Aria the Natural #2: Looking For That Treasure…

April 25th is the birthday of Tomoko Kawakami, the voice of Athena Glory. In interviews, she would compare her own clumsiness to Athena’s and suggest that Junichi Satō gave her the role because of it. Tomoko described working on Aria as being in a family. She felt that the spirit of the show was to appreciate your friends and the love you receive from them. Happiness comes when you open your heart to the people you encounter in your life.

The treasure hunt in this week’s episode is a lesson in not taking anything for granted. Wonderful things happen all around us every day, we just have to be open to the experience. And when you reach the end of your adventure, the treasure that awaits isn’t a pot of gold, but your memories of the journey.

The experience doesn’t even need to be extraordinary. Akari and company weren’t travelling to very exotic places, but merely wandering the streets of Neo Venezia. Even though they had been to those places before, this time they were looking for excitement and were able to see the city in a way that seemed new. Or there is the café owner. He spends his time in Piazza San Marco just watching people pass by. The most adventurous part of his day is when he has to walk a few yards to the east as the shadow from the bell tower moves. Sipping on milk coffee doesn’t sound exciting, but by being receptive to the uniqueness of life, the café owner is able to find his own treasure.

When it was over, Alice returned the clues to their hiding places. The most satisfying part of the journey was being able to share it with others. The treasure hunt is a silent tradition of the city. Its value isn’t limited to one person’s experience, but began long ago and will continue as long as there are people to find it. Alicia seemed to understand this. Had she once discovered the treasure map herself? Isn’t it odd how Aria, though it looked like he was just being playful, was able to find the hidden staircase.

We may not always have a map, in fact we rarely do. In life, we have to find our own way without the benefit of clues telling us where to go. But if we treat life as an adventure, it can be just as rewarding. And then we can pass the treasure on to the next generation.

Tomoko reached the end of her treasure hunt on June 9, 2011.

The next clue leads to Aria the Origination #9: Surrounded by That Orange Wind…

Aria the Animation #3: With That Transparent Young Girl…

Everyone knows that oil and water don’t mix. Hydrophobic compounds disrupt water’s hydrogen bonds. Entropy driven ordering then causes the disparate molecules to separate. Alice has a difficult time forming bonds with other people. When she’s around them, her social awkwardness is uncomfortable. It’s easier for her to practice rowing on her own, walk to school on her own, eat lunch on her own, etc.

Add an emulsifier, however, and you can mix oil in water. Egg yolk in Hollandaise sauce keeps it from separating. Alice would not have spoken to Akari if Akatsuki were not there. Normally, she’d be too self-conscious about socializing with Akari. But by being an irritant, he took the pressure off of her. She only thought about him and why Akari was being nice to such a rude person. Without realizing it, she was laughing and speaking casually with Akari. The oil and water had become friends.

Even a prodigy has things she needs to learn. Alice won’t be a Prima if she remains overly concerned with decorum. Akari already knows this as can be seen in her interaction with Akatsuki. She doesn’t worry about embarrassing herself, but neither does she worry about her customers behaving poorly towards her. She keeps smiling and finds a way to turn any situation into a positive experience. For Akatsuki, who’s angry because he’s broke and bored, she reminds him of why he became a salamander. Akari doesn’t know it now, but later she’ll hear the story of his dream to be the “protector of Aqua.”

Speaking of Akatsuki, April 16 is the birthday of Hirofumi Nojima.

Next week’s episode is Aria the Natural #2: Looking For That Treasure…

Aria the Natural #6: The Smile Reflected In that Mirror…

It’s another sleepover at Orange Planet for Akari. This time, Alice isn’t embarrassed for her friends to be wearing their own uniforms. She’s much more comfortable around them than before, but just as uncomfortable with the other undines in her own company. Of course she’s shy, but it’s compounded by being younger than her classmates while also more advanced than them.

So Alice suffers from being “alone in the crowd,” and Orange Planet is a very large crowd. She probably wishes that she could be in the more prestigious Himeya, or receiving personal attention from Alicia at Aria Company. Either one would be easier for her to manage. Easier, however, is not better. She’d still be the same timid Alice no matter where she was being taught. For the sake of her growth, she needs to be made uncomfortable and learn to overcome her shyness. That makes Orange Planet ideal for her, where she is forced to interact with many girls her own age.

