Aria

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For the purpose of this review, I’m going to write a review for both people who have watched the Aria anime already, and who have not and are only reading the manga.

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Review for those HAVE NOT watched the anime:

Aria is a very nice and relaxing slice of life manga that definitely deserves reading.

One interesting thing about Aria is that it can be a bit hard to recommend to other people. Basically you follow the 3 main characters: Akari Mizunashi, Aika Granzchesta, and Alice Caroll as they work hard to become great undines… which are basically tour gondola rowers.

While that might seem a bit odd, ... in the world they’re in, it actually fits pretty well!

Like most slice-of-lifes, besides the goal of becoming better undine, there is no big concrete “plot” to follow. Basically every chapter is a new adventure through the relaxing yet mysterious world of Neo-Venezia. A majority of the chapters consist of the main characters interacting with each other, or doing random things that people in regular life do today like visiting a coffee shop. However, there are also a bunch of “supernatural” events that happen throughout the story, and they usually involve Akari and… cats. But they’re still entertaining and they fits well with the fact that Aria is already a whole new world to the viewer.

Even if in most of the chapters there is “nothing that happens”, make no mistake, the characters themselves still get a good amount of development throughout the series, and it’s very nice slow and smooth just like the series.

Speaking of the characters, I would have to say every single one of the characters is very likable, including the minor characters. However, the 3 main characters and their mentors are easily the best characters in the show, and their likable personalities will definitely keep you interested throughout the story.


Overall, Aria is a very likable manga series with some nice stories, great characters, good character development, and it just knows how to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. I definitely recommend reading it!


(This is my first review. If you can, If you put whether you thought this review was helpful or not can I have some constructive criticism of why you think so? Thanks!)
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Review for those HAVE watched the anime:

Basically the majority of the actual content is about the same. There are a whole lot of differences though. A lot of the content featured in Aria the Animation is actually covered in the manga “Aqua”. The character “Ai” was actually a filler character in the anime, and does not appear in chapters where she would normally appear in the anime… except for the last chapter, since the author decided to put her in.

The actual order of the chapters is actually quite a bit different compared to the order the episodes aired in each season. Not only that, but you may get a few chapters that you saw in Aria the Natural then all of a sudden you may get a chapter that was from Aria the Origination or Animation or vice-versa.

As you go through the manga you’ll notice that there are a whole bunch of episodes missing.. that’s because each season had about 3-5 episodes of filler each.

Also, there are roughly 5-8 chapters that were not covered in the original anime. I’m actually a bit surprised that they left these out since all of them were great, but I suppose it may have been a bit hard to find a nice spot to fit them in. Probably the most important one (in my opinion) is a slightly better resolution to the whole “Cat Sith” ordeal. If you wanted more of this particular character, definitely read the manga for this.

One thing that I actually liked about the manga more was that it was a bit easier to read at your own speed, since the anime tends to go a bit slower than the original manga chapters (however you may or may not agree with me).

I’d say if you enjoyed the anime a lot, it definitely would not be a bad idea to read through Aqua than through the Aria manga.

(This is my first review. If you can, If you put whether you thought this review was helpful or not can I have some constructive criticism of why you think so? Thanks!)

Poets and travel agencies abound that describe places as having a character of their own; books and anecdotes aplenty consider cities to be living entities. A place, then, is something that one may get to know better, and something familiar that seems to share - and have a share in - one's own life.
A depiction of little more than the life of characters within their setting, Aria has often been described as being fully character-centric. It is not nearly the only manga to have been given this description, but seldom has it been a more apt one - as long as the reader keeps ... in mind what might be meant with 'character' in the first place.

-= Characters =-
As far as the obvious characters go, the reader is presented with a small group of three young girls and their wider world, who have come together in the manga's setting for the sake of apprenticing themselves and learning a profession. There is no greater goal, no overarching deed that needs to be done, so that the manga can focus simply on their everyday lives as they strive towards graduating from their apprenticeship. While there is nothing particularly innovative or even endearing to a series showcasing daily life, there is in Aria's characters at least a sense of purpose, which means that there is room for them to work towards something and, hence, grow.

At first, what is presented is little beyond the wonders and tribulations of everyday life. Blessedly untroubled and unhurried as their lives are, the characters all tend to be shown in just about any chapter in more or less the same way, displaying how generic most of them actually are. The main character, Akari, is sweet, a bit of an airhead and someone who delights in just about anything; her friend Aika remains a bit boisterous while hiding a tinge of uncertainty; the third of the group, Alice, juggles a still somewhat childish mentality with a more mature work ethic and intellect; etc. In all, their thoughts, actions and emotions are far less extreme than is common in anime and manga, and while this tranquillity is certainly a major selling point of Aria that should be taken as an example of how to portray characters correctly, the uniformity of actions and reactions can be a bit predictable and, eventually, uninteresting.
That does not take into account, however, the slow, slight but very sure development of the characters over the volumes. Over the course of multiple years the three main protagonists are seen to slowly but certainly mature, becoming more steadfast and certain in their thoughts and behaviour, without them losing their personality or undergoing major, inexplicable changes - in short, their development reflects the actual maturisation process. In the same time, their mentors slowly fade out of their guiding role, gently coming to stand on a more equal footing with their protégés. As a whole, this development is highly satisfying and convincingly portrayed without having to resort to sudden influxes of disaster and trauma.

Still, most of the time the characters as such remain somewhat flat, not so much acting out of themselves as reacting to their environment. That's to be expected, as Aria as a whole makes very clear where it's focus lies: to depict the life in a fictional world. It's really no exaggeration to say that the world of Aqua, and more in particular the city of Neo Venezia, is the real star of the manga.

