Aria: The Masterpiec, Volume 1

A really nice omnibus edition for the series, hopefully we get this amazing manga in full this time round!

Uma jovem chamada Akari chega à cidade de Neo-Venezia, no planeta Aqua, para se tornar uma gondoleira (mais especificamente uma ondina, responsável por guiar os turistas que visitam a cidade). A cidade é inspirada em Veneza, com largos canais no lugar das ruas, além de uma arquitetura e atmosfera futurística. Cada capítulo é um slice of life, mostrando a exploração de Akari como gondoleira (inicialmente uma aprendiz até se tornar uma Prima Ondina), suas interações com os membros da companhia Aria (destacadas pelos uniformes azuis) e de companhias rivais (Himeya, vermelha e Orange Planet, amarela) . O mangá é um dos mais conhecidos do gênero Iyashikei (ou cura), responsáveis por um estado de calmaria, com ênfase na ambientação e enredo descontraído. Esta publicação é baseada no kanzenban japonês, em um total de 7 edições. O volume inicial compila 2 edições de Aqua, o começo da saga, enquanto que os próximos volumes compilam as edições de Aria. A ADV Manga publicou inicialmente 3 volumes de Aria, sem completá-lo enquanto que a Tokyopop publicou 6 volumes iniciando de Aqua, também inacabado. Agora a mesma retorna com essa edição de luxo, com tamanho maior, papel refinado, páginas coloridas e orelhas. Existem diversas adaptações em anime, que ampliam o efeito relaxante e divertido, com suas cores vivas e trilha-sonora.

Beautiful, beautiful book, I love it so much. I had collected the older previously released smaller volumes by Tokyopop (the line that they never finished releasing 😭) so I was super excited to hear that they were actually going to finally finish releasing the entire series for English readers in this brand new Masterpiece collection! I’ve been wanting a completed collection of this wonderfully wholesome and fun series so I’m very excited to collect all of these Masterpiece volumes. The size is bigger than the previous ones released (I attached a picture of the size comparison), which makes sense considering each volume of the Masterpiece collection contains 2 of the original volumes, this first volume in the collection containing the 2-volume prequel “Aqua.” I love the bigger size in that I feel like the larger images allows us to be even more immersed into the beautiful world and appreciate the fine details of each panel with greater ease. The gold detailing on the title and spine are a nice touch and I think it’s great that this series is finally getting the attention it deserves. For old and new readers alike, I highly highly recommend collecting this lovingly crafted Masterpiece collection! Even as someone who owns all of the older volumes, this new collection is a must-have addition if you’re like me and have been waiting to collect the never before released completed set in English! Thank you Tokyopop!!

It’s fun to imagine the world this mangaka has created and each chapter is a mini vacation for the mind to savour and enjoy.

This item arrived with only minor scratches and is a wonderful edition of this manga. The first volume contains the prequel "Aqua" series that came out before Aria. It's very well drawn, very atmospheric and a manga that should have kept being printed for a long time. You're lucky if you can still get these and my experience with this order and item is great.

This is a beautifully written story. We are taken on an adventure in the day-to-day life of a teenage girl as she discovers a new place. The manga highlights topics such as the waxing and waning of relationships, passage of time, admiration of natural beauty, and a shift away from addictive technology to focus more on nature and real human interaction. The later volumes have become very difficult to find now and prices on eBay are prohibitively high. I do wish Tokyopop would continue to print this series so more readers can enjoy what it offers.