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…

Aria the Animation #4: That Undeliverable Letter…

An encounter with a young girl leads Akari on a tour of the ocean and a brief history lesson about how Mars was terraformed. Aqua is not a paradise; the current peaceful life Akari and the others enjoy comes from the sacrifices made by the engineers at the pumping station and others. The letter she delivers is a message of gratitude to the people who created a world that they themselves wouldn’t be able to enjoy.

Akari is told that she’s the only one who can deliver the letter. Ami pleads for her message to be heard. Does she mean the contents of the letter? Or is it Akari that she’s reaching out to? This is her first meeting with the cats of Neo-Venezia and Akari isn’t afraid. Though that may be because she doesn’t yet understand what she’s stepped into. With kindness and sincerity she passes the test. Cait Sith must be standing in the shadows, watching this and smiling mysteriously.

Next week’s episode is Aria the Origination #8: That Important Person’s Memories…

Aria the Animation #7: Doing That Wonderful Job…

Akira’s firm yet gentle teaching methods are on display. It’s what Aika is trying to emulate when she practices with Akari and Alice. Aika often says she’s a fan of Alicia, but it’s Akira whom she most admires. When the others mention how strict she is, Aika is the first to defend her mentor.

Like Aika, Akira is a competitive person. The first lesson of the day is how to help customers into the gondola. But when she picks up the newlyweds, he steps in on his own and upsets the boat. Then he spends the whole trip with his nose buried in a guidebook. Even if it’s the fault of his own bad attitude, Akira takes it as a personal failure. Despite all she did to make him relax and enjoy himself, he was ended up disappointed. It’s her job to give her customers the best experience and leave them with a pleasant memory of their trip.

Akira couldn’t let a customer go home unsatisfied. Even though the wife was happy, Neo Venezia wasn’t living up to what he’d been told about it. That’s why Akira agreed to let them sit in on the training. They got a behind-the-scenes look at how much work is necessary to make their fairy tale honeymoon a reality. It’s not something that could be seen in a guidebook. And also a way for Akira to redeem herself for not being good enough during the scheduled tour. No one else was blaming her, but she wasn’t satisfied with her own performance. Though not as obvious as running into a dead-end at high tide, she made mistakes that don’t pass her own high standards. She wants her students to be as strict with themselves as she is with herself, and to have the confidence to not let a mistake prevent them from doing their job. That’s why it was important for them to get out of the dead-end on their own.

Next week’s episode is Aria the Natural #16: Parting With That Gondola…

Aria the Natural #5: The Wonder Of That Rainy Day…/The Discoveries On That Spring Day…

This episode could have been titled “Wherever you go, there you are.”

In two short stories that take place away from Neo-Venezia, we see Akari come across diverging paths. Because she isn’t a cranky old man living in New England, she doesn’t spend much time in thought, but chooses one then goes along with it. The ability to live in the moment is Akari’s gift. When she makes a decision, it’s with little hesitation and no regret afterwards. If you look too far into the future, or are not able to leave the past behind, you’ll miss the world around you right now.

The fox’s wedding can be attributed to this. We see the boy the whole time, playing with President Aria, then following Akari. At first, Akari isn’t aware of him because Alicia is with her. But when left alone, Akari’s clear vision allows her to see the spirits that surround her. A similar thing happens when she meets Cat Sith. Most people are wrapped-up in themselves and ignore such fascinating creatures. It is more difficult to see them because they are unusual and unexpected. That Akari is able to see them is just as fascinating to the spirits. In a more metaphorical sense, these “spirits” represent the fascination of ordinary things that often go unnoticed. When your mind is filled with thoughts about what was, what will be, or what you think should be, you lose the ability to see things for what they really are.

Cherry blossoms are commonplace throughout anime, and so are quaint railroad cars. This isn’t the only time I’ve seen a scene like this. Unlike an American show where a broken-down machine is a symbol of neglect and misery, the lone rail car here has a sense of peace to it. It looks more like a retired horse idly living out its last care-free days in a breezy pasture. The young undines come to visit and reflect on the past efforts that led to the world they’re living in now. It fills them with hopeful ambition to work just as hard as the people who built that railroad. Then, far in the future, they’ll be able to retire to their own pasture. This also makes me think of another breezy hilltop that overlooks Neo-Venezia. But there’ll be time for that later.

Spell Card: Undine Sign “Suteki”

No Aika in this episode. But we’ll more than make up for it next week with Aria the Natural #19: That Crybaby…/That Young Girl’s Heart…

Aria the Origination #2: That Smiling Customer…

This scene reminds me of season 2, episode 5

When I was growing up I loved looking at maps. I’d look for hidden roads or strange features that you wouldn’t find by traveling the well-worn routes. After circling spots on the map of my town, I’d spend the afternoons and weekends exploring those places. I believed these were my own special discoveries. I still enjoy studying maps, though more for the aesthetics of the map itself, particularly antiques. Of course I’ll never explore those places with the same wide-eyed enthusiasm. That’s a fantasy reserved for 12-year olds. And a leniency; property owners would react much differently if I acted the same way now.

Under the microscope

Adults are expected to behave with restraint. But that’s no reason to ignore the lessons of childhood. As a child you were told to accept the world as it is. When you mature, you gain the tools to change the world to suit your needs. What you do with that responsibility determines how much respect you will be granted by others. And it is built on the imagination fostered during youth. Back then, the world was your playground. But now your playground is not limited to places on a map. You are creating the world you will play in, and get to draw the map yourself.

And then you get to watch your children explore your world, and use their imagination to set the stage for the future. This episode told a similar story from two perspectives. We saw how Akari explored Neo-Venezia and the places she found. But to the residents of the city, Akari herself is much more interesting. So you have this picture of her gondola as seen through a window. It’s as if the city is watching Akari as intently as she is focused on it.

When I planned to watch Aria each week, I overlooked the picture dramas on the Aria the Origination DVDs. Since I’ve now seen the first three episodes, this is a good time to look at the first of these.

Aria the Origination Picture Drama #1: Pajama☆Party

A traditional hot springs and girls’ talk episode (with fan-service). Alice, despite her age, takes sadistic pleasure in pushing Aika’s buttons. Of course, that isn’t at all difficult, particularly with regards to her love life. Aika has no defenses when it comes to Al.

We had a birthday this week, March 5th, for Yoshiko Matsuo, the voice of Grandma. You can hear her as another Grandma in Tamayura, which will be start its second season this July.

Next week I will be watching Aria the Animation #8: That Melancholy President… / That Cool Hero…