine Monthly Comic Alive. Among all its
formats, the franchise recently surpassed the mark of nine million copies sold
worldwide, a commercial success that had already allowed them to produce in
2015 an exclusive anime for their popular spin-off, Double
A.
What
happens when school becomes a battlefield?
If you are
one of those who will just discover this franchise, the plot does not mince
words. It places us in a preparatory academy in Tokyo where students not only
learn traditional subjects, but are rigorously trained as lethal armed
detectives. Our protagonist is a student who hates the spotlight and is only
looking for a quiet and normal life. However, his peace is shattered when he
ends up being dragged into a spiral of armed combat, covert
missions, and explosions after crossing paths with Aria, a lethal elite student
who will turn his life upside down.
