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Aria (manga)

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Aria (manga)
GenreDrama, Science fiction, Slice of life story
Manga
Aqua
Written byKozue Amano
Published byJapan Enix (former)
Japan Mag Garden (current)
English publisherUnited StatesTokyopop
DemographicShōnen[1]
Manga
Aria
Written byKozue Amano
Published byJapan Mag Garden
English publisherUnited States ADV Manga (former)
United States Tokyopop (current)
DemographicShōnen[2]
Anime
Aria the Animation (Season 1)
Directed byJun'ichi Satō
StudioHal Film Maker
Anime
Aria the Natural (Season 2)
Directed byJun'ichi Satō
StudioHal Film Maker
Anime
Aria the OVA ~Arietta~[4]
Directed byJun'ichi Satō
Written byJun'ichi Satō
StudioHal Film Maker
Anime
Aria the Origination (Season 3)[5]
Directed byJun'ichi Satō
StudioHal Film Maker

Aria (アリア) is an ongoing science fiction manga by Kozue Amano (天野 こずえ, Amano Kozue). The series was originally titled Aqua (アクア) when it was published by Enix in the magazine Monthly Stencil, then retitled when it moved to Mag Garden's magazine Comic Blade.[6] Aqua was serialized in Stencil from 2001 to 2002 and collected in two tankōbon volumes. Aria was serialized in Comic Blade from November 2002 to April 2008 and collected in twelve volumes. The series has been adapted as an anime television series, with a first season broadcast in 2005 and a second season in 2006, plus an OVA released September 2007. A third season began airing on 8 January 2008,[7] and is scheduled to end around the same time as the manga serialization.[8]

ADV Manga released English translations of the first three volumes of Aria in 2004, before dropping the license. Tokyopop then acquired the rights to publish the English translation of Aqua as well as Aria.[9][10] The Tokyopop editions of Aqua were published in October 2007 and February 2008, and the Tokyopop version of Aria volume one was published in January 2008.

Story

Aqua and Aria take place in the early twenty-fourth century, in the city of Neo-Venezia on the planet Aqua—formerly Mars, which was renamed after being terraformed into a habitable planet covered in oceans. Neo-Venezia, based on Venice in both architecture and atmosphere,[11] is a harbor city of narrow canals instead of streets, traveled by unmotorized gondolas.

At the start of Aqua, a young woman named Akari arrives from Manhome (formerly Earth) to become a trainee gondolier with Aria Company, one of the three most prestigious water-guide companies in the city. Her dream is to become an undine, a gondolier who acts as tour guide (see Terms below). As she trains, Akari befriends her mentor, Alicia, trainees from rival companies, Aika and Alice, and others in the city. Aqua covers her arrival on Aqua and early training as a Pair, or apprentice, while Aria continues her training as a Single, or journeyman, culminating in the graduation of her, Aika, and Alice as full Prima undines.

Each chapter is a slice of life episode of Akari's exploration of the worlds of gondoliering, Neo-Venezia, and Aqua itself. Amano frequently uses several pages of lush art to depict an environment, showing the wonder of both everyday activities as well as one-of-a-kind events. It is very similar in tone to Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō.[11][12]

Main characters

Aria Company

Aria Company is a very small company, with only two employees. Its uniform line color is blue, and its president (and namesake) is Aria Pokoteng.

