To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.

Discovering the appeal of iyashikei in anime and manga is not that difficult. It is most known for featuring calming, beautifully immersive settings and scenery, stories that center on the peaceful mundanities that comprise a character's existence, and for the healing effect the audience can get from watching/reading. By focusing on world building and making the settings inviting, audiences get wrapped up in stories featuring often tranquil locations and low-stakes developments where calm is the overarching tone. And one particular series that is a great example and has been seen as the pinnacle of iyashikei and that is Aria.

I don't even remember when was the last time i felt relaxed but also learn a couple of lessons while reading a manga. There is no mesmerizing action scene, no thrilling scene, no cool scene. Only scene that relaxes you that exists in Aria. With only 67 chapters, Aria provides a mesmerizing world with amazing journey the characters embark throughout the story, relaxing, meaningful and refreshing story that gives you a great lesson in life, great and goofy character relationships that builds the emotional peak for the story and of course one can't forget about the gorgeous art that can make you like you are actually there witnessing the events that the characters experience.

Aria takes place in the 24th century, in the city of Neo-Venezia on the terraformed planet Aqua. Much like real world Venice, Neo Venezia is filled with beautiful waterways and professional gondoliers known as undines act as skillful tour guides for all who pass through. The story follows Akari Mizunashi, a new transplant from the former planet Earth, as she embarks on becoming an undine herself with the prestigious Aria Company. Akari's adventures as a fledgling undine explore the beauty of Neo Venezia and Aqua at large and the growing friendships she discovers along the way. In Neo Venezia, one's fulfilling daily dose of excitement can just as well be a thorough walk through town instead of a thousand bungee jumps in a row. Whereas a travel around the world could be considered to meet the definition of an adventure in "real life", a quest through shadowy sidewalks and a trip to the underground world fit the same bill well enough in the life of Akari Mizunashi and her friends. And if with action one usually associates a car race, gallons of alcohol and rough sex, a simple day at the beach or a gondola practicing session seems to do the trick just fine if you ask any of the girls in Aria.

Aria has taught us to value those little moments in life with others surround us. Those little moments such as random picnics, cleaning your gondola or even just roaming around the cities. Carefully guides us to see the value and richness in what we have and that which surrounds us every day. A breathtaking sunset seen from the highest point in town, the feeling of sharing a precious moment with all your loved ones, the sensation of drawing your lungs full of air on a clear, crisp morning, and so on. Aria is like an altar for all these seemingly mundane things, and if you're a person who hasn't earlier appreciated them much earlier in your life, Aria will make you wonder why you haven't. There is no greater goal, no overarching deed that needs to be done, so that the manga can focus simply on their everyday lives as they strive towards graduating from their apprenticeship.

The characters are also what made Aria stands out. Akari who is an easy-going person who is always spread happiness to those around her, who we rarely see angry or upset, a quality which she shares with her supervisor. Aika who does not enjoy the distinction that much while hiding a tinge of uncertainty. Alice who first appears as an unfriendly person, a snotty young girl with a more mature work ethic and intellect. However, got influenced by Akari’s personality begins to lighten her up as the series progresses. Over the course of multiple years the three main protagonists are seen to slowly but certainly mature, becoming more steadfast and certain in their thoughts and behaviour, without them losing their personality or undergoing major, inexplicable changes. In short, their development reflects the actual maturisation process. In the same time, their mentors slowly fade out of their guiding role, gently coming to stand on a more equal footing with their disciple. As a whole, this development is highly satisfying and convincingly portrayed without having to resort to sudden influxes of disaster and trauma.

It's really no exaggeration to say that the world of Aqua, and more in particular the city of Neo Venezia, is one of the best setting in anime and manga. It's a rich, vibrant and very much living city, with a new 'wonderful encounter' at the end of each alleyway. Seasons change and with them part of the economy of a city to quite an extent dependent on tourism, festivals come and go, people seen once before return later in a slightly different role and slowly the characters themselves grow up, reflecting on the passing of the seasons as they continue their business. With no visible crime or squalor, Neo Venezia becomes a little kid's adventure site, filled with delightful moments of discovery and mystery.

A drawn work as this is, one cannot go by without giving a word about Kozue Amano's visual achievements. The artwork is simply gorgeous and aestethically pleasing to the eye and really fits the relaxing feel that is trying to be achieved, with clear and smooth character designs, a tremendous amount of care and detail put into the sceneries and overall well-flowing drawings instead of the sprawling panel arrangements and such so characteristic for many other mangas. Each page provides us with another wonderful view of what Aqua really looks like, no matter if that is how the buildings are like while submerged in water or what a starry night in Aqua is like. The quality always had the same greatness to it from beginning to end, so there is no need to worry about rushed or subpar drawings here. Putting all the combined elements together, the artwork deserves nothing but only praises.

Aria as a whole is peaceful, charming and a tremendous joy to read, a manga to be thought of with contentedness and satisfaction. It matches a very simple premise and a lovely setting with a presentation that can be called mostly flawless in its integration of character and world, which by the end has become a living character of itself. It has become a definitive example of iyashikei thanks to its skillful combination of exquisite visuals, a quiet yet compelling story centering the relaxed rhythm of Akari's day-to-day and a fantastic world that provides so many elements in just a short amount of time. Everything works together in harmony to create the calming and healing experience that the genre is known for. Akari and the rest of the cast are easy characters to follow, with their relatively uncomplicated lives and simple adventures as gondoliers. Outside daily tasks and events related to being undine, every chapters also highlight the importance of friendship and often end with a lesson or reminder to be present and appreciate the little things in life.

Thank you, my Aquamarine for giving us your unforgettable journey from beginning to the end.