It’s also the perfect place for Athena, who frequently depends on the support of others to make up for her mistakes. Orange Planet provides a large social safety net to fall back on. She repays the company with her sensitivity to other peoples’ feelings. Athena speaks little and sees much, so she understands Alice’s anxiety without needing to be told. It must look like magic to have someone read your mind that way, and even more impressive because of her usual hands-off teaching style.

Well, this episode felt a little short. So I’ll add in another one of the Aria the Origination picture dramas. This is one I should’ve watched right after That Guardian Of Aqua, Picture Drama #6: Akatsukin-chan.

Of course, this is a play on Little Red Riding Hood, or “Akazukin” in Japan. That Akatsuki’s personality is more like the wolf is an irony not lost on anyone. And everything is resolved thanks to Goddess Alicia. Ara-ara.

The next episode is Aria the Animation #3: With That Transparent Young Girl…, here on Orange Planet Thursdays.

Aria the Natural #19: That Crybaby…/That Young Girl’s Heart…

In the language of flowers, the sunflower signifies pride. The bold color and large head stand above all other flowers. But have you seen a sunflower in the shade? Without the bright light of the sun, its head sags and petals curl in. Pride is easily injured.

Aika’s forceful personality comes out when she’s with Akari and Alice. Left alone, however, her self-discipline slips as she sneaks out to play. That’s when she wilts like a sunflower and begins to doubt herself. She says that others depend on her, but it’s really Aika who depends on them for her confidence.

Akari and Alice are very dependable friends. What Aika didn’t consider was the lasting effect of her encouragement. The other girls are able to do well because they don’t want to disappoint Aika. They know that Aika tries the hardest and that motivates them. Pride can be a weakness but also a strength. For Akari, she wants to improve as an undine so Aika will be proud of her. The best kind of confidence comes from what you can do to help other people, and that’s something worth taking pride in.

And the best kind of friends are those who bring you pudding. (With whipped cream on top.)

Aika’s fragile pride is weakest when it comes to Al. Akari is motivated by wanting to look good in front of Aika, and so Aika tries to look good in front of Al. The influence of Akira brings out a masculinity in her usual behavior. But at heart, she’s a young girl who wants the man she loves to tell her she’s beautiful.

This encounter shows that Al and Aika have grown closer since the night of the meteor shower. There was a time when Al seemed oblivious to Aika’s feelings. But he doesn’t mince words about what he thinks of her new hairstyle. (A bit too enthusiastic, I thought.) Al understands Aika, he knows that compliments make her happy and will give her as many as she desires.

The episode for next week is Aria the Natural #6: The Smile Reflected In That Mirror…

Edit: Something I forgot to mention. This week, you can watch Aria the Animation on YouTube.

Iria Monday

I’ve been writing about Aria for the last three months, and honestly I’m sick of all those nice boats. So the blog is going in a different direction from now on. This week I will be watching the 1994 sci-fi action OVA Iria: Zeiram the Animation.

Ara-ara this, motherfucker.

Iria is the brainchild of Keita Amemiya. There are two live-action movies in the franchise, but the anime stands on its own.

The title star joins her brother Glen as a bounty hunter. This is a classical hero saga, where the bounty hunters are noble samurai in a universe controlled by greedy warlords. The heroes’ virtue is undisputed, and there is very little in existential angst as they carry out their idealistic form of frontier justice on those whom they judge to be immoral. It’s the duty of the strong to protect the weak, and if it requires breaking a few laws (or all of them), well so be it.

The family business

Chapter 1

Iria’s journey begins when Glen is killed in what was supposed to be a routine rescue of a hijacked cargo ship. The murderer is equal parts machine, mutant, and demon. Oh, and it’s supposed to be immortal. Don’t you think that’s setting the bar a little too high? Of course, I have no doubt that Iria will find away to kill it eventually, because anything else would be unfair. As seen in the opening scene, where Fujikuro steals a bounty from her, this show puts a high value on fairness.

But does he even lift?

It’s also revealed that the mutant-machine-monster, called Zeiram, is the product of a corporate experiment. So no need for subtlety nor suspense here. This ultimate weapon had been deemed too dangerous by whatever passes for a legal authority. Teden Tippedai Corp. was transporting it in secret when it got loose and killed almost everyone on board. Bob wants to just cut their losses and get the fuck out, but Glen being the hero that he is insists they save everyone, including the smarmy company stooge.

