Aria the Origination [and Arietta] discussion thread (restarted) [Archive]

something

03-20-2010, 11:33 PM

Are you ready to make your last visit to Neo Venezia? Well, I'm certainly not ready for it to be the last, but the final chapter for our lovely group of Undine begins now anyway.

The basic rules:
1) If you're first to post about a certain episode (i.e. no one has posted about episode 5) please reply to the root post (the root post is this post you are reading right now). And make sure your subject line indicates what episode you're talking about.
2) Use the "Quote" button, never use "Post Reply". The latter screws up subject lines.
3) Make sure you take note of the subthreads. If someone has already made a post about a specific episode before you have, respond to that post (or any relevant reply to that post).
4) Discussing events from the first two seasons is allowed; in fact it'll be required at points, no doubt. But do not discuss elements from episode 10 when we're on episode 5. Do not discuss spoilers from later episodes before the events happen.
5) If you've already seen Origination, like I have, do not drop hints or reference things a first time viewer wouldn't be aware of. Be careful of how you word things. Always stop and think about whether a first time viewer might be spoiled by your comment. If you see something brand new early on that has later significance and are dying to comment... be patient. We can open up absolutely everything to discussion when the thread is done.

The schedule:
TRSI still has not shipped my copy, which means there are probably other people waiting too. But plenty of people have received their copies already (I always seem to be near the end :sd:). So I'm going to start now, but a little bit slowly.

This first post, tonight, will be about Aria the OVA: Arietta. This was released before the Origination TV series and takes place chronologically before it, so it's obviously where we should start. Especially given how it ends, it's a great way to whet the appetite for the main series.

I will follow with Episode 1 some time early next week. Tuesday probably... if I can hold out. I hope TRSI can send out the final shipments of the initial orders on Monday, meaning that everyone should have it by the end of next week, by which time I'll hopefully have held to ~3 eps. After that we can perhaps speed up, but Aria isn't something to be marathoned anyway.

Previous threads:
The discussion thread for season two of Aria is located here: Aria the Natural discussion thread, take 2 - DVD version! (http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showthread.php?t=91980)
Spoiler alert! The original discussion thread from back when Origination aired is here: ARIA the Origination (http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showthread.php?t=77943). I link that only so people can get the week by week reactions and read up on the discussion we had at the time, but I certainly do not recommend reading ahead and spoiling yourself if you're watching for the first time!

something

03-20-2010, 11:34 PM

Aria the OVA: Arietta

- Akari stands outside Aria Company at sunset, looking... lonely? Upset? Wistful? Alicia is late in returning. Daylight is gradually is bleeding away.
- The OP begins, and it's a beautiful, beautiful piece. "Nanairo no Sora wo". Every syllable in this song is strung out for an eternity, deliberately, slowly. The orange glow and measured pace of Neo Venezia accompany it beautifully.
- Akari heads inside to give Aria-shachou his meal when she stop and looks at her hand. Yes, Akari, that's a hand. But, wait. There's no glove. Why is there no glove?
- Well, she gets an answer!Ai informs her tha--OMG AI! Love love love love love love love! --Ahem. Ai, looking adorable, informs her that, silly forgetful Akari, she's a Prima now. And just then another Aira Company Undine comes in. A trainee. Akari's trainee. That also means something else: Alicia won't be coming back. Akari handles Aria Company now.
- I wish we could see the trainee's face... but since this is all, of course, a dream, maybe seeing her face would just make saying goodbye so abruptly too sad.
- The dream ends and Akari wakes up in her bed, with her cute hat.
- "Have a nice day ~desu!" Akari takes a delivery from Woody after confirming that Alicia is still very much with her. Akari is wearing her glove. Her sexy, sexy glove. Yeah baby.
- Our first ara-ara!
- And our first suteki!
- Ai is happy to be in Akari's dreams. Future wife confirmed!
- Akari is still really out of it though. She's spacing out, looking worried, a bit apprehensive. The responsibility of being the future heir to Aria Company weighs too heavily.
- Our first kinshi!
- ...ALICE!!!!!!!!!!
- Our first mumumumumumumu!
- While they're out training the girls run into Al and chat about their bosses a bit. They all agree that they're glad to be paired up with who they are.
- Akari gets back to Aria Company and is there to help Alicia's customers off the gondola. Heh, the guy is Kamiya Hiroshi, I'm sure of it. The girl is Mizuhashi Kaori, Ai of course. But sounding more like Miyako here.
- Akari finally tells Alicia about her dream. Even though she makes it sounds like no big deal, Alicia can tell Akari is really worried. She then relates her own experience of being a new, lone Prima.
- Ooh we get to see a younger Akira and Aika. Akira is trying to convince Alicia to hurry up and take on an apprentice.
- With Athena's help, they're successful. They bring Alicia onto the Campanile and convince her that the wonderful things she learned about Aqua shouldn't go to waste. She doesn't need to be perfect, she just needs to be sincere, and to hand down what she's been given.
- Shortly thereafter, Mizunashi Akari arrived. End flashback.
- Akari asks why Alicia chose her. Alicia says it's a secret. Admit it Alicia, you just selected at random.
- Alicia decides that they should go to the Campanile too. When? Right now!
- They get there, late at night, and it's closed. But Alicia is given back door access! Corrupt Undine! Throwing her influence around!
- Akari gets her hazukashii serifu on while they climb the Campanile, but Alicia quiets her by extending her hand. They hold hands, and continue, with Alicia talking about how she felt when she chose and taught Akari.
- Included in the flashback: Alicia gives Akari the RAEP EYES. Akari is frozen in place. Muahaha. That look is deadly. It just screams "I am going to eat you right up. Every single piece of you."
- And the ED begins: "Ashita, Yuugure Made", by our Akari herself, Hazuki Erino.

They reach the top observation level and look out at Neo Venezia. Akari clings to Alicia's arm, and burrows her head in Alicia's shoulder. She knows that one day she will have to strike out alone... but for now, it's okay to rely on her wonderful senpai just a little bit longer, right?

<3

Just a taste. Oh yes, just a taste. Origination is, by miles and miles, the best season of Aria. With the final episode we'll bring everything to a close, but for now it's just begun. Back in a few days to get the journey started.

Fencedude

03-20-2010, 11:52 PM

God, just reading about the episode makes me feel the emotions again.

Hopefully my copy arrives soon, since I don't think I still have it on hand.

Ashyukun

03-20-2010, 11:55 PM

Aria the OVA: Arietta

Just a taste. Oh yes, just a taste. Origination is, by miles and miles, the best season of Aria. With the final episode we'll bring everything to a close, but for now it's just begun. Back in a few days to get the journey started.
My copy arrived several days ago, but unfortunately the next few weeks (ne, months really...) are going to be so busy that I really won't have time to sit down and rewatch this properly- and I'm not even going to try just sitting down and watching one and then getting to work on what I need to be doing, because I know myself well enough that I know I'll just keep watching.

The OVA though stands alone on its own well enough, so I did watch through it when I first got the box set in. It was beautiful when I first saw it back before Origination started (shortly after finishing watching the first two series- I didn't really learn about Aria until Origination & the OVA were announced), but with how well it meshes with what I now know comes next through Origination makes it all the better and more powerful.

And I don't think Alicia chose Akari at random at all. I think she let Aria-shachou choose for her. :catgirl:

something

03-21-2010, 12:05 AM

My copy arrived several days ago, but unfortunately the next few weeks (ne, months really...) are going to be so busy that I really won't have time to sit down and rewatch this properly- and I'm not even going to try just sitting down and watching one and then getting to work on what I need to be doing, because I know myself well enough that I know I'll just keep watching.
Boo, make time. =P The thread is only going to move one episode at a time anyway! Aria must be savored, slowly~

And you'll need something to soothe you after your busy days, of course. There couldn't be a better time for it!

