Aria the Animation #13 & #12: That White Morning…/That Soft Wish…

The year ends with a surprise visit from a friend. Ai is excited to meet the people she had read about in Akari’s letters. Her tour of Neo-Venezia even includes a visit to one of the mysterious alleys that’s hidden to most people where they meet a ghost from the past. The cat that appeared as a human had asked Akari to deliver a letter for her. She also had to receive the message, because it’s original had died long ago. But it still had meaning to her as someone living in the world they created. Each year that goes by is a page in a letter written for future generations to read.

Akari wrote her so Ai would understand how much she loved Neo-Venezia. Because Ai will become an apprentice undine herself one day, and follow in Akari’s footsteps, it’s as if she’s been reading her own future. Unlike the messages of history, Ai is able to meet the people who are preparing her place in the city. The people of the past are separated by time. But by the magic of Aqua, Akari is allowed to cross an unpassable bridge.

Alicia tells her that the bridge used to be a place people visit out of nostalgia. There are prettier landmarks in Neo-Venezia. Why would a visitor want to see a run-down bridge? A covered bridge doesn’t fit the image of Venice. What it provides is a reminder of the ambition of the people who built Neo-Venezia. The excitement Akiko feels is in seeing the young children who are watching the city be born. It also comes from the patience of the older settlers. They won’t live to see their creation fulfilled, but are happy knowing that the next generation will take what they started and carry it for a time before passing to their grand-children.

The story of Aqua is the story of Aria Company. What Grandma began was continued by Alicia who leaves it in Akari’s care. Even Ai, having learned from Akari’s letters, will think of the child Aqua as she takes her place in this continuing saga. And if we turn the pages backward to before there was an Aqua then it must have started when someone on planet Earth looked to the sky and thought, “What letter can I write for future generations to read?”

Or perhaps she just said, “Happy New Year.” It means the same thing.

This is the last week in my year of Aria. The experiment to watch the series out-of-order was not as successful as I thought it might be. I admit to forcing this week’s two episodes to be the last. But Aria is enjoyable no matter how you approach it. This way I could see contrast between the earlier and later episodes, and also the similarities or when an event had been set-up by something that happened earlier.

The staff and cast of Aria have reason to be proud. Although there will not be any more Aria, Kozue Amano continues to write the charming and uplifting manga Amanchu!. Satou Junichi has gone on to direct many other “healing” anime such as Tamayura. (A story I describe as being about Akari’s great-great-great-great grandmother.) It seems to me that everywhere I look I hear Chiwa Saitou’s voice. And who cannot help but think of Alicia whenever Sayaka Oohara laughs?

But most of all I remember Tomoko Kawakami and Eri Kawai. The time we’ve been given can be taken from us easier than we’d like. As you turn the calendar to a new year, do your best to treat every day as wonderful encounter.

Thank you for reading.

Aria the Natural #1: That Encounter At The Carnevale…

The fairy standing in the doorway holds up his hand. Behind him, Akari can see figures moving about as jasmine petals drift in the warm breeze. It’s a world off-limits to her. That morning, she was looking through a different doorway and seeing a different vision. “I’m a member of Aria Company today,” Ai proudly proclaimed as Alicia served her breakfast. One day she’ll be able to say that while wearing the gloves of an apprentice as Akari stands in Alicia’s place. This is their future, but like the kingdom of the cats they can only look through the doorway.

The Carnival, as is well known, is the time leading up to the Lenten fast. Carnival-goers spend two weeks indulging in food, wine, and each other to prepare themselves for the month and a half they will have to go without. The first Carnivals of Venice were held to celebrate the victory over Aquileia in 1162. The patriarch Ulrich II was made to give 12 pigs and a bull as tribute. This may be why during the 17th century the city would host a running of the bulls during Carnival. Thankfully, this is a tradition that has not been carried into modern times.