Literally sallow-cheeked

But the sycophant seems to betray his humanity when he drops a locket holding a picture of his daughter. Iria takes this as a sign that humans are good people at heart. The corruption of the universe is a tragedy that drives good men to do evil deeds. True evil doesn’t exist, and there is nothing so wicked that it can’t be overcome by honorable men. Nevertheless, that guy’s an asshole.

What passes for fan-service in this show

Chapter 2

After escaping from the Zeiram, Iria lands on a resort planet needing to refuel and find a way back to her home planet. Meeting a gang of street boys reveals the feminine side she never knew she had. Once more, her sense of honor is in the forefront as she refuses to arrest the young vandals.

The star makes him look like a sheriff

The Zeiram from the cargo ship has survived and is indiscriminately killing people. The government isn’t concerned with the lives of a few hundred poor people. All information about the incident is being suppressed anyway, so it would be awkward to have to respond to something that doesn’t technically exist. Orchestrating a galaxy-wide conspiracy in less than three days isn’t any trouble at all it seems. No more than a single inexperienced bounty hunter and a rag-tag group of kids with slingshots fighting a genetically engineered killing machine.

Truth through superior firepower

If you were expecting any surprises from the Zeiram, which I’m sure you weren’t, there were none here. Iria is able to immobilize it briefly and attempts to talk to it, but she doesn’t get a response. The monster is unnatural, and thus does not obey the laws of nature. It has no soul, it has no reason, it has no honor. I said that evil isn’t part of the universe, but by the actions of evil men, the Zeiram was brought into the world. That leaves it to virtuous men to do something about it. There is no one more virtuous than Iria and her temporary partner Kei. Because they’re the good guys, it isn’t a surprise that they’re able to win. Nor is it a surprise to learn that Glen is still alive. Or is he? Iria hears his voice on the radio, but the badge he was wearing is dropped during the fight with the Zeiram. What happened to Glen is the small token of suspense the story has to offer.

The architecture in this show is post-modern-neo-classical

The other open question is how invincible the Zeiram really is. When Iria was fighting it on the planet, it was weakened by an injury to its head. It has resisted most bullets, explosions, knives, and small pebbles thrown its way. So how it was wounded is itself a mystery. The Zeiram’s defenses are not so perfect after all. If Iria can learn how to hurt it again, there’s a chance she can kill the “immortal” beast.

Just like a woman to worry about clothes at a time like this

Chapter 3

Iria returns home just wanting a meal and hot shower. The ensuing shootout and car chase goes about in the typical fashion with all the convenient escapes, meaningless explosions, inconceivable physics, and snappy one-liners with the dopey sidekick Fujikuro. As you expected, Bob is dead and the smarmy guy is to blame, so Iria goes to visit him for no particular reason.

She still takes the money

Oh, and remember the locket with the cute little girl? Yeah, a complete fake. He just wanted the microchip hidden in the backing which had all the incriminating evidence on it. If there’s one thing you can trust a criminal mastermind to do, it’s brag about his crimes in the most meaningless and compromising way.

Naturally, none of those bullets actually hit her

So she scales a skyscraper, hops on and off elevators, and swings about like the reincarnation of an Illuminati-fighting 13th century assassin. Iria confronts the guy only to not kill him. Good guys just don’t do that, no matter how deserved it is. Well, to his credit, he let the bystanders on the cargo ship live. Oh, and it turns out Bob isn’t dead either. I mean, he isn’t exactly alive either, but having his brain uploaded to a computer was the best he could’ve hoped for after what the Zeiram did to him.

Then, after rescuing “Bob” and escaping through a conveniently unguarded teleporter, Iria finally gets the shower she wanted.

Did you really expect me to show you that scene?

Chapter 4

Attacking an office building in broad daylight isn’t enough to put Iria’s career in jeopardy. That could just be the result of hanging on to that microchip. Now that she’s a full-fledged bounty hunter, her first job is to find the guy who happens to know all about the Zeiram. Well, why wouldn’t it be?