The OVA though stands alone on its own well enough, so I did watch through it when I first got the box set in. It was beautiful when I first saw it back before Origination started (shortly after finishing watching the first two series- I didn't really learn about Aria until Origination & the OVA were announced), but with how well it meshes with what I now know comes next through Origination makes it all the better and more powerful.
I was aware of Aria early on but didn't start until a year after Natural had aired. Various complications made me hesitant to start when there was no guarantee I'd be able to finish. :sd: so it feel by the wayside for awhile. I first watched Animation and Natural between July 29 and Dec 27, 2007, and of course caught Origination eagerly as it aired. Origination was announced a month after I started watching Animation.

And I don't think Alicia chose Akari at random at all. I think she let Aria-shachou choose for her. :catgirl:
Somehow that sounds even worse. :sd:

Spirit Of The Stage

03-21-2010, 07:35 AM

The pain that I have to wait until April to get this is going to be absolute torture...Origination is the main reason why Aria finally knocked Kaleido Star off the top of my favourites, and the agony is...well...agonising.

The OVA write up alone is better than almost anything I'm watching at the moment, and in a month's time, the tears will begin to form once again...and I'm looking forward to it.

The Great Bear

03-21-2010, 09:04 AM

I rewatched this the other day, and it did feel nice to return to Neo-Venezia. It was also great to see ARIA WIDE. I wish it had been wide from the very start, but alas.

EmperorBrandon

03-21-2010, 04:58 PM

Yaay... more Aria!!! This was a great episode with some Akari and Alicia focus, on Alicia's past getting starting as a Prima and Akari's potential future. I thought it was handled very nicely, and as always happy to have lots more Akari awesomeness.

I had a time trying to actually get my thinpak cases out of the box. Shaking it just wasn't working no matter how hard I did it. I eventually got the guidebook barely loose and somehow managed to claw it out without damaging the spine much at all. :sweat: I think that's the most difficult time I've ever had getting to a DVD, but I would much rather have to do this every time than get a bare-bones release, though. The packaging is so beautiful and I just know that booklet is going to be full of interesting information.

Ashyukun

03-21-2010, 05:33 PM

I had a time trying to actually get my thinpak cases out of the box. Shaking it just wasn't working no matter how hard I did it. I eventually got the guidebook barely loose and somehow managed to claw it out without damaging the spine much at all. :sweat: I think that's the most difficult time I've ever had getting to a DVD, but I would much rather have to do this every time than get a bare-bones release, though. The packaging is so beautiful and I just know that booklet is going to be full of interesting information.
I've ended up storing mine with the booklet in sideways so it sticks out and can be easily extracted to get the discs out. I kind of wish I had an artbox that held all 3 seasons' worth of discs and the booklets.

And one of these days, I'll get around to actually making the papercraft stuff. :sweat:

Ashyukun

03-21-2010, 05:38 PM

Boo, make time. =P The thread is only going to move one episode at a time anyway! Aria must be savored, slowly~

And you'll need something to soothe you after your busy days, of course. There couldn't be a better time for it!
Part of the problem is it's not just busy days, its more stuff outside of work and in the evenings (I have a car that needs a LOT of work to try and be ready for a show in June...). I may find some time to slip it in though, especially in the time between seasons and over the next day or so while I'm waiting for parts.

I was aware of Aria early on but didn't start until a year after Natural had aired. Various complications made me hesitant to start when there was no guarantee I'd be able to finish. :sd: so it feel by the wayside for awhile. I first watched Animation and Natural between July 29 and Dec 27, 2007, and of course caught Origination eagerly as it aired. Origination was announced a month after I started watching Animation.
I marathoned through Natural largely on the plane ride back from a vacation in Japan just after New Years 2008- so I had literally just finished up Natural when Origination started airing, so I almost watched all three straight through...

Suwako Moriya

03-22-2010, 04:52 AM

I was aware of Aria early on but didn't start until a year after Natural had aired. Various complications made me hesitant to start when there was no guarantee I'd be able to finish. :sd: so it feel by the wayside for awhile. I first watched Animation and Natural between July 29 and Dec 27, 2007, and of course caught Origination eagerly as it aired. Origination was announced a month after I started watching Animation.

I'm pretty sure I learned of Aria early on and started watching it shortly after I learned about it. Hard to say if I kept up with the show or played the game of catch up and fall behind. It's been far too long since the initial watch.

Isuzu Inugami

03-22-2010, 03:43 PM

Aria the OVA: Arietta

Ai, looking adorable, informs her that, silly forgetful Akari, she's a Prima now. And just then another Aira Company Undine comes in. A trainee. Akari's trainee. That also means something else: Alicia won't be coming back. Akari handles Aria Company now.

Wha-wha-wha-wait! Since when does Akari becoming a Prima force Alicia to leave?! Don't the other companies have multiple Primas? (I guess I don't actually know, but always figured they must...) It's like that martial arts cliche wherein learning the ultimate succession technique results in killing the master with it and taking over the school. :sweat:

- Ooh we get to see a younger Akira and Aika.

Aika hair-hoops! Wow... those are... not such a good look.

- Alicia decides that they should go to the Campanile too. When? Right now!

Playing Assassin's Creed 2 has weirdly informed my view of Neo-Venezia. If the Campanile is closed, I totally know how they can climb up the outside! Plus now I'm trying to figure out where Aria Company is in the game.

They reach the top observation level and look out at Neo Venezia. Akari clings to Alicia's arm, and burrows her head in Alicia's shoulder. She knows that one day she will have to strike out alone... but for now, it's okay to rely on her wonderful senpai just a little bit longer, right?

<3

A real "awwww" moment. And I like how we get to see a younger, less self-assured Alicia in this episode.

The Great Bear

03-22-2010, 04:25 PM

Isuzu Inugami

03-22-2010, 04:30 PM

The Great Bear

03-22-2010, 04:31 PM

Ashyukun

03-22-2010, 05:05 PM

Didn't you know? The ARIA Company works like the Sith. Only two there are, a master and an apprentice. No less, no more.

Though they're more humane about it, with the Master retiring instead of being assassinated by the apprentice.
That's actually not too far from true in most cases, except that we know that there was at least one other ARIA Company undine before Alicia besides Grandma. I don't remember if it was ever stated whether she made Prima or not before getting married and leaving the company though.

The other companies, which are much larger- at least Himemiya & Orange Planet- doubtless have numerous Primas that work for them. Since only Primas can really take customers, if each only had one Prima and a whole horde of Pairs/Singles they'd not be all that viable. Akira & Athena just happen to be the best (or at least most celebrated as Water Fairies) of each company and the only ones we really see much of (though we do meet some other Singles later in Origination...). ARIA Company is just very small by nature, so only has the two at any one time it seems- a Prima and an apprentice.

The Great Bear

03-22-2010, 06:09 PM

The other companies, which are much larger- at least Himemiya & Orange Planet- doubtless have numerous Primas that work for them. Since only Primas can really take customers, if each only had one Prima and a whole horde of Pairs/Singles they'd not be all that viable.

The other companies have other Primas. We see them in the background all the time ;)

The easy way to tell is the white boats. It's a little hard to look at their hands at the distance we see them at.

Dack Ralter

03-23-2010, 01:11 AM

- Akari heads inside to give Aria-shachou his meal when she stop and looks at her hand. Yes, Akari, that's a hand. But, wait. There's no glove. Why is there no glove?I'll admit I was about to flip out, thinking I'd watched the wrong disk first...stupid fatigue.

