To say that Aria is a slice-of-life about gondolas doesn't do it justice. What Aria really is, is a working-class fable of leaving home at 15 to learn a trade and subsequently join the grind, but veiled in a wonderful fantasy set in the distant future in a majestic replica of the city of Venice in terraformed Mars. Through the eyes of the protagonist, the burdens of arriving at an unknown place, meeting new people, dealing with inexperience, dullness, loneliness, and the pressures of competition and responsibility are always seen in a very positive and uplifting way. Reading Aria is very relaxing and heartwarming. The gondolas arejust a macguffin, meaning it's not really about them. Aria is about how life can be pure bliss and beautiful.