Akari Mizunashi (水無 灯里, Mizunashi Akari) Voiced by: Erino Hazuki
A native of Manhome (Earth) who emigrated to Aqua when she was 15 to become an undine. While not as skillful at sculling a gondola as Alice, nor as familiar with the history of her adopted city as Aika, Akari makes friends quickly and converses easily with customers and other strangers. She finds enjoyment in things or events that others think humdrum and mundane, for which Aika and Alicia call her "mysterious." Akari often says hohe or hahi, which is her short version of "wow." When Akari used gondola simulations on Manhome, she accidentally learned how to row backwards and had to relearn the proper method when she started at Aria Company; however, as Aika notes, "Akari is almost invincible when she rows backwards."
Akari is often shown writing letters to someone, who in the manga is revealed in the final chapter to be Cait Sith, a cat spirit who appears several times through the story, but in the anime is a young girl named Ai, a customer in the first episode.
At the start of Aqua, Akari arrives on Aqua as a new Pair at Aria Company. In chapter 5 of Aqua, when Aika is promoted to Single, Alicia administers the promotion test to Akari as well. Later, in chapter 58 of Aria, after Aika is promoted to Prima, Alicia again tests Akari as well. When Akari passes, she is given the title "Aquamarine" (遙かなる蒼, lit. "Distant Blue").
Alicia Florence (アリシア・フローレンス, Arishia Furōrensu) Voiced by: Sayaka Ohara
The only other undine with Aria Company, Alicia is one of the three Water Fairies of Neo-Venezia, called the "Snow White" (白き妖精, lit. "White Fairy"). At the start of the series, she is 19 and the most popular undine in the city. Like Akari, she is relaxed and easy-going, but she also likes to tease others (especially her childhood friend Akira). Her favorite phrase is ara ara ("well well") and she frequently giggles, to Akira's annoyance.
In the manga, she is a heavy drinker, although Akira comments that she holds her liquor well. At the end of the series, she announces her retirement to get married and take a position with the gondolier's association; she says she had put off Akari's Prima exam because she had been planning to retire afterwards, and didn't want to leave her student and friend.
Akino Ametsuchi (天地 秋乃, Ametsuchi Akino)
A famous and longest-serving Prima undine, who started Aria company with Aria Pokoteng after realizing she was missing too much of life as Himeya's top ace. She was Prima undine for 30 years and mentor to Alicia, her last disciple, to whom she left the company on her retirement. She is highly respected by young undines, especially Alice, and is known as "Grandmother" or more informally "Grandma".
Ai (アイ, Ai) Voiced by: Kaori Mizuhashi
A girl from Manhome and Akari's apprentice after Akari's promotion and Alicia's marriage. In the anime, she befriends Akari early on in Akari's apprenticeship and becomes the recipient of Akari's letters, while visiting Aqua whenever she can. In the manga, she makes her appearance as Aria Company's newest member in Navigation 60, the final chapter.

Himeya Company

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

Aika S. Granzchesta (藍華・S・グランチェスタ, Aika S. Guranchesuta) Voiced by: Chiwa Saitō
The first friend Akari makes on Aqua, Aika is 16 when they meet. Aika is a Pair and then Single at Himeya Company. She is the only daughter and heir of Himeya's owners, but does not enjoy the distinction as she feels the company's employees fawned on her too much. Aika speaks bluntly and often responds to Akari's idealistic comments with "Embarrassing remarks are not allowed!" (恥ずかしいセリフ禁止!, Hazukashii serifu kinshi!). Despite their contrasting personalities, she gets along well with Akari, and later with Alice. She is proud of her gondola skill as an undine, and can be very competitive about it. She also greatly admires Alicia, and finds any excuse to visit Aria Company—and once says that if not for her family obligations, she would join Aria Company. Over the course of the series, Aika develops feelings for Al.
In chapter 58, Aika becomes a Prima, taking the title "Rosen Queen" (薔薇の女王, Bara no Joō). She then takes charge of a newly opened Himeya branch office, in preparation for one day taking on the whole company.
Akira E. Ferrari (晃・E・フェラーリ, Akira E. Ferāri) Voiced by: Junko Minagawa
One of Neo-Venezia's three Water Fairies, and a native of Aqua. As a Prima undine, Akira is called the "Crimson Rose" (真紅の薔薇) and is famed for her conversational skills. She has many admirers among her customers, more of them female than male—which she admits bothers her, as she considers herself very feminine. Akira is Aika's trainer; her student calls her the Demon Instructor for her strictness and her loud, brusque personality. Akira is particularly harsh with Aika because she believes there is potential in her; and Aika admits that it is only due to Akira's strictness (and honesty) that she has become a good undine.
Akira and Alicia are childhood friends, and their relationship mirrors Aika and Akari's, though Alicia teases Akira far more Akari does Aika. Akira still resents that Alicia became a Prima before her, despite initially becoming an undine to tag along with her friend.[13]

Orange Planet

Orange Planet is the largest water-guide company in Neo-Venezia, employing 81 undines (including 20 Primas). Its uniform line color is yellow, and its president is Maa.