And what a world it is! Though it seems as if every one of the chapters of the manga shows a different part of the city and its wider surroundings, at the end it still feels as if there are hundreds of nooks and crannies left to explore, some right behind the corner. It's a rich, vibrant and very much living city, with a new 'wonderful encounter' at the end of each alleyway.
Many tools are employed to attain this sense. The simplest, and most powerful, is the very simple fact of temporal change. Seasons change and with them part of the economy of a city to quite an extent dependent on tourism; festivals come and go; people seen once before return later in a slightly different role; and slowly the characters themselves grow up, reflecting on the passing of the seasons as they continue their business. Another tool is the amount of people passing by, many of them nothing but background actors but all engaged in meaningful activity. Because they are so omnipresent the switch to empty back streets become very much pronounced and enhances the fairytale feeling of some of the chapters.
This fairytale aspect, in turn, helps make Aqua so nice to explore. With no visible crime or squalor, Neo Venezia becomes a little kid's adventure site, filled with delightful moments of discovery and mystery - every chapter containing the native and intelligent Aquan cats and their community in particular enhancing the feeling of mysterious yet benign otherworldliness.

-= Visualisation =-
The manga renders of all of this in gorgeous panoramas, capturing the glory of the city in black and white and many, many shades of grey, in such a manner depicting the very human and living alongside the hazy and mysterious. Not only, though, is the drawing style often simply gorgeous and is splendid use made of the effects of different greys, but Aria just might be one of the best manga out there in terms of its graphical style representing the focus of its story.

Most effectively, it does so by employing differences in scale between chapters, and even between panels. Though most panels, as with almost every other manga, are focused on the characters, showing only their immediate surroundings, ever so often the view widens to show whole buildings, streets, even entire city-scapes. At the same time, angles shift, and one looks up from below, passing the weathered stone of walls to see the sky visible above alleyways, or watches from above or far away the quays of the city. The difference in scale in such scenes is even more pronounced in the manga than in the more widely-know anime based on it, for the simple fact that a page of small panels may be suddenly followed by a two-page panoramic spread.
There is always at least one human figure present, but it's a rarity that the figure is placed in the centre of the shot: the small human person is present only at the sides, looking at something bigger than himself, forming only a small part of the bustling city, the brilliant sunrise or the pristine, newly discovered grounds that command the attention of both the eye and the story filling the chapter's pages.
Equally consistent is the use of backgrounds to emphasise the present focus. Whenever the story is more strongly focused on the characters, the presentation of the background takes a backseat. Colouring becomes more monotone, the environments are more generic (such chapters also more often take place indoors) and there is little differentiation between the buildings, squares and canals. Whenever the story becomes more strongly focused on Aqua and Neo Venezia themselves, though, suddenly there is added detail to all environments and, in particular, a far more pronounced contrast between light and shadow, displaying every little nook and cranny of the setting. Some of the stronger chapters strongly favour this playing with saturation of greys, giving every set of panels its own distinct mood.

Of course, beyond such tricks, the design of the setting itself contributes to its appeal. As a whole, Neo Venezia appears as a sun-drenched city, filled with buildings that are just weathered down enough to become scenic, quaint little alleyways and stairs leading up to yet another bright new spot. Fog rises up from unspoilt fields to enhance mystery, to clear whenever it is called for. Tools, modes of transport, accoutrements, everything is deliberately outdated, to evoke a setting of a more leisurely age. It has all the charm of a tourist brochure, but none of the downsides of the actual place.

Perhaps deliberately, perhaps less so, the presentation of Aqua as a world of exciting new vistas and people to meet, almost wholly devoid of any threat that should hamper exploration, is mirrored in the graphical design and presentation of the characters. It's relatively uncommon to see anyone appear more than mildly annoyed, while in the few instances that it does happen use is made of a deliberately deformed style that takes off the edge. Moreover, more so than in most manga, the design of the characters' bodies is devoid of extremes, and of angles: there is a very 'soft', curvaceous look to most of them. Yet, while a certain basic feminine attractiveness is present, it remains well shy of any implication of sensuality or sexuality.

-= A note on the anime =-
Here, a bit of attention should be given to a comparison of the manga with the anime based on it, as I consider the manga to be by far the better of the two. This at first seems to be a bit strange: Certainly the anime should be better able to use colour and movement to fully visualise the splendour of Aqua?

Well, no. For much of the first two seasons of the anime, the palette was somewhat garish, lines weren't as strong as they should be and the animation itself resulted in some distortions of perspective, something that is highly detrimental to the depiction of the city. Moreover, as a result of infusing colour, much of the play with light and shadow was lost, resulting in a Neo Venezia that was more strongly relegated to the background. Worse, exactly at the point where the quality of the animation went up, the focus of the anime shifted drastically, as more and more episodes were devoted to the characters only, with less attention given to the setting, meaning that the manga is superior in depicting the integration of the characters with their setting.

Much of this is the result of pacing. A few of the very best chapters in the manga, such as 49, are just a bit too dependent on single shots, meaning that any adaptation in anime format would have very little to work with: the chapter just cannot fit within an episode. Yet it is exactly chapters such as that one, showing Akari's reflection on her life on Aqua and her moving through the streets and the seasons, that most clearly show how much the characters form a part of their world, how all the 'wonderful encounters' are the result of both giving and taking and not solely the result of one-sided searching.

-= Final consideration =-
Aria as a whole is peaceful, charming and a tremendous joy to read, a manga to be thought of with contentedness and satisfaction. It matches a very simple premise and a lovely setting with a presentation that can be called mostly flawless in its integration of character and world, which by the end has become a living character of itself.

"Today, with the same smile as always, with the same outfit as always, with the same partners as always, I'm happily heading off to the same training as always."

These words, spoken by none other than Akari Mizunashi, the protagonist of Aria, reflect just about perfectly the core theme in Kozue Amano's quiet and serene story about three young undine trainees.

In a world and culture highlighting constant action, adventures, and excitement as the correct way of life, Aria is like a deep breath of fresh, calming air. In Neo Venezia, where the manga's story is set, one's fulfilling daily dose of excitement can just as well ... be a thorough walk through town instead of a thousand bungee jumps in a row. Whereas a travel around the world could be considered to meet the definition of an adventure in "real life", a quest through shadowy sidewalks and a trip to the underground world fit the same bill well enough in the life of Akari Mizunashi and her friends. And if with action one usually associates a car race, gallons of alcohol and rough sex, a simple day at the beach or a gondola practicing session seems to do the trick just fine if you ask any of the girls in Aria.

