Aria (manga)

Aria (stylized as ARIA) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kozue Amano. The series was originally titled Aqua (stylized as AQUA) when it was published in Enix's Monthly Stencil magazine from 2001 to 2002, and retitled when it was transferred to Mag Garden's Comic Blade, where it continued serialization from November 2002 to April 2008. Aqua was collected in two tankōbon volumes, and Aria was collected in twelve volumes.

Hal Film Maker has adapted the manga into several anime television series. A first season was broadcast in 2005, a second season in 2006, an OVA released September 2007, and a third season in 2008 that ended around the same time as the manga serialization. An OVA, titled Aria the Avvenire, was released in the anime series' 10th anniversary Blu-ray box sets between December 2015 and June 2016. A film to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the anime series titled Aria the Crepuscolo premiered on 5 March 2021. A second anime film titled Aria the Benedizione premiered on 3 December 2021.

ADV Manga released English translations of the first three volumes of Aria in 2004 before dropping the license. Tokyopop then acquired the English-language rights to Aqua as well as Aria. Tokyopop released the two volumes of Aqua in October 2007 and February 2008 and six volumes of Aria between January 2008 and December 2010. The anime is licensed in North America by The Right Stuf International, which released all three seasons in box sets under its Nozomi Entertainment imprint between 30 September 2008 and 2 March 2010.

The series is set in the 24th century on a terraformed Mars, now named Aqua, and follows a young woman named Akari Mizunashi as she trains as an apprentice gondolier (known as Undines). The series has been praised for its calm pacing, optimistic worldview, beautiful art, and, for the anime, the quality of the soundtrack.

## Story

Aqua and Aria take place in the early 24th century, starting in 2301 AD, in the city of Neo-Venezia (ネオ・ヴェネツィア Neo Venetsia, literally "New Venice") on the planet Aqua (アクア Akua, formerly Mars, sometimes stylized as in the manga with the base text for "Mars" serving as a gloss), which was renamed after being terraformed into a habitable planet covered in oceans around 150 years beforehand. Neo-Venezia, based on Venice in both architecture and atmosphere, is a harbor city of narrow canals instead of streets, traveled by unmotorized gondolas.

At the start of Aqua, a young woman named Akari arrives from Manhome  [sic] (マンホーム Manhōmu, formerly Earth, sometimes stylized as with the base text for "Earth" serving as a gloss) to become a trainee gondolier with Aria Company, one of the three most prestigious water-guide companies in the city. Her dream is to become an Undine, a gondolier who acts as a tour guide (see Terms below). As she trains, Akari befriends her mentor Alicia, trainees and seniors from rival companies—Aika, Alice, Akira, and Athena—and others in Neo-Venezia. Aqua covers Akari's arrival on Aqua and her early training as a Pair or apprentice. Aria continues her training as a Single, or journeyman, culminating in the graduation of her, Aika, and Alice as full Prima Undines.

Each chapter is a slice of life episode of Akari's exploration of the worlds of gondoliers, Neo-Venezia, and Aqua itself. Amano frequently uses several pages of lush art to depict an environment, showing the wonder of both everyday activities as well as one-of-a-kind events. It has been described by reviewers as very similar in tone and effect to Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō.

## Characters

### Aria Company

Aria Company is a small water-guide company that starts with only two employees. Its uniforms are lined with blue, and its president (and namesake) is Aria Pokoteng.

Mizunashi Akari (水無 灯里)
A native of Japan on Manhome (Earth) who immigrates to Aqua when she is 15 to become an Undine. While not as skillful at rowing a gondola as Alice nor as familiar with the history of her adopted city as Aika, Akari makes friends quickly and easily converses with customers and other strangers. She is depicted as optimistic and cheerful, finding enjoyment in things or events that others think humdrum and mundane, for which Aika and Alice call her "mysterious"; in the anime, Aika and Alice separately comment that Akari seems to attract mysterious phenomena to her. Akari often says Hohe or Hahi, which is her short version of "wow". When Akari used gondola simulations on Manhome, she accidentally learned how to row backwards and has to relearn the proper method when she starts at Aria Company; however, as Alicia puts it, "When rowing backward, Akari-chan is unrivaled!"

Most chapters of the manga and episodes of the anime are framed with narration taken from e-mails written by Akari. In the anime, the recipient is a young girl named Ai, a customer in the first episode who becomes Akari's pen pal, but in the manga the recipient is someone she does not name and is referred to as zenryaku but has never seen.

At the start of Aqua, Akari arrives on Aqua as a new Pair (apprentice) at Aria Company. In chapter 5 of Aqua, when Aika is promoted to Single (journeyman), Alicia tests and promotes Akari as well. Later, in chapter 58 of Aria and episode 12 of Aria the Origination, after Aika is promoted to Prima (full Undine), Alicia gives Akari the test for Prima. When Akari passes, she is given the title "Aquamarine" (遙かなる蒼, Harukanaru Ao, lit. "Distant Blue").

Arishia Furōrensu (アリシア·フローレンス)
The only other Undine with Aria Company, Alicia is one of the Three Water Fairies of Neo-Venezia, known by the title "Snow White" (白き妖精, Shiroki Yōsei, lit. "White Fairy"). At the start of the series, she is 19 years old and the most popular Undine in the city, noted especially for her graceful rowing style. She was promoted to Prima at 15, the youngest ever to do so. Like Akari, she is relaxed and easy-going, but she also likes to tease others, especially her childhood friend Akira. Her favorite phrase is "My, my" (ara ara; "Well Well") and she frequently giggles, to Akira's annoyance. According to Grandma Akino, she is an excellent Undine because of her ability to enjoy everything.

At the end of the series, Alicia announces her upcoming marriage and retirement to take an administrative position with the Gondola Association. She tells Akari she had put off her Prima exam because she had been planning to retire after that and did not want to leave her student and friend. According to issue No. 6 of Monthly Undine, after her retirement, "Snow White" is designated the 8th "honored appellation" by the Gondola Association, as an Undine who made great contributions to the industry.

Ametsuchi Akino (天地 秋乃) , nicknamed Guranma (グランマ)
A famous and long-serving Prima Undine, who started Aria Company with Aria Pokoteng after realizing she was missing too much of life as Himeya's top ace. She was Prima Undine for 30 years and mentor to Alicia, her last disciple, to whom she left the company on her retirement. She is highly respected by younger Undines, who call her "Grandma".

Aino Ai (愛野アイ)
A girl from Manhome. In the anime, she befriends Akari in episode 1 and becomes Akari's e-mail correspondent, while visiting Aqua whenever she can. In the manga, she first appears in chapter 60 as Aria Company's newest employee. In both versions, at the end of the series she becomes a Pair under Akari after Alicia's marriage and retirement. At some point before the start in the OVA Aria the Avvenire, she becomes a Single.

Anna (アンナ, Anna)
A retired Undine who trained under Grandma Akino, becoming a Prima before Alicia. She left Aria Company shortly after Alicia was promoted to Prima to marry a fisherman named Alberto. She has a son named Ahito, and lives with her family on Neo-Burano Island.

### Himeya Company

Himeya Company is the oldest and currently second-ranking water-guide company in Neo-Venezia. It employs 80 Undines, with a uniform lined with red. Its president is Hime Granzchesta.

Aika S. Granzchesta (藍華·S·グランチェスタ, Aika S. Guranchesuta)
The first friend Akari makes on Aqua, Aika is 16 when they meet. Aika is a Pair and then Single at Himeya Company. She is the only daughter and heir of Himeya Company's owners. However, she does not enjoy the distinction as she feels the company's employees fawn on her too much. Aika speaks bluntly and often responds to Akari's idealistic comments with "Embarrassing remarks are not allowed!" (恥ずかしいセリフ禁止!, Hazukashii serifu kinshi!). Despite their contrasting personalities, she gets along well with Akari and Alice. However, she frequently squabbles with her mentor, Akira, whom she resembles. Aika considers herself reliable, especially compared to distractible Akari and antisocial Alice, but both her friends call her a crybaby for her tendency to tear up when emotional. She is proud of her gondola skill as an Undine and can be very competitive about it. She also greatly admires Alicia and finds any excuse to visit Aria Company—and once tells Akari that if not for her family obligations, she would have joined Aria Company. Over the course of the series, Aika develops feelings for Al.

In chapter 58, Aika becomes a Prima, taking the title "Rosen Queen" (薔薇の女王, Bara no Joō, lit. "Queen of Roses"). She takes charge of a newly opened Himeya branch office in preparation for taking on the whole company one day.

Akira E. Ferrari (晃·E·フェラーリ, Akira E. Ferāri)
One of Neo-Venezia's Three Water Fairies and a native of Aqua. As a Prima Undine, Akira is called the "Crimson Rose" (真紅の薔薇, Shinku no Bara) and is famed for her conversational skills. She has many admirers among her customers, especially her female ones, but she considers herself very feminine. In flashbacks, Akira is shown as very tomboyish when young, to the point of using a male pronoun for "I" (俺, ore) (see gender differences in spoken Japanese) and being mistaken for a boy by Akatsuki. Akira is a mentor to Aika, who calls her the Demon Instructor for her strictness and loud, brusque personality. Akira is particularly harsh with Aika because she believes there is potential in her, and Aika admits that it is only due to Akira's strictness and honesty that she has become a good Undine.

Akira and Alicia are childhood friends, and their relationship mirrors Aika and Akari's. However, Alicia teases Akira far more than Akari does Aika. Akira still resents that Alicia became a Prima before her. Upon Alicia's retirement at the end of the series, Akira becomes the undisputed top Undine in Neo-Venezia.

Ayumi K. Jasmine (アユミ·K·ジャスミン, Ayumi K. Jasumin)
Ayumi appears in the Origination series as a cheerful Single for Himeya Company, who often works as a traghetto rower with Atora and Anzu from Orange Planet. Unlike many Undines, Ayumi doesn't plan to become a Prima because she wants to specialize in the traghetto, which gets her involved with the city and its people as well as lets her make money.