Alice Carroll (アリス・キャロル, Arisu Kyaroru) Voiced by: Ryō Hirohashi
Alice is an undine for Orange Planet. She first appears (in volume 3 of Aria/episode 3 of Aria the Animation) as a standoffish, snotty girl of 14. Alice speaks in a deadpan manner, and frequently uses the word "huge" (でっかい, dekkai). Although initially only a Pair, her sculling already surpasses both Aika and Akari's—for which skill she was scouted by Orange Planet despite her age. Despite working for rival companies, Alice, Akari, and Aika often practice together, and Alice sincerely enjoys the others' company. Because of her age and lower status, Aika often addresses her as "kōhai-chan" (後輩ちゃん, "junior" said in a friendly manner). Through her friendship with Akari and Aika, Alice lightens up as the series progresses. This does not stop her from telling the other girls to be quiet when they argue, however.
For a long time, Alice is not confident in singing skills, until Athena advises her simply enjoy what she sings and not worry about her performance. In volume 11 of Aria, Alice graduates from high school. She is later promoted to Prima straight from Pair, the first undine to do so, taking the name the "Orange Princess" (黄昏の姫君, Tasogare no Himegimi, lit. "Twilight Princess").
Athena Glory (アテナ・グローリィ, Atena Gurōrī) Voiced by: Tomoko Kawakami
The third Water Fairy of Neo-Venezia, known as the "Siren" (天上の謳声, lit. "Heavenly Voice") for her beautiful singing voice. She is as Alice's mentor at Orange Planet. She is quiet most of the time, and often appears to be an airhead who does not pay attention to her surroundings (in the anime, she once forgets to duck when she rows under a bridge), but she genuinely cares about Alice. Athena has a strange laugh that comes out sounding as though she is angry. She was a trainee undine with Alicia and Akira, and joined them in joint practice sessions much like Akari, Aika, and Alice do now.

Cats

Because blue-eyed cats are considered lucky on Aqua, all undine companies have a blue-eyed cat as a mascot, who is given the title President. Cats on Aqua have been bred to be as intelligent as humans, though they cannot speak.[14]

President Aria Pokoteng (アリア・ポコテン, Aria Pokoten) Voiced by: Chinami Nishimura
President and namesake of Aria Company, and an Aqua cat. Aria is large and fat, massing 10 kg. He is quite attracted to President Hime, who does not appear to reciprocate his sentiments; his pursuit of her is a common comic relief scene.
President Hime M Granzchesta Voiced by: Kaori Mizuhashi
President of Himeya Company, a small, delicate, black female cat from Manhome. "Hime" means princess in Japanese.
President Maa Voiced by: Akeno Watanabe
President of Orange Planet, an Aqua cat with very tiny blue eyes. President Maa is a female cat, but Alice initially calls her "Maa-kun" after her unusual meow. Maa often bites President Aria's belly.

Other characters

Akatsuki Izumo (出雲 暁, Izumo Akatsuki) Voiced by: Hirofumi Nojima
Akari's first customer as a Single. He is a tall, impatient young man who calls Akari "Pigtails" (momiko) to tease her.[15] He works as an apprentice Salamander, someone who helps maintain Aqua's climate in the floating buildings that teathered overhead. Although drawn like a typical bishonen, his constant scowl combined with a loose-fitting robe usually cover up his more "attractive" features, which he rarely displays. Akatsuki has an older brother who teases him to the point of rage.
Akatsuki is not on the ground often, so every visit to the surface is an adventure for him. He claims to be in love with Alicia, though in one episode it is suggested that he is really attracted to Akari. In any case, every visit to Neo-Venezia, no matter his official reason, he always spends the entire time with Akari.
Albert Pitt (アルバート・ピット, Arubāto Pitto) Voiced by: Akeno Watanabe
Al is a Gnome, a person who lives underground regulating the Aqua's gravity so that it is the same as Manhome's.[16] Gnomes rarely come to the surface except to shop. He looks younger than Akari and Aika, but is actually nineteen.

Terms

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

Undine
A female gondolier acting as a refined tour guide for visitors.
Salamander
A person working at controlling the weather and adding heat to the atmosphere as part of terraforming Aqua. Salamanders live in floating islands tethered at high altitude.
Gnome
A person working underground to regulate the gravity of Aqua, so that it is as strong as Manhome (Earth). Because of their environment, most gnomes are short and have bad eyesight.[16]
Sylph
A person who makes deliveries by aircraft. Deliveries are done by air in Neo-Venezia because only unpowered craft such as gondolas are allowed in the canals of the city.[17]
Pair
A apprentice gondolier who has just begun practising sculling a gondola. A Pair is recognized by her pair of gloves, worn to protect her hands of as she builds up calluses. When a Pair is promoted to Single, she removes one glove.[18]
Single
A journeyman gondolier qualified to take customers only under supervision. So-called because she wears only one glove.[18]
Prima
A fully qualified undine. A Prima does not wear gloves.[18]Tokyopop has decided not to use this terminology instead using the expression "full fledged Undine" which has been controversial to some.[19]
The Three Water Fairies
Neo-Venezia's three most accomplished undines: Alicia Florence, Akira E. Ferrari, and Athena Glory.[13]

Media

Manga

The manga has a complicated publishing history in both Japan and North America. Aqua was originally published by Enix in Monthly Stencil magazine and collected in two tankobon volumes. When the series moved to Mag Garden's Comic Blade magazine, the title changed to Aria and Mag Garden rereleased, with additions, the two volumes of Aqua.[6] In turn, Aria (but not Aqua) was licensed in English by ADV Manga. After publishing three volumes, ADV dropped the license.[11] The license for Aqua and Aria was picked up by Tokyopop, which is releasing the entire series starting with the first volume of Aqua.[9]

In all, 14 volumes of Aqua and Aria were published in Japan. Each volume is called a "voyage" and each chapter a "navigation."