Let it be known, if it isn't clear by now, that Aria isn't any no-brainer action flick you watch on Saturday night to unload the stress of a rough week. Rather, it is a soothing breeze you allow into your consciousness to cleanse away the burden that's built within you due to the hectic days were accustomed to. Whereas the world might sometimes promote "life" to be something for which you must constantly be on the move to have, to never stop to actually look around you, Aria takes exactly the opposite approach on the matter.

Through her creation Kozue Amano carefully guides us to see the value and richness in what we have and that which surrounds us every day. A breath-taking sunset seen from the highest point in town, the feeling of sharing a precious moment with all your loved ones, the sensation of drawing your lungs full of air on a clear, crisp morning, and so on. Aria is like an altar for all these seemingly mundane things, and if you're a person who hasn't earlier appreciated them much earlier in your life, Aria will make you wonder why you haven't.

But Aria is not just about watching a group of girls sipping tea and chatting. Though appreciating the quiet moments is a clear corner stone in the series's overall atmosphere, there are enough obvious fantasy elements to keep all sorts of readers interested. Cats intelligent enough to interact with humans on some level, vivid dreams and visions of events filled with otherworldly magic, some real and some not. These fantasy elements are carefully kept in control from stealing the show entirely, giving it a tasty spice instead of becoming the actual meal. And it is good to be so, for the occasional touch of fantasy helps accentuate the manga's more mundane magic; something which would be lost if Aria was a constant parade of the sort of stuff you see in spades in any fantasy fiction.

A drawn work as this is, one cannot go by without giving a word about Kozue Amano's visual achievements. The artist's handiwork is simply gorgeous, with clear and smooth character designs, a tremendous amount of care and detail put into the sceneries, and overall well-flowing drawings instead of the sprawling panel arrangements and such so characteristic for many other mangas. Serene and easily viewed images for a series meant so be serene and easily taken to, one cannot argue with the sound logic here.

I might've gotten carried away a bit when I said fantasy elements are scarce in Aria. Aria is a fantasy fiction through and through, even though no dragons and wizards and whatnot are there dancing around day and night. Fact of the matter remains that most of the time the manga tries to show us just how magical plain daily happenings can be, those scenes are highly romanticised. Be it through extremely groomed scenes ("scenery porn" one might call it) or actual fantasy elements, there's always the feeling you're just watching a very sweet dream. Knowing real life will never be as simple and beautiful almost adds a touch of melancholy to the story. But if you can accept it, if you can stomach the childish naivety radiating throughout the series, Aria has many valuable and very real lessons to teach you in that dream.

Fresh, pure, magical! That's how it feels to take Aria's journey. (And Aqua too :P)
Hey everyone, so I just finished to read Aria today I felt the necessity to write some kind of review since it's a piece that deserves it. Absolutely.
If you normally read reviews when not sure if to start some manga, it's simple: just go ahead! This is something so worth to read, an experience so worth to have. I myself am really glad, proud and thankful I found it and I could go trough it. So yeah, GO for it! :)
First of all, let's talk about the art. Amano uses a ... very soft and flexible style which enables her to easily express emotions and in a manga of this kind this is very important because the story flows trough frames full and full of emotions. But this stays behind the way of drawing the backgrounds and choosing the points of view which is the key to describing the exact feeling at the exact circumstances and all this work is led magnificently. And we may not forget that the whole"scenery", the whole world the characters live in is simply beautiful and mostly breathtaking. No, seriously - you'll just fall in love with it and the way everybody on it interacts with it because it's just amazing.
This leads me to talk about the story and the characters. As you'll see, it can't be told it's perfect since there are some clichés too but the way it's narrated is, in general, pretty original. As I mentioned before, it all lays around interactions - and if it's not between the main characters it would be between each one of them and the environment which would let you get a really high identification and you'd just stay there and let the power of imagination guide all these brilliant sensations to you. (At some cases may be memories too). No loss to it. Characters may not be something so much oustanding but you got to love them from the first moments. REALLY LOVE. They're all "special" on their own way and it's something you'd easily find out. And once you add to them all the good flow and all the magic and all the mystery elements and all the peaceful moments and combine it to all the enjoyment of life they all are having... you just obtain this huge LOVE.
I said it at the beginning but FRESH is the best way to describe the way you enjoy this manga. Fresh and powerful, fresh and peaceful, "a breath of fresh air", the fresh breeze coming out of the sea, the fresh sea always present in the story. Fresh and unique, fresh and adorable.
Fresh and lovely.
Fresh and lay down, open the book and just enjoy this masterpiece :)

Terraforming is a somewhat common elements of works of science-fiction: even in the mediums of anime and manga, it appears in Cowboy Bebop and Trigun. But it is rare for these terraformed vistas of Europa and other moons and planets to be themselves explored. More often than not, we find, they are merely the backdrop for some sweeping space opera epic.

But Aria is different in this respect. The world of Aqua, the terraformed Mars, is explored with depth, precision and beauty. In many ways the story’s home city of Neo-Venezia is itself a part of the cast of characters. It has a personality, small features ... here and there that define it as unique and distinct. Neo-Venezia is based heavily on the city of Venice, and in-universe some parts of the real Venice have been transported to Mars and built into the city. This provides an interesting fusion of concisely researched and well documented history, and the majestic inventiveness of Kozue Amano for transforming the everyday mundane occurrence into an affirmation of the beauty of life – and this is what gives Aria a lot of it’s flair and wonder.

Neo-Venezia and Aqua are the driving force behind the story. For the residents, the everyday mundane is exactly that. But that is not so for us, nor for our protagonist, Akari, a new resident to Aqua who begins to train as an apprentice undine, one of Neo-Venezia’s gondoliers. Akari is a naturally curious girl, and finds amazement in even the most normal events – and Neo-Venezia is host to many amazing, yet normal events. Aria follows Akari as she explores the world of Aqua, and we explore it with her. We are introduced to the functions of the postal service, the (literal) music of the ordered inner-workings of the planet, and the stunning festivities of Neo-Venezia, both historical and fantastical.