Putting on a mask is like becoming a different person. It gives you the courage to try things you might not normally do. As her friends gathered together, we saw Akari standing back and looking at them as an outsider. We learned in The Center Of That Large Circle that she has the habit of excluding herself that way. The invitation from Cait Sith was to become part of the Carnival celebration; run through the streets of Neo-Venetia, singing and dancing. He is urging Akari to see herself as part of the city, and part of the group of friends who surround her.

Ai is the only human other than Akari to have seen Cait Sith. Why did he allow her into this hidden side of Neo-Venezia? Cuteness needs no excuse.

Because I want to finish watching all the episodes this year, I’m doubling-up next week. Aria the Natural #26: That White, Kind City… and Aria the Animation #10: That Warm Holiday…

Aria the Natural #15: The Center Of That Large Circle…

Akari feels left out as these old friends share a story from their past. She should learn from the young Akatsuki that friendship doesn’t care if you look cool or if you fall flat on your face. The important thing is daring to try. Akari took that leap when she left Manhome for Aqua. Without realizing it, she’s become part of many new memories. Some day she and her friends will reminisce about these days when she was a single, and maybe there will be a young apprentice listening to them and feeling left out of their stories.

The story created from our memories is one that never ends. There are many chapters, with many surprises along the way. For Akatsuki, they boy he met on that playground was just a memory. Who would have guessed that he, who was really a she, would appear back in his life many years later? This surprising turn of events might not have happened if Akari had not been sitting alone that afternoon. An ordinary moment in time became a surprising new chapter of many peoples’ lives. This story of friends who met once and parted ways only to meet again later on is something Akari should keep in mind when she becomes a prima. Her time as an apprentice will end, but no one knows what will happen later, or when someone you thought was just a memory will enter into your life again.

With this light-hearted episode, I’ll watch another Aria the Origination picture drama #3: Aiming for that Glorious Victory.

Aika gets Akari and Alice to play “the beautiful game.” For her to decide this in just one day makes me think that she got the idea from reading a manga. It’s cute how the uniform has the three company colors in it.

This leaves one more picture drama, and 12 more episodes for the last 10 weeks of the year. The next one will be Aria the Natural #1: That Encounter At The Carnevale…

Aria the Origination #13: To That New Beginning…

Akari has a question about the account book for Aria Company, but when she turns around, Alicia isn’t there. She’s retired now, and Akari is alone. This time, it’s not a dream. The sadness of having to say goodbye is mixed with the joy of a hopeful future. Akari now feels that she is a person Alicia can rely on.

Then Alicia confesses that she is already relying on Akari. When a mentor teaches an apprentice, or a parent to a child, the student will necessarily take on some of her instructor’s personality. Akari was afraid to let go of Alicia because Alicia didn’t want to be alone.

Akari was never at risk of feeling lonely. Now that she’s a prima, her days are full of customers, talking with other undines and business owners, and the many friends she’s made in Neo-Venezia. Alicia, although newlywed and working full time in the Gondola Association, still goes out of her way to drop by Aria Company. In time, she’ll visit less often. But then Akari will be busy teaching her own apprentice. That young pair will grow up under the influence of Akari’s personality, as Akari had grown under Alicia’s.

That concludes three weeks all about Alicia. Next week is a lighter episode, Aria the Natural #11: That Precious Sparkle…

Aria the OVA: Arietta

Akari is again feeling anxious about her future. Not an uncertain future, but one that she knows what’s to come. She see’s it as a big change in her life and is worried that she isn’t ready. Alicia shares her own worries and shows that Akari is closer to her than she realizes.

Akari’s loneliness is easily cured by the many people she encounters during the day. Not only her close friends, but the other people who work and live in Neo-Venezia, and the customers who come to visit. One day Akari will have Aria Company to herself, but she won’t be alone. Just as Akira and Athena were there to support Alicia after Grandma left.

Alicia then, as Akari is now, felt the next stage of her life as a looming presence. She hesitated to move on because it seemed too big for her to handle. She needed to look at her life from a different perspective, one that made her problems appear smaller. Like the view from the top of the Campanile. Seeing the city from that height put her worries in perspective. For Akari, she didn’t need to see it but just hearing the quiet pulsing of Neo-Venezia at night was enough to put her at ease.