Her sexy, sexy glove. Yeah baby.Says you. I still can't see it as anything other than a glove attached to an impromptu bludgeoning weapon.

- They get there, late at night, and it's closed. But Alicia is given back door access! Corrupt Undine! Throwing her influence around!Don't doubt the power of the Gondola Association. Huh. Random thought, but I wonder if there is any senior leadership in said association around for any meaningful period of time if there is so much turnover. The one failing of ARIA: no in-depth discussion of the corridors of power, politics, corruption, or the seamy underbelly of Neo-Venezia.

They reach the top observation level and look out at Neo Venezia. Akari clings to Alicia's arm, and burrows her head in Alicia's shoulder. She knows that one day she will have to strike out alone... but for now, it's okay to rely on her wonderful senpai just a little bit longer, right?Such a wonderful ending. Had to fight off the urge to start up the series proper, but I'll wait until I'm awake enough to appreciate it. The focus on things changing and the possibility Alicia's eventual departure makes me wistful as well.

Suwako Moriya

03-23-2010, 02:35 AM

Didn't you know? The ARIA Company works like the Sith. Only two there are, a master and an apprentice. No less, no more.

Darth Akari: "Ai... you... are my daughter!"

Ai: "Really? I'm so happy!"

Darth Akari: "Well... that was easy." :sweat:

Except for the slight age problem :sd: , that was awesome in its own little way.

Oh, You can solve the age problem easily by relying on some time related plot device. Like for example time travel. Or maybe one of them spent time in a place where time flows differently.

The Great Bear

03-23-2010, 07:01 AM

Don't doubt the power of the Gondola Association. Huh. Random thought, but I wonder if there is any senior leadership in said association around for any meaningful period of time if there is so much turnover. The one failing of ARIA: no in-depth discussion of the corridors of power, politics, corruption, or the seamy underbelly of Neo-Venezia.

That's the subject of a video game spin-off: Grand Theft Aqua. You play a rogue Prima from the Himeya Company, sweet and innocent on the outside, a great tour guide, but secretly controlling a massive Catnip smuggling operation (Mars cats are addicted to catnip, and it fetches a high price on the black market). You have to do your best to avoid the Gondola Association's highly secretive hit squads. The reason why there are no tours at night is not because of a lack of light, but because night is where all the criminal and political action takes place.

Oh, You can solve the age problem easily by relying on some time related plot device. Like for example time travel. Or maybe one of them spent time in a place where time flows differently.

Well, there was some time travel in the previous series…

something

03-23-2010, 07:53 AM

Says you. I still can't see it as anything other than a glove attached to an impromptu bludgeoning weapon.
A sexy, sexy impromptu bludgeoning weapon.

Random thought, but I wonder if there is any senior leadership in said association around for any meaningful period of time if there is so much turnover.
Well, it's not like you have to be an active Undine to be a member. It seems like the natural place for important Undine to end up after retiring. Or maybe Cait Sith runs it all.

Such a wonderful ending. Had to fight off the urge to start up the series proper, but I'll wait until I'm awake enough to appreciate it. The focus on things changing and the possibility Alicia's eventual departure makes me wistful as well.
Ep 1 of the TV series should be posted tonight. My plan for tonight is the next ep of Strike Witches and Hidamari Sketch x ***, then starting up Origination. Maybe TRSI will even ship my set today... Went and poked their CS via email last night asking why it hadn't gone out, so hopefully something actually happens. It's getting a bit silly at this point.

Ashyukun

03-23-2010, 09:10 AM

Well, it's not like you have to be an active Undine to be a member. It seems like the natural place for important Undine to end up after retiring. Or maybe Cait Sith runs it all.

Don't we (or haven't we, I can't always remember...) at some point at least see a modest group of the Gondola Association? I seem to remember there being a modest number of gray-hairs among them. Actually I'm rather surprised Grandma isn't more active in it than she apparently is (though I believe she is part of it as well).

And of course Cait Sith runs it all- he control all of Aqua with a firm but puni-puni paw. I imagine that he was actually the one who told Aria-shachou to select Akari as Alicia's apprentice...

Ep 1 of the TV series should be posted tonight. My plan for tonight is the next ep of Strike Witches and Hidamari Sketch x ***, then starting up Origination. Maybe TRSI will even ship my set today... Went and poked their CS via email last night asking why it hadn't gone out, so hopefully something actually happens. It's getting a bit silly at this point.
It is a bit silly yours hasn't been shipped out yet when they're doing silly things like shipping copies of x365 out more than 2 weeks early (and potentially regretting it :sweat: ).

I've actually found the time to go through most of the first disc of Origination, but am going to wait to comment on them until you've posted on them because your summaries of what happens are always much more entertaining than mine. :P

something

03-23-2010, 09:44 AM

Don't we (or haven't we, I can't always remember...) at some point at least see a modest group of the Gondola Association? I seem to remember there being a modest number of gray-hairs among them. Actually I'm rather surprised Grandma isn't more active in it than she apparently is (though I believe she is part of it as well).
Not really spoiler but tagging anyway: We do, but I couldn't remember if it happened later this season or in a previous season so I didn't wan to address it yet. Well, not that it particularly matters.

It is a bit silly yours hasn't been shipped out yet when they're doing silly things like shipping copies of x365 out more than 2 weeks early
I'm not having your luck on x365 either. :sd: It's possible they've been holding Origination until x365 (which is in a separate order...) comes in. Which in turn they may be holding until Asatte no Houko comes in... >_>

Just kinda figures, doesn't it? This would be the first R1 release I actually watch within like a year of getting it since... uh, the second season of Aria probably. But it's the one that doesn't ship quickly. =P

nekonene

03-23-2010, 05:06 PM

That's the subject of a video game spin-off: Grand Theft Aqua. You play a rogue Prima from the Himeya Company, sweet and innocent on the outside, a great tour guide, but secretly controlling a massive Catnip smuggling operation (Mars cats are addicted to catnip, and it fetches a high price on the black market). You have to do your best to avoid the Gondola Association's highly secretive hit squads. The reason why there are no tours at night is not because of a lack of light, but because night is where all the criminal and political action takes place.

I would have thought it something different, take my interpretation for a movie trailer:

[Don LaFontaine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QPMvj_xejg)]
In a world covered in water… Three girls stand alone against a corrupt corporate alliance (quick pan right to left of individual headshots for Akari, Aika, & Alice)
Together with their only allies… their cats (show President Hime watching Maa stomach attack President Aria)
These rogue Undines are out to wash away gondola corruption! (clip of Akia & alice following Akari & a mysterious man, follow with quick clip of Aika reprimanding Akari in SD form).
This summer, prepare youselves for the ride of your life! (action shot of Akari rowing backwards)
A-R-I-A (blackscreen with the title in blue fading to black letters)
The water isn’the only thing being paddled. (sound of something striking skin with a female voiced “Ow!”)
(show boilerplate)
[/Don LaFontaine]
:catgirl:

The Great Bear

03-23-2010, 06:03 PM

Win.

something

03-23-2010, 07:00 PM

Here we go! Poked TRSI and they said my set should go out within a day. Hopefully I'll have it by next Monday. :sd:

Episode 1 - That Approaching Spring Breeze:

