Aria the Origination #7: In That Gently Passing Time…

Four generations of undines

Did you remember that Grandma’s name was Akino? No, I didn’t either. Grandma is and will always be Grandma. This week’s episode reveals the founding of Aria Company via a family reunion of sorts.

The company owes it’s existence to a daydreaming cat. President Aria often goofs-off, but at times he’s shown remarkable insight. So it’s believable that he was waiting there specifically for Aria Company to be built. Or he may have just been staring at the birds for no particular reason.

Simplicity without a name
Is free from all external aim.
With no desire, at rest and still,
All things go right as of their will.

By the way, how old is President Aria anyway?

At the start of this episode, Alicia told the story of how houses on Burano were painted to guide fishermen back home. The paper on the sign warns of wet paint. She created Aria Company to be her home, and then the home of all the undines to come after her. And that is why she is Grandma.

What Alicia didn’t mention, however, is that the colors of the houses follow a set pattern. By law, only certain colors are allowed depending on the location. The island is also 7 kilometers from Venice and takes 40 minutes to reach by motorboat. Yet Akari rowed the whole way? Maybe it’s closer on Aqua.

Also, a little late (it was last Saturday), but happy birthday to Yui Makino.

The next episode will be Aria the Animation #5: To That Impossibly Existing Island… No birthdays this week, at least none that I’m aware of.

Aria the Natural #21: That Night Of the Galaxy Express…

“Who knows what happiness is?” said the lighthouse keeper, comforting him. “So long as you’re on the proper road, no matter how trying a thing may be, you’ll be getting closer, one step at a time, up and down the mountain to real happiness.”

In Kenji Miyazawa’s Night on the Milky Way Railway, Giovanni is given a ticket that, as Roger Pulvers puts it, “is a free pass for the imagination.” Near the end of Giovanni’s journey, as he is deliberating whether or not to continue on with Campanella, has the above words said to him. So it is with Akari’s journey in Aria. Last week we saw her, like Giovanni, questioning her ability to bring happiness to other people. This week she is offered a chance to learn the mysteries of the world and must ask if she is prepared to venture into the unknown.

Road to the horizon

The cats of Aqua are never fully explained. We are led to believe that they have evolved with the growth of the planet. Certainly they are more intelligent than current day cats. Is their role in the ecosystem part of the terraforming plan? Intended or not, the special relationship they have with Aqua is given form in the faerie king Cait Sith.

Maybe Cait Sith sees Akari as just another cat

As we see, Cait Sith is as intrigued with Akari as she is with him. Although she’s the only one to have seen him, no one doubts that he is real. The residents of Neo-Venezia have no difficulty seeing the world they live in as a living organism. Is not terraforming nothing more than the Gaia theory put into practice? You can hear it in Alicia’s voice as she encourages Akari to accept the invitation.

As a closing comment, can you believe it took three weeks for us to encounter Aika’s signature line?

Next week’s episode: Aria the Origination #7 In That Gently Passing Time…

Aria the Origination #1: That Imminent Spring Breeze…

Believe in the Undine who believes in you

“Spring is almost here,” don’t I wish. Well, seeing Neo-Venezia frosted with snow makes me feel like I’m there. And it is warmer today than the past few weeks. Not that I expect it to last very long. But “spring” is a metaphor for the events that will happen in The Origination. It’s a theme that is repeated throughout the episode.

Most of all, however, this episode is about food.

Involtini is a meat or vegetable wrap, sauteed and braised. Here’s a recipe for a guacamole salmon involtini from Food & Wine magazine.

1. Preheat a skillet. Toss 3 medium scallions, 2 whole cloves of garlic, and 1 seeded and sliced jalapeno pepper in a small bowl with 1 tbsp. vegetable oil. Grill until charred then let cool.
2. Chop the scallions and jalapeno then mix with the peeled and mashed garlic. Mix in the flesh from 3 avocados. Add ¼ cup chopped cilantro,  2 tbsp. lime juice, salt and pepper.
3. Fold 1 lb. cream cheese and 2 tsp. jalapeno sauce into the guacamole mix.
4. Take 2 lbs. of sliced smoked salmon in pairs. Cut a 4×6 inch strip out of each pair. Spread the filling along the short side of each strip, about 1 inch wide. Roll into cylinders and freeze for 15 minutes.
5. Cut to size and serve on mini toast.

Enjoy your meal!

Aria the Natural #4: That Neo-Venezia Colored Heart…

Anachronisms abound in Neo-Venezia, a recreation of 20th century Venice on the terraformed Mars of the future. And there’s nothing more anachronistic than a written letter. (Not to mention the Japanese postal symbol 〒, and radio calisthenics.) Even today, in the 21st century, how many of us can relate to Ai-chan who has never sent nor received a letter?

Special delivery for President Aria

President Aria is hinting at later developments. The butterfly is a symbol of marriage in Japan.

Mission start!

This guy has always reminded me of the old man from Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou. And Akari is at her most Alpha-like as she helps him in his rounds. Her incredible eagerness to learn new things is one of the traits we love her for. And her amusing penchant for stating the obvious, “Neo-Venezia has a lot of mailboxes,” is why we make fun of her. Oh, but Aika isn’t around to deliver her trademarked riposte.

Lovely as always

Aika-chan with her hair down: what a treat. Get used to seeing pictures of her every week. I am her unabashed fan. And who can mistake Matsuki Miyu as the bride? She always gets the teacher roles. The basilica she gets married in is Santa Maria della Salute. There are a lot of churches in Venice!