Azusa B. McLaren (あずさ・B・マクラーレン, Azusa B. Makurāren)
A newly trained Single under Aika in the Avvenire series.

### Orange Planet

Orange Planet is the largest water-guide company in Neo-Venezia, employing 81 Undines (including 20 Primas). Its uniforms are lined with yellow, and its president is Maa.

Alice Carroll (アリス·キャロル, Arisu Kyaroru)
Alice is a 14-year-old Undine for Orange Planet. She first appears (in volume 3 of Aria/episode 3 of Aria the Animation) as a standoffish, detached girl. Aika later describes her as anti-social and complains about her tendency to put on a grim face and speak in a quiet voice. Alice speaks in a deadpan manner, though she frequently uses dekkai (でっかい, literally, "huge") as an intensifier. Although initially only a Pair, her rowing already surpasses both Aika and Akari's—for which skill Orange Planet scouted her despite her young age. Despite working for rival companies, Alice, Akari, and Aika often practice together, and Alice sincerely enjoys the others' company, though this does not stop her from telling them to be quiet when they argue. Because of her age and lower status, Aika often addresses her as "kōhai-chan" (後輩ちゃん, "junior" said in a friendly manner). Through her friendship with Akari and Aika, Alice lightens up as the series progresses. However, she still struggles with her detachment.

For a long time, Alice was not confident in her singing skills until Athena advised her to enjoy what she sings and not worry about her performance. In volume 11 of Aria, after Alice graduates from middle school, she is promoted to Prima straight from Pair, the first Undine to do so, and is given the title "Orange Princess" (黄昏の姫君, Tasogare no Himegimi, lit. "Twilight Princess").

Athena Glory (アテナ·グローリィ, Atena Gurōryi)
One of Neo-Venezia's Three Water Fairies, known by the title "Siren" (天上の謳声, Tenjō no Utagoe, lit. "Heavenly Voice") for her beautiful singing voice. She is Alice's mentor at Orange Planet. She is quiet most of the time and often appears to be an airhead who does not pay attention to her surroundings (in the anime, she is shown more than once forgetting to duck while rowing under a bridge), but she genuinely cares about Alice. Athena has a strange laugh that comes out sounding as though she is angry. She was a trainee Undine with Alicia and Akira. She joined them in joint practice sessions like Akari, Aika, and Alice do now. At the conclusion of the series, Athena semi-retires from being an Undine to debut as an opera singer.

Atora Monteverdi (アトーラ·モンテヴェルディ, Atōra Monteverudi)
Atora is a Single for Orange Planet who appears in the Origination series. She often works as a traghetto rower with Anzu as well as Ayumi from Himeya Company. Atora took the Prima exam once but did not pass and became too discouraged to try again. After meeting Akari during her stint in the traghetto, she decides to train harder to retake the exam.

Anzu Yumeno (夢野 杏, Yumeno Anzu)
Anzu is a Single for Orange Planet who appears in Origination. She often works as a traghetto rower with Atora as well as Ayumi from Himeya Company. Although Anzu has failed her Prima exam several times, she continues to work hard and is determined to become a Prima.

Anya Dostoyevskaya (アーニャ・ドストエフスカヤ, Anya Dosutoefusukaya)
A newly trained Single under Alice in the Avvenire series and the Crepuscolo movie.

### Cats

Because blue-eyed cats are considered lucky on Aqua, all Undine companies have a blue-eyed cat as a mascot, who is given the title President. Cats on Aqua have been bred to be as intelligent as humans, though they cannot speak.

Aria Pokoten (アリア·ポコテン)
President and namesake of Aria Company, and an Aqua cat. Aria is large and fat, massing 10 kg. He is attracted to President Hime, who does not appear to reciprocate his sentiments; his pursuit of her is a common comic relief scene.

Hime M. Guranchesuta (ヒメ·M·グランチェスタ)
President of Himeya Company, a small, delicate, black female cat from Manhome. "Hime" means princess in Japanese.

(まぁ)
President of Orange Planet, an Aqua kitten with very tiny blue eyes. Alice calls her "Maa-kun" after her unusual meow. Maa often bites President Aria's belly. The volume 8, Special Navigation, an annual President checkup reveals that Maa is actually a female cat and much attracted to President Aria.

Cait Sith (ケット・シー, Ketto Shī)
A huge cat with mysterious powers, said to be Cat-sìth from Scottish folklore. He has been the king of the cat kingdom in Aqua for at least 100 years. In the anime, Alicia and Akari suggest that he is the spiritual guardian of Aqua. Jun'ichi Satō, the anime director, claimed that his interpretation is "a little different from the original manga's interpretation". It is hinted at various times throughout the manga as he secretly guides and protects Akari to the seven mysteries of Neo Venezia, and is ultimately revealed that he is Akari's pen pal and the final mystery.

### Other characters

Izumo Akatsuki (出雲 暁)
Akari's first customer as a Single. He is a tall, impatient young man who calls Akari "Pigtails" or "Sideburns" (momiko) to tease her. He works as an apprentice Salamander, someone who helps maintain Aqua's climate in the floating buildings that are tethered overhead. Although drawn like a typical bishōnen, his constant scowl combined with a loose-fitting robe usually covers up his more "attractive" features, which he rarely displays. Akatsuki has an older brother who teases him to the point of rage.

Akatsuki is not on the ground often, so every visit to the surface is an adventure for him. He claims to be in love with Alicia, though Alicia and his older brother suggest that he is really attracted to Akari. In any case, every visit to Neo-Venezia, no matter his official reason, he spends most of his time with Akari.

(綾小路宇土51世)
More commonly known as "Woody". Woody is a Sylph who delivers packages and other goods to people in Neo-Venezia. He has a bad sense of direction and cannot navigate without a map. His physique is well-built, and he is usually seen wearing goggles. He was childhood friends with both Akatsuki and Al.

Arubāto Pitto (アルバート·ピット)
Al is a Gnome, a person who lives underground regulating Aqua's gravity so that it is the same as Manhome's. Gnomes rarely come to the surface except to shop. He looks younger than Akari and Aika, but he is actually three years older. His young appearance is due to the stronger gravity underground making him smaller.

Namihei Anno (庵野波平, Anno Namihei) / Mr. Postman (郵便屋さん, Yūbin'ya-san)
An elderly mailman in Neo-Venezia, called Mailman-san or Mr. Postman by Akari. He is the first person that Akari meets after arriving on Aqua. He is a kind man who is devoted to his work and his younger co-workers. Akari does not learn his name until near the end of the series when he hires her for a gondola ride after retiring from his job.

## Terms

Several terms of the world of Aqua are derived from elemental mythology:

Undine (Undīne): A gondolier acting as a refined tour guide for visitors to Neo-Venezia. All known Undines are young girls and women, except those of the gender-flip parallel world in the Special Navigation of volume 6.
Pair (ペア, Pea): An apprentice Undine who has just begun practicing sculling a gondola. A Pair is recognized by her pair of gloves, worn to protect her hands as she builds up calluses. When a Pair is promoted to Single, she removes one glove. This is translated by Nozomi and ADV as "Pair", and by Tokyopop as "apprentice".
Single (シングル, Shinguru): A journeyman Undine qualified to take customers only under supervision. So-called because she wears only one glove. Nozomi and ADV translate this as "Single," and by Tokyopop as "journeyman."
Prima (プリマ, Purima): A graduated Undine who is no longer a Single. Once an Undine becomes a Prima, they can take customers without supervision. This is translated by Nozomi and ADV as "Prima", and by Tokyopop as "full-fledged Undine".
Salamander (Saramandā): A person working at controlling the weather and adding heat to the atmosphere as part of terraforming Aqua. Salamanders live in floating islands tethered at high altitude.
Gnome (Nōmu): A person working underground to regulate the gravity of Aqua, so that it is as strong as Manhome (Earth). Because of their environment, most gnomes are short and have bad eyesight.
Sylph (Shirufu): A person who makes deliveries by air bike. Deliveries are done by air in Neo-Venezia because only unpowered watercraft such as gondolas are allowed in the smaller canals of the city.
Traghetto: A gondola designed to ferry several people across the Grand Canal. Because of its size and the number of passengers, the gondola is rowed by two Singles.
Three Water Fairies (水の三大妖精, Mizu no Sandaiyōsei): Neo-Venezia's three most accomplished Undines at the time of the series: Alicia Florence, Akira E. Ferrari, and Athena Glory.
Seven Mysteries of Neo Venezia (ネオ・ヴェネツィアの七不思議, Neo Venetsia no Nanafushigi): The seven mysteries of the city of Neo Venezia that very few people have ever gotten to witness. Akari is the only person to do so when the story takes place, thanks to personal guidance from Cait Sith. Those mysteries include the endless waterway hall, the Carnival Casanova, the mirage coffee shop, the galactic train that runs in the night sky, the legendary lady of San Michele Island, the (street) stone of misfortune, and Cait Sith himself.

## Development

According to her original afterword to Aqua volume 2, Kozue Amano's goal in writing the series was to have readers find happiness in small things and to not focus on their failures. In another afterword, she stated that writing Aria has forced her to pay attention to the four seasons and that she hopes the series shows her appreciation for them. Amano developed a 24-month calendar system for Aqua, based on Mars's real orbital period of 668.6 local days (see Timekeeping on Mars), making every season 6 months long. Amano marked the passage of time and the seasons throughout the series through such means as Akari explicitly telling her correspondent the time of year and depicting seasonal observances such as fireworks at the end of summer (Aqua volume 2, Navigation 9 and Aria volume 4, Navigation 20), New Year's Eve (Aria volume 2, Navigation 9), or birthdays of characters (Aria volume 10, Navigation 46).