We’ll see just how at ease Akari is next week when I watch Aria the Origination #13: To That New Beginning… The very last episode of Aria.

Aria the Natural #25: The Fruits Of That Encounter…

As a story that takes place in the future, Aria has a message of hope running throughout. This is brought to the forefront in this closing episode to the second TV broadcast. The apprentices have to host a party. It’s something they’ve never done on their own, but not something they aren’t ready for. The confidence and maturity of these young girls is not lost on their mentors. The older undines may be the “Three Fairies,” but watching Akari, Aika, and Alice row together, it’s apparent that they will one day take that title for themselves. Which is just what they’ve been training for as the successors to Alicia, Akira, and Athena. When they become primas, it’ll be the realization of the hopes that have been passed down from their seniors.

Wishing alone won’t make anything happen, though. It takes work to turn hope into reality. So the first half of this episode shows the girls preparing for the party. It’s a reflection of their life as apprentice undines. The preparation required to become a prima is a difficult ordeal. Aria tells the story of this time and how Akari remains cheerful because of her hope that she will be able to succeed.

The uncertainty of the future means that we sometimes have to hope for something when there is no assurance that it will happen. Akari invites Ai to the party even though she hasn’t been receiving her emails recently. It almost doesn’t happen, but Ai is able to arrive just in time. She and Akari are bound by destiny, it seems. Much like Akari’s ability to attract the supernatural forces of Aqua.

The Redentore festival ends with a display of fireworks. And on that note, we turn to Aria the Origination Picture Drama #5: Alice’s Ghost Story. This also occurs during a summer festival. Alice shows valiant patience as she tries to tell her story with so many interruptions by Aika and Akari. Or she was just that committed to finishing because she put a lot of effort into the story. Like how she made those Redentore invitations “during a lunch break.” (Or so she claimed.)

Seeing fireworks seems fitting for this time of year. Next Thursday is the 4th of July, after all. I’ll be watching Aria the Origination #5: That Keepsake Clover…

Aria the Origination #10: The Excitement on That Moon-Gazing Night…

Close friends are often said to be able to read each other’s minds. That may be an exaggeration, but it’s true that when you understand someone well, you can communicate indirectly. When Akari and Aika are caught spying on Alice, she says she doesn’t like being watched while she works. However, she also asks for their opinions about her demeanor. The unspoken message being that she’s happy her friends care about her so much.

When Akari suggests they have a moon-gazing party, she doesn’t need to say that it’s to celebrate Alice’s first day as a prima. And when Aika teases Alice about the dango, she’s really telling her to cheer up. These tacit conversations are how friends share feelings that are too embarrassing to say out loud. If Aika can barely mention wanting to see Al without stammering in front of Alice and Akari, how could she possible say it to his face?

So those two talk in a maze of indirection and shadowed allusions. But this night Aika learns an encouraging secret about Al. No, not that he’s perhaps the only gnome to ever be afraid of the dark. What Al tells her, by metaphor, is that he’s just as nervous about their relationship as she is. The two of them are not separate bodies floating in space, uncertain if they’ll draw closer or drift apart. Rather, they’re trapped in a well of love, both feeling the same fear but also happy to be together.

What a delightfully romantic episode. Even President Aria and President Hime were feeling it. Another sentimental episode next week as I’ll be watching Aria the Natural #25: The Fruits Of That Encounter… And to kick-off the second half of my year on Aqua, I’ll also watch Aria the Origination picture drama #5: Alice’s Ghost Story.

Aria the Natural #8: The Day Of Festa Del Bòcolo…

Traditions are said to be a way of connecting with the past. But really, it’s more about connecting with the people around you. You’re celebrating your common heritage and the feelings you share. The story of the dying soldier’s wish may not even be true. That’s not the point. When you see red roses spread throughout the city, you realize that you are surrounded by like-minded people. The tradition is a visible sign of the community you live in.