- Spring makes you feel all lazy and relaxed, doesn't it? Except if you're Akari, in which case you always feel that way...
- So Carnevale has ended and winter gives way to spring in Neo Venezia. The Undines' winter uniforms, and a little snowman hiding from the sun, testify to the last vestiges of a lingering chill. But it's only as matter of time now. Carnevale provides the young Undine with many opportunities to ride in their senpai's gondola, which is both educational and a bit intimidating for Akari. She's got a long way to go. But Ai has faith in her!
- Also, one of Alicia's customers was totally rockin' the zettai ryouiki. The one with the long black hair, red long sleeved shirt and green skirt. If it had been a black skirt it'd totally be Toosaka Rin!
- Great OP too. For Origination we get "Spirale".
- Alice feels motivated after watching Athena. But she is no longer just Alice. She is... NEO-ALICE! All shall tremble!
- Then Aika causes a yawning chain reaction. Yep, it's spring.
- The girls see Akatsuki (boo) and Al. Akatsuki is studying for his Salamander promotion exam, which gets Alice thinking about how Aika and Akari must be coming upon their Prima exams soon.
- Back at Aria Company Alicia decides to invite everyone over. She and Akari go out shopping ni preparation.
- Yeah I don't think I want to eat something a mutant cat shoved its paw into.
- Everyone arrives, except Athena who is still working. It's pretty weird watching Hime-shachou lap her drink up like a normal cat while Aria-shachou drinks from a teacup like a human.
- Flashback to Alicia talking about the customer who gave her the jam they're having at this party. Alicia, uh, predicted where the first flake of snow would fall and maneuvered her gondola in such a way as to make the flake land on the customer's outstretched hand. Not far fetched at all!!
- Aika can't bring herself to kinshi Alicia.
- She prompts Akira to tell her own story of awesomeness, though. A rowdy customer on her gondola almost dunks himself in a canal, but thanks to super acrobat ninja Akira, he's saved. And gets an earful from Akira in the process.
- Alice's own story about Athena is... well... it's amazing in Athena's own unique way I guess.
- After that the Primas give their apprentices a bit of advice about the future: it's okay to have a long way to go, because as long as that's true, you'll always have wonderful new things to find. Never be satisfied, never stop pushing forward.
- And this is by far my favorite Aria ED, "Kin no Nami Sen no Nami". Both in animation and music.

So we start with a very episode one-ish episode one. Get the cast together, talk about their fears and aspirations, and foreshadow what may be yet to come.

The Great Bear

03-23-2010, 07:12 PM

- Then Aika causes a yawning chain reaction. Yep, it's spring.

Aria in its true essence.

- Yeah I don't think I want to eat something a mutant cat shoved its paw into.

Not even if Alice offered it to you? :P

- Flashback to Alicia talking about the customer who gave her the jam they're having at this party. Alicia, uh, predicted where the first flake of snow would fall and maneuvered her gondola in such a way as to make the flake land on the customer's outstretched hand. Not far fetched at all!!

Well, come on, she's a goddess (think picture drama) after all.

- And this is by far my favorite Aria ED, "Kin no Nami Sen no Nami". Both in animation and music.

Definitely my favorite ED of them all as well. "Spirale" is an okay OP, though I still like "Undine" best of the OPs.

Ashyukun

03-23-2010, 08:45 PM

Win.
Agreed. Given the voiceover for it, I could probably make that without too much trouble... but I don't know anyone with a voice anywhere near the likes of Don LaFontaine... :sweat:

Ingraman

03-23-2010, 08:59 PM

- Yeah I don't think I want to eat something a mutant cat shoved its paw into.

You don't think that Aria-shachou observes the correct sanitary procedures during food production? Well, I guess that it's unnecessary if they're not serving to customers (which might get the Neo-Venezia food-police after them).

Ashyukun

03-23-2010, 08:59 PM

Episode 1 - That Approaching Spring Breeze:

- Great OP too. For Origination we get "Spirale".

I love all of the OPs, but I love that they don't have a 'tradiational' OP animation even better. I love the extra footage of the city...

- Yeah I don't think I want to eat something a mutant cat shoved its paw into.
- Everyone arrives, except Athena who is still working. It's pretty weird watching Hime-shachou lap her drink up like a normal cat while Aria-shachou drinks from a teacup like a human.

Aria-shachou is a particularly special cat after all, something like Cait Sith's right-paw cat.

- After that the Primas give their apprentices a bit of advice about the future: it's okay to have a long way to go, because as long as that's true, you'll always have wonderful new things to find. Never be satisfied, never stop pushing forward.
They really set the tone for the series very early on in Origination- for the past 3 cour the Prima test and anxiety associated with it has been sort of in the background but not something anyone has really been worried about. Right off the bat though here we get into it, and it just keeps rolling through the entire series...

- And this is by far my favorite Aria ED, "Kin no Nami Sen no Nami". Both in animation and music.
"Kin no Nami Sen no Nami" is without a doubt one of my favorite songs from shows in 2008. In a year that didn't have 'Paradise Lost' in it, it would have be a hands-down winner. It still remains in a class with 'Paradise Lost' and 'Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari' as one of the songs that irrelevant of whether it's the kind of song I'm in the mood to listen to I won't skip it when it comes up on shuffle on my iPod.

MadL

03-23-2010, 11:09 PM

- She prompts Akira to tell her own story of awesomeness, though. A rowdy customer on her gondola almost dunks himself in a canal, but thanks to super acrobat ninja Akira, he's saved. And gets an earful from Akira in the process.

That was my favorite moment. The Crimson Rose is not impressed by tomboys. :)

HitokiriShadow

03-24-2010, 12:29 AM

Ah, its so nice to spend more time with the Aria girls, especially Alice and Aika.

This episode gives another reason why Akira is my favorite of the three Water Fairies. That was a pretty awesome rescue, and her comments to the customer were just as cool.

This is also the first DVD I've watched on my HDTV. The show itself looks fine (there some little things here and there that are noticeable, but not to the point of being distracting or problematic) but the subtitles.... not so much. They are very visibly blocky, and the italicized text during the OP/ED sequences is especially bad.

I'm skipping Arietta for the moment, simply because I just didn't get around to it before the discussion of the series proper started and I didn't have time for both episodes today. Since I'm not watching it in its proper place anyway, and I don't want to mess with extra disc swapping, I think I'll watch it right before I start disc 3. Watching it close to the end seems the most appropriate time to watch it.

Ingraman

03-24-2010, 12:39 AM

HitokiriShadow

03-24-2010, 12:46 AM

I'm skipping Arietta for the moment, simply because I just didn't get around to it before the discussion of the series proper started and I didn't have time for both episodes today. Since I'm not watching it in its proper place anyway, and I don't want to mess with extra disc swapping, I think I'll watch it right before I start disc 3. Watching it close to the end seems the most appropriate time to watch it.

Why is close to the end appropriate? 0_o I don't understand that thought. If disc-swapping is the problem, what's wrong with positioning it between the first and second discs. I would think that the closer to where it was intended to be viewed, the better.

Or maybe not, and I'm just confused. @_@

Just based on reading something's episode commentary and reminding me what some of the content was, I just want to see it shortly before the last few episodes. As long as I'm watching it out of order anyway, in a series where chronology is largely irrelevant and certainly doesn't matter for Arietta, that just feels like a good time to watch it.

Fencedude

03-24-2010, 04:20 AM

Ok, done with God of War III, so naturally its time to move on to Aria. Right?

Anyway, absolutely beautiful, even more so than I remembered. The scene at the top of the Campanile between Akari and Alicia is just one of the most poignant expressions of love and affection, for both each other and the city as a whole, that you could possibly imagine.

Speaking of the Campanile, everyone knows that the only real way to experience it is to climb up the outside! Yes, I have played way to much Assassin's Creed II, and things like this are going to be coming up for me the entire series. *sigh* Interestingly, a major event occurs at the top of the Campanile there as well, and it is somewhat in line with how the Campanile is expressed as a symbol in Aria as well. But I guess that that is neither here nor there, really. I'll shut up now

Dennis_Mullin

03-24-2010, 04:55 AM

[b]- Yeah I don't think I want to eat something a mutant cat shoved its paw into.