In the universe of Aqua and Aria, Neo-Venezia's builders modeled it after the city of Venice before its demise in the 21st century, including counterparts to such public landmarks as the Piazza San Marco and the Bridge of Sighs. In creating Neo-Venezia, Amano also based some of the fictional locations of the series on real Venetian locations. Examples include:

- The Aria Company headquarters corresponds to the location of a vaporetto stop.
- The Himeya Company headquarters is in the Danieli Hotel, located on the southern promonade, near Piazza San Marco.

Other locations on Aqua that Amano based on real places include the Japanese shrine visited in Aria volume 1, based on Fushimi Inari-taisha near Kyoto.

### Adaptation as an anime

As part of the preparations for the first season of the anime adaptation, the production crew led by director Jun'ichi Satō made a trip to Venice for location research. As a result of filming the movements of gondoliers sculling, they had to redraw the animation of Undines rowing in the first episodes to make it realistic. Satō said that seeing a gondolier use his paddle to toss a bottle out of the water inspired the scene in episode 11 of Aria the Animation where Alicia does the same with a ball, which was not in the manga. As part of the production company's commitment to adapting the manga faithfully and gesture of consideration toward the voice actors, they provided the collected volumes of Aqua and Aria to date, rather than requiring them to purchase their own or giving stacks of photocopies.

According to Jun'ichi Satō, it was a struggle to fit the available material into the 13 episodes of the first season, which focused closely on Akari. The title of the second season, Aria the Natural, came about because he had 26 episodes to work with, letting him treat the story in a more "natural" manner, allowing the series to develop other characters more.

Choro Club and Takeshi Senoo composed 30 works of music for the first season of the anime and 15 for the second. Jun'ichi Satō and sound designer Yasuno Satō assigned Choro Club and Takeshi Senoo abstract themes instead of plot points, which was an unfamiliar method for the composers who did not have much experience working for anime shows. Takeshi Senoo and the three members of Choro Club make a cameo appearance as musicians in episode 23 of Aria the Natural. Jun'ichi Satō has commented that the lyrics for the songs "Barracole" and "Coccolo", sung by Eri Kawai as the voice of Athena Glory, were gibberish. The lyrics for the first two seasons' theme songs were also initially meant to be gibberish, but after reading the manga Eri Kawai decided to write Japanese lyrics: "I read the original manga and wrote the lyrics, using my image of Neo-Venezia as a starting point. Then did my best to match words that flowed with the melody." Kawai made demo recordings for Yui Makino as a guide for her performance of the theme songs. Takeshi Senoo has described "Smile Again", the second ending theme song of Aria the Natural, as a song about the end of summer, and envisioned it being sung by Erino Hazuki as Akari.

## Media

### Manga

The manga was written and illustrated by Kozue Amano and has a complicated publishing history. Aqua was originally published by Enix in Monthly Stencil magazine from 2001 to 2002 and collected in two tankōbon volumes. When the series moved to Mag Garden's Comic Blade magazine in November 2002, the title changed to Aria. Mag Garden later re-released the two volumes of Aqua with additional material and new covers. Serialization completed in April 2008. In all, the 70 serialized chapters of Aqua and Aria were collected in 14 tankōbon volumes, each volume containing five chapters covering a season of the year. Each volume is called a "voyage," and each chapter a "navigation."

In English, Aria (but not Aqua) was originally licensed by ADV Manga, who dropped the license after publishing three volumes. The North American license for Aqua and Aria was picked up by Tokyopop, which began releasing the series starting with the first volume of Aqua. The series has been licensed in France by Kami, in Germany by Tokyopop Germany, in Italy by Star Comics, in Indonesia by M&C Comics, in South Korea by Bookbox, in Spain by Editorial Ivrea, in Taiwan by Tong Li Comics, and in Thailand by Bongkoch Comics.

### Anime

Aqua and Aria were adapted by Hal Film Maker as a 54-episode anime television series comprising two seasons titled Aria the Animation and Aria the Natural, an original video animation (OVA) titled Aria the OVA: Arietta, and a third season titled Aria the Origination. The series was directed by Junichi Sato with character designs by Makoto Koga, and broadcast on the TV Tokyo Network between 2005 and 2008. All three seasons have been released on DVD in Japan. A special OVA series, Aria the Avvenire, received an event screening on 26 September 2015. It was animated by TYO Animations.

The series is licensed in North America by The Right Stuf International. A DVD box set of the English subtitled first season was released on 30 September 2008 under its Nozomi Entertainment imprint. The second season was released in two box sets on 29 January and 24 March 2009. The third season box set, including the Arietta OVA and the bonus episode numbered 5.5, was released on 2 March 2010. On 12 August 2017, Right Stuf launched a Kickstarter campaign to produce an English dub and a Blu-ray release for the first season of the series, which ended on 11 September 2017 with a total of \$595,676 raised, which is \$230,000 over the final stretch goal of dubbing the entire franchise, including the 10th Anniversary special OVA series, Avvenire. The series is licensed in Australia by Siren Visual. The series has been licensed in the United Kingdom by MVM Entertainment, and was released on Blu-ray on 25 October 2021.

The series is licensed in Korea by Animax Asia, in Taiwan by Muse Communications, in France by Kaze, and in Italy by Yamato Video. The series was also broadcast in Italy on the Rai 4.

#### Films

It was announced on 14 April 2020 that the franchise would debut a new work scheduled for winter 2020 in celebration of the series' 15th anniversary. On 22 July 2020, it was announced that the new work would be an anime film titled Aria the Crepuscolo, which premiered on 5 March 2021. The film was produced by J.C.Staff and directed by Takahiro Natori, with the main staff members reprising their roles.

After the film Aria the Crepuscolo'''s release, a new anime project titled Aria the Benedizione was announced, which would serve as the third and final installment of the "Blue Curtain Call" trilogy. On 21 March 2021, it was announced that the anime project is a film that will premiere in winter 2021. The cast and staff from the previous film reprised their roles. On 10 August 2021, two new cast members were revealed and the release date of 3 December 2021 was announced.

### Soundtracks

Several soundtrack albums were released for Aria, including an album for each of the three seasons of the anime, two piano music collections, a song collection, and a tribute album. Singles were released for the opening and closing themes for all three anime seasons, the OVA, and the two visual novel adaptations. Most of the releases charted on the Oricon charts, with the highest ranking album being Aria the Natural Vocal Song Collection at 30th, and the highest ranking single being "Euforia", the opening theme for Aria the Natural, at 18th.

### Drama CDs

Four series of drama CDs have been released. The first series was produced before the anime began and uses different voice actors; the other three were produced in conjunction with the three seasons of the anime, using the anime voice actors.

- The first series comprises two volumes dramatizing episodes from the early volumes of Aria, released 25 August 2004 and 24 August 2005, and one volume dramatizing episodes from Aqua, released 22 September 2005.
- The second series was produced in conjunction with Aria the Animation. It comprises three volumes titled Blue, Red, and Orange, after the uniform colors of Aria Company, Himeya Company, and Orange Planet, which were released 25 November 2005, 22 December 2005, and 25 January 2006, respectively. Red and Orange peak ranked 237th and 161st on the Oricon albums chart respectively. A drama CD box containing the second series was released for 27 July 2009, including a new drama CD as bonus material, and peak ranked 62nd on Oricon albums chart.
- The third series was produced in conjunction with Aria the Natural. It comprises two volumes released 23 June 2006 and 21 July 2006. The first and second volumes peak ranked 132nd and 166th on the Oricon albums chart, respectively. A drama CD box containing the third series was released for 27 January 2010, including a new drama CD as bonus material, and peak ranked 82nd on Oricon albums chart.
- The fourth series was produced in conjunction with Aria the Origination. It comprises three volumes titled Yuki ("snow"), Tsuki ("moon"), and Hana ("flower"), released 21 March 2008, 23 April 2008, and 21 May 2008, respectively. Yuki, Tsuki and Hana peak ranked 87th, 55th, and 48th on the Oricon albums chart, respectively.

Additional drama CDs were included as bonus materials for each volume of Aria Perfect Guide.

### Radio CDs

An Aria radio show called Aria the Station was broadcast on the internet through onsen.ag and Animate throughout November 2006 in conjunction with the three seasons of the anime. The 115 episodes were later compiled on "radio CDs" released in three seasons. Each volume contains a CD-ROM with the radio episodes in MP3 format plus an audio CD containing additional material. The radio show starred Erino Hazuki as Akari Mizunashi and Chinami Nishimura as President Aria Pokoteng, with other voice actors from the anime as guests reprising their respective roles.

- The 12 episodes of the first season were collected on one album called Aria the Station Neo-Venezia Informale, released on 29 September 2006.
- The 51 episodes of the second season, Aria the Station Due were collected on four volumes. The first volume, numbered Cour.1, was released on 24 November 2006; the second, Cour.2, on 29 December 2006; Cour.3 on 23 February 2007; and Cour.4 on 25 May 2007.
- The 52 episodes of the third season, Aria the Station Tricolore, were collected the four volumes. The first volume, numbered Cour.1, was released on 28 September 2007; the second, Cour.2, on 21 December 2007; Cour.3 on 28 March 2008; and Cour.4 on 27 June 2008.

### Video games

The Alchemist company produced two visual novel video games for the PS2 based on Aria. Both were released in regular and special editions on the same day.

- Aria the Natural: Tooi Yume no Mirage ("Mirage of a Distant Dream") was released 28 September 2006. This was later re-released on 6 March 2008 as part of the Alchemist Best Collection.
- Aria the Origination: Aoi Hoshi no Il Cielo ("The Sky Over the Blue Planet") was released 26 June 2008. It ranked 30th for its first release week on the Famitsu sales chart with 7221 copies sold.

### Other books

#### Art books

Four art books were published by Mag Garden containing drawings and sketches for Aqua and Aria by Kozue Amano:

- Alpha () was released 29 January 2004.
- Stella () was released 29 March 2005.
- Cielo () was released 30 August 2006.
- Birth () was released 10 February 2011.