Alongside the exploration of Aqua, we explore the lives of our characters, how they interact, and how they work fervently towards their hopes and dreams. The life of each and every character is touched by Akari and Neo-Venezia. We see them grow, mature and develop, move closer and drift further apart. We don’t see them involved in a world-spanning adventure or a complex crime story; we see them live, every mundane day, in the world of Aqua.

And Amane constructs the terraformed planet with immeasurable wonder. There is a constant contrast between the grand advance of technology and the humanity of Aquas inhabitants. Neo-Venezia is drawn with care and precision, and each page features a detailed insight into the personality of the city – for Neo-Venezia is not alive merely in the sense of its centrality to the story, but in that we are witness to every corner and cranny of the city. By the end of Aria, we are as attached to Aqua as are its residents. It is not only the people, the characters with whom we can connect and relate, but it is the setting itself that we grow attached to because we are there with the characters, with Akari, Alicia and President Aria.

We are given a direct look into a frighteningly wonderful world. And that is what makes Aria so stunning.

Aria is about the life of the three soon-to-be "Undines" Akari, Aika and Alice, girls that row gondolas for tourist tours. It follows their everyday discoveries on the planet that was once Mars but is now called the "Water Planet" or "Aqua" after it was colonized.

I have completed reading Aria in two weeks or so when I went to bed and it helped me in my own stressful everyday life to get my share of sleep. Aria is a very soothing manga and it has been very long since I felt so sad when it was over. (And I have seen the anime before!)

Many things ... are repetitive if you've seen the anime but they're both good, so you can just chose the medium you prefer. Kozue worked very closely with the anime production team as she constantly wrote about it in the omake at the end of each volume. That said, Kozue has a drawing style that fits the story so well. What story? In fact, there's no exciting story of any sorts involved, the author said she just wanted to have fun when drawing Aria and it shows. This manga points out many small and pretty things and details that we overlook in our hectic life. In fact, series where problems are brushed off so easily and where the people don't have to face any downs in life disturb me a lot. But somehow, I really like ARIA.
Sure, the people on Aqua take it really easy and it wouldn't be so simple in real life. It is however true that a lot depends on you outlook and attitude towards the things you encounter, may they be good or bad. And Aria makes you want to try it out yourself.

I especially liked how it ended. It was sort of sudden, a lot of things happen in the last volume, it's awesome and sad at the same time. What I am trying to bring across with this review is the feeling I had when I read Aria. But I just can't do it justice with words alone. Please try reading it yourself. I am sure there are people who find it boring but if it can brighten up your day like mine, it's all worth it.

Aria is set far in the future. Mars has been terraformed, which melted the polar ice caps and covered much of the red planet in water. The capital of this world is Neo-Venezia, built exactly like the city of Venice back on Earth. Aria centers around three trainee gondoliers (undines), Akari, Aika and Alice.
Each episode focuses on something that the characters do which probably seems very ordinary. In the second episode, for instance, the rising of the water (Acqua Alta) forces Akari to wear boots while she goes to buy cat food. She gets caught in the rain, and stays over at her friend's ... house. That's it.

This is precisely why Aria is not for everyone.

Because both the manga and anime fit perfectly into the slice-of-life genre...not much happens throughout the course of the entire series.

And that's the beauty of it.

Aria gently forces you to slow down and appreciate everyday things that most people consider to be mundane or ordinary. Going to get cat food is more fun when you get caught in the rain. Life looks a little different when you view it through the window of an ancient café populated by cats.

It's these little unplanned incidents which prove the people who say that "nothing" happens in the anime/manga wrong. In fact, quite a bit happens; you just have to stop and notice it.

The art of Aria is lush and natural, like the namesake of the anime's second season. Kozue Amano draws the backgrounds of the manga with such reality that still manages to present the ethereal, otherworldly quality of Neo-Venezia so much so that you want to reach through the page and touch it. The anime is beautifully drawn as well, with the water especially being gorgeous - you can almost feel the sea spraying your face as Akari and her gondola guide you serenely down a narrow canal in New Venice.

Aria, for me, taught me to appreciate even the tiny things in life that make it so wonderful.
And that's why I love it.

So, recommended? Yes. Even if you don't like slice-of-life, watch one episode, read one chapter, whatever - because we all need to relax for a little while. And that's why we have Aria!

I’m not sure if it’s possible that I can convey just how much I love this manga, or why. I can tell you this, though: if you gave Aqua a shot and didn’t take to it, then there’s no hope that you’ll like Aria. Aria is just 60 more chapters of Aqua, with basically the same type of storytelling throughout. The only key differences are direct consequences of its lengthiness – more characters, deeper exploration of Neo Venezia and its people, some legends and references that work with the extra length. All of this stuff is awesome, but it doesn’t change the fact that this ... manga is slow-paced, relaxed, and hopelessly optimistic in tone.

Now I am going to TRY to explain why this manga is basically the best one I have ever read. There’s not much point in reading past here unless you’re really interested in what I personally find great about this manga. The parts that would be important in deciding whether or not to read it have already been stated, in the previous paragraph and in my Aqua review.

The one thing I absolutely love the most is probably the most difficult to explain. Somehow, Amano imbues the story with what can only be described as magic. Unlike anything I’ve ever read or watched before, this manga sucked me in and immersed me so heavily in the world of Aqua that it felt, at times, like it was completely real. Part of this can definitely be attributed to the artwork, which is nothing short of breathtaking. The characters get a lot of detail on most of the panels (with a very heavy bishoujo leaning for the girls), but that’s not so uncommon, I think. Where Amano excels in her artwork is how she renders backgrounds and scenery. It would be worth praising if she had simply put a lot of detail into her backgrounds, but she goes one step further than that. All environments – whether they be a hill covered in windmills, a narrow, abandoned canal in the middle of Neo Venezia, a dilapidated mansion, or an old train car from the original days of Aqua’s colonization – all of them are drawn with a magnitude of loving detail that is mind-boggling. I am utterly convinced that Amano can draw absolutely ANYTHING and make it beautiful.

The other very big point about Aria is what I can only describe as internal mythology. Many anime and manga, particularly comedies, like to establish inside jokes that come up throughout their run. They give a sense of coherency to the story and its comedic elements, plus they provide memes for viewers to connect with. Amano, however, establishes what seems like a joke at first, but turns out to be a true legend. It shows up, as I recall, six more times throughout the manga, and every time it comes back, the effect is so overwhelmingly magical I can’t really even describe it.

