Aria the Animation #1: That Wonderful Miracle…

Leaving Manhome by herself must have been inconvenient for Akari. But it was necessary to achieve her dream of becoming an undine. Ai’s childish mind dislikes inconveniences and is annoyed when she can’t do what she wants. Or she becomes jealous instead of sharing the happiness of her sister’s trip to Neo-Venezia. So she forces her way onto Akari’s gondola then complains about it.

Ai is acting selfishly, but simply saying “no” to her and forcing her to do things she doesn’t like will increase her bitterness. Akari and Aika treat Ai as a friend so they can give her something nice to associate with the “inconvenient” gondola. In this way they server their customer not by giving her what she wants but what she needs. The memories Ai takes from her first visit to Neo-Venezia are a result of Akari’s cheerfulness. The mails they’ll write to each other will help them both grow.

The theme of this episode was turning unpleasant things into pleasant things. Much like the dry and barren Mars was transformed into Aqua. The planet now has its own environment and lifestyle that isn’t as convenient as the mature world of Manhome. Just as Akari’s new life is more difficult than if she had never left. We each have to set comforts aside so we can create a new world just for ourselves.

Just two more weeks left. Next week I’ll watch Aria the Natural #17: After That Rainy Night… and also the last Aria the Origination picture drama. That leaves two more episodes to end the year with.

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?

Aria the Animation #9: That Starlike Fairy…

 Aika, feeling tired from the daily practice routine, asks Alicia for advice on how to rejuvenate herself. Alicia gives it some thought then replies, “Why don’t you take a break and go visit Grandma.” The girls take her advice believing that Grandma will teach them an important lessen about being an undine. What they don’t realize is that Alicia has already told them what they need to know.

 Because she missed the meaning of Alicia’s words, Aika is concerned that they seem to just be having fun and not learning anything. Having fun, of course, is the lesson. In the end, Grandma has to spell it out. Being concerned about the future does you no good if it makes you miss the things going on right now. Learn how to make the most of the present and time will take care of itself.

Alicia’s advise also contains what seems to be a paradox. In order for Aika to become a better gondolier, she needed to stop rowing. The stress of working was preventing her from relaxing. The time in the country gave her a chance to stop worrying about being an undine, and focus on just being herself. “Why don’t you take a break,” she said. That is the most important lesson there is.

The next episode I’ll watch will be Aria the Natural #10: That Heartwarming Town And Its People…

Aria the Natural #16: Parting With That Gondola…

The word used for “fate” is 縁. One of its meanings is the bond between two people, as in 縁結び, marriage. An undine is married to her gondola. This is an emotional change in Akari’s life. Like when she graduated from pair to single, and when she will one day become a prima. She spends her last day with the gondola remembering the important events of her past.

Akari’s backward rowing technique is a shock to Alicia. Her way of gently correcting Akari is evident as it was in That Wonderful Extracurricular Lesson. Before coming to Aqua, Akari practiced in rowboats on Manhome. She had never actually seen a gondola in action. How could someone like that become an apprentice at Aria Company?

She reminisces about meeting Akatsuki, who was (and still is) too poor to afford a ride from a prima. As a self-professed fan of Alicia, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he was Akari’s first customer. How excited must he have been to learn that his idol had taken an apprentice? Now he can finally ride in a gondola with Alicia, even if it’s a black one.

As she remembers meeting Alice, eating fresh baked potatoes with Ai, helping the mailman, and other experiences, she prepares herself to move on to a new gondola. Alicia also watches and thinks about Akari’s next stage in life. The bumps and scratches on the gondola represent Akari’s inexperience that is being left in the past. Now she can navigate even the most difficult canals in Neo Venezia with confidence. Alicia isn’t just seeing Akari get a new gondola, she’s seeing her future as a full-fledged prima. But not yet. The mysterious customer said to go to the fork in the canal. When he got there, though, he asked to keep going. Akari could have taken that other route, but she’ll stay on this path for just a little longer.

While looking it up in the dictionary, I also saw the phrase 縁の下の力持ち, a person who does a thankless task. What a description of the poor gondola who had to be Akari’s training partner.

This Sunday is the birthday of Kozue Amano. None of this would be possible without her. And though the book has been closed on Aria, she’s still working her magic (this time under the water) with Amanchu!. I also was remiss for forgetting Eri Kawai’s birthday on May 8th. She provided many of the wonderful music for Aria as well as being the singing voice for Athena.

The next episode is Aria the Natural #20: That Shadowless Invitation…

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…