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I don't read a lot of manga. I've read Death Note and a couple of others but not enough to really know something about the genre, but since I like to read comics/graphic novels every now and then I wanted to try Aria, in which the main character travels to Mars, now called Aqua to become an Undine who rows the gondolas through Neo Venice.

I was not completely prepared for the weirdness of the CEO being a cat, but said, the rest was pretty normal. I think this would classify as 'casual', which is how Netflix has started describing series that are nice to watch but where there is not a lot happening. She is training to be an Undine, and that's what happens. There is never really any kind of problem and she just seems to be having a good time. One thing I liked was the lights festival with lights that glow for a month and afterwards everyone collects at the sea to bid them farewell.

However, it seemed rather unnecessary to put the story in space, as everything seemed about the same, except for the cat. Also why did Mars have to be called Aqua and Earth Manhome? I quite liked the art though and it was a nice and quick read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! ( )

‘On the planet Aqua, a world once known as Mars, Akari Mizunashi has just made her home in the town of Neo-Venezia, a futuristic imitation of the ancient city of Venice. In pursuit of her dream to become an Undine -- a gondolier who leads high-end tours around the city -- Akari joins as a trainee with the Aria Company, one of the three most prestigious water-guide companies in Neo-Venezia. There, she explores the beauty of the city and the world along with other trainees from Aria and rival companies, working hard for her dreams and making new friends along the way. Experience the world of Aqua like never before with Kozue Amano's gorgeously detailed illustrations and full-color spreads in this deluxe edition featuring the full prequel series, Aqua!’

Amano's Aria: The Masterpiece, Vol 1 features gorgeous artwork and adorable characters. President Aria, head of the company where Akari has come to train as an Undine, is a Mars cat. These kitties are just as intelligent as humans, and kinda reminded me of the hyper intelligent animals in Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series, except that the Mars cats cannot talk, telepathically or no. I loved the flying islands/ cityships! The story didn't quite catch me though. It became something to read in when I was bored, or tired. There wasn't too much meat to it for my liking.

***Many thanks to Netgalley & Diamond Books/ TokyoPop for providing an ecopy in exchange for a fair and honest review. ( )