There are many other great things about this manga, like the small romantic factors that sort of come into play, or the designs of the characters, but those two are the big ones that made me fall in love with Aria. They don’t change the fact that it’s slow-paced and utterly devoid of tension, but if you don’t mind the relaxed mood then these things will make it that much more enjoyable for you.

Aria is a very pretty manga, by most meanings of the word. The art is gorgeous for one, the detailed backgrounds and endearing setting design of Neo-Venezia is attractive to say the least. But beyond that, so too are its themes and ideals “pretty”; optimistic and pleasant to behold, but overly optimistic and consequently a little shallow. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, there are different ways a story can present itself. While some favour having as close to realism as possible, with grounded settings and relatable characters, series’ like Aria prefer to embrace the fact that these characters aren’t real, but are instead ... “dolls” for us humans to look upon and draw out the qualities we find most appealing.

Now I personally don’t find this type of storytelling as moving as others, I find the messages of “enjoying the detours” and “anything can be happy if *you’re* happy” to fall somewhat flat when paired with the aversion of perspective from the grittiness of real life in favour of idealised settings, and this is definitely the case in Aria, because as I say, Neo-Venezia is an objectively beautiful place with objectively friendly people and objectively accepting culture. However, this manga perfects this kind of storytelling, to such a degree that even I was moved by it for the last 5-10 chapters, and even throughout I was always having a relaxed and good time. It helps that it does acknowledge the shortcomings of this style too, and if you’re more open to it than me than I guarantee you’ll love this manga as much as I know many others do.

"Because wonderful things are infinite."

Aria is widely known as a relaxing manga, often recalled as a boring manga by most of the reader. Let me tell you upfront, there is no mesmerizing action scene, no thrilling scene, no cool scene. Only scene that relaxes you that exists here.

Not only relaxing, it gives you a great lesson on life. A lesson to appreciate things that you have, things that you adore, friends that will be there for you, wonders that happen everyday in your life, and even small things like "How useful your left hand is". And the amazing thing is, you don't feel rushed ... or feel forced to read it if you yourself has a wonderful heart.

"The world appears wonderful only to wonderful people."

In short, it tells you about how wonderful your life is. And you will be thankful because you read this manga if you open your mind and your heart.

Thank God all the story was told in a great artwork. Kozue Amano Neo-Venezia represents Venezia but with some futuristic touch that doesn't annoy the essence of Venezia itself. In fact it gives a better atmosphere to the story.
The characters were not as much as another manga. That makes every character worth your time. How open-minded and "life-appreciating" Akari is, how childish Alicel is, how strict but in fact a crybaby Aika is. Their development in characterization is so natural and easily absorbed and still you will sometimes be surprised in what they're going to do next.

I have never read a manga so relaxing, so adorable, that when the end comes, i don't want to let it go. I wanna embrace the twelve volumes tightly and don't wanna to let them go. But then hey, i remembered a final quote that will end this review:

"If you're stuck in the memories of those times, you won't be able to appreciate all the wonderful things that's happening right now, so don't be thinking 'That time was fun' because you should be thinking 'That time was ALSO fun'. Yeah i think that really wonderful things can't be compared with one another, but being able to find the fun that's happening right now is the best way to enjoy the present. That's why you should try your best to value the present since it's going to change sooner or later."

One final advice from me, read it. Read it and start finding new wonderful things that is happening right now around you.

P.S: After you read this, enjoy the anime. It gives you a certain sensation that i think is better than the manga.

This review only applies for the first 6 chapters of the series and it does not constitute for the overall experience of the manga itself and it will be comprised of what I liked and disliked about the manga and the reason I have had dropped it for.

So the best way to describe this manga is by putting it in terms it has put it in itself. I'm gonna give a synopsis for one of the chapters I read and don't worry, it shouldn't impact the way you will experience it once you read it. So there's one chapter of this manga where basically the ... main character is supposed to meet another character. But the person ends up running late and she ends up meeting another character. So they pass the time. The other character was growing more bored and bored and was curious about how the MC could handle wasting time so well. Then they continue to waste their time until the person who was to meet other character appears, after 6 hours. Then MC turns out to have misunderstood and she was supposed to meet with the person she was supposed to next week.

This is how all the chapters go, with basically you waiting for something to happen and nothing happening and then expecting something happening later on. So the story is basically comprised of the main character doing things that amount to nothing that could interest anyone. The manga is uneventful and there's nothing really to draw out from its chapters, except for the fact that, perhaps, you should try enjoying the time in which you are doing nothing a little more. I'll give it that the fact that they had the tact to establish the theme as bluntly as they did is at the very least refreshing since they establish the the purpose of the manga early, wasting time that is. I'll also give the manga the fact that it does develop on the traditions of its people and does talk about the universe it's set so you might develop some interest in the world's setting I suppose, but I personally didn't find it that interesting.

Something I'd like to bring up is that the character's designs are kinda dull, in the sense, most characters look very similar, having similar faces and such. The Undines you can't tell apart at times, especially if they are of the same height and if it just so happens you don't pay attention to their hairstyles, you'll confuse who they are. The most recognizable out of all of them is the one who constantly has this face: -_- . The overall design of the manga is simple and decent, but I am personally not a fan of some of the character designs I've seen so far in it due to how similar they were. (As far as Undines went at least)

The manga does try to convince you early that you should enjoy wasting your time and every moment of your life and treasure it, sure, that's a good idea to pass on, but unfortunately, what you didn't pass on for me at least, is any events and characters that would keep me interested in it, nor do you exactly try. The manga is mostly comprised of nothing happening and there's no conclusions to draw on from it other than the main theme. To be carefree you have to have cares to free yourself from. There's nothing to free yourself from here.

I guess my point is, is that if you would like to read something about how to enjoy wasting your time, this is it. There you have it. But if you put significance in wasting your time, then perhaps you have better ways to waste your time, more enjoyable ways. I know that I have. Thanks for the lesson, however, Aria. If you wanna find something bigger than wasting your time in this manga however, at least from what I've seen so far, I doubt something will come. But I waited for 6 chapters and nothing came. You could wait for more if you think you can enjoy that.