The affinity for traditions on Aqua goes as far as recreating the annual flooding of Neo Venezia. On a terraformed planet where the weather is regulated, what good is it to allow a city to be inundated by the tide? In Venice, the acqua alta is a minor nuisance that can even be dangerous. (It is also not particularly impressive, as the high tide only persists for an hour or so.) But because it was a characteristic of the city on Manhome, the architects of Neo Venezia insisted on maintaining the tradition.

The down-side to traditional events is when they become too common. What meaning does a rose have if everyone receives one? Giving a present out of a sense of obligation is not without meaning. Athena smiled most warmly at Alice’s rose. But that is because Alice herself has a special relationship with Athena. The rose was just a way of communicating their appreciation for each other. The meaning of the exchange was more than just the rose, and more than any of the other roses Athena received. If those special feelings could be given a form, what would it look like? It would have the significance of the tradition, but uniquely so. Such as giving not a rose blossom, but a gemstone in the shape of a rose.

Next week I will be watching Aria the Origination #5.5: That Little Secret Place… Also known as the season 3 OVA.

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.

Aria the Natural #22: That Mysterious World…/That Guardian Of Aqua…

The adventure continues in “Through the Looking Glass” and what President Aria found there.

This is the other side of playing make-believe. Sure, things could be better. But there are a lot of ways they could be worse. A healthy dose of fantasy can make you appreciate the world as it is.

There’s no place like home.

The differences between the girl and boy sides of Neo-Venezia are subtle. Just cutting their hair and putting on pants isn’t enough to change Akari or Alice. In Aika’s case, she gets to grow her hair back, but that’s all. And Akira, well she’s virtually a man anyway. Maybe in the parallel world he’s actually more feminine.

Shut up, Minmay.

The most stunning change is given to Akatsuki. We haven’t been properly introduced to him (he was Akari’s first customer, in fact) but the story of his childhood tells us all we need to know. As he … err, she says in the song, (s)he works on the floating island to control the weather of Aqua. The gnomes, such as Al, live underground where they generate artificial gravity. Then there is Woody the sylph, who delivers messages and cargo, and the undines. These four classes of workers are named after elemental spirits.

The salamander, gnome, sylph, and undine spirits correspond to fire, earth, air, and water. The concept was written about by the 11th century monk Michæl Psellus. In a dialogue on pagan demons, he describes six classes: those four plus the first higher than air and the last lower than earth. The name “undine” is a recent addition, first appearing in 1818 (Undine: a fairy romance by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué). It quickly replaced the older “nymph” so that it was used by Bayard Taylor in his 1872 translation of Faust.

What is probably the earliest use in English is Pope’s The Rape of the Lock. He mentions having learned of the spirits from a French book, Comte de Gabalis. But his portrayal of elemental spirits as invisible guardians of the Earth is likely the inspiration for later authors.

Some in the Fields of purest Æther play,
And bask and whiten in the Blaze of Day.
Some guide the Course of wand’ring Orbs on high,
Or roll the Planets thro’ the boundless Sky.
Some less refin’d, beneath the Moon’s pale Light
Hover, and catch the shooting Stars by Night.
Or suck the Mists in grosser Air below,
Or dip their Pinions in the painted Bow,
Or brew fierce Tempests on the wintry Main,
Or o’er the Globe distill the kindly Rain.

This image certainly sounds like Aqua. But for centuries, spirits were not viewed so brightly. The world at once provided nourishment and warmth to mankind, but simultaneously was cold and savage. The spirits of nature were often not welcome then, as when Pope mentions fierce tempests. (Although this is certainly also an allusion to the play.)

The 20th century saw a change in our relationship with the Earth. Advanced technology achieved feats that were once considered magical. The invisible world of nature that was once feared became the a place of hope and wonder. When Tolkien wrote his elves he emphasized their nobility. (Though he could not completely avoid the sinister characteristics in The Hobbit.) That’s been the dominant viewpoint since then. Along with Walt Disney’s cheerfully honest dwarves and pixies.