Mag Garden published a fifth art book containing additional artwork used in the anime, video games, drama CDs, and merchandising:

- Aria the Illustration Avvenire () was released 24 December 2008.

In addition, three poster books have been published, each containing ten A2-format posters:

- Aria Premium Poster Book () was released 22 December 2005.
- Aria Premium Poster Book 2 () was released 22 December 2006.
- Aria Premium Poster Book 3 () was released 22 December 2007.

#### Guide books

Four guide books to Aria have been released by Mag Garden:

- The first guide book, Aria Navigation Guide (), released 29 October 2005, is focused on the manga. It includes background materials, character profiles, and a summary of the series by chapter from the start of Aqua through volume 7 of Aria.
- Three guide books cover the three seasons of the anime, containing episode summaries, descriptions of primary and secondary characters, and other anime-related materials. Each book also contains a bonus manga chapter and a drama CD. Aria the Animation Perfect Guide Book () was released 29 March 2006, Aria the Natural Perfect Guide Book () was released 22 December 2006, and Aria the Origination Perfect Guide Book () was released 30 July 2008.

Additionally, Shinkigesha published guide books for each of Alchemist's two Aria video games, containing background materials, character profiles, and plot summaries covering all outcomes of the game:

- Aria the Natural: Tooi Yume no Mirage Game Material Collection () was released on 22 December 2006.
- Aria the Origination: Aoi Hoshi no Il Cielo Game Material Collection () was released on 1 September 2008.

#### Novels

Aria has also been adapted as series of light novels published by Mag Garden, with two released as of March 2023:

- Mizu no Miyako to Kanashiki Utahime no Monogatari (水の都と哀しき歌姫の物語) by Ayuna Fujisaki () – published 28 February 2006
- The Gift of the Four Season's Breeze (四季の風の贈り物, Shiki no Kaze no Okurimono) by Mari Okada, Ayuna Fujisaki, Tatsuhiko Urahata, and Reiko Yoshida () – published 10 January 2008

#### Monthly Undine

Monthly Undine is a spin-off facsimile of the Undine-focused magazine mentioned in the Aria universe. Six issues of Monthly Undine have been released as of March 2023 with a different character on each cover, each containing a collectible item. The first three magazines contain toy house parts with Himeya Company's Akira and Aika, toy house parts with Aria Company's Alicia and Akari, and toy house parts with Orange Planet's Athena and Alice respectively. When the three magazines' collectible items (toy house parts) are combined, they form a miniature "ARIA Company" building.

#### The President Cat Picture books

In March 2007, Mag Garden published a series of three Aria picture books. Each hardcover book contains a full-color short manga story focused on a cat president, and includes an additional collectible item written and illustrated by Amano Kozue.

- President Maa Picture Book () was published 10 March 2007.
- President Hime Picture Book () was published 20 March 2007.
- President Aria Picture Book () was released 30 March 2007.

#### Sheet Music

Shinko Music published a selection of sheet music called Aria the Best Selection () in July 2008. It contained the themes from the three anime seasons of Aria.

## Reception

In Japan, new volumes of Aria routinely reached the best-seller list for manga, and had sold over 3 million copies as of July 2007, representing 11% of all manga volumes ever sold by its publisher to date. In 2009, this number increased to 4 million.

The English translation of the Aria manga was described by a reviewer at The Comics Journal as "quite conceivably the best comics series ever created for elementary-school girls," calling it "a masterpiece of storytelling and illustration, gorgeous to look at and a feast for the young imagination in its ability to present an inviting, fully realized world." Aqua and Aria together have been praised for their joyful calm,[^1] vividly depicted futuristic world, moments of magic, and sense of whimsy. Amano's artwork is praised for her crisp lines and details, especially in the backgrounds and landscapes. Amano has also been criticized for confusingly giving every character a name that begins with A, for letting some slice-of-life stories "drift too far out," and for making Akari's character too sweet and effusive.

In 2006, the anime of Aria was ranked in the top 100 animated television series of all time in a poll by TV Asahi. As of June 2007, the first two seasons of the anime adaptation had sold more than 300,000 DVDs.

The anime has been praised for its quiet atmosphere, beautiful visuals—especially the backgrounds and character designs—and exceptional soundtrack. Anime News Network described the first season as "a gorgeous future fantasy populated with loveable characters", where "each episode is a finely fashioned tone poem steeped in a love of the slow rhythms of everyday life and told with an elegant self-possession that places it light-years beyond the vulgar moralizing of most "uplifting" stories." IGN contrasted Aria with Maria-sama ga Miteru'' as another series where not much happens, noting that "Maria-sama ratchets up the tension level whenever possible, though, and never mind that all the drama revolves around something completely inconsequential. Aria, on the other hand, is calm and relaxed. It freely admits that the plot is not the point." Several reviewers cited the characters as key to the appeal of the series, though some criticized the characters as unrealistic; the voice acting of Erino Hazuki (Akari) and Junko Minagawa (Akira) were particularly praised. Several reviewers point out that the series does not fit all tastes, being a slow-paced drama with an optimistic outlook.

[^1]:

Japanese manga series by Kozue Amano and its franchise


Rejoined

"Rejoined" is the 78th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the fifth of the fourth season. It originally aired on October 30, 1995, in broadcast syndication. The episode received a record volume of feedback from viewers for the series, both positive and negative, as it marked one of the first televised lesbian kisses.

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures on Deep Space Nine, a space station located near a stable wormhole between the Alpha and Gamma quadrants of the Milky Way Galaxy. The plot of "Rejoined" expands on the Trill species, of which DS9 officer Jadzia Dax is a member. They are formed of a host and a symbiont, with the symbiont passed from host to host as the previous one dies. In the episode, Dax is reunited with Lenara Kahn, the widow of one of the symbiont's former hosts. The two struggle with their feelings for one another because of the taboo in their species against reuniting with loved ones of former hosts as they work together to experiment on wormholes.

The episode was the first that writers Ronald D. Moore and René Echevarria wrote together, and it was directed by main cast member Avery Brooks. In the first draft, Dax's former partner was written as male, but after this was changed, the story was cleared through studio executives. The Trill taboo was intended to be an allegory for homosexuality and homophobia. "Rejoined" received a Nielsen rating of seven percent on the first broadcast in syndication. Reviews have been mostly positive towards the episode because of its message, but there was criticism that the plot was not exciting enough and there was a negative reaction from some viewers.

## Plot

Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) notifies Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) that a group of Trill scientists will be arriving soon at Deep Space Nine to perform experiments related to wormhole physics. The Trill are a species of humanoids, some of whom host a sluglike symbiont implanted into them. The symbionts live far longer than the hosts, and are moved into a new host when the old one dies. Jadzia is the eighth host of the Dax symbiont. Sisko tells Dax that the head scientist is Lenara Kahn (Susanna Thompson), and offers to grant Dax a leave of absence while the Trill scientists are aboard, but she turns it down. Upon Dax and Kahn's first meeting, Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) notices that they are very familiar with each other; Dax tells her that Kahn used to be her wife. Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) later explains to Kira that previous hosts of the Dax and Kahn symbionts were married to each other, but Trill are forbidden from reassociating with partners and lovers of past hosts.

At the welcome party for the visiting scientists, Dax and Kahn warm to one another's company once more. Afterward, they begin to socialize as they work together on Kahn's wormhole experiment aboard USS Defiant. They agree to have dinner, but to also bring Bashir along as a chaperone. At dinner, Bashir is effectively ignored by the two Trills as they reminisce about their past hosts. Later, back on the Defiant, Kahn successfully creates an artificial wormhole and Dax hugs her in celebration. Kahn's brother Bejal (Tim Ryan), who is on the science team, speaks to her separately and highlights his concerns regarding her contact with Dax. Despite this, Kahn goes to Dax's quarters and a discussion between the two leads to a kiss; Kahn leaves before it goes any further.

Dax confides in Sisko that she knows she is in love with her former wife. He reminds her that Trill customs mean that if they resumed their relationship, then they would be exiled from their homeworld and their symbionts would never be joined with a new host, but says that she will have his support either way. Kahn and Dax continue to work on the experiment, but it goes wrong and Defiant is severely damaged. Kahn is injured in the explosion, but Dax rigs a force field across a plasma fire that allows her to reach Kahn, coming to the realization that the relationship is worth exile. After returning to the station, Kahn recuperates from her injuries. She decides against resuming her relationship with Dax, and—with the experiments complete—departs with the science team, leaving Dax heartbroken.

## Production

### Writing and directing

"Rejoined" marked the first time that longtime Star Trek writers Ronald D. Moore and René Echevarria wrote a script together. They had been hired by executive producer Michael Piller following separate unsolicited manuscripts submitted during the third season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and had remained on the staff of the franchise since. In Echevarria's first draft of the story, there was no lesbian element as Dax's former lover was male. The Trill taboo against reuniting relationships from past hosts was suggested by Piller early on in the creation of Deep Space Nine, in order for the society to prevent an "aristocracy of the joined", where joined hosts never met anyone that they did not already know.

It was Moore's suggestion to make Dax's former partner a woman in order to tackle the taboo against homosexuality by way of the on-screen taboo against re-association. At that stage, they intended to make no reference in the script to any characters having a concern about Dax's relationship with a woman so as to focus the story. Clearance was sought for the plot, first from showrunner Ira Steven Behr, then executive producer Rick Berman, and finally from the studio executives. Moore later explained that they agreed to the idea, saying that Star Trek stood for making statements like those in "Rejoined".

Terry Farrell was happy with the story line, saying that it made sense for Dax to have this issue because the symbiont had been in both male and female hosts, adding that "Gender wasn't the issue. For the worm/symbiont, it was a matter of the being it was embodied in." She was pleased to be able to "stand up" for the LGBT community. A similar story had been approached during the first appearance of the Trill in The Next Generation episode "The Host". In this story, however, when the symbiont is transferred from a male to a female host, the Trill is rejected by the character who was the Trill's female partner, Beverly Crusher. The subplot featuring Kahn's artificial wormhole was described as a "MacGuffin" by Moore, and simply a way to get the character into "Rejoined". This was not the first subplot to be considered for the episode, with the main plot from "Bar Association" originally thought of as being suitable to appear in either "Rejoined" or "Crossfire". Instead, the plot, which involved Rom forming a trade union, was expanded into the main plot of its own episode.