This is my review for Aria. I'll be referring to the characters by what they are most commonly called in the manga. Please note that this review is structured around how I personally felt about the manga: objectively, it deserves an overall rating of 9 (individual ratings being 7/10/9 for story, art, and character, respectively), but subjectively, I give it a 10.

Story: 8/10

The story is quite simple. Sometimes, the simpler something is, the better it is; Aria proves this wonderfully. The setting is on a planet named Aqua, (aka Mars) in the town of Neo-Venezia. Although there are many main characters in this manga, the ... plot revolves around a young girl named Akari and the relationship with her senior Alicia, and her two friends Aika and Alice. Their goal is to become prima undines, which are the equivalent to gondoliers that you can see so often in Venice. Akari joins the small company Aria, with Aika and Alice being part of Himeya and Orange Planet, respectively. These three companies are considered rivals because they all are in the same business, but that doesn't stop these three girls from becoming close friends. Since the genres of this series do not necessarily call for a complex plot, the chapters are mostly episodic, loosely connected by what the characters go through in daily life on their way to becoming prima undines. The central narrator of the manga is Akari herself, and most chapters start off with a panel of her writing to a penpal. (You'll discover who she's writing to near the end) The adventures they go through are super realistic, and are things that anyone can experience in their lives, such as attending a festival or eating together at a cafe. However, there are a few supernatural elements at play here, and a lot of them involve folklore and the meeting of a certain animal. (Note: The mangaka, Kozue Amano, loves cats) This manga does well regarding what it set out for: providing a great blend of comedy, slice of life, drama, and a sprinkle of adventure and supernatural. The pacing is slow yet enjoyable, a very common occurrence for successful slice of life anime or manga. However, the way that Kozue Amano decided to end it was really something else.The ending felt natural and was a realistic way to end the story. As I'm not allowed to write spoilers about exactly what the ending was here, all I can say is, Akari, Aika, and Alice really grew up. What I mean by that is up to you to find out.

Art: 10/10

The artwork is one of the highlights in Aria. For those who have seen or read Shokugeki no Souma, the visuals in Aria, in my opinion are as high quality as the aforementioned title. I feel that the artwork style is pretty modern, as in, the way the characters and background are drawn isn't too different from entries dating back a few years to this date. If you haven't seen the published date of Aria, read a few chapters and see if you can guess what year it's from; you'll probably be surprised! I'll be talking about both background art and characters here. Each page provides us with another wonderful view of what Aqua really looks like, no matter if that is how the buildings are like while submerged in water or what a starry night in Aqua is like. The artwork here is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and really fits the relaxing feel that is trying to be achieved. The way the characters are drawn is very good as well, especially the way some of the faces are drawn. What I mean by this is the unique way in which Akari, Aika, and Alice's faces are drawn. They deviate from the norm as Akari has a curious face, Aika has a surprised face, and Alice has a annoyed and grumpy face. This isn't to say that their faces aren't drawn normally at all; it's just the faces these girls make was one of the most memorable moments in the manga for me. The art of the other characters, such as Alicia (Aria's mentor), Akira (Aika's mentor), and Athena (Alice's mentor) are done just as well in which their appearances are different from each other so you can tell them apart. Once again, the way the cats are drawn is something else to look out for, in a good way. The quality always had the same greatness to it from beginning to end, so there is no need to worry about rushed or subpar drawings here. Putting all the combined elements together, the artwork deserves nothing less of a 10 for me.

Characters: 9/10

The other part of Aria that really brought up my enjoyment and love for Aria was the characters. I realized that I've mentioned a lot of characters earlier in the review without really explaining who they were, so I'll clear it up now. The cast of characters are very diverse and likable, with the airheaded and optimistic Akari, the motherlike Alicia, the reserved and serious Alice as a few examples. The president of Akari's company, Aria, is a cat and he often accompanies Akari as she is training and some of his reactions are both hilarious and adorable. They each have their strengths and weaknesses, with none of them being perfect in every way (although I would argue Alicia is pretty close to that). The way the characters react to situations they are put in is genuinely relatable to the reader, and I'm sure many people including myself found themselves growing attached to them as they continued reading about their antics. There was also some character development in Aria regarding the three young prima undines to be, as they do change from what they started out as. Because of this, I feel that their characters were more fleshed out than the others. In this type of manga, it's really hard to hate, or to not like every single one of the characters, and that includes the small cast of boys as well. Most of the people that appear multiple times are either in their teens or young adults, so the way their characters are set up is perfectly understandable. The supporting characters complimented the main characters really well, and while there were more than just one or two, their individuality makes you remember each and every one of them. I really think that for as long as I live, the memories of the lovable characters here will stay with me forever. For a job well done, this section deserves a 10/10 as well.

Enjoyment: 10/10

It's really a shame that I couldn't give a score higher than 10, because I would if I could. I think that anyone, including those that don't really watch or read slice of life (including myself) will enjoy this. There are no inappropriate or risque scenes here, and because of that, anyone of any age can enjoy this like I have, provided that they are able to read. Aria is truly one of those manga that children will enjoy, and adults will also enjoy nonetheless. For the math lovers out there, I would describe my enjoyment of Aria as an exponential function. At first, I only read a chapter every few days or so, but as I continued on reading, I started to grow in love with it and my enjoyment skyrocketed, reading it daily and even having to limit myself to reading a couple chapters each day. I would definitely re-read this if I have the chance to in the future and want some nostalgia for the manga that sparked me to write my first ever review. Aria is a manga that is magical, and will heal you if you're having a hard day and make you see the world in a much more positive light. It did for me, and I hope it will do the same for you.

That's all I have to say. Thanks for reading!

Iyashikei or "healing" is kind of a blurry genre and often gets applied to just about any upbeat SoL title. Meanwhile, Aria is good enough in my opinion to be the definitive example. Rarely does a manga like this not only help you wind down and relax but also share little tips to be happier in general, which is what Aria does.

