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 Natural #23: That Sea, Love, and Heart…

When you hire an Aria Company undine, you get more than just a gondolier and guide. She’s a photographer, concierge, decorator, and emcee. During your tour you may be treated to an picnic with pastries baked by your host. If you’re lucky enough to be joined by an Orange Planet gondola, there will be an song.

Allen Saunders said, “Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.” A tour by Aria Company could be described as the vacation you have when you make other plans.

Next week’s episode: Aria the Animation #9: That Star-like Fairy…

Aria the Origination #5.5: That Little Secret Place…

As Akari explores the back-roads of Neo Venezia, she remarks on how the city is changing. Some are large changes, like the renovation of Caffè Florian. Other changes happen quickly and quietly, such as a street blossoming into a field of laundry on a sunny day. But while noticing these things about the city, she becomes aware of how much of it remains the same. The excitement of an evolving landscape is best seen against the backdrop of reassuring permanence.

Cities are not built for their own sake, but to house people and give them a place to reside, work, and enjoy their lives. Even if Akari notices how the scenery of Neo Venezia is the same as always, she can’t ignore a significant change in the city. What she sees may be the same as when she first arrived on Aqua, but Akari herself is not the same. The buildings and ocean may be the same, but the one doing the looking has grown over the years. It’s her unique experiences, along with everyone else’s, that are the heartbeat of this living city.

Akari asks the silent watcher on the balcony what it is that he sees. It’s not just at the unchanging vista of Piazza San Marco with the ocean beyond. He also sees the growing and thriving people who make up Neo Venezia. He’s looking at Akari.

The food featured in this episode is chitarra pasta and polenta, a cornmeal porridge. I can’t imagine what kind of sauce was used on that polenta. Myself, I enjoy a creamy spoonbread with lots of butter.

Birthday wishes this Saturday to Yuuji Ueda, the voice of Ayanokouji Udo the 51^st, better known as Woody. Next week, if I remember on time, I’ll watch Aria the Origination #10: The Excitement on That Moon-Gazing Night…

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 #7: In That Gently Passing Time…

Four generations of undines

Did you remember that Grandma’s name was Akino? No, I didn’t either. Grandma is and will always be Grandma. This week’s episode reveals the founding of Aria Company via a family reunion of sorts.

The company owes it’s existence to a daydreaming cat. President Aria often goofs-off, but at times he’s shown remarkable insight. So it’s believable that he was waiting there specifically for Aria Company to be built. Or he may have just been staring at the birds for no particular reason.

Simplicity without a name
Is free from all external aim.
With no desire, at rest and still,
All things go right as of their will.

By the way, how old is President Aria anyway?

At the start of this episode, Alicia told the story of how houses on Burano were painted to guide fishermen back home. The paper on the sign warns of wet paint. She created Aria Company to be her home, and then the home of all the undines to come after her. And that is why she is Grandma.

What Alicia didn’t mention, however, is that the colors of the houses follow a set pattern. By law, only certain colors are allowed depending on the location. The island is also 7 kilometers from Venice and takes 40 minutes to reach by motorboat. Yet Akari rowed the whole way? Maybe it’s closer on Aqua.

Also, a little late (it was last Saturday), but happy birthday to Yui Makino.

The next episode will be Aria the Animation #5: To That Impossibly Existing Island… No birthdays this week, at least none that I’m aware of.

Aria the Natural #4: That Neo-Venezia Colored Heart…

Anachronisms abound in Neo-Venezia, a recreation of 20th century Venice on the terraformed Mars of the future. And there’s nothing more anachronistic than a written letter. (Not to mention the Japanese postal symbol 〒, and radio calisthenics.) Even today, in the 21st century, how many of us can relate to Ai-chan who has never sent nor received a letter?

Special delivery for President Aria

President Aria is hinting at later developments. The butterfly is a symbol of marriage in Japan.

Mission start!

This guy has always reminded me of the old man from Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou. And Akari is at her most Alpha-like as she helps him in his rounds. Her incredible eagerness to learn new things is one of the traits we love her for. And her amusing penchant for stating the obvious, “Neo-Venezia has a lot of mailboxes,” is why we make fun of her. Oh, but Aika isn’t around to deliver her trademarked riposte.

Lovely as always

Aika-chan with her hair down: what a treat. Get used to seeing pictures of her every week. I am her unabashed fan. And who can mistake Matsuki Miyu as the bride? She always gets the teacher roles. The basilica she gets married in is Santa Maria della Salute. There are a lot of churches in Venice!