As long as the President washed his paws first, no problem, especially since the cookies are being baked after that. I liked the fact that later on, it was revealed why he was pawing the food, showing how spreading the jam on the cookies filled in the depressions. Another nice Aria background touch.

Dack Ralter

03-24-2010, 06:15 AM

- And this is by far my favorite Aria ED, "Kin no Nami Sen no Nami". Both in animation and music.

I really like this one too, but the cut-in between the end of the episode and the start of the music is a bit of a jolt, at least to me. Love the animation for the ED, though.

Meant to say so after Arietta, but I wish all of ARIA had been widescreen. Ah well, I takes it as I can gets it.

The episode itself was a good way to get back up to speed, although I don't really have too much else to say. :sd: Uh...for some reason, Akatsuki wasn't annoying to me this time. Best I can do.

Isuzu Inugami

03-24-2010, 10:55 AM

- Yeah I don't think I want to eat something a mutant cat shoved its paw into.

Nonsense! Don't you know Aria-shachou is getting ready to challenge Iron Chef Aqua?

-Aria-shachou's attempt to be debonaire in front of Hime-shachou is foiled by Maa-kun. :sweat:

- Aika can't bring herself to kinshi Alicia.

Such a quandry for her! She tries (or maybe instinctually starts), but can't go through with it.

- She prompts Akira to tell her own story of awesomeness, though. A rowdy customer on her gondola almost dunks himself in a canal, but thanks to super acrobat ninja Akira, he's saved. And gets an earful from Akira in the process.

Interesting how Aika was about to blow her top when she was forestalled by the incident. Akira handled it all with such style--I almost wonder if she prompted it herself to stop Aika and settle him down at the same time.

- Alice's own story about Athena is... well... it's amazing in Athena's own unique way I guess.

Hah--the animators must have been having fun with that sequence.

EmperorBrandon

03-24-2010, 12:34 PM

Akira handled it all with such style--I almost wonder if she prompted it herself to stop Aika and settle him down at the same time.

Given what Aika was saying about it later on, that's what I was thinking too.

Isuzu Inugami

03-24-2010, 12:55 PM

Speaking of the Campanile, everyone knows that the only real way to experience it is to climb up the outside! Yes, I have played way to much Assassin's Creed II, and things like this are going to be coming up for me the entire series.

It is a very weird sensation to be recognizing things because you encountered them in the game, and now have an idea exactly where in the city the characters are. And is it bad that now and then I'll sing "Saa, kagidasou..." while having Ezio paddle around the canals in the game?

Now I want an AC2 patch where Ezio gets reskinned as a cute undine, and instead of running around killing people, you have sneak up and deliver hazukashii serifu to them. :sweat:

The Great Bear

03-24-2010, 02:25 PM

Now I want an AC2 patch where Ezio gets reskinned as a cute undine, and instead of running around killing people, you have sneak up and deliver hazukashii serifu to them. :sweat:

That's a download exclusive in Grand Theft Aqua 2: Rose Queen.

Ingraman

03-24-2010, 03:51 PM

- Akari asks why Alicia chose her. Alicia says it's a secret. Admit it Alicia, you just selected at random.

It wasn't even that complicated. Mizunashi Akari was the only applicant with a given name that started with the letter 'A'.

KomoriKiri

03-24-2010, 06:08 PM

- Alice's own story about Athena is... well... it's amazing in Athena's own unique way I guess.

This was probably the scene I laughed the hardest at for the entire series. I was completely not expecting Athena's behavior there, and it is timed so perfectly. I had to pause it to stop laughing.

Wraith
"Aaaah! Don't touch me, you'll create children!"
-- Akatsuski ("Aria")

something

03-24-2010, 09:33 PM

Okay, I managed to pull myself away from the first Sora no Woto and Hidamari *** (always looks like I'm censoring something :sd:) BDs long enough to get this and Strike Witches in before it got too late. Oh, and my set still hasn't shipped from TRSI. >_> Well, at least it moved to "Processing".

Episode 2:

- Spring draws ever closer, and with Carnevale over, the tourist season slows down for our Undine as well.
- But Akari can't relax. She just got requested by a customer! ::gasp::
- I rather like the part during the OP animation this time where you see Akari and Aria-shachou walking through Aria Company through the windows of each floor. Also, fatty Aria-shachou eats Akari's last donut!
- Haha, oh wow Aika, you're horrible. Akari is excited about her customer but Aika tells her it's probably someone just requesting a Single so they can mess with her.
- Alice is a bit nicer, but only winds up pressuring Akari more. She says it might be the rumored surprise inspector, who rides with Singles and demotes them to Pair if they don't measure up! Oh no!
- Aika and Alice drop Akari off back at Aria Company and the customer, an elderly woman named Amaranta, arrives shortly thereafter. She seems nice enough...
- Amaranta is a veteran of Neo Venezia, and wants to leave the tour up to Akari. I'd imagine that's both a relief and a burden for Akari. Can she show this woman something that will impress her, if she already knows the best spots?
- Meanwhile, Aika and Alice decide to stalk... how well can you really stalk in a, what, 20+ foot long gondola? :sd:
- You can tell pretty quickly what the problem for Akari is going to be. Amaranta already knows all the nice little tricks Akari can show her, and then some. Will this impact Akari's confidence?
- After a few similar occurrences, Akari still seems to be holding up well. More amusing for me is Aika and Alice stalking them and having no idea what the heck it is that they're stopping to look at at each point.
- Mmm, delicious baked potato... want one right now, so badly. There were yummy potatoes in Strike Witches tonight too. Damnit, all I ate was a frozen dinner and some tortilla chips. I'm being teased.
- It looks like the potato did it. Akari seems pretty bummed. Time is already up and she doesn't feel like she's shown this woman a single suteki new thing. =/
- She decides to go for broke and extends their time together to show Amaranta one last thing. Will she finally succeed? Will Aika and Alice finally be discovered? (Though Aria-shachou saw them long ago.)
- Akari is pretty proud of this place. It's a beautiful garden behind an abandoned monastery. But Amaranta knows this as well, and as usual is able to one-up Akari again. She's so nice about it, but talk about soul crushing for a nervous trainee like Akari.
- Ah! This! I couldn't remember when we saw it, but the stunning wisteria in the enclosed courtyard is one of the most lasting mental images I have from the Aria franchise. Absolutely gorgeous scene. But amid the beauty, Akari is depressed. She tried so hard, but could not come up with one new thing to show Amaranta.
- Of course, Amaranta doesn't feel that way at all. She doesn't come to Neo Venezia just to see the sights anymore - she's an expert on all that. She comes to see the Undine. She comes to see them trying their best, sharing their own Neo Venezia with her with all their heart. And she's been doing this for a long time. She rode with Alicia, Akira, Athena.
- Oh, and our stalkers get caught. =D
- And I love ending on Ai's reply to Akari.

I really like how hard they're pushing the promotion angle here. I've always described the Animation as an introduction; the Natural as lifting the lid on the true wonders of Neo Venezia; and the Origination as the season where the clock finally starts moving for the characters themselves. Suddenly there's a sense that time matters. That each passing season conveys more than different scenery and a change in the weather. That no matter how ancient and enduring the city itself may be, no matter the weight of history stretching back almost two millenia and across two planets, the people within it still come and go, grow and change. Even our apprentice Undine. And that the process is at the same time scary, and wonderful, and mysterious.

Ganbatte, Akari~

Fencedude

03-24-2010, 09:46 PM

- Alice feels motivated after watching Athena. But she is no longer just Alice. She is... NEO-ALICE! All shall tremble!