The episode was directed by main cast member Avery Brooks, who played Benjamin Sisko in the series, who later said that "Rejoined" was his favorite of the episodes he directed. He said that the episode was about love, and the choices that result from that, and that it was an extraordinary story about losing someone you love and having that person restored to you some time afterward. Following the death of Jadzia in the sixth season finale, "Tears of the Prophets", Farrell suggested that the symbiont could be moved to a male character resulting in a similar situation as "Rejoined" between the new Dax host and Worf, as the two were in a relationship at that point. Instead, the symbiont was placed in a new female host called Ezri, as the producers did not want Kira Nerys to be the only female main character. The prejudice against re-association first highlighted in "Rejoined" was mentioned in seventh season episodes such as "Afterimage".

### Visual effects and guest stars

Visual effect supervisors Gary Hutzel and Glenn Neufeld were busy completing post-production work on the opening episode of the fourth season, "The Way of the Warrior". In their place, visual effects coordinator David Takemura led on the visual effects work on both "Rejoined" and "The Visitor". For this episode, his two main tasks were the creation of the artificial wormhole and the sequence where Dax uses a forcefield as a walkway to reach a trapped Kahn. Takemura was relieved that the wormhole was intended to be artificial in nature, as it meant that he did not have to attempt to re-create the detail already seen in the Bajoran wormhole on the series. Once he came up with the basic design, visual effects company VisionArt completed it.

For the forcefield scene, Farrell was shot "skating" down a board painted blue against a blue screen. A mixture of liquid nitrogen and hot water was used to create a fog around the ground. VisionArt combined these shots with the force field and footage of the engineering set on board the Defiant, while a staff animator added a "plasma glow" around her feet as she made contact with the field.

Before appearing in "Rejoined", Susanna Thompson had previously appeared in two The Next Generation episodes; "The Next Phase" and "Frame of Mind". She later appeared in Star Trek: Voyager as the Borg Queen, previously portrayed by Alice Krige in the film Star Trek: First Contact. Farrell praised Thompson's part in "Rejoined", calling her a "wonderful actress and a joy to work with".

## Themes

Writers on Deep Space Nine had previously hinted at a potential same-sex relationship in the first season episode "Dax", when Jadzia Dax says goodbye to Enina Tandro, a former lover of Dax's previous male host, Curzon. The first take of the scene resulted in a situation in which it was unclear whether Dax and Enina were about to kiss. It was decided at the time that it was not appropriate, although the writers had hoped that there would be a time when the viewers would accept such a relationship. This theme was eventually realized in "Rejoined". Allen Kwan has argued that Deep Space Nine is the only series of Star Trek that resists the heteronormativity typical of the franchise at the time, citing both "Rejoined" and the Mirror Universe episodes as examples, even if the presented bisexuality is problematized.

During that 1995/96 television season there had been an increase in the number of homosexual characters appearing in major television series, and so the same-sex kiss in "Rejoined" was reviewed in this context. An article published by the Associated Press suggested that the kiss in Deep Space Nine was not truly a same-sex kiss due to "extenuating circumstances"; namely, one of the characters was an "alien who used to be a man". A similar opinion was offered by Jan Johnson-Smith, author of American Science Fiction TV, who said that the situation was "ambiguous" as, despite presenting a same-sex kiss, the episode was clear that Jadzia was "actually kissing the symbiont who has the memories of the former host, her male lover, not the current female host".

For film studies scholar Jean Bruce, the ambiguity of the kiss is foreshadowed in an early scene revolving around a magic trick. On the one hand, the magic trick produces a "pleasurable surprise", while, on the other, this mirrors the deception necessary, due to Trill norms, in the reacquaintance of the characters. At the same time, the juxtaposition of very different shots serves to "convey physical distance and the desire to bridge it", which mirrors the fact that the Trills' love for one another transcends gender, identity and death. Though the kiss is "informed by the fact that Dax was a man in her past life", once it occurs, it can "never be taken back", and remains the queer image of two women kissing.

Nonetheless, "Rejoined" was still considered controversial because of its subject matter, which depicts two women who engage in a same-sex romantic relationship, and included one of the first televised lesbian kisses. During the course of the episode, no characters register concern about Dax being involved with a woman, only that she was an ex-spouse. David Greven, literary critic and author of Gender and Sexuality in Star Trek, said that "Rejoined" was one of the better-received episodes of Star Trek that dealt with homosexuality as a theme, but that the franchise overall had typically avoided LGBT issues. Bryan Fuller, who also wrote for Deep Space Nine, said that the franchise had usually avoided those story lines because of the paranoia of the studio regarding homosexuality. Dale Palmer, in an essay on gender and sexual politics, suggested that the choice was made to have a female same-sex kiss on screen because a male one would have alienated the main viewer demographic for the series: heterosexual men.

## Reception and legacy

### Broadcast

"Rejoined" was first broadcast on October 30, 1995, in broadcast syndication. It received Nielsen ratings of 7 percent, placing it in eighth place in its timeslot. This was lower than the share received by "Indiscretion", broadcast in the week prior with a 7.2 percent share and "Little Green Men" in the week afterward with 7.7 percent.

### Fan, cast and crew response

When the episode was originally broadcast, there was a strong negative reaction from some viewers. As Deep Space Nine was shown in syndication, one channel in the Southern United States took the step of editing out the kiss from the initial broadcast. The mother of script writer René Echevarria told him that they should have issued a parental guidance warning before broadcasting it. More responses were received at the production office from viewers than for any other episode of the series, resulting in several staff members having to take turns on the phones in order to cover the load. The staff found that although the majority of the phone calls were negative about "Rejoined", the letters were mostly positive. Terry Farrell said in a 2015 interview that "Rejoined" was her favorite episode of all time and that she still had people thanking her for the episode, because "it gave them strength, and that it made them feel like they weren't alone, it inspired them to be themselves—all the things I was hoping it would do."

### Critical response

Zack Handlen reviewed the episode for The A.V. Club in 2013, praising the natural manner in which the romance was progressed, saying that this was "refreshing" to see. He felt that the relationship did not appear to be manipulative for the sake of male viewers, but added that the ending was expected and that the episode never communicated to the audience the need to care about the duo. Handlen wrote that the overall story itself was "shallow", as the episode suffered from an "enervating lack of fun" which was only saved from "complete tedium" through "strong acting and an admirable lack of stigma". Keith DeCandido, in 2014 review on Tor.com, compared "Rejoined" structurally to The Next Generation episode "Lessons", which also had a "love-interest-in-danger climax". He praised the episode, saying that at the time of broadcast it was considered "radical" and said that both Farrell and Thompson managed to get across the romantic message. He called it a "Trek message" episode, but said that it was one of the better ones as it "shines a light on an inadequacy in our own culture via an alien culture, but in this case it muddies the waters a bit because the taboo actually makes sense on the face of it". He gave "Rejoined" a rating of eight out of ten. Reviewer Jordan Hoffman commented that Farrell's acting "really steps up to the plate" for this episode, and rated the episode five out of five. Writing for Playboy.com Hoffman ranked the episode 256th out of 695 episodes in the Star Trek franchise.

In 2018, SyFy included this episode on their binge-watching guide for episodes featuring Jadzia Dax.

### alien kisses

Dara Gellman, an independent Canadian video artist, used the kiss sequence in "Rejoined" as the basis of her 3-minute 1999 project alien kisses. In this piece, the kiss scene is manipulated—the video is slowed, the image enlarged and digitized—and trance music is added. New media scholar Carolyn Guertin argues that this serves to make the footage "even more alien", presenting queerness as "unearthly". Jean Bruce argues that, despite the inherent ambiguity of the scene in the episode, "the image is still one of two women kissing, which opens up the possibilities of queer desire on its own terms". Similarly, Guertin argues that Gellman translates the (not truly queer) scene into an "expression of gay love that is alien and apart, but no less erotic for being so". In using the scene in isolation, alien kisses, Bruce argues, "strips away the gender equivocation by imposing a new queer vision". She suggests that alien kisses works as an "antidote" to the "ultimately tame treatment" Star Trek has offered of queer themes, and as a "suggestion" that Star Trek acknowledge the desires of queer viewers and fans "beyond the occasional titillating episode".

## Home media release

The first home media release of "Rejoined" was on a VHS cassette alongside "Indiscretion" on March 25, 1996, in the United Kingdom. The first release within the United States was on a single-episode VHS release on August 1, 2000. It was released on DVD as part of the season four box set on August 5, 2003.

On August 5, 1998, "Rejoined" was released on LaserDisc format in Japan, as part of the 4th Season vol.1 box set.

## See also

- Kirk and Uhura's kiss, another notable Star Trek kiss
- Star Trek: Discovery, a later series in the franchise which included openly homosexual characters in the main cast

American LGBT-related television episodes

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (season 4) episodes

Television episodes directed by Avery Brooks

Television episodes written by Ronald D. Moore


This Is What the Truth Feels Like

This Is What the Truth Feels Like is the third studio album by American singer Gwen Stefani. It was released on March 18, 2016, by Interscope Records. Initially, the album was scheduled to be released in December 2014 with Stefani working with a handful of high-profile producers, and Benny Blanco serving as executive producer. However, after the underperformance of her 2014 singles and the writer's block Stefani suffered, she did not feel comfortable curating an album and scrapped the whole record in favor of starting again. The album's release was scheduled after Stefani hinted at it on her Twitter account.

