العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
EspañolARIA (MANGA)
is an ongoing science fiction manga by Kozue Amano. It is a sequel to the two-volume series ''Aqua''. ''Aria'' has been serialized in Mag Garden's monthly magazine ''Comic Blade'' since November 2002, and collected in ten tankōbon volumes to date. It has been adapted into an anime television series broadcast in 2005 and a second season in 2006. The third season has been recently announced, entitled "Aria The Origination"[3]. Also an OVA entitled "Aria the OVA ~Arietta~" will be released in September[4].
English translations of the first three volumes of ''Aria'' were released by ADV Manga in 2003 and 2004, before going on hiatus. In 2006, Tokyopop announced it acquired the licensing for both ''Aqua'' and ''Aria'';[5] translations of ''Aria's first three volumes are to be republished before Tokyopop continues with further volumes.
Plot
''Aqua'' and ''Aria'' take place in the twenty-fourth century, on the planet Aqua (formerly Mars), which has been terraformed into a habitable planet covered in oceans and seas. The city of Neo-Venezia, where the story occurs, is based on Venice both in terms of art and feel, and despite the futuristic time period, there is very little science-fiction in the series.
The series is the story of Akari, an apprentice gondolier with Aria Company, one of the three most popular gondola companies in the city. She is training to become a full-time gondolier, or undine, as they are called in Neo-Venezia. ''Aqua'' covers her arrival on Aqua and early training as a pair, while ''Aria'' continues her training as a single.
The style of ''Aria'' is very laid-back, taking a "slice of life" approach to the story and is not plot driven. Most of it is devoted to the lush expansive art, as Kozue Amano frequently will take pages and pages to draw an environment, showing the wonder of both everyday activities in Neo-Venezia as well as one-of-a-kind events. It is very similar in tone to ''Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō''.[6]
Characters
Aria Company
Mascot: Aria Pokoteng
Members: 2
Gondolas: 3
Top Undine: Alicia Florence
Uniform line color: Blue
Status: Single
Birth date and place: Man-home, January 30
Height: 155 cm
Blood type: A
Age: 15
:A native of Man-Home, Akari is a happy and easy-going person, who we rarely see angry or upset, a quality which she shares with her supervisor. She is best described as a romantic, and seems to find enjoyment in things or events that other people might think humdrum and mundane. Akari often says "Hohe" or "Hahi".
:While she is not quite as skilled in rowing as Alice, nor is as familiar with the history of the city as Aika, her carefree and laid-back manner often endears her to the many people she encounters. As such, she seems to make friends very easily, and can hold a warm conversation even with complete strangers, a fact that causes her to be labeled as 'mysterious' by her closest friends Aika and Alicia. She also accidentally learned how to row backwards on the gondola back when she was at Man-Home, which Aika states, "Akari is almost invincible when she rows backwards" (from the anime and the manga). She is frequently writing letters about her adventures on Aqua to an unnamed person back on Man-home; in the anime, these letters are directed to Ai.
Status: Prima
Birth date and place: Aqua, October 30
Height: 165 cm
Age: 19
Blood type: A
:The only other undine with Aria company, and is the most popular undine in the entire city, which explains why Aria is so popular even though it has only two employees. Her talent is well known and she is one of the three "Water Fairies" of Neo-Venezia. Like Akari, she is relaxed and easy-going, but also has a very playful side that comes out from time to time. Her favorite words are "ara ara" and she giggles quite often.
:In the manga, she is also a heavy drinker, although Akira comments once that she holds her liquor extremely well. Ironically enough, she is only 19, which would make her underage in some countries. Her appellation is "Snow White" (白き妖精, denoted as "White Fairy").
HIMEYA
Mascot: Hime M. Granzchesta
Members: 80
Gondolas: 100
Top Undine: Akira E. Ferarri
Uniform Line Color: Red
Status: Single
Birth date and place: Aqua, February 2
Height: 160 cm
Age: 16
Blood type: O
:The first friend Akari ever made on Aqua, Aika is an undine for Himeya, the oldest and currently second-ranking water-guide company in Neo-Venezia. As the only daughter of its owners, she is also Himeya's heir, but does not enjoy the distinction that much, as she feels that she is fawned upon too much by the company's employees.
