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Japanese title
アリア
Manga-ka/Author
天野こずえ Kozue Amano
Genre
slice-of-life, shoujo
Volumes: 10+
Distributor: ADV
Classification: U
Originally serialised in
コミックブレイド
Comic Blade
Rating
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ARIA is the story of Akari Mizunashi, a red-headed teenager who is training to become
an undine, or gondolier. She is a native of Earth, but lives on the planet Aqua
(previously known as Mars) in Neo-Venezia, a city closely modelled on
present-day Venice in Italy.
Akari lives and works at ARIA company, an undine company with only two employees -
Akari herself and prima undine Alicia, along with ARIA company's feline mascot,
Aria-shachou (president). Akari also has a best friend, Aika, who is also a trainee
and works at Hime-ya, the oldest undine company in Neo-Venezia.
ARIA is about Akari's daily life as she trains to become an undine. In each chapter,
Akari discovers something new about Aqua or meets a new friend in her exploration of the
water-covered planet.
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ARIA is my favourite manga series, for several different reasons, but
perhaps the most prominent is the simplistic beauty and 'old world charm'
expressed in both the artwork and storylines.
This manga moves at a slow pace, taking the time to introduce the reader to
its characters and places properly, and as a result it is filled with
endearing characters who live in a world which you really wish existed.
I'd recommend this manga to anyone who is looking for something different, as
ARIA is truly unique in that it relies on the beauty in ordinary, everyday
things rather than in the magical or technological prowess of its characters and
places.
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Manga
ARIA is still in
progress in Japan. The first three volumes are translated and available in the West,
but ADV have discontinued the series. There is also another related series, Aqua,
which is a prequel to ARIA and begins with Akari's arrival on Aqua.
Aqua is not currently in circulation outside of Asia, but will eventually be
released by Tokyopop, as will ARIA.
Anime
To date, there are two existing
series of ARIA; ARIA the Animation (finished with 13 episodes in
total) and ARIA the Natural (26 episodes), which has finished circulation in
Japan. Neither are yet available on DVD in the West, but DVD box sets are
available of both series in Japan. A further OVA, ARIA the OVA: Arietta has also
been released in Japan.
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