Inspired by both the end of her marriage and eventual newfound romance, Stefani returned to writing new songs. With the help of producers J.R. Rotem, Mattman & Robin, and Greg Kurstin, as well as songwriters Justin Tranter and Julia Michaels, Stefani wrote the album in a few months. Describing it as a breakup record, she created songs with a sarcastic and dark-humor vibe, in addition to ones that felt real, joyful, and happy. Musically, This Is What the Truth Feels Like is a pop record that is similar to the material on Stefani's previous studio albums. The record includes a guest appearance by rapper Fetty Wap.

The album received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised its honest and vulnerable nature and considered it her most personal album. However, some thought the album was too calculated and did not capture the essence of a breakup album because it lacked a clear focus. Commercially, the album was moderately successful, becoming Stefani's first number one on the Billboard 200; in several other major music markets, it peaked within the top 40 on the charts. To further promote the album, Stefani embarked on her third concert tour, the This Is What the Truth Feels Like Tour with rapper Eve in North America and headlined the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre Final Shows with opening act Young the Giant.

The album's official lead single, "Used to Love You", was released on October 20, 2015, to a positive response and had moderate success on the charts. Its second single, "Make Me Like You", was released on February 12, 2016, with a similar reception. The accompanying music video was the first to be created live on television, and was broadcast during a commercial break for the 2016 Grammy Awards. "Misery" was originally issued as a promotional single before being released as the album's third single on May 23, 2016.

## Background

After giving birth to her third son on February 28, 2014, Gwen Stefani made her first public appearance at the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 12, 2014, performing "Hollaback Girl" at the request of her longtime collaborator and friend Pharrell Williams, who was one of the festival's headliners. After the performance, Williams hinted at a possible return for the singer. In September 2014, she revealed she was writing for two records: her third solo studio album and her band No Doubt's seventh studio album. She told MTV News: "At this point I'm thinking about both, I can do both. [...] And it's just an amazing time; so many opportunities. I'm going into the studio tonight with Pharrell [Williams], I'm going to be writing and also just seeing what comes along my way. I've been recording a few things." In the same month, Stefani's manager Irving Azoff confirmed she was finishing the record with Williams, as well as planning to perform its lead single live on The Voice. Interscope Records chairman John Janick also revealed that producer Benny Blanco would be the album's executive producer and that it was slated to be released sometime in December 2014.

On October 20, 2014, Stefani released "Baby Don't Lie", produced by Blanco and Ryan Tedder, as the album's tentative lead-single. The song met with a mixed response from critics and saw moderate success on the charts. Soon after it was announced that a new song titled "Spark the Fire" would be released; produced by Pharrell Williams, it was released on December 1, 2014. She revealed to Spin in December 2014 that she worked with Calvin Harris, Charli XCX, and Sia on the album, and her desire to work with Chris Martin and Diplo at some point in the future. Despite performing the Sia-penned track "Start a War" during a concert, and registering two Charli XCX tracks ("Hard 2 Love" and "Hell Yeah Baby") with the BMI, they were never released physically. In January 2015, the singer revealed she had decided to slow the album's recording process because she felt it was not complete. In May 2015, rapper LunchMoney Lewis told Ryan Seacrest he was working with Stefani on the record.

In August, Stefani filed for divorce from her husband Gavin Rossdale after almost thirteen years of marriage. In October, Stefani revealed to Entertainment Weekly that she scrapped the album and started again, since "[i]t didn't feel right. [...] I didn't feel fulfilled. That record with Benny was done that way because I had just given birth and had just started on The Voice and felt like I should do something in music, but what was I going to do? There wasn't enough time. So I tried to make a record where I was just kind of involved—which is how a lot of people do it, but it didn't work for me". She later told Zane Lowe that she had attempted to curate an entire album, but it did not feel right and she needed to write her own material. She also revealed that she felt inspired again and started writing a lot of songs in a rapid progression, revealing: "I think I have enough for probably two albums. [...] I have to write a few more songs, because I feel like, might as well keep going while it's there. [...] I got 20 songs. I have a whole record in eight weeks, but I want to keep writing." Stefani also revealed she had worked with musicians Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels, Greg Kurstin, in addition to production duo Mattman & Robin and the Stargate production team. The album was completed in January 2016. Stefani revealed in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres on February 25 that "'four of five' songs" were written in the previous month.

## Writing and inspiration

Thematically, Stefani considered the album to be mainly "a breakup record", declaring: "I would consider it a breakup record. [...] It just makes me believe in God and my journey. My cross to bear was to go through these heartbreaks and write these songs and help people." The singer also told Ryan Seacrest that while writing the songs for the album during her personal struggles with the end of her marriage, she felt the process was therapeutic. She commented: "The record company was like, 'Listen, we really think your record is too personal and no one is going to relate to this record and maybe you should just put it out as an artistic body of work—don't even think about radio'." She described the sensation of hearing this was like being punched in the stomach.

According to Stefani, the various emotions she had experienced in the past year would be reflected on the album. The first songs written for the album had a sarcastic and humorous vibe, while she later described the other songs as having a "realness" to them. The first song written for the album was "You Don't Know Me", a personal song penned with Rick Nowels. According to the singer, the song was "the first opening of the channel" of her songwriting inspiration. In the early stages, she also wrote a song with Linda Perry called "Medicine Man" while flying to No Doubt's Jazz Festival show in New Orleans. Another song, "Red Flag", was the first song she wrote with J.R. Rotem, Justin Tranter and Julia Michaels. She described it as a "work of art" for "express[ing] so clearly what [she] was [going through] at the time". They also worked on other songs, such as "Naughty", "Misery", which she considered a "really happy song," and "Make Me Like You", produced by Mattman & Robin, which, having been surprised by the result, she called "so good"!

## Themes

This Is What the Truth Feels Like focuses on several themes, including "moving on from a broken relationship" to "falling in love again". Her divorce from Gavin Rossdale served as the main source of inspiration for the former, while her subsequent romance with Blake Shelton served as an inspiration for the latter. The singer intended the album to show her desire for "forgiveness" instead of "revenge". Stefani's take on her "messy divorce" is evident in the single "Used to Love You", while tracks like "Send Me a Picture" and "Rare" find her embracing a new love. She kept the news of her divorce hidden from her writing and production teams during the recording sessions, however, Stefani "suspect[ed] her collaborators knew she was in crisis because of her lyrics". When asked in a GQ interview: "Did you think this project was going to be a heartbreak album? It seems like a falling-in-love album. Was that a surprise?" Stefani responded:

> You are right. I did not think anything. I wasn't thinking. I was feeling and I was dying. And then I was just like, You can't go down like this! You have to turn this into music. You have to try, at least. I was so embarrassed by just everything. I just didn't want to be that person that just went down after all of that. A lot of the time in the sessions, they weren't letting me write. They were giving me tracks and doing it all. I was like, Why am I here? Then I got the perfect combination of people to really support me and make me feel confident. It was an amazing awakening. I walked into the session and I was like, You gotta know, I don't care about anything except the truth right here.

John Janick, the chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, told Stefani that he was unsure of her songs "connect[ing] with people", encouraging her to create an "artistic record" and to skip radio altogether. Janick later changed his mind and got in touch with Stefani after listening to "Used to Love You". She called it "the most personal song" she had ever written and appreciated Janick's decision commenting: "That's never happened in my entire career." After writing "Truth", she was inspired to title the album with something similar. By the time several personal themed tracks were completed, Stefani began creating songs dealing with her newfound relationship with Shelton; "Make Me Like You" details "the early stage of their romance", while the title track suggests what the public might think of their romance, with lyrics such as: "They're all gonna say I'm rebounding, so rebound all over me".

This Is What the Truth Feels Like features a range of genres; including pop, reggae, disco and dancehall, R&B, hip hop and "punky" electro-pop music. Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly viewed it as "an album so directly torn from Stefani's recent, much-documented romantic upheavals that it could be called 'The Ballad of Blake and Gavin'". Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic added that: "Stefani spends roughly half of the record singing breezy songs of liberation." Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine commented: "While an artist converting personal tragedy into creative capital is hardly new, the nakedness with which Stefani assesses the ruins of her relationship is stark, especially compared to the self-proclaimed guilty pleasures of Love. Angel. Music. Baby. and The Sweet Escape." On writing about both relationships, Stefani claimed: "I don't have any secrets; I don't have anything to hide. I haven't done anything wrong. I'm happy to share my story. [This] is really the only record I've written that's mostly happy; all the others are about heartbreak. And there's some of that on here—it needed that, to make the rest feel as good as it feels."

## Music and lyrics

This Is What the Truth Feels Like begins with "Misery". An electropop song with "future-disco beats", the album's third single "captures the highs and lows of being gobsmacked in love". According to Nicki Gostin, writing for the New York Daily News, the song's lyrics are unclear and either detail Stefani's former relationship with Rossdale, or her current relationship with Shelton. The track makes several references to love and drugs through the use of hyperbole and cliches. "You're My Favorite" has "Super Mario 64 cave synths and [a] tinny, trap-adjacent percussion". The song was dubbed "the most 'Stefani-esque'" by Nicholaus James Jodlowski of Reporter magazine, while Jillian Mapes of Pitchfork found it comparable to Top 40 music. It was compared to her earlier songs, "Simple Kind of Life", "Underneath It All" and "Serious" by Theon Weber of Spin magazine. The third track, "Where Would I Be?", produced by Kurstin, is a reggae-flavored ska song. Its bridge has a "cheerleader taunt" and, according to Leonie Cooper of NME, it "sounds like she doesn't give a shit". Lyrically it mentions the possibilities of finding love, particularly in the line "Fill up my Solo Cup when I'm feeling so lonely." Weber found similarities between "Where Would I Be?" and Kurstin's earlier work with Lily Allen. The album's second single, "Make Me Like You", is a pop and disco song, written by Stefani, Tranter, Michaels, Mattias Larsson, and Robin Fredikkson. After the group completed the track, Stefani commented: "We were losing our minds." Its lyrics detail the "complicated feeling of falling hard when [one] least expect[s]", as well as reflecting Stefani's personal life.

