Nov 30, 2013

Aria the Natural #14: That Newest Memory…


When you wake earlier than you typically do, you see a slightly different world. The air is cooler, the light comes faintly from the east (or the last dim light of a setting moon). It’s a good time for Akari to practice how to navigate using the palinas. Although the oceans of Aqua also have modern electronic navigation bouys, the classic wooden poles are part of the city’s heritage. And they still work even when there’s no electricity.
The palinas help for travelling on the water. Akari’s idea to paint a palina sends her on a journey through the past of Aria Company. The photographs, writings, and stories passed on by word of mouth are guideposts as she explores the world. The palina she paints will act as a reminder of Akari’s role in their history.

A popular theory of Aria is that it is the story of Aria Company as told by Ai. Akari speaks directly to the audience when she says that future apprentices will be able to meet her and Alicia by looking at the palina.

A very late post because I spent most of the week on holiday. I’ll get back on schedule with Aria the Origination #12: Embraced by That Blue Sea and Wind…

Nov 21, 2013

Aria the Natural #9: Those Honest Stars…

 The gondola is an icon of Venice. Those in the 20th century are built to a uniform standard: 10.8m long, 700kg, made from 280 piece of 8 types of wood, and all painted black. There is a blade-like ferro on the prow and a curled risso on the stern. The undines of Neo-Venezia are allowed to have more elaborate gondolas. Primas helm full-size white boats while the apprentices practice on smaller black ones. The risso has evolved from floral ironwork to a tall double-spiral. Instead of just a blade, ferros have many shapes, such as Aika’s lantern.

The aesthetic of a gondola has a practical side to it. Their flat bottoms allow them to navigate the Venetian lagoon. The ferro and risso are made of metal to protect the boat in a collision. They are built asymmetrical so they can be steered with one oar. The forcola is shaped to allow eight different maneuvers. Each feature was added to the gondola by boat builders with the insight and imagination to do what was necessary. What we see today was the result of facing challenges with the attitude of what is possible, and not bemoaning the impossible.
 This is the lesson that Alicia teaches to Akari. There are infinite discoveries waiting to be made in the universe. There is always something new to learn, someone unfamiliar to meet, or paths untrodden that you can venture on. (Didn’t we learn this when Alicia was excited to be the first to walk into a snow-covered lane?) Even today, gondola builders continue to innovate: the size of the risso is having to be reduced to account for the rising sea level. What will the Venice of the future look like? Perhaps one day there will be robotic self-rowing gondolas.

After a few months without celebrating any notable birthdays, there are three this week. Last Monday the 18th was the birthday of Akeno Watanabe (Albert Pitt) and Chinami Nishimura (President Aria). Tomorrow, the 22nd, is Junko Minagawa (Akira E. Ferrari).

Next week is the Thanksgiving holiday so I’ll be visiting family on Thursday. But I’ll make time for Aria the Natural #14: That Newest Memory…

Nov 14, 2013

Aria the Animation #2: On That Special Day…

Inclement weather can interfere with the normal flow of human activity. A sudden storm, heat wave, or flood makes travel difficult. But there are things that can’t wait for the air to clear. Food, medicine, and important business must be seen to even when it is inconvenient. We don’t get to choose how we interact with nature. It’s a relationship not unlike that of a family member. A parent or sibling may be difficult to deal with at times, but you never have the option to stop being related to them. You just do your best to endure the storm and hope that the sun will eventually break through the clouds.
Aika is treated respectfully, but it’s a limited respect. She can rely on other people in Himeya only as far as it’s convenient. The polite smiles she receives are like a storefront that shutters its windows when the rain comes. We never see anyone from Aika’s family (who must all be very busy conducting the business of the company). So when Akira rolls in like a thunderhead, it’s without any polite formalities.

Akira’s strictness interferes with Aika’s normally easygoing and impulsive attitude. But if she’s to become an undine, Aika knows that she can’t ignore her or choose to only listen to the kind things she says. After all, Aika is just as strict to the people around her, Akari in particular. She’s not so foolish to think Akira is being mean for no reason, and is self-conscious enough to know when she’s at fault. The arguments they have are a natural part of their relationship. It’s because Akira will fight with her that makes her family to Aika. 

Next week’s episode is Aria the Natural #9: Those Honest Stars…

Nov 7, 2013

Aria the Natural #7: To The Kingdom Of Cats…

Akari has been in the Kingdom of Cats before, but this time she comes uninvited. The hidden world is protected not by a door but by a fairy trick that causes the intruder to become trapped in a labyrinth. It’s only when she promises not to venture further that President Aria points her in the direction of the exit.

As Aika and Akari circled through the abandoned relics of Neo-Venezia, we saw that the Kingdom of Cats is that of the past. Cait Sith, a creature out of ancient legends, is the guardian of memories. The cats remember when humans forget about the first settlers of Aqua, or the engineers who made the planet habitable. But like the changing seasons, we must leave those things behind. If you wander too far into the world of the past, you risk becoming pixy led by your memories and regrets. President Aria encourages Akari to stay in the present, to keep moving forward, and to put on new clothes as she looks to the future, not the past.

This is the last of the Cait Sith episodes. Who would have thought that Alice’s bragging about becoming a Prima would turn out to be true? Next week is Aria the Animation #2: On That Special Day…