Bob’s new form comes in handy

As was hinted at earlier, Glen reappears. Except it’s not him. The Zeiram can create clones of itself using human DNA. But Glen isn’t the only familiar face Iria sees. The slumdogs Kei and Komimasa hitched a ride to the planet. Iria acts like a big sister around them, which just makes her think more about her older brother. That’s a problem when she has to fight the Glen clone. She’s such a pure and virtuous hero that it’s difficult for her to hurt something that happens to look like her brother. Except the thing isn’t anything like him. We didn’t see that much of Glen in the first episode, but I’m pretty sure there weren’t tusks growing out of his back.

Someone really needs some Dove Skin Care

Turns out, though, that the expert Dr. Touka wasn’t aware of the cloning ability. So after tearing-up his research notes, what use is he other than to be a cynical old fart? Iria, Kei, and the doctor head back to the city with a glimmer of hope, because if the Zeiram was able to clone Glen, that means his body is still alive somewhere.

The face of not taking any more shit

Chapter 5

Iria has a penchant for meaningless emotional gestures. This time it’s visiting the abandoned village where she was born. But one of the clones is there waiting for her. She defeats it quickly then has to drive back to the city after doing nothing more than reminiscing a bit.

The clones are the Zeiram’s way of keeping its body alive. It can assimilate the cells of its victims and use them either to strengthen itself, or spawn clones. It’s been hunting at night to build an army of monsters that will attack the city. It also has some kind of electronics ability, as it was able to create a radio transmitter that is broadcasting a beacon to a larger Zeirim body now on its way to the planet.

Nevermind Glen, she just wants her gun back

More importantly, Iria now knows that her brother was taken in whole by the Zeiram. That’s why his clone looked so much like him, and that it seems to share his memories. She figured all this out by eavesdropping on Dr. Touka and going back to her village again. But her resolve to fight her brother-slash-Zeiram is short-lived when she actually sees him in the monster. It’s easy to kill an amorphous blob with a Noh mask on its forehead, but not while looking at someone’s face, even as he begs you to pull the trigger. At least that’s how it is for a paragon of justice.

Dance with the devil in the pale moonlight

Oh, about her brother: they’re not really related. And Kei… Kei is a girl. So I guess this story had a few plot twists after all.

Chapter 6

The ass-kicking she got has put Iria in a bad mood. She seems to be content to watch as the army tries deal with the Zeiram in the most complicated way that is bound to fail. Kei wants to fight it herself if no one else will. Iria sees her own stubbornness in the girl she’s already starting to treat as an apprentice. Remembering how Glen reacted, she conceives of a plan that is even more reckless than the army’s. But it’s almost guaranteed to succeed because it depends on her ability to remain strong and virtuous in the face of evil.

Chillin’

But to get there she has to rely on the unasked for assistance of Fujikuro. I’m sorry to see him treated so unfairly in this battle. His half-hearted rivalry with Iria is a sign of affection. Maybe she knew it, maybe not, he never gets the chance to make it clear. The last we see of him is riding into a swarm of mutant clones with a shit-eating grin on his face. It’s a manly way to go out, but there’s no finality in it. He isn’t a part of the final scene, so we don’t know whether or not he made it out alive. Guessing does us no good, because Bob and Glen were supposed to be dead too, right?

All she’s missing is the halo

In any case, Iria’s way of defeating the Zeiram is to become part of it. It’s not entirely absurd; Glen did it. She’s risking her life in the process, but it wouldn’t be much of an ultimate battle between good and evil if the stakes were any less. Iria is a pure soul, so offering herself as a sacrifice sounds about right. Except, sadly, she doesn’t need to go that far after all. It looked to be going as expected until, rather suddenly, the ghost of Glen whispers in her ear and she kills the monster by just stabbing it once in a vulnerable spot. Really? That’s all it took? She didn’t even get absorbed completely into its body. What a let down. If that’s all it takes to be a messiah these days, it hardly seems worth it.

Kudos to Bob, though. Hacking the teleporter was a clever trick, and I don’t think he could have picked a better planet. The Zeiram may be lifeless now, but if any of its body remained the risk of it being revived is still there. Good thing to have the desert sun bake it away to dust.

So that’s Iria. Stories aren’t written like this anymore. Viewers expect more personal reflection, moral dilemmas, and sharp irony. Someone so perfectly heroic as Iria wouldn’t be accepted these days.

Now, check back later this week when I’ll be playing the visual novel Robotics;Notes on “Airi Thursday.”