"Truth", the album's title track, is an electropop composition with a guitar hook. According to Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe, Shelton was the source of inspiration for the track, which reveals Stefani's "giddy new-crush enthusiasm". Both "Truth" and lead single "Used to Love You" are described as "truth-telling" songs by Kitty Empire of The Observer. With "Used to Love You", Stefani comes to terms with herself, dealing with the aftermath of her divorce, and realizing that her relationship with Rossdale is over. Produced by Rotem, the track is a "vulnerable" and "emotional" midtempo synth-pop ballad, designed to "showcase her passionate, conflicted vocals". In an interview with Today's Matt Lauer, Stefani confirmed that the track was inspired by the end of her marriage, and claimed that the song was only written a few weeks before its release. The seventh track, "Send Me a Picture", has dancehall elements, and was described as a sexting ode by several publications; furthermore, Mapes stated the song has a "Bieber-hits-the-islands vibe", while Annie Zaleski of The A.V. Club summarized its meaning as "captur[ing] the delicious anticipation of a crush potentially texting a snap". "Red Flag" begins with "an intro that sounds like a melting violin", followed by Stefani scorning her ex: "This is what happens when you don't listen to what your mother say." Amanda Dykan of AltWire found it reminiscent of 2000's "Ex-Girlfriend" and compared Stefani's rapping style to that of Lady Gaga's.

Track nine, "Asking 4 It", features rapper Fetty Wap. The composition consists of a "bopping, hip hop tinged beat flecked with dancey synths", while lyrically Stefani "asks a crush if they're sure about being with her". Stefani felt Fetty Wap had "a voice with so much character", so she told her team that she wanted to collaborate with him. Due to several scheduling conflicts with Fetty, the collaboration barely occurred, with Stefani calling it "a miracle" that it even happened. "Naughty"'s lyrics serve as a "kiss-off to a no-good guy who's been 'shady'". A "sly" and "bratty new wave" track, Stefani "chides someone for keeping secrets". In addition, the song has "piano swagger, Radiohead references, and a finger-wagging cheerleader chant". The next track, "Me Without You", finds Stefani "embrac[ing] a new life without a toxic partner" and "capturing the sense of relief and possibility" that follows a "painful breakup". Influenced by hip hop, it is primarily a ballad. The standard edition album closer, "Rare", is a folk song accompanied by an acoustic guitar and galloping beat. Several critics speculated that a particular lyric may have been aimed at Shelton's ex-wife, Miranda Lambert; an article from Fox News reported that "the lyrics appear to be a slam at Lambert for letting Shelton go", particularly: "You're rare / And only a stupid girl would let it go." Chuck Campbell of Go Knoxville compared Stefani's vocals in "Rare" to Ariana Grande's.

On the Target deluxe edition of This Is What the Truth Feels Like, "Rocket Ship" is the thirteenth track. It is a "chorus-less" song with a "solid hip hop arrangement" and a "melodic use of vocal samples". "Obsessed" contains "batty vocals" and the "hip hop style" that was displayed before on "Rocket Ship". The sixteenth track, "Splash", is the last song on the Target edition. The international edition of the album features bonus track "Loveable", while Japan-exclusive "War Paint" is a tribal song, with a critic from Est. '97 thinking of it as "an anti bully jam where confidence is key to protecting oneself".

## Release

During promotional interviews about "Used to Love You", Stefani confirmed the album was to be released in 2016. Since the release of "Baby Don't Lie" and "Spark the Fire", her then-untitled album was among many magazine's lists of The Most Anticipated Albums, for both 2015 and 2016. On February 9, 2016, she posted the album's track list through her Twitter account with the caption "This Is What the Truth Feels Like...", which was later confirmed as the album's title. A day later, the album's art cover was released, along with the titles of four bonus tracks exclusive to the Target edition. The release date was scheduled for March 18, 2016. The cover features a close-up shot of Stefani with "hand drawn hearts, tears and flowers", which according to Carolyn Menyes of Music Times, "giv[es] the record a sense of femininity and raw emotion". Using Stefani's official website, fans were able to create their own album cover with the same doodles on it by uploading a picture of their face to the site. Regarding the deluxe edition cover of the album, Christina Marfice from SheKnows Media speculated that it "includes a secret dis aimed at" her ex-husband; she stated: "And, in the corner, a ring drawn on her finger with a frowny face [is] connected to it by an arrow." However, the drawing was ultimately covered up by a sticker on this edition. Prior to the release of Shelton's tenth studio album, If I'm Honest (2016), several publications compared the cover to Stefani's, with Maeve McDermott of USA Today calling them "eerily similar".

## Promotion

### Live performances

On October 17, 2015, Stefani performed "Used to Love You" at her first concert in over eight months at a MasterCard Priceless Surprises concert at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. The singer wore a black turtle neck and striped skirt for the rendition; the performance was deemed "heart-wrenching", "powerful", and "emotional" by critics. Following the performance, it was announced that it would be released as the lead single from her upcoming album. She also sang the single at the 2015 American Music Awards accompanied by a group of backup dancers who dressed and acted like ninjas while on stage. Stefani also performed "Used to Love You" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Voice, and immediately after midnight on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.

Stefani announced in February 2016 that "Make Me Like You" was the album's second single and that its music video would be filmed on live television, the first video produced this way, and aired during the Grammys. She partnered with Target for the event. It cost \$12 million to produce, making it one of the most expensive music videos ever made. The performance went as planned, with a body double of Stefani taking a fake tumble towards the end of the video, leading several critics to believe Stefani herself messed up on live television. The following evening, Stefani appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and confirmed that the tumble was planned. At another MasterCard concert in Tokyo on March 16, 2016, "Misery" was performed live for the first time. Her outfit consisted of "cropped red track pants and a red sequined cage top over a black bra" as the lyric video was displayed as the backdrop; the track was followed by "Make Me Like You".

Following the album's release, Stefani continued promoting This Is What the Truth Feels Like with several more television appearances. She performed "Misery" and "Make Me Like You" during a Saturday Night Live episode on April 2, 2016. She wore torn jeans and a high-waisted top, and was accompanied by several backup singers, including No Doubt touring members Gabrial McNair and Stephen Bradley. Two weeks later, she sang "Misery" on The Voice where it was announced as the album's third commercial single. On stage, Stefani and her backup dancers wore "colorful, tribal style ensembles" and performed using "a trippy, psychedelic lighting scheme". On July 1, 2016, it was revealed that the singer would be joining Today's "Summer Concert Series" on the fifteenth of the same month. For that show, she performed "Make Me Like You" and "Misery" from the parent album, in addition to earlier solo singles "The Sweet Escape" and "Hollaback Girl".

### Singles

The album's lead single "Used to Love You" was released on October 20, 2015, three days after its live premiere. It was sent for radio airplay in the US on October 27. The song was critically acclaimed, with USA Today awarding it "Song of the Week" in late October, calling it the "spiritual sibling" of No Doubt's 1996 single "Don't Speak". An accompanying music video was released on the same day as the song. It consists in a single shot of Stefani in a white tank top, blue brassiere and gold necklace on a black background, emoting, and occasionally mouthing some of the song's words. The song performed moderately on the charts, peaking at number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 10 on the Adult Pop Songs, where it became Stefani's second highest entry on the chart. Elsewhere, it reached the lower regions of charts in Australia, Canada, and Scotland. Coinciding with her New Year's Eve performance, a MAIZE remix of the single was released on December 31. On March 11, 2016, "Used to Love You" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), signifying sales of 500,000 copies.

"Make Me Like You" was released as the album's second single on February 12, 2016. It was first sent to mainstream radio in the United States on February 16, 2016, followed by an Italian radio release on March 25, 2016. Its music video was directed by Sophie Muller, and filmed on live television during the 2016 Grammy Awards, the first to be produced this way. Several easter eggs appear in the video, including references to her relationship with Shelton, in addition to cameos from her hairstylist, makeup artist, and various celebrities. The finished project was later posted on Vevo. The single was also moderately successful, peaking at number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100, and in the mid-regions of charts in Canada, France, and Japan. A remix EP featuring three different renditions of the track was made available on April 22, 2016, as a digital download. They were uploaded to Stefani's Vevo account the same day.

One week before the album's release, "Misery" was issued as a promotional single on March 11, 2016, followed by the release of a lyric video including hand-drawn lyrics and illustrations created by Stefani herself. The then-promo single charted in the lower regions of several countries. In Scotland it peaked at number 72, in Australia it peaked at number 74, and in the United States it peaked at number 11 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles extension chart. Stefani announced on Instagram that "Misery" would be the album's third single in April 2016. The song was sent to hot adult contemporary radio stations on May 23, 2016, and peaked at number 34 on the Adult Top 40 chart in the US, becoming her third consecutive entry from the parent album. As had been done with "Make Me Like You", a "Misery" three-track remix EP was released on June 24.

### Tour

To further promote the album, Stefani announced on April 18, 2016, that she would embark on her third solo concert tour, the This Is What the Truth Feels Like Tour, visiting 28 venues the United States and Canada, beginning July 12, 2016. American rapper Eve toured with the singer as a guest artist. The concert series ended on October 15–16, 2016, with a two-night performance at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The This Is What the Truth Feels Like Tour marked Stefani's first solo tour since The Sweet Escape Tour (2007) and first overall tour since the No Doubt 2009 Summer Tour. Through a partnership between Live Nation Entertainment and Yahoo! Music, a live feed was generated for the opening show at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Several costume designers and stylists were commissioned for the tour's entirety, including The Blonds fashion house, and Mariel Haenn and Rob Zangardi. Corsets were a centerpiece of her wardrobe, with three originally designed pieces created for the singer. Her costumes generated positive reviews from critics, with Michelle Amabile Angermiller from Billboard nothing that her presence was "incredibly fun to watch".