:Aika often speaks in an open and blunt manner, and goes out of her way to cut off Akari's many idealistic comments with a preemptive . Despite their contrasting personalities, she gets along quite well with Akari, and later with Alice. She is very proud of her undine abilities, and tends to be very competitive in this aspect. She also worships Alicia, and finds any excuse to go over to Aria company and spend time with her. Aika once said that if it was not for the obligation to her family, she would join Aria company. Aika has feelings for Al.
Status: Prima
Birth date and place: Aqua, July 29
Height: 168 cm
Blood type: O
:Akira is one of Neo Venezia's three Water Fairies, and is Aika's supervisor with the Himeya company. She is nicknamed the Demon Instructor for her strict training regimen as well as her loud and brusque personality. She is particularly harsh with Aika, in spite of the fact that the girl is her employers' heir, though she does so since she honestly thinks that there is potential in her. As such, she is the only Himeya employee who ''does not'' fawn on Aika, though even the latter admits that it is only due to Akira's strictness (and honesty) that she has been able to become a good undine. As a prima undine, she is known as "Crimson Rose" (真紅の薔薇).
:Akira is famous for her conversational skills as well as her intimate knowledge of the sights to be seen in Neo Venezia. She has a lot of admirers among her customers, though surprisingly enough these are more female than male (which seems to bother her a little, as she considers herself ''very'' feminine).
:Akira and Alicia's relationship mirrors Akari and Aika's, though Alicia is far more teasing when Akira is around. This isn't that much of a surprise, as Akira and Alicia are childhood friends. However, Akira is still galled that Alicia became a Prima earlier than her, despite the fact that Alicia initially became an undine to tag along with her.
Orange Planet
Mascot: Maa
Members: 81
Gondolas: 120
Uniform line Color: Yellow
Status: Pair, later Prima
Birth date and place: Aqua, September 1
Height: 145 cm
Age: 14
Blood type: B
:A girl introduced in Volume 3, Alice is a trainee for Orange Planet, a company who currently holds the first place in the water guide business. She first appears as a very standoffish, snotty young girl; however, exposure to Akari's mood begins to lighten her up as the series progresses. This does not stop her from telling the other girls to be quiet when they argue, however.
:She is just a trainee when Akari and Aika are apprentices, but is already showing a talent for rowing that might surpass both of them (in fact, this is the reason why she was scouted by Orange Planet despite her age). Despite this (and the fact that Akari and Aika are from rival businesses), she often joins the two in joint practice sessions, and she sincerely enjoys their company.
:Alice speaks in a very deadpan manner, and tends to use the word dekkai (でっかい - meaning "huge") often in the course of speaking. Aika also commonly addresses her as "Kohai-chan" (後輩ちゃん - or "junior" said in a friendly manner). In the manga volume 11, Alice graduated from high school. She was later promoted to Prima undine straight from trainee (double), the first person to do so. Her appellation is officially "Orange Princess" (黄昏の姫君, denoted as ''Tasogare no Himegimi'' or "Twilight Princess").
Status: Prima
Birth date and place: Aqua, December 24
Height: 170 cm
Age: 21
Blood type: AB
:The third "Water Fairy", who works for Orange Planet and acts as Alice's mentor. She tends to be a total airhead who does not really pay attention to anything (in the anime, she once rowed under a bridge and forgot to duck), but genuinely cares about Alice. She was a trainee undine with Alicia and Akira, and often joined them in joint practice sessions much like Akari, Aika, and Alice do now. Athena has a beautiful singing voice, which she uses to entertain her customers and also to help Alice when she is in some kind of trouble. Athena has a strange laugh, it usually comes out sounding as though she is angry. Her appellation as a prima undine is "Siren" (天上の謳声, denoted as "Heavenly Voice").