ALL SHALL BOW BEFORE HER

- The girls see Akatsuki (boo) and Al. Akatsuki is studying for his Salamander promotion exam, which gets Alice thinking about how Aika and Akari must be coming upon their Prima exams soon.

Its weird how I have no issues with Al, but I can't stand Akatsuki

- Flashback to Alicia talking about the customer who gave her the jam they're having at this party. Alicia, uh, predicted where the first flake of snow would fall and maneuvered her gondola in such a way as to make the flake land on the customer's outstretched hand. Not far fetched at all!!

She's the Golden Witch! Alicia Beatrice!

- She prompts Akira to tell her own story of awesomeness, though. A rowdy customer on her gondola almost dunks himself in a canal, but thanks to super acrobat ninja Akira, he's saved. And gets an earful from Akira in the process.

I generally prefer the bare legged summer uniforms, but I think the winter pantyhose show off Akira's assets to the best effect.

- And this is by far my favorite Aria ED, "Kin no Nami Sen no Nami". Both in animation and music.

Weirdly, I never really payed much attention to the visuals as it aired, generally typing up a post while it ran. The song is fantastic though.

something

03-24-2010, 10:07 PM

Ashyukun

03-24-2010, 10:09 PM

I really like how hard they're pushing the promotion angle here. I've always described the Animation as an introduction; the Natural as lifting the lid on the true wonders of Neo Venezia; and the Origination as the season where the clock finally starts moving for the characters themselves. Suddenly there's a sense that time matters. That each passing season conveys more than different scenery and a change in the weather. That no matter how ancient and enduring the city itself may be, no matter the weight of history stretching back almost two millenia and across two planets, the people within it still come and go, grow and change. Even our apprentice Undine. And that the process is at the same time scary, and wonderful, and mysterious.

Ganbatte, Akari~
Very well put. While the last run of episodes is what most solidly pushed Aria into the top spot of all shows for me, the rest of the season is just incredible for exactly these reasons. It also on a number of occasions shows us sides of the characters that we've never seen before or at least rarely see. I love how well Origination builds on what was, in effect, started with the OVA and just keeps heaping on the goodness- though my favorite (non-final-arc, I have to make that distinction :catgirl: ) episode is yet to come...

MadL

03-24-2010, 10:30 PM

I really like how hard they're pushing the promotion angle here. I've always described the Animation as an introduction; the Natural as lifting the lid on the true wonders of Neo Venezia; and the Origination as the season where the clock finally starts moving for the characters themselves. Suddenly there's a sense that time matters. That each passing season conveys more than different scenery and a change in the weather. That no matter how ancient and enduring the city itself may be, no matter the weight of history stretching back almost two millenia and across two planets, the people within it still come and go, grow and change. Even our apprentice Undine. And that the process is at the same time scary, and wonderful, and mysterious.

Ganbatte, Akari~

I agree with Ashyukun - very nicely put. The series reflects life that way. Much of the time, life seems like The NATURAL, where days pass and stuff just happens. Everything's in its place, all's right with the world. Seemingly suddenly, you're in your ORIGINATION phase, when you realize that you're in for some changes, whether you want them or not. Your friends and mentors will be there to help, but ultimately, how you handle those changes is up to you.

Fencedude

03-24-2010, 10:33 PM

- Ah! This! I couldn't remember when we saw it, but the stunning wisteria in the enclosed courtyard is one of the most lasting mental images I have from the Aria franchise. Absolutely gorgeous scene. But amid the beauty, Akari is depressed. She tried so hard, but could not come up with one new thing to show Amaranta.

I agree, if you ask me to come up with an image from Aria, that would certainly be near the top of the list.

Its an interesting episode, we get to see some neat stuff, and the delicious looking baked potatos (much more so than the ones in Strike Witches).

But yeah, how the heck do you stealthily follow someone in a Gondola? (Oh wait, I did that in Assassin's Creed 2 as well...)

MadL

03-24-2010, 10:35 PM

But yeah, how the heck do you stealthily follow someone in a Gondola? (Oh wait, I did that in Assassin's Creed 2 as well...)

Hey, the Stealth Gondola is one of the crowning achievements of Himeya technology (still has a few bugs to work out, though...) :)

Ashyukun

03-24-2010, 11:06 PM

But yeah, how the heck do you stealthily follow someone in a Gondola? (Oh wait, I did that in Assassin's Creed 2 as well...)
I thought that at first, but then realized that as they were staying a modest ways back and none of the occupants of Akari's gondola were facing backwards, there'd be no real reason to notice them. They hear their gondola? It's not like they're rare- it would be like following someone around town in a car, where their car didn't have any rear-view mirrors...

HitokiriShadow

03-25-2010, 12:28 AM

Aika and Alice tailing Akari are so fun to watch. Especially Alice telling Aika to restrain herself, right before she lets out a dekkai stomach growl.

Hmmmm, have they showed that garden in any previous episodes? It feels like I've seen them go here before, but that might just be because I've seen the series before.

HitokiriShadow

03-25-2010, 12:32 AM

Its weird how I have no issues with Al, but I can't stand Akatsuki

I don't see how its weird. Al is a pretty decent guy while Akatsuki is an obnoxious jerk.

Dack Ralter

03-25-2010, 01:24 AM

- I rather like the part during the OP animation this time where you see Akari and Aria-shachou walking through Aria Company through the windows of each floor. Also, fatty Aria-shachou eats Akari's last donut!Love Akari's sorta-business suit; she looks almost professional!

- Ah! This! I couldn't remember when we saw it, but the stunning wisteria in the enclosed courtyard is one of the most lasting mental images I have from the Aria franchise. Absolutely gorgeous scene.Easily the best so far for me.
I do have to give Akari credit for not panicking during the entire tour. Instead, she kept trying harder. I do so love Akari.

Suddenly there's a sense that time matters.A very new thing to watching ARIA; it's very odd to have to view events with such apprehension and worry (or dare I say, "tension"), compared to the slice-of-lifey stuff that came before. I'm glad that there is apparently a payoff waiting for sticking through the story thus far (not that I haven't loved every minute of it).

Suwako Moriya

03-25-2010, 01:33 AM

It may just be a dream, but it's a good once since Ai appeared.

The discussion in regards to the challenges each of the trio will have to face as Prima was one of the definite highlights of the episode. Even if it was a short scene.

Suwako Moriya

03-25-2010, 05:20 AM

Alicia, uh, predicted where the first flake of snow would fall and maneuvered her gondola in such a way as to make the flake land on the customer's outstretched hand. Not far fetched at all!!

In other words, we got confirmation that she is an actual genuine Goddess. It's not just a case of people respecting her and considering her beautiful. She actually has divine powers.

A rowdy customer on her gondola almost dunks himself in a canal, but thanks to super acrobat ninja Akira, he's saved. And gets an earful from Akira in the process.

Personally I wish she had let him fall in. Maybe it's a sign I'm mean.

Alice's own story about Athena is... well... it's amazing in Athena's own unique way I guess.

Heh, and Athena just had to walk in shortly after the stories were done.

The Great Bear

03-25-2010, 06:55 AM

- Ah! This! I couldn't remember when we saw it, but the stunning wisteria in the enclosed courtyard is one of the most lasting mental images I have from the Aria franchise. Absolutely gorgeous scene. But amid the beauty, Akari is depressed. She tried so hard, but could not come up with one new thing to show Amaranta. I agree, if you ask me to come up with an image from Aria, that would certainly be near the top of the list.

It is a very beautiful scene, and I like the "camera" angles they used in it as well.