In March 2016, the Los Angeles Times announced that the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre would close in the fall, during its thirty-fifth year of seasonal performances. Prior to the news of the closure, City of Irvine officials discussed continuing the expansion of a local apartment development, which would be built atop the site. Representatives working with Stefani announced on September 9, 2016, that she would be the final act to perform in the theater in an event called Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre Final Shows, before deconstruction of the facilities began. She spoke of its closure: "I have so many memories at Irvine Meadows [...] It has been such an important part of my life both as an artist and as a fan and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I am humbled to perform there once again as it comes to a close." In an interview earlier in the week on a California radio show, she expressed her devastation at the closure. It was the venue for her first live performance with her band No Doubt opening for Ziggy Marley in 1990.

## Critical reception

This Is What the Truth Feels Like received generally favorable reviews from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 62, based on 16 reviews. Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly stated that Stefani's material "feels truer—and sounds stronger—than it has in years". Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times was very positive in his review, highlighting that "[h]er singing—and, more important, what her singing is saying—is always front and center, which gives the music an intimate quality even at its most polished". Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe called it "the best and most personal of her three solo releases". Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine discussed its urban-leaning beats, saying: "It's easy to chastise aging pop stars for chasing trends or trying to recapture past glories, but those efforts here are thrown into sharp relief by the maturity of the album's first half." Leoni Cooper of NME called it "an altogether glossier and more redemptive affair" than her first breakup record on her band's album Tragic Kingdom (1995). Kitty Empire of The Observer noted that the album gives emphasis on "bouncy, sonically unadventurous pop and fixated on Stefani's new relationship with Blake Shelton," but felt that: "A little more courage would not have gone amiss." Reviewing for The A.V. Club, Annie Zaleski observed that "Stefani never gets too juicy with the details, but her zings and observations are subtle enough to make these songs resonate deeply. [...] While the album has its flaws, it is undeniably compelling when its glimmers of vulnerability push to the forefront."

Rob Sheffield wrote for Rolling Stone that the album "has a rushed feel – a likable but low-personality version of her familiar bubble-pop solo mode". Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic found the album "a bit of mess" since "there's a lot of ground for her to cover". He also noted that, "By pursuing the twin inclinations to spill her heart while pushing musically forward, Stefani often mangles the mood." However, Erlewine noted that despite the "moments of emotional bloodletting or thirsty appeals to the top of the charts," the album "manages to be as fleet, giddy, and charming as Gwen Stefani ever is". Patrick Ryan of USA Today felt that "[d]espite the album title and Stefani's refreshingly candid press tour, it's sometimes hard to believe this is what her truth actually sounds like. But even if she's not being totally honest here, it's still more so than many of her pop peers." Jillian Mapes of Pitchfork criticized the songs she perceived were tailor-made for Top 40 radio, calling them "unremarkable" saying they "fail to match the unique specificity of her early solo hits". But she praised "the ones in which she is audibly upset—sometimes pissed off, sometimes sad, but best-case scenario, both. [...] [I]t's the fleeting moments like this—where she reminds us why we used to love her—that redeem 'This Is What the Truth Feels Like'." In a mixed review, Theon Weber of Spin commented, "[I]n creating a schism between her punkish pep and her new-wave nostalgia, it leaves the former stranded and the latter generic." Kate Hutchinson of The Guardian found the album to be "calculated" and a "little more than careerist chart fodder".

## Commercial performance

In the United States, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 84,000 album-equivalent units in the week ending March 24, according to Nielsen Music. In addition, This Is What the Truth Feels Like was also the best-selling album of the week, ranking number one on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart, with pure album sales of 76,000 copies (90% of overall units). It became Stefani's first number-one and third top-five album as a solo artist. The only time she previously reached the top was with her band No Doubt with their third record Tragic Kingdom (1995). With this feat, she became the fifth woman to first reach number one as part of a band or group, and then later earn their own solo leader. However, it also marked the lowest first week sales for one of her albums, with Love. Angel. Music. Baby. and The Sweet Escape selling 309,000 copies and 243,000 copies in their first weeks, respectively. With the release Stefani peaked at number four on the Billboard Artist 100 chart, up approximately 557% from her previous peak of 53, the chart's fourth-highest jump ever. The following week, Billboard reported that the album dropped 16 places on the Billboard 200, with sales decreasing 78% to 17,700 copies. For the next five weeks, the album continued to drop down the charts. In its seventh week, it jumped from number 82 to number 59, the same week she appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden. The record was on the chart for 13 weeks; its final position for the week ending August 6, 2016, was number 114. On May 27, 2016, This Is What the Truth Feels Like was made available on vinyl exclusively at Barnes & Noble in the United States; after its release, it debuted and peaked at number 23 on the Vinyl Albums component chart.

On the Canadian Albums Chart compiled by Billboard, the record debuted and peaked at number three, becoming her third consecutive album to do so. The album sold 4,400 copies in its first week, and was held back from the top spot by compilation album La Voix IV, and Justin Bieber's Purpose. In the week ending April 16, 2016, the album dropped to number 18, before dropping off the charts altogether seven weeks later. In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 14, becoming the week's fifth highest debut. Stefani's two earlier albums coincidentally also made their first appearance on the UK chart at number 14. The following week, This Is What the Truth Feels Like dipped 54 positions, the week's largest drop. In Australia, the album debuted at number six, becoming her third consecutive top-ten solo album. This Is What the Truth Feels Like was the week's second highest debut, and was present for two weeks before departing the chart. On France's SNEP albums chart, it entered at number 44, becoming her lowest debut behind The Sweet Escape's peak at number 33.

The album fared moderately well on Switzerland's Hitparade, where it became her second highest performing album, peaking at number 10. Similarly in Spain, the album peaked at number 42, lasting a total of two weeks on the chart. Stefani's 2006 release, The Sweet Escape, did not chart. On Belgium's Ultratop Wallonia chart, it became her highest peaking album, where it debuted at number 21 and charted for four consecutive weeks. On Belgium's Flanders chart, it peaked at number 32 and lasted six consecutive weeks. In Scotland and Ireland, the album debuted at numbers 13 and 17 respectively. Elsewhere, This Is What the Truth Feels Like peaked in the lower regions of the charts. In Italy, the album peaked at number 56 before dropping off the chart the next week. In Japan and South Korea, it peaked at numbers 74 and 75, respectively, despite Stefani's promotional efforts in the former country.

## Accolades

During a midyear report of albums released in 2016, Entertainment Weekly critics ranked This Is What the Truth Feels Like at number 11; a selected review by Greenblatt reads: "Loves lost and found provide the twin poles for Stefani's gorgeously honest chronicle of a very complicated year—and inspired some of her most purely satisfying pop songs in years." Newsday also ranked it in their midyear list at number 16. A Newsday critic called the album "a return to form", and compared it to her "fearless, boundary-pushing pop days of [...] Love. Angel. Music. Baby.".

This Is What the Truth Feels Like was also included on year-end lists compiled by several publications. Slant Magazine ranked the album at number 22 on their "25 Best Albums of 2016" list. Sam C. Mac from the magazine highlighted the album's assortment of "modern, commercially competitive and stylistically diverse pop" and compared Stefani's break from No Doubt to Annie Lennox's hiatus from the Eurythmics with the release of her 1992 solo album Diva. Glamour listed it at number 18 out of the year's 20 best and wrote, "Stefani has never sounded more vulnerable than she does on This Is What the Truth Feels Like, a vivid assortment of urgent, top 40 goods".

## Track listing

Notes

- signifies an executive producer
- signifies a co-producer

## Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the international deluxe edition of This Is What the Truth Feels Like.

### Musicians

- Gwen Stefani – vocals
- Greg Kurstin – drums, keyboards (tracks 2, 3, 7, 12); bass, guitar (tracks 3, 12)
- Teal Douville – additional drum programming (track 6)
- Mikkel S. Eriksen – all instruments (track 9)
- Tor Hermansen – all instruments (track 9)
- Fetty Wap – vocals (track 9)

### Technical

- Mattman & Robin – production, recording (tracks 1, 4, 5)
- Juan Carlos Torrado – recording assistance (tracks 1, 4, 5)
- Noah Passovoy – recording assistance (tracks 1, 4, 5)
- Serban Ghenea – mixing (tracks 1–7, 12)
- John Hanes – mixing engineering (tracks 1–7, 12)
- Phil Seaford – mixing engineering assistance (tracks 1–7, 12)
- Greg Kurstin – production, recording (tracks 2, 3, 7, 12)
- Alex Pasco – recording (tracks 2, 3, 7, 12)
- Julian Burg – recording (tracks 2, 3, 7, 12)
- Steven Felix – recording assistance (tracks 2, 3, 7, 12)
- Jonathan "J.R." Rotem – production (tracks 6, 8, 10, 11, 13–17)
- Samuel Kalandjian – engineering (tracks 6, 8, 10, 11, 13–17)
- Tony Maserati – mixing (tracks 8, 10, 11, 13)
- Tyler Scott – mixing assistance (tracks 8, 13)
- Stargate – production (track 9)
- Mikkel S. Eriksen – recording, tracking (track 9)
- Tim Blacksmith – executive production (track 9)
- Danny D – executive production (track 9)
- Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing (tracks 9, 14–17)
- Matty Green – mixing assistance (tracks 9, 14–17)
- Geoff Swan – mixing assistance (tracks 9, 14, 16, 17)
- Miles Comaskey – mixing assistance (tracks 10, 11)
- Teal Douville – co-production (track 13)
- Mike Green – co-production (track 14)
- Chris Gehringer – mastering at Sterling Sound, New York City
- Gwen Stefani – executive production

### Artwork

- Gwen Stefani – creative direction, handwritten lyrics, drawings
- Jolie Clemens – art direction, layout
- Jamie Nelson – photography
- Emily Frye – layout

## Charts

### Weekly charts

### Year-end charts

## Release history

## See also

- List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 2016

Albums recorded at Westlake Recording Studios