The Undines Signature Expressions
The undines have signature expressions that can help to tell them apart when they are not pictured in the frame they are talking in. Akari's signature expression is slit eyes and a square mouth, while Alicia's expression in eyes is a curve often associated with happiness in manga, and a grin. Aika's signature expression is more noticeable, with an upside-down "V" over a "U" for the mouth, and some angry looking eyes, while Akira's is a pair of wide, angry eyes and a wide, downturned mouth. Finally, Alice's signature expression is half-closed eyes with large pupils and an upside-down "V" for the mouth (which matches her deadpan personality), while Athena's is a spaced-out look with almost-squinting eyes.
The Cats
Because blue-eyed cats are considered lucky on Aqua, all undine companies have a blue-eyed cat as a mascot and as "President".
Type: An Aqua cat
Weight: 10 kg
Birth date: Unknown
:Aria Company's mascot and namesake. He is a cat from the planet Aqua, and tends to get a lot of the comic relief situations in the manga. Aria is large and fat. He is quite attracted to President Hime, who does not always appear to share the same sentiments.
'President Hime M Granzchesta'
Type: A Man-home Cat
Weight: 2.5 kg
Birth date: August 5
:A small, black female cat named "President Hime M Granzchesta", appropriately enough. (On a side note, "Hime" means princess in Japanese.) President Hime is the Hime-ya President.
'President Maa'
Type: An Aqua Cat
Weight: 1.2 kg
Birth date: November 22
:Second President of Orange Planet, with very tiny blue eyes. President Maa is named "Maa" because she always says "Maa~". President Maa is a female cat, but Alice called her "Maa-kun" before she became the Orange Planet President. Maa loves to bite President Aria's belly.
Other Characters of Note
:Akari's first customer. He's a tall, impatient young man and is also an apprentice 'salamander', who is someone who helps maintain the weather on Aqua by working in the floating buildings that hover overhead. Akatsuki has a tendency to tug on Akari's hair and call her "Pigtails" (or momiko). Though it may seem mean, it's obviously just his way of teasing Akari, and Akari doesn't seem to hold it against him. Although his character design is nominally that of a bishonen, his constant scowl, combined with a loose-fitting robe, usually covers up his more "attractive" features, which he rarely displays.
:Akatsuki isn't on the ground much, so every visit to the surface is an adventure for him. Although, in one issue, he claims to be in love with Alicia, the other female character, in one episode voiced the opinion that he's really attracted to Akari, but is either unable or unwilling to express this (no matter what his "official business" in Neo-Venezia is, he always ends up spending the entire visit with Akari). He also has an older brother, who seems to be quite mean to him in a joking way.
:Al is a gnome, a person who lives in the underground cities beneath the surface of Aqua. Gnomes rarely leave their city except to do shopping. His job is to help regulate the gravity of Aqua so that it is the same as Earth's. He looks younger than Akari and Aika, but is actually nineteen.
Anime
Episodes
Aria the Animation
| No. | Title Translation | Japanese Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | That Lovely Miracle... | その 素敵な奇跡を・・・ |
| 2. | On That Special Day... | その 特別な日に・・・ |
| 3. | With That Transparent Girl... | その 透明な少女と・・・ |
| 4. | That Undeliverable Letter... | その 届かない手紙は・・・ |
| 5. | To That Impossibly Existing Island... | その あるはずのない島へ・・・ |
| 6. | Things That We Want to Protect... | その 守りたいものに・・・ |
| 7. | That Wonderful Job... | その 素敵なお仕事・・・ |
| 8. | That Dejected President... + That Cool Hero... | その 憂鬱な社長ったら・・・ + その イケてるヒーローってば・・・ |
| 9. | That Star-like Fairy... | その 星のような妖精は・・・ |