One does not care to acknowledge the mistakes of one’s youth.

So on Aqua, the elemental spirits are no longer invisible and mysterious tricksters. They are scientists, engineers, and technicians. The world of Aria is what happens when imagination becomes reality.

That said, I find it odd that gnomes and salamanders are doing the difficult work of terraforming. But the undines just laze about in gondolas giving sightseeing tours. Shouldn’t they be minding the vast ocean that covers Aqua? Doing biological and chemical analysis and stuff? Even the sylphs have a useful role. Not that tourism isn’t an important part of the economy. Perhaps there are true nymphs to take care of the scientific tasks.

This post was made possible by Google Books. Next week, Aria the Natural #5: The Wonder Of That Rainy Day…/The Discoveries On That Spring Day… (How fitting for the first full week of spring.)

Aria the Animation #8: That Melancholy President…/That Cool Hero…

First of all, happy birthdays this week for two of the three most important people in Aria: Junichi Satō (3/11) and Chiwa Saitō (3/12). Of course, the third is Kozue Amano, and this episode is her favorite from the first season.

Puunya Man

I don’t think anyone ever stops wanting to be a hero. Comic books are for children who lack the power to turn their dreams into reality. But with maturity, you’re expected to refrain from fantasizing while at the same time learning how to achieve realistic goals. So saving the world from destruction becomes exceeding the monthly sales forecast. Mundane as it may be, it’s still a heroic desire to be great, to reach for the stars. In normal life it may mean just being the best at whatever you do. When taken literally, it means terraforming Mars. Aqua was surely built by heroes.

Cue Chariots of Fire

We see more of President Aria’s intelligence as he cooks, types, and (in a way) talks. Gondola companies in Neo-Venezia have traditionally given the title of “President” to a cat with blue eyes. The superstition is that the color of the eyes represents the sea, thus is good luck for those who work on water. But it’s also out of respect for Aqua. Wild cats have made it their home for as long as it’s been livable. They’re a reminder to the people who live there that the planet, although created by humans, does not entirely belong to them.

Incidentally, President Hime was born on Manhome, not Aqua.

Next episode is Aria the Natural #22: That Mysterious World…/That Guardian Of Aqua…

P.S. President Aria visited Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo.

Aria the Natural #3: The Night Of The Meteor Shower…

Where else but Aria does a discussion of astrophysics turn into a love story? The metaphor is effective, though. Gravity is a mysterious thing that’s readily apparent everywhere in the universe, but difficult to explain in detail. It’s a force that is easily counteracted, but impossible to ignore. So as Al and Aika talk about the effects of gravity on Aqua, you wonder if they are still referring to attraction between planetary bodies.

Aika spends much of the evening looking not up at the sky, but at Al, and also inside her own heart. Of course she loves him, but she can’t explain why. Because she’s easily embarrassed and often hides behind a strict demeanor, to say this directly to Al is out of the question. The meteor shower gives her a chance to share her thoughts, and maybe get him to understand her feelings. It doesn’t seem, at first, that Al knows what she means. Men tend to interpret words literally. If you say you want to hear about meteors, he’ll talk to you about meteors. But Al is pretty smart, so he tells Aika that not all meteors burn up in the atmosphere. Sometimes they reach the surface after all.

Of course, as much as Aika tries to hide her emotions, she doesn’t realize how obvious she is to others. She insists that saying embarrassing things is forbidden, but the most embarrassing line of the night was said by her. (“Once you become enchanted by Aqua, it’s over. It draws you in and burns you out.”) It’s good that she has Akari to show her how to set her worries aside and sing a silly tune, even if the path she’s walking is pitch black.

What a nice coincidence to get such a romantic story on Valentine’s Day.

Next week will be Aria the Origination #6: That Wonderful Extracurricular Lesson…

Bonus Aika-being-cute picture just ’cuz.

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!