But yeah, how the heck do you stealthily follow someone in a Gondola? (Oh wait, I did that in Assassin's Creed 2 as well...)

At least they didn't make the "I'm being stealthy" sound while following :P

something

03-25-2010, 07:27 AM

Hmmmm, have they showed that garden in any previous episodes? It feels like I've seen them go here before, but that might just be because I've seen the series before.
I'm pretty sure there was a similar "secret garden in walled enclosure" in a previous season, because I kept thinking about it during this scene. But that time I think it was Alicia showing it off, and I think it was seen through a gate rather than them going inside.

something

03-25-2010, 07:30 AM

They hear their gondola? It's not like they're rare- it would be like following someone around town in a car, where their car didn't have any rear-view mirrors...
Although Neo Venezia often seems unusually vacant when Akari is guiding people around. We saw hardly any other gondolas in this episode aside from Aika and Alice's. I think everyone is scared of Alicia. And Neo-Alice.

Ashyukun

03-25-2010, 07:52 AM

Although Neo Venezia often seems unusually vacant when Akari is guiding people around. We saw hardly any other gondolas in this episode aside from Aika and Alice's. I think everyone is scared of Alicia. And Neo-Alice.
Well, Akari did likely go for the less-traversed paths this time around to aim for things most people wouldn't have seen before. In many other scenes we see plenty of gondolas, but doubtless to make it easier to focus on the characters of interest (and make less work for the animators who already have to do a lot of work on this show as it is...) they're left out of many scenes.

Ashyukun

03-25-2010, 07:57 AM

something

03-25-2010, 08:00 AM

Actually, since I'm a bit ahead in my watching I can definitively say you really should watch it after the first disc at the latest. Episode 5.5 (the first one on the second disc) clearly references one of the events from it, so it definitely takes place before that episode does...
Oh, so the DVD calls it 5.5 as well? My set finally shipped but I don't know when I'll get it. If it's held up very long, I could get to that point before it comes in, and I wanted to be sure that the version I'm watching in the meantime is set up the same as the DVD.

I'll check when I get home but I'm pretty sure there was a 5.5.

Ashyukun

03-25-2010, 09:00 AM

Oh, so the DVD calls it 5.5 as well? My set finally shipped but I don't know when I'll get it. If it's held up very long, I could get to that point before it comes in, and I wanted to be sure that the version I'm watching in the meantime is set up the same as the DVD.

I'll check when I get home but I'm pretty sure there was a 5.5.
Yup- the first disc is 1-5 and the second disc starts with 5.5. It's obvious it's not a 'normal' episode since it ends with a different song and no real ending animation to speak of. It is, of course, still a lot of fun- though many people will likely be annoyed at it for a certain character's prominent role. I've never really minded Akatsuki that much, or any of the guys for that matter. Well, one certain episode notwithstanding, but I think its best to simply forget about that episode even existing...:depressed:

Isuzu Inugami

03-25-2010, 10:49 AM

Episode 2:

- I rather like the part during the OP animation this time where you see Akari and Aria-shachou walking through Aria Company through the windows of each floor.

I like how we track them by the lights switching on and off as well.

- Haha, oh wow Aika, you're horrible. Akari is excited about her customer but Aika tells her it's probably someone just requesting a Single so they can mess with her.

Renting a gondola as a fishing boat! Oh the shame!

- You can tell pretty quickly what the problem for Akari is going to be. Amaranta already knows all the nice little tricks Akari can show her, and then some. Will this impact Akari's confidence?

Akari FAIL! I like that she doesn't let it throw her, though.

- Akari is pretty proud of this place. It's a beautiful garden behind an abandoned monastery. But Amaranta knows this as well, and as usual is able to one-up Akari again. She's so nice about it, but talk about soul crushing for a nervous trainee like Akari.

A convent, actually, wasn't it? And it makes me wonder if Amaranta was part of the convent, which explains her knowing the place (and probably the priest making the Neo-Venezia model, if not everything else.)

- Oh, and our stalkers get caught. =D

Hah--apparently no, you can't stalk people in a 20 foot gondola. ^^

Isuzu Inugami

03-25-2010, 10:59 AM

Its weird how I have no issues with Al, but I can't stand Akatsuki
Al is a really likable idiot (who isn't actually an idiot). Akatsuki is just an idiot (who is actually an idiot). I mean, you know Al must be a pretty decent guy when I'm willing to accept Al x Aika as a potential couple even with all the other cute girls I could be pairing Aika up with instead.

I find Al kind of boring actually. Akatsuki is entertaining in the way he is so full of himself with no justification--it doesn't bother me. Plus everyone mocks him by calling him "Pony" too.

I shy away from pairing the girls with the guys anyway, since ultimately it devolves into putting Alice with Woody, a pairing so repellant to the laws of both nature and science that the very universe must revolt. Q.E.D. all undines are lesbians.

something

03-25-2010, 11:01 AM

Q.E.D. all undines are lesbians.
Surely you will get no objection from me on this.

Suwako Moriya

03-25-2010, 11:32 AM

I shy away from pairing the girls with the guys anyway, since ultimately it devolves into putting Alice with Woody, a pairing so repellant to the laws of both nature and science that the very universe must revolt. Q.E.D. all undines are lesbians.

Besides, we all know what's going to happen in the none-existent seventh season of Aria. The three companies will be united as one when Aika decides to make Akari and Alice her wives. After which, I'll wake up from a delusional dream that ignores anything in the show that might contradict my fantasy.

HitokiriShadow

03-25-2010, 03:08 PM

I'm skipping Arietta for the moment, simply because I just didn't get around to it before the discussion of the series proper started and I didn't have time for both episodes today. Since I'm not watching it in its proper place anyway, and I don't want to mess with extra disc swapping, I think I'll watch it right before I start disc 3. Watching it close to the end seems the most appropriate time to watch it.
Actually, since I'm a bit ahead in my watching I can definitively say you really should watch it after the first disc at the latest. Episode 5.5 (the first one on the second disc) clearly references one of the events from it, so it definitely takes place before that episode does...

Well, that certainly makes a difference. Then I'll watch it after the first disc.

something

03-25-2010, 07:24 PM

Episode 3:

- It's gettin' hot in Neo Venezia! Mmm, yuri-only Undine brothels. ...I mean, the sun and all. They're almost done with winter uniforms - and I have to say thank goodness, as I like the lighter, short sleeved uniforms much better. Well, maybe that's just because I'm going through SEXY SEXY GLOVE withdrawal.
- Aria-shachou reads 4koma. I guess he can't be all bad.
- He points out a news story to Akari about a landmark called the Ca d'Oro, which is apparently undergoing repair work.
- During the OP, Akari and Aria-shachou check out the reconstruction work, then Akari meets up with Dekkai-sama. They both join Aika at Himeya.
- The girls get to talking about famous buildings replicated from Manhome and Cafe Florian gets brought up. Turns out Akari has never been inside, even though she's friends with the owner. :sd: That settles it, they're off to Cafe Florian.
- It's pretty fancy inside, to the point where Akari feels a bit antsy thinking about how many people must have sat in those chairs before them. I was actually wondering when we saw the inside of this place. I could have sworn we saw it in the first two seasons but we never did. I guess it didn't happen until Origination after all.
- Oh and there's some story going on about a patissiere who sells glass bottles filled with chocolates to people in the square. He looks kinda depressed for whatever reason.
- Patisserie dude seems to be preoccupied with the reconstruction work. Akari, Aika and Alice have all seen him staring at various buildings under repair.
- Akari also catches him later at a bridge under repair. There's suddenly quite a lot of stuff being fixed up. I guess this is their chance while the tourist season is at a low point.
- Alicia heads off to a meeting of the "Human Collaborators In Service To The Aquan Neko-Industrial Complex" (I haven't forgotten!). Or as it's also known, the "Gondola Association". Pbft, government cover up.
- Uh more stuff with the patisserie, and Akari stalking him, and yeah. Can you tell I don't exactly consider the guy the most interesting of the Aria one-offs?
- So like, his whole deal is that he was getting too preoccupied with the presentation of the chocolate. So when the one bottle broke and the chocolate went to waste, he reevaluated his life, and decided that just like the many buildings of Neo Venezia, there should be many different ways of wrapping the chocolate! ...Yeah, it's kinda... weak. Methinks they were reaching too hard for a "Neo Venezia teaches life lessons" moral this week and this guy just ends up being sort of a "whatever" moment for me. Really, I think he just switched to plastic bags because they're cheaper than glass bottles.
- "Before Venice on Manhome was ruined..." by the invisible reaper! Ahem. Turns out the paintings in Cafe Florian are genuine, literally lifted from Manhome and taken here to Aqua.

