Aria the Animation #11: Those Orange Days…

Winter in Neo Venezia is the slow season for tourism. It gives the undines a chance to get together and chat. The apprentices hear stories about the past and learn the importance of living in the present.

Which is quite a trick since we’re watching a story set in the future. It leads to a question about the world of Aria, and of other futuristic stories, and that is where are the futurists of the future? The stories told about people living in on other planets, or traveling through space, or building fantastic populated by robots and flying cars… do the people in these stories read science-fiction?

This apparent blind-spot in futurism reveals a truth about the stories. Although set in the future, they are not meant to describe the future. The storyteller places herself in a world separated from us by time, then turns her gaze back at us. The story she tells us is about our time and our lives as seen by someone in the future.

While Akari hears a story about the past, we see a story about the future. But the message is the same, that the most important time is right now.

Next week’s episode is Aria the OVA: Arietta.

Aria the Origination #11: Those Ever-Changing Days…

We've seen enough of Aika fretting over things. Now it's Akira’s turn. Following Alice’s promotion, she expects Aika to be jealous. Although she appears happy, how does she really feel? Aika’s positive attitude surprises Akira and convinces her that she’s is ready to be a prima.

The final test for an apprentice is facing her greatest weakness. For Alice, this is her self-doubt. Even as a prima, Alice still hesitates and gets lost in thought. But she doesn’t let her worries control her, and with some help from a meddlesome roommate, she’s reminded that she doesn’t have to do everything by herself. Aika’s greatest weakness has been her emotions. Now that she has shown that she can keep her feelings in balance, Akira is relieved to be able to call her “Rosen Queen.”

Next I will be watching Aria the Natural #12: Chasing That Mirage…/The Light From That Nightshine Chime…, and I may even watch it on Thursday this time.

P.S. Did you see the cameo by Anzu, one of the undines from the traghetto?