Sola

Sola is an original, engaging, and richly detailed 2007 anime series produced by Chiba TV, showcasing a unique blend of supernatural themes, romance, and drama. Crafted by an artistic team, including the writer and illustrator duo, Naoki Hisaya and Naru Nanao, known for their work on the highly popular visual novel "Kanon", Sola's production boasts some of the same emotional resonance and striking character design that made their earlier creations a hit.

The series centers around protagonist Yorito Morimiya, an ordinary high school boy with an extraordinary passion for the sky and, more specifically, taking pictures of it. His fondness is steeped in a desire to capture the inconstant nature of the skies that are always changing yet remain beautifully constant. It’s an obsession that initially seems odd yet, harmless but becomes significant as the show advances.

One night, while attempting to capture a picture of the sunrise for his bedridden sister, Yorito encounters a young girl named Matsuri Shihou indulging her whimsical joy in a vending machine soda under the starry sky. The mystery surrounding her is intensified when she vanishes before his eyes, leaving Yorito grappling with the question of whether their encounter was real or just his imagination.

However, Matsuri is anything but imaginary. She is, in fact, a Yaka, immortal beings who are cursed to shun sunlight, for it brings them agonizing pain. Living a secluded life in an abandoned church, Matsuri is content leading her life as a Yaka, gently swaying between the realm of humans yet distinctively separate until she meets Yorito. Matsuri’s reclusive life gets disrupted when her meeting with Yorito sparks a bond that blossoms into unconventional friendship layered with layers of warmth, understanding, and mystery.

The series traces their growing bond, with each episode uncovering more about their pasts and personalities in tandem with the evolving story. As Yorito and Matsuri's relationship deepens, they find themselves embroiled in a conflict that stretches back centuries. Maneuvering through the complex plotlines, Sola delicately weaves together elements of the supernatural with day-to-day human experiences.

What is striking about Sola is its atmospheric storytelling. The mood is often somber, and the color palette reflects this, relying heavily on deep blues and muted grays, especially in external scenes. Despite its supernatural elements, it radiates a very down-to-earth feel, showing emphasis on the mundane aspects of daily life which juxtaposes beautiful against the extraordinary happenings.

A skilled cast of well-developed secondary characters adds depth and complexity to the TV series, each having a critical role in the unfolding narrative. Among them is Yorito’s elder sister, Aono, who despite her frail health, is depicted as a strong-willed character, a central piece to the puzzle woven around Yorito and Matsuri. Yorito’s friends, Mana and Koyori, function as the human element in the story, providing lighter moments in the generally serious narrative.

Sola's title is derived from the Latin word for "solitude", and true to its name the series often delves into themes of loneliness, isolation, and the yearning for connection. It masterfully balances the dichotomy between the ephemeral nature of human life and the eternal loneliness of the supernatural beings.

The music of Sola is particularly impressive. The background score by Hajime Kikuchi provides an ethereal tone, enriching the ambiance of the story. The combination of reflective storytelling, compelling characters, intelligently laced humor, and a well-executed soundtrack culminates in making the viewing experience engrossing.

Sola can be classified as a blend of fantasy and romance, embedded with strong elements of drama and slice-of-life that provides for a unique, entertaining, and emotionally resonant experience. Despite its foundations in the supernatural, Sola notably maintains a realistic touch, making it an authentic representation of the human experiences of love, conflict, pain, and ultimately, growth.

Sola does a fantastic job in storytelling with its compelling characters, captivating visuals, and atmospheric music, rightly placing it as one of the noteworthy series of 2007. It is an enchanting journey of friendship, love, mystery, and life itself that revolves around the incongruous involvement of a high-school boy with a mysterious, eternally young woman, resulting in a complex tapestry of intrigue, emotion, and nuanced relationships.