Art: it starts off fairly mundane but only gets better with every volume. Character designs are various degrees of adorable and help you paint a picture of the kind of people that live in the multi-faceted planet of Aqua filled with all kinds ... of wonders.
Amano's got a real talent to capture beauty of both nature and industry as well as their uncommon harmony. There are a lot of absolutely gorgeous spreads and textless panels focused just on tranquil charm of environment.

Story: while Aria has some overarching plot progression it mostly comes down to three main characters becoming prima undines, the rest are chapter contained stories about finding beauty and happiness in life and in my opinion it more than succeeds in that. Aria is not gonna tell you how to deal with the real world filled with many more flaws, dangers and awful people but everyone will find something to relate here, I'm sure of it.

Funfactor: there isn't a person I wouldn't recommend this to. It's just a great general read, no action or heavy drama, only mellow joy of living.

ARIA is not a manga I'd describe as "exciting", but I wouldn't call it boring either. Unless you have an idea of what to expect from it, though, you could easily dismiss it as the latter, especially since the manga takes a few chapters to get going and settle into its pacing (and the prequel, AQUA, while it has its nice moments, is not as well-written).

The premise of ARIA is the desire of its protagonist, Akari, to become a full-fledged undine i.e. a tour gondola operator, in the city of Neo-Venezia on the terraformed planet Mars (now known as Aqua). We saw the start of ... her journey in the prequel AQUA, and in ARIA we see her more settled in and used to Neo-Venezia but with a long road still ahead of her.

The setting of ARIA, which consists of several islands and towns on Aqua, is a seamless blend of multiple cultures and time periods, covering both European and Asian influences (most obvious of which being Italian and Japanese). Despite the planet Aqua's habitable areas being man-made constructs, there are details hinting at the age of objects and sites: a train car abandoned for decades; a staircase covered by torii and flanked by kitsune statues; narrow streets winding around each other and intersecting in ways that confuse anyone who isn't a local. Add to this mysterious occurrings that you're never entirely sure are holograms, mirages or supernatural, and you have a place that offers something new to discover with each chapter.

And that, I feel, is the true beauty of this story. If Akari's job is one third physical ability and one third charisma, then the remaining third consists of the knowledge she holds of Neo-Venezia and the ability to convey it to others in a way that will make them fall in love with the place. ARIA takes its time exploring both structural and cultural aspects of Neo-Venezia, delving into the origins of said influences and how they were adapted into the new environment: festivals, trades, habits, superstitions etc.

Akari may seem like a bland protagonist, since she doesn't really have any truly negative traits: she's cheerful, optimistic, polite, and always sees the best in everyone and everything she comes across. One might say that Alicia, her mentor, takes it one step further, since she lacks Akari's occasional clumsiness and is more mature. However, the other undines-in-training, Aika and Alice, act as good foils to Akari and break up the monotony with their more down-to-Earth (heh) or critical approaches to things. In the end, it's Akari who brings everyone together and makes them see the hidden beauty in the mundane — and we, as the readers, are brought along for the ride as well, as we're just as eager about discovering everything to know about Aqua as Akari is.

One aspect I really enjoyed in this is the art, especially the 2-page spreads that emphasize Akari's marvel at the various locations she discovers. There's a very interesting emphasis on living in harmony with nature, especially since the fact that all of it is man-made was always in the back of my mind; the beauty of the landscapes shows that the inhabitants of Aqua have a special bond with their environment. There are also many panels of detailed architecture from different angles, as a means of environmental storytelling that isn't limited to minimally-detailed buildings or generic walls.

So, after all this long-winded praise, would I recommend ARIA? Absolutely. Just expect a slow-moving story focused primarily on exploration and meditating over one's place in their environment. It's the farthest thing possible from an action-driven, fast-paced story, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

(Minor spoilers may be present however I will refrain from mentioning spoilers that may remove the "magic" of the story. Additionally, I will be mentioning aspects of the anime as well, specifically Animation, Natural and Origination, and giving insights to a lot of the anime as a point of comparison to the manga. Also, more specifically this a 9.5/10)

Given that I had watched, and loved, the anime of Aria, I knew for a fact that I would be enjoying the manga too. I had no idea that I would end up loving it this much, however. You see, for the most part the Aria anime, ... specifically Natural and Origination, were great on their own, the story and everything in it felt like it was all adding up to one of the best conclusions, with my only really complaint being that some of the episodes dragged a bit too much to my liking. The anime and the manga are pretty much 80% the same in terms of major events, although the anime did omit certain parts of the manga, both pretty minor and pretty major, as well as made major additions that made both versions pretty unique in their own way and overall worth experiencing both.

The manga is definitely a lot faster paced than the anime. The anime took its time in showcasing the world of Neo Venezia and its people, by making strong use of both silence and serenity, and calming music. At the same time, given that an anime has a 24 episode long run time, while the manga's episodic chapters went pretty quickly, the anime added conflict, which ultimately helped develop the characters better, this is something that I feel like the manga lacked that I'm glad the anime had. Although this caused the anime to occasionally drag, I feel like overall it was worth it and it paid off well. The manga could have really benefitted from having longer chapters and having certain "episodes" last perhaps 2 or 3 chapters rather than 1. That said, I still feel like the characters were extremely well developed, even more than most other manga. I just also feel like the emotional investment would be even higher than it is now if it chose to take its time and make each "episode" last longer. It just made for some more heartwarming moments, such as Alice's "self rule" episode. It's not abysmal pacing at all, it's just a bit fast, which is funny considering the anime's slower pace. That said, it didn't bother too much and I understand that my feelings would probably different if I did not have the anime in mind.

I am a bit conflicted with the differences in the anime and manga overall, for example, if you're a fan of Ai-chan, don't get your hopes up. Akari's pen pal is someone completely different(although I will say, who it is in my opinion is a way better fit for the story of the manga, especially with what it decided to focus on). Also, the order at which the episodes take place can make me a bit here and there when it comes to which medium did it better.

The manga's art is great, simply put. It actually makes up for the lack of sound design to help still create its own atmosphere, and the characters always look expressive and it definitely looks and feels more unique than most other manga.

