Sola is a Japanese work originally conceived by Naoki Hisaya (main writer of Kanon) with original character design by Naru Nanao (designer of D.C. ～Da Capo～).Sola is a mixed media project, first unveiled through the prologue of the manga featured in the Japanese manga magazine Dengeki Daioh on December 21, 2006, published by MediaWorks. The manga, which is illustrated by Chako Abeno, ended serialization on February 21, 2008. The manga has been licensed for distribution in North America by Broccoli Books with the first volume being released in June 2008. A short drama CD which also served as a prologue to the series was released at Comiket 71 on December 31, 2006, and another longer drama CD was later released in August 2007; a second drama CD will be released in May 2008. An anime version aired in Japan between April 7, 2007 and June 30, 2007; the anime contained thirteen episodes, and two additional DVD-exclusive episodes followed. The anime has been licensed by Bandai Visual for distribution in North America with the first DVD being released in June 2008. The title, Sola, comes from the feminine form of the Italian/Spanish word solo (lit. alone). The title is also homophonic to the Japanese word sora (空, sora lit. sky). At the end of 2007, Japanese anime fans voted Sola as the best anime of the year.
Sola's story revolves around Yorito Morimiya, the main protagonist, who is a young boy attending high school. He loves taking pictures of the sky at any time of day and any time of the year. One day, Yorito decides to take a picture of the sunrise overlooking the bay, but is deterred when he meets a strange girl trying to force a vending machine that stole her money to give her what she tried to buy — a can of tomato juice. Yorito helps her with forcing the machine while attempting to strike up conversation with her, despite it being four in the morning. Yorito tells her why he is here, but by the time he has forced the can out of the machine, the girl has mysteriously vanished.
The next day, Yorito goes to visit his older sister Aono in the hospital with his friend Mana and Mana's little sister Koyori. Despite it being Aono's birthday, Yorito leaves soon after to take a photograph of the setting sun near an old church on the roof of the hospital. That night, Yorito leaves to buy groceries when it begins to rain and stops on the way home to wait for the rain to stop; while waiting, he runs into the strange girl he met from yesterday again. They talk longer this time and Yorito finally learns her name — Matsuri Shihō. A few days later, Yorito goes looking for the girl in the old church and finds a man wielding a sword before Matsuri.
After a display of Matsuri's astounding powers, Yorito discovers that she is in fact a creature known as a "Calamity of the Night" (夜の災い, Yoru no Wazawai), who has lived for centuries.
She is being chased by Takeshi who intends to kill her, but Yorito tries to protect her by bringing her back to his home which is when Yorito asks her to stay with him for the time being.
A "Calamity of the Night", otherwise known as a Yaka is a supernatural being in the Sola story. Yaka have many supernatural powers, such as: a strong physical ability, fast regeneration, and never aging body, among other powers. A Yaka is hurt by direct exposure to sunlight, but the wound can be healed in time if the exposure is not excessive; a Yaka is otherwise immortal unless exposed to too much sunlight or has received fatal wounds. Matsuri explains that a Yaka is the embodiment of human agony and pain and that such creatures are meant to always be alone.
Anime
An anime adaptation of Sola was produced by the animation studio Nomad and directed by Tomoki Kobayashi. The series aired in Japan on the TV Aichi television network between April 7, 2007 and June 30, 2007, containing thirteen episodes, though aired on other networks at the same time with slightly different start and end dates.The series was released in five DVD compilation volumes in limited and regular editions,each containing three episodes. The first DVD volume was released on June 22, 2007, followed by the second on July 27, 2007, and the third on August 24, 2007. Two additional episodes were made available exclusively on DVD volumes four and five; the first was released on September 25, 2007, and the second was on October 26, 2007. A poll was held in Japan by the company Spider Networks asking what was the best anime that aired in 2007. After two million votes were cast, Sola placed number one.
The Japanese DVDs were also released by .Anime as a "special package edition" with different cover art released for the limited or regular edition volumes. The covers of the special package and limited edition volumes were illustrated by Naru Nanao, the original character designer for Sola; the covers of the regular edition volumes had illustrations of the anime-style art by Makoto Koga.Each of the regular edition DVDs contained an eight-page color booklet with illustrations from the series. The special package and limited edition DVDs also contained the color booklet, along with drama CDs containing tracks from the Internet radio show, and poster cards (the first volume also contained a poster card holder). The price of the special package and limited edition DVDs retailed for 8,190 yen (about US$72), and the regular edition DVDs retailed for 6,090 yen (about US$54); both prices are after tax.
Bandai Visual licensed the Sola anime for release in North America and plan to release the first DVD volume on June 10, 2008.
Sola is a Japanese work originally conceived by Naoki Hisaya (main writer of Kanon) with original character design by Naru Nanao (designer of D.C. ～Da Capo～).Sola is a mixed media project, first unveiled through the prologue of the manga featured in the Japanese manga magazine Dengeki Daioh on December 21, 2006, published by MediaWorks. The manga, which is illustrated by Chako Abeno, ended serialization on February 21, 2008. The manga has been licensed for distribution in North America by Broccoli Books with the first volume being released in June 2008. A short drama CD which also served as a prologue to the series was released at Comiket 71 on December 31, 2006, and another longer drama CD was later released in August 2007; a second drama CD will be released in May 2008. An anime version aired in Japan between April 7, 2007 and June 30, 2007; the anime contained thirteen episodes, and two additional DVD-exclusive episodes followed. The anime has been licensed by Bandai Visual for distribution in North America with the first DVD being released in June 2008. The title, Sola, comes from the feminine form of the Italian/Spanish word solo (lit. alone). The title is also homophonic to the Japanese word sora (空, sora lit. sky). At the end of 2007, Japanese anime fans voted Sola as the best anime of the year. 
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