No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
Aqua 1 2001-07-27 (Enix)
2003-10-03 (Mag Garden)		[[Special:BookSources/978-4-7575-0504-9+%28Enix%29+%3Cbr%2F%3E+ISBN+978-4-901926-89-8+%28Mag+Garden%29 |978-4-7575-0504-9 (Enix)
ISBN 978-4-901926-89-8 (Mag Garden)]] Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character		2007-10-09 (Tokoypop)978-1-4278-0312-2 (Tokoypop) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character
Aqua 2 2002-03-27 (Enix)
2003-10-03 (Mag Garden)		[[Special:BookSources/978-4-7575-0647-3+%28Enix%29+%3Cbr%2F%3E+ISBN+978-4-901926-90-4+%28Mag+Garden%29 |978-4-7575-0647-3 (Enix)
ISBN 978-4-901926-90-4 (Mag Garden)]] Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character		2008-02-05 (Tokoypop)978-1-4278-0313-9 (Tokoypop) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character
Aria 1 2002-10-10 (Mag Garden)978-4-901926-12-6 (Mag Garden) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character2004-04-20 (ADV)
2008-01-08 (Tokyopop)		[[Special:BookSources/978-1-4139-0040-8+%28ADV%29+%3Cbr%2F%3E+ISBN+978-1-4278-0510-2+%28Tokoypop%29 |978-1-4139-0040-8 (ADV)
ISBN 978-1-4278-0510-2 (Tokoypop)]] Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character
Aria 2 2003-03-10 (Mag Garden)978-4-901926-36-2 (Mag Garden) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character2004-07-27 (ADV)
2008-05-13 (Tokyopop)		[[Special:BookSources/978-1-4139-0071-2+%28ADV%29+%3Cbr%2F%3E+ISBN+978-1-4278-0511-9+%28Tokoypop%29 |978-1-4139-0071-2 (ADV)
ISBN 978-1-4278-0511-9 (Tokoypop)]] Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character
Aria 3 2003-07-10 (Mag Garden)978-4-901926-71-3 (Mag Garden) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character2004-11-23 (ADV)978-1-4139-0089-7 (ADV) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character
Aria 4 2004-02-10978-4-86127-016-1——
Aria 5 2004-08-10978-4-86127-062-8——
Aria 6 2005-01-11978-4-86127-110-6——
Aria 7 2005-09-10978-4-86127-194-6——
Aria 8 2006-01-10978-4-86127-224-0——
Aria 9 2006-07-10978-4-86127-282-0——
Aria 10 2007-03-30978-4-86127-370-4——
Aria 11 2007-10-03978-4-86127-401-5——
Aria 12 2008-03-10978-4-86127-482-4——
This incomplete list is frequently updated to include new information.

Anime

Main article: List of Aria episodes

Aqua and Aria were adapted by Hal Film Maker as a 53-episode anime television series, comprising two seasons, an OVA, and a third season in progress. The premise, characters, and setting of the anime are the same as the manga, but episodes are adapted from chapters out of their original order, and some episodes are original.

Production Staff

Drama CDs

Aqua and Aria has also been adapted as a series of drama CDs, with different voice actors.

The first drama CD adapts four chapters from the first two volumes of Aria (Navigations 1, 5, 8, and 9) plus an original story.

Other books

Art and guide books

Three poster books and a "guidebook" to the world of Aqua have been released.

