Aria The Animation

Beginning in 2301 AD, Aqua and Aria take place in the early 24th century in Neo-Venezia on the planet Aqua, which was given a new name after being terraformed into a livable world with oceans around 150 years earlier. Neo-Venezia, a harbor city with small canals instead of streets and non-motorized gondola transportation, is modelled after Venice in terms of both architecture and ambience. In Aqua, one of the three most prominent water-guide firms in the city, Aria Company, hires a young woman named Akari as a trainee gondolier. Akari is from Manhome. Her ultimate goal is to work as an Undine, a gondolier and tour guide (see Terms below). Akari becomes friends with people in Neo-Venezia as she trains, including her mentor Alicia, Aika, Alice, Akira, and Athena, as well as trainees and seniors from competing organizations. Akari's arrival on Aqua and her initial training as an apprentice or Pair are covered in Aqua. Aika, Alice, and Aria will graduate as full Prima Undines when Aria completes her apprenticeship as a Single, or journeyman. Akari's discovery of the worlds of gondoliers, Neo-Venezia, and Aqua itself is depicted in each chapter as a slice-of-life episode. Amano usually depicts a setting with multiple pages of beautiful imagery, highlighting the splendor of both routine activities and once-in-a-lifetime occasions. Reviewers have compared its tone and impact to that of Yokohama Kaidashi Kik.