Aqua, Volume 2

What I really like about the Aqua and Aria novels is the wonderful art. I think that the art is absolutely breathtaking. This second volume of Aqua didn't fail to satisfy me, as expected. I have already watched the Aria anime series, and adored it. The only noticeable difference between the two is that the manga goes a little bit slower than the anime. But both just blow you away when it comes to art. And, since this manga is a little bit slow, that's why I recommend it for older audiences who can appreciate the smaller things in life.If you can do this I definelty recommend the Aqua and Aria series,this series will really make you feel warm and good inside. In this volume we're introduced to Akatsuki,a Salamander(if you want to know what that is, get the manga, for goodness sakes), who turns out to be Akari's very first passenger(gulp!). Readers also get to enjoy the wonders of Planet Aqua's special glowing wind chimes, President Aria's adventures(which managed to make me giggle), and fireworks! What are you waiting for, buy it now, you won't regret it! I can't wait to order and read the next volume!

"AQUA" Vol.2 is a sequel to "AQUA" Vol.1 and prequel to "ARIA" vol.1. You don't have to read the two "AQUA" volumes to enjoy the world of "ARIA," but I strongly recommend that you read "AQUA"s first to get to know these likable characters you can relate to. "AQUA" Vol.2 follows a young girl Akari's life on the futuristic world on Mars, now a planet covered in water. In the city of Neo Venezia, Akari trains to become a gloveless prima, or full-fledged undine (gondolier), as an assistant of Alicia, kind-hearted and ever-smiling undine. In this volume Akari takes on her first customer Akatsuki, a young, impatient "salamander" trainee living on a floating island. This volume also introduces the reader to the adventure stories of President Aria (and he is a Mars cat) as a masked hero of justice. In addition to that, Akari joins some of the city's traditional summer events and makes a trip to a floating island with Alicia-san and Aika-chan, to celebrate the end os the summer. Compared with the first volume, the story gets a little slower, spending more time on supporting characters such as Akatsuki, Aria and Aika. Creator Kozue Amano's detailed designs of the city and its streets are as beautiful and imaginative as in Volume 1 and her artworks in the floating island episode with old buildings hanging over the cliff are just fantastic. Though set in the city of Neo Venezia, which is modeled on the Italian city on Earth, the festivals and events the citizens enjoy are inspired by what Japanese have been doing during summer traditionally - watching fireworks, eating watermelons, hanging wind chimes, etc. As Alicia-san says rightly, it is nostalgia that is part of the charms of the "AQUA" series. The front/back covers of Tokyopop's "AQUA" Vol. 2 have the same illustrations as the original though typeset differently. As in the first volume, the original's color pages are black-and-white here. "AQUA" Vol. 2 has a couple of four-panel comics plus two illustrations as bonus (pp. 182-185). They were originally the extra artwork printed on the front/back covers (under the dust jacket) of Japanese editions of "AQUA" Vol. 1 and 2. A young salamander's name Akatsuki means "dawn" in Japanese. The word "Ukijima" also means literally "floating (uki) island (jima)." The "mysterious creature" named "Gachapen" (p. 136) is a parody of "Gachapin," a popular Japanese character who appeared in the children's TV show.

This volume wasn't as good as the first volume of "Aqua" and reads a bit more like fragmented stories than usual. It spends more time with President Aria (the cat), which is fun and whimsical in its own way but I, personally, would rather read about the humans. ;) Aika gets her own chapter, and we also get to see Akari's first meeting with salamander Akatsuki, so there's some nice filling-in of background for fans of the regular "Aria" series. Still, it is well-drawn as always, crammed with beauty at every turn. Cleanly drawn without overused zip-tones, with TONS of detail in everything (buildings, people, scenery) that makes this volume worth the buy just for the art.

Akari is still training to be an Undine, even though she has become a "Single" (a journeyman, as opposed to an apprentice). She takes on her first customer, a young Salamander trainee named Akatsuki. She also starts to learn more about the Aqua planet and the way things are run as she takes more steps closer to her goal of becoming an Undine. I still want more of this series. I want them to make more, or translate more... whatever they have to do. I realize it's a prequel, so perhaps I just need to read Aria and be happy about it. (Have to find it first!) But overall I am digging this series, a lot. A lot a lot. I want more!

it is enjoyable to read and has a nice story with good artwork. obviously manga is subjective so you may not like it. but the setting is original and it is just a light manga for a quick read.