| 10. | During That Warm Holiday... | その ほかほかな休日は・・・ |
| 11. | On Those Orange Days... | その オレンジの日々を・・・ |
| 12. | That Gentle Wish... | その やわらかな願いは・・・ |
| 13. | That White Morning... | その まっしろな朝を・・・ |
Aria the Natural
| No. | Title Translation | Japanese Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | That Meeting At the Carnival... | その カーニバルの出逢いは… |
| 2. | Looking For That Treasure... | その 宝物をさがして… |
| 3. | On That Night Of the Meteor Shower... | その 流星群の夜に… |
| 4. | That Neo-Venezia Coloured Heart... | その ネオ・ベネツィア色の心は… |
| 5. | The Things We Found On That Spring Day.../That Rainy Day's Honesty... | その 春の日にみつけたものは…／その 雨の日の素敵は… |
| 6. | That Smile Reflected In the Mirror... | その 鏡にうつる笑顔は… |
| 7. | Going To the Cats' Kingdom... | その 猫たちの王国へ… |
| 8. | On That Day Of the Bocolo... | その ボッコロの日に… |
| 9. | Those Untainted Stars Are... | その 素顔の星たちは… |
| 10. | That Warm Town And the People And... | その あたたかな街と人々と… |
| 11. | That Important Radiance... | その 大切な輝きに… |
| 12. | Chasing That Mirage.../The Light Of That Wind Chime... | その 逃げ水を追って…/その 夜光鈴の光は… |
| 13. | That Big Resolution... | その でっかい自分ルールを... |
| 14. | That Newest Memory... | その いちばん新しい想い出に… |
| 15. | In the Middle Of That Vast Circle... | その 広い輪っかの中で… |
| 16. | The Separation From That Gondola... | その ゴンドラとの別れは… |
| 17. | If That Rainy Night Would Become Daylight... | その 雨降る夜が明ければ… |
| 18. | That New Me... | その 新しい自分に… |
| 19. | That Crybaby.../That Young Girl's Heart... | その 泣き虫さんったら…／その 乙女心ってば… |
| 20. | The Shadowless Guests... | その 影のない招くものは… |
| 21. | That Night Of the Milky Way Railroad... | その 銀河鉄道の夜に… |
| 22. | In That Parallel World.../The Things Aqua Wants To Protect... | その パラレルワールドで…／その アクアを守るものよ… |
| 23. | That Sea, Love And Thoughts.... | その 海と恋と想いと… |
| 24. | That Tomorrow's Undine... | その 明日のウンディーネに… |
| 25. | That Meeting's Crystal... | その 出逢いの結晶は… |
| 26. | In the Middle Of That Pure White Snow... | その 真っ白な雪の中で… |
Aria the OVA ~Arietta~
An OVA has been announced, to be released in Autumn 2007
Theme songs
''Aria the Animation''
;Opening: '' by Yui Makino
;Ending: ''Rainbow'' by Round Table feat. Nino
''Aria the Natural''
;Opening: by Yui Makino
;Ending: by Round Table feat. Nino
: ''Smile Again'' by Erino Hazuki
''Aria the OVA ~Arietta~''
;Opening: by SONOROUS
;Ending: by Erino Hazuki
Terms
Several terms of the world of Aqua are derived from mythology.
;Undine: A female gondolier acting as a refined tour guide for visitors. A prima (fully qualified) undine does not wear gloves.
;Salamander: A person working at controlling the weather and adding heat to the atomosphere as part of terraforming the planet. Salamanders live in orbiting islands at the edge of Aqua's atmosphere.
;Gnome: A person working underground to regulate the gravity, so that it is as strong as Manhome (Earth). Most gnomes are short and have bad eyesight, because they live underground most of the time.
;Sylph: A delivery-person who operates an aircraft. Deliveries are done by air in Neo-Venezia because vehicles aside from gondolas are not allowed in the canals of the city.
;Pair: A trainee gondolier who has just begun practising rowing a gondola. A Pair is recognized by her pair of gloves, worn to protect her hands of as she builds up callus. When a Pair advances to being a Single, she removes one glove.
;Single: A apprentice gondolier not yet fully qualified to be an undine. So-called because she wears only one glove.
;The Three Water Fairies: Neo-Venezia's three most accomplished undines — Alicia Florenze, Akira E. Ferrari, and Athena Glory.
References
1. . Accessed 2006-09-29.
2. ANN Article
3. Third season announcement
4. OVA information
5. Tokyopop Manga License
6. Manga review - Aria Northlander
External links
★ Official site for Aria the Natural (anime)
★ Official site for Aria the Animation (anime)
★ Kozue Amano's site
★
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
