Aria

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!

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 :)

"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.

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!

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.

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.

(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.

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.

"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.

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!)