Novels

Aria has also been adapted as series of light novels published by Mag Garden, with two released as of January 2008:

  • Mizu no Miyako to Kanashiki Utahime no Monogatari (水の都と哀しき歌姫の物語) by Ayuna Fujisaki (ISBN 4-86127-241-6) - published 2006-03-14
  • The Gift of the Four Season's Breeze (四季の風の贈り物, Shiki no Kaze no Okurimono) by Mari Okada, Ayuna Fujisaki, Tatsuhiko Urahata, and Reiko Yoshida (ISBN 978-4-86127-448-0) - published 2008-01-10

Reception

In Japan, new volumes of Aria routinely reach the best-seller list for manga.[11]

The manga of Aria was described by a reviewer at The Comics Journal as "quite conceivably the best comics series ever created for elementary-school girls," calling it "a masterpiece of storytelling and illustration, gorgeous to look at and a feast for the young imagination in its ability to present an inviting, fully realized world."[11] The Aqua and Aria have been praised for its moments of magic,[20] joyful calm,[21][22] vividly depicted futuristic world,[23] and sense of whimsy.[20][23] Amano's artwork is praised for her crisp lines and details, especially in the backgrounds and landscapes.[24] Amano has also been criticized for confusingly giving every character a name that begins with A[20] and for letting some slice-of-life stories "drift too far out."[22]

In 2006, the anime of Aria was ranked in the top 100 animated television series of all time in a poll by TV Asahi.[25]

References

  1. ^ This is the identified demographic of Comic Blade; see "Mangaoh's page for magazines" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2008-01-01.
  2. ^ This is the identified demographic of Comic Blade; see "Mangaoh's page for magazines" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2008-01-01.
  3. ^ Aria ({{{type}}}) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia. Accessed 2006-09-29.
  4. ^ "Aria the OVA ~Arietta~". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
  5. ^ "Aria TV Anime's 3rd Season Greenlit for Production". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
  6. ^ a b Thompson, Jason (2007). Manga: The Complete Guide. New York: Del Rey. p. page 15. ISBN 978-0-345-48590-8. {{cite book}}: |page= has extra text (help)
  7. ^ "ARIA Anime Official Website" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  8. ^ "Aria Manga to End in 60th Installment in Japan in 2008". Anime News Network. 2007-12-27. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  9. ^ a b "Tokyopop Manga License". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
  10. ^ "Tokyopop Online Store". Tokyopop. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
  11. ^ a b c d e Dirk Deppey (2007-01-24). "ADV's Abandoned Manga". The Comics Journal. Retrieved 2008-01-01.
  12. ^ Northlander. "Manga review - Aria". Uknighted Manganime. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  13. ^ a b Amano, Kozue (2004). "Navigation 14: Three Water Fairies". Aria. Volume 3. ADV Manga. ISBN 978-1-4139-0089-7.
  14. ^ Amano, Kozue (2007). "Navigation 01: The Water Planet". Aqua. Volume 1. Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-4278-0312-2.
  15. ^ As translated in the ADV editions; it is translated as "Sideburns" in the Tokyopop editions.
  16. ^ a b Amano, Kozue (2004). "Navigation 08: Voices of the Stars". Aria. Volume 2. ADV Manga. ISBN 978-1-4139-0071-2.
  17. ^ Amano, Kozue (2004). "Navigation 18: Fish That Swim in the Sky". Aria. Volume 4 (in Japanese). Mag Garden. ISBN 978-4-86127-016-1.
  18. ^ a b c Amano, Kozue (2008). "Navigation 05: The Hill of Hope". Aqua. Volume 1. Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-4278-0312-2.
  19. ^ Otakuism: Notes on Tokyopop’s Translation of ARIA V.1
  20. ^ a b c Erica Friedman (2005-02-08). "Yuri Manga: Aria, Volumes 1,2 and 3". Ozaku. Retrieved 2008-01-16. What really makes Aria work, though, is the sense of whimsy that fills the pages ... very chapter is filled with some moment of life that was totally worth having been there for.
  21. ^ Lisa Anderson. "Aria v1 Review". Manga Life. Retrieved 2008-01-16. Aria reads much like a treasured old journal, recounting life events - some big, some little - with the warm personal touch only true joy can bring.
  22. ^ a b Carlos Santos (2008-01-20). "Aria GN 1 - Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-01-20. Aria's first volume is 180 pages of pure, serene happiness.
  23. ^ a b Kai-Ming Cha (2007-10-23). "Aqua Vol. 1 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2008-01-20. Whimsical, smooth, the measured pace of the chapters follows a "slice-of-life" rhythm, but in a magical, imaginative frontier.
  24. ^ Carlos Santos (2008-01-20). "Aria GN 1 - Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-01-20. Yet this precise style still manages to capture the sense of wonder on planet Aqua: the airborne confetti at the gondola race, the falling autumn leaves in the first chapter, and especially the Japanese architecture and landscape on the shrine island. It's really the backgrounds and landscapes that are the main character in this series.
  25. ^ "Japan's Favorite TV Anime". Anime News Network. 2006-10-13. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
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