Aria the Scarlet Ammo
Aria the Scarlet Ammo is a Japanese light novel series written by Chūgaku Akamatsu and illustrated by Kobuichi. As of December 2025, 44 main volumes have been published by Media Factory under their MF Bunko J label. A manga adaptation by Yoshino Koyoka started serialization in the seinen manga magazine Monthly Comic Alive in September 2009. An anime adaptation aired between April and June 2011. An original video animation episode was released on December 21, 2011. A spin-off manga titled Aria the Scarlet Ammo AA by Shogako Tachibana was serialized in Square Enix's Young Gangan magazine from November 2010 to May 2018, with an anime adaptation by Doga Kobo airing between October and December 2015.
Plot
The setting of the story features Butei, short for buso tantei, a national qualification established to counter worsening crime conditions around the world. The Butei holders are trained in various specialized fields, and are permitted to possess various weapons and capture criminals. Kinji Tōyama is a student at Tokyo Butei High, a universal educational facility for the training of Butei. At this school, students with an aptitude for the work undertake special training in order to learn the path of the Butei. Shortly after Kinji decides to quit the Academy for personal reasons, he is attacked by the Butei Killer, a criminal notorious for eliminating Butei—a case of the hunters becoming the hunted. The elite Butei Assault prodigy Aria H. Kanzaki comes to his rescue and from that moment on, Kinji's future as a Butei changes drastically.The side story, Aria the Scarlet Ammo AA, follows Akari Mamiya, an E-ranked Butei who applies to become Aria's "Amica".
Characters
Main characters
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''Aria the Scarlet Ammo AA'' characters
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Tokyo Butei High
Students
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Teachers
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Others
;Kikuyo Kagataka;Moe Mochizuki
;The Golden Cross
;Kinichi Tohyama
;Kaname Tohyama
;Kinzo Tohyama
Media
Light novels
Aria the Scarlet Ammo is a light novel series written by Chūgaku Akamatsu, with illustrations by Kobuichi. Media Factory published the first novel on August 25, 2008, under their MF Bunko J imprint. As of December 2025, 44 main novels have been released. A spin-off novel, Aria the Scarlet Ammo Reloaded, was published on December 25, 2012. A light novel adaptation of Aria the Scarlet Ammo AA was published in four volumes in 2015. The first two novels were published in English digitally by Digital Manga in 2013 and 2014.Manga
A manga adaptation, illustrated by Yoshino Koyoka, began serialization in the November 2009 issue of Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive sold on September 26, 2009. The first tankōbon volume was published on April 23, 2010; 26 volumes have been released as of February 2025. The first three manga volumes were published in English digitally by Digital Manga in 2014. A spin-off manga titled Aria the Scarlet Ammo AA by Shogako Tachibana was serialized in Square Enix's Young Gangan magazine between November 5, 2010, and May 18, 2018. The first tankōbon volume was published on March 23, 2011. Fourteen volumes total were released.Anime
A 12-episode anime television series adaptation, directed by Takashi Watanabe and produced by J.C.Staff, aired in Japan between April 15 and July 1, 2011. The opening theme is "Scarlet Ballet" by May'n and the ending theme is "Camellia no Hitomi" by Aiko Nakano. An original video animation episode was released on December 21, 2011. The anime is licensed in North America by Funimation, in Australia by Madman Entertainment, and in the United Kingdom by Manga Entertainment. The anime made its North American television debut on the Funimation Channel on November 27, 2012.An anime adaptation of Aria the Scarlet Ammo AA, a spin-off manga series written by Shogako Tachibana and produced by Doga Kobo aired in Japan between October 6 and December 22, 2015. The opening theme is "Bull's Eye" by Nano while the ending theme is "Pulse" by Ayane Sakura and Rie Kugimiya. The series is also licensed in North America by Funimation, who simulcasted the series as it aired.