Even so, however, despite lacking in the atmosphere that the anime exuded through its use of calm animation and sound design, the manga does have something that the anime cannot hold a candle to:

WORLD BUILDING! Actually, this is the main reason I chose to review the manga more over the anime. While the anime probably edges the manga over when it comes to how much meat there was in the story, and how it helped make the characters a lot more loveable, I've talked a lot about that already in other shows/manga. Aria(the manga) is probably the only time I've seen such a beautiful use of it's world building to make character's arcs and even the story itself move forward. The mysteries and enigmas within this setting, together with the things that make more logical sense blend together nearly perfectly to further the themes and ideas of the story.

The world of Neo Venezia is shrouded in so much more whimsical mystery than in the anime, especially when concerning the legends of Neo Venezia, even more specifically, those related to Cait Sith. Cait Sith, King of Cats, is one of those enigmatic characters that just appeal to me, and he reminds me of my own childhood. I just love characters like that, and the way the manga presented it is so beautiful and works so well with the overall vibe and tone of the manga. Aria the Natural is the only season that covered things surrounding Cait Sith and the more supernatural aspect of Neo Venezia, and while I did love those parts, I still feel like it never concluded. Actually, the role of Cait Sith here made for an equally strong emotional hook as the ending arc, one that fit perfectly for the personality and arc that our main girl Akari Mizunashi went through.

It doesn't just stop at the magical side of things though, as the manga even perfectly uses the less magical aspects. In a city that's basically a carbon copy of an older city, there is a lot to work with when it comes to themes of culture and history, and boy does it utilize it. Admittedly the anime does an equally good job at it, but in any case the story of Aria perfectly used its setting to create interesting themes about culture and the people of a place, and personally, I actually even found it thought provoking.

Overall, Aria the manga is an amazing work of art, yes, that is right, art. I don't typically like using a term like that, I feel like it's a bit corny to call something a "work of art", but there's no other way to describe it. It feels like a beautiful painting that you are simply meant to "vibe with", which is a similar feeling I have with series such as Kino's Journey or Natsume Yuujinchou. The stories are already fantastic, but the main draw is how it connects to you, how it presents its story and world and how you feel so invested in such an unfamiliar setting or scenario. To combine it with amazing characters and themes you got the work of a near masterpiece. Actually, in the near future I may even bump it to a 10. I'm heavily considering it, it's just as of now it's hard not to do a compare and go "which version did it better" with the anime in mind, but I am sure that if I just looked at them completely separately both have the makings and craft to be a perfect 10/10, so a 9/10 is essentially just a personal thing that is likely to change for the better. Read it, watch it, doesn't matter. Go both, I say, just experience Aria. I won't say I'm sure it will resonate with everyone no matter what one's preference is, although I will say that I believe that it is a unique experience to anyone who decides to pick it up.

While Aria is not of my typical genre of manga, I managed to find enjoyment in it.

I picked up a few volumes from a friend, then moved away and hadn't finished it. I cosplayed one of the characters and figured I should at least finish the series. 12 Volumes isn't a bad number at all. Found it online and completed it.

I kept reading thinking something interesting would happen. But wait, this is a Slice of Life series; Nothing dramatic or terribly interesting happens! Yet, I still found myself reading it. The art is definitely engaging and charming. The characters are sweet and silly. Slice ... of Life series tend to do nothing forever and lack plot and I think that's why I didn't give it a higher rating. I was bored most of the time and reading mostly to look at the art and if it would strike me more than "This is an okay read." It wasn't until the last volume that I really enjoyed what I was reading and not just going through the motions of clicking the next button.

I could file this series on the cute, sweet, sugary, girl-power, borrow from a friend or read online when you are bored kind of series. If you are looking for something exciting and fast-paced, stay clear of this one.

Story: N/A
There is no story, just relax

Art: 10/10
Distinct character designs that have two "types", a normal and chibi type unique to each character, which helps distinguish the characters who often wear nearly identical uniforms. There is amazing background art and just beautiful art of the waters and the city. Also the cats are very cute.

Character: 7/10
There is a diverse range of personalities in the cast. The main cast is a delight to watch thought they can be a bit archetypal. Characters each have a defined personality with flaws and traits. No character felt unrealistic or too tropey, except Alicia who is basically perfect. The characters ... and their reactions to the situations they're in are relatable. All the characters are just so likeable, you will definitely feel attached to each of them before the manga ends.

Overall: 9/10
My soul feels like it just got out of a hot tub. This was an extremely relaxing experience that anyone could enjoy. There is a sense of wonder that you just can't find in many other works. It's not just "feel good" stuff either, there are some lessons that people can really take to heart here. The supernatural chapters are really the only thing that brings down this masterwork of the Slice-of-Life genre.

Good
• Very relaxing
• The cats are often in the background, making for some funny background gags
• One of the characters change their look part-way through the manga, just a cool touch there
• Well-developed characters, who grow over the course of the manga
• There are some ideas that you can take to heart here
• Long chapters, 30+ pages regularly
• Fairly short
• Fun extra chapters
• Great world-building, with a mix of sci-fi futurism and old venetian culture, Neo-Venizia is practically its own character
• The cat-presidents of the gondola companies are based of the mangaka's real cats
• This manga is magical, there really is no other way to describe it, and I don’t just mean the mild supernatural elements either

Bad
• Speaking of, the supernatural elements come out of nowhere and feel kind of out of place. They are supposed to be a metaphor for growing up and it does complement Akari's journey to adulthood but it feels really tonally dissonant compared to the normal mundanity of the rest of the manga

To say that Aria is a slice-of-life about gondolas doesn't do it justice. What Aria really is, is a working-class fable of leaving home at 15 to learn a trade and subsequently join the grind, but veiled in a wonderful fantasy set in the distant future in a majestic replica of the city of Venice in terraformed Mars.

Through the eyes of the protagonist, the burdens of arriving at an unknown place, meeting new people, dealing with inexperience, dullness, loneliness, and the pressures of competition and responsibility are always seen in a very positive and uplifting way.

Reading Aria is very relaxing and heartwarming. The gondolas are ... just a macguffin, meaning it's not really about them. Aria is about how life can be pure bliss and beautiful.