Ah right, Akari mailed Ai some chocolate. I wonder what interplanetary S&H from Aqua to Manhome costs...

This episode is... mediocre. Really not on par with the rest of the season at all. Patisserie guy was just not that great a character.

HOWEVER! The next episode is wonderful. Absolutely wonderful!

Fencedude

03-25-2010, 07:46 PM

- "Before Venice on Manhome was ruined..." by the invisible reaper!

And Neuroi!

something

03-25-2010, 07:47 PM

- "Before Venice on Manhome was ruined..." by the invisible reaper! And Neuroi!
Someone get Ai a striker unit stat.

Fencedude

03-25-2010, 07:58 PM

- "Before Venice on Manhome was ruined..." by the invisible reaper! And Neuroi!
Someone get Ai a striker unit stat.

Fantastic idea!

Dack Ralter

03-25-2010, 08:51 PM

I find Al kind of boring actually. Akatsuki is entertaining in the way he is so full of himself with no justification--it doesn't bother me. Plus everyone mocks him by calling him "Pony" too.
I find myself in this camp too. Al's fine, but Akatsuki adds a bit of obnoxious pizazz to break things up a bit. His brother's obviously into the organized crime scene though, so I suppose that's a strike against him.

Q.E.D. all undines are lesbians.
No arguing this point.

Ashyukun

03-25-2010, 09:55 PM

Episode 3:

This episode is... mediocre. Really not on par with the rest of the season at all. Patisserie guy was just not that great a character.

HOWEVER! The next episode is wonderful. Absolutely wonderful!
I largely agree, though Akari getting freaked out in the cafe and having to be calmed down by Aika was amusing.

But- I wholeheartedly agree about the next episode. It's easily my favorite of the ones that I've re-watched from Origination so far, and I believe it's also my favorite outside of the final arc.

Ashyukun

03-25-2010, 10:00 PM

Someone get Ai a striker unit stat.

Fantastic idea!
Well, she's not THAT much younger than most of the witches. I can see it now: a slightly older Ai wearing an... abbreviated... version of the Aria Company summer uniform with matching blue 'pants'.... the only problem is Ai's Striker Units wouldn't have any propellers, they'd look like gondola hulls and she'd have to row herself through the air and bludgeon the Neuroi with her oar. For a ranged attack, she'd throw magically-charged heart-shaped chocolates.

HitokiriShadow

03-25-2010, 10:46 PM

And this is why you don't give candy in glass containers to children.

... Ha, and that was the reason he temporarily closed his little shop. I didn't really remember anything from this episode. He ended up changing the packaging for entirely the wrong reason, but I guess we can thank Akari for keeping the children safe from their own clumsiness and unintelligent product packaging.

Fencedude

03-26-2010, 02:55 AM

This episode is... mediocre. Really not on par with the rest of the season at all. Patisserie guy was just not that great a character.

Yeah, its just kinda...there. Probably the least of all the episodes of Origination, and below most of Animation and Natural as well. Not bad, just...meh.

Also, for some reason Alice always looks slightly odd when wearing her Undine uniform but not her hat. I don't have this issue with Akari, Aika or the Primas. Just something about Alice's hairstyle. Its fine when she's in her school uniform though.

HOWEVER! The next episode is wonderful. Absolutely wonderful!

Oh my yes it is. I thought it was later in the run, actually.

Suwako Moriya

03-26-2010, 06:00 AM

In this episode, Aika and Alice stalk Akari! Other stuff happens too, but in the end it's all about the stalking of Akari.

Suwako Moriya

03-26-2010, 07:08 AM

Patisserie guy was just not that great a character.

Well, maybe there's hope for his Sweets Spirit. Yeah, I just had to make a random reference to Yumeiro Patisserie for no reason at all.

HOWEVER! The next episode is wonderful. Absolutely wonderful!

I can definitely see why. Definitely something to watch later.

something

03-26-2010, 08:22 AM

Suwako Moriya

03-26-2010, 09:39 AM

something

03-26-2010, 09:58 AM

I spent the entire episode thinking about how much better it would be if they replaced him with Ichigo. ;_:Yeah, that would have been a vast improvement.
I think my main issue with this episode is that the idea of reconstruction work on Neo Venezia's landmarks could have been used as a jumping off point for getting into some really interesting discussions of the architecture, the comparisons of old Venice to Neo Venezia, the history of the town itself, etc. Throw in some musing about how the refurbished buildings being born anew while still retaining their history is a metaphor for the constant changing of the Undine guard being a renewal and affirmation of the whole vaunted profession, and you'd link back to both the characters themselves and their hopefully forthcoming promotions quite nicely.

It seemed like they were going this direction with Cafe Florian, but instead it's used as a really indirect and not terribly well executed metaphor for... candy wrappers.

Seriously, SatoJun?

Isuzu Inugami

03-26-2010, 11:26 AM

- During the OP, Akari and Aria-shachou check out the reconstruction work, then Akari meets up with Dekkai-sama. They both join Aika at Himeya.

I love seeing bored, grumbly Aika waiting in the window for them.

- Alicia heads off to a meeting of the "Human Collaborators In Service To The Aquan Neko-Industrial Complex" (I haven't forgotten!). Or as it's also known, the "Gondola Association". Pbft, government cover up.

They're deciding what other examples of our cultural heritage to nick from Manhome!

...In fact, I bet patisserie guy is actually a Manhome spy, and he's been plotting how to hijack back those buildings. Akari, beware, you don't know what you're involving yourself in!

- Uh more stuff with the patisserie, and Akari stalking him, and yeah. Can you tell I don't exactly consider the guy the most interesting of the Aria one-offs?

Heh, so it wasn't just me finding this a bit of a weak episode.

EmperorBrandon

03-26-2010, 06:38 PM

Well, maybe there's hope for his Sweets Spirit. Yeah, I just had to make a random reference to Yumeiro Patisserie for no reason at all.
I spent the entire episode thinking about how much better it would be if they replaced him with Ichigo. ;_:

Yeah, that would have been a vast improvement.

Hah, with the patissier guy in the episode, it had me thinking how I need to catch up on that series. Still only watched two eps. of it so far I think.

MadL

03-26-2010, 06:56 PM

I think my main issue with this episode is that the idea of reconstruction work on Neo Venezia's landmarks could have been used as a jumping off point for getting into some really interesting discussions of the architecture, the comparisons of old Venice to Neo Venezia, the history of the town itself, etc. Throw in some musing about how the refurbished buildings being born anew while still retaining their history is a metaphor for the constant changing of the Undine guard being a renewal and affirmation of the whole vaunted profession, and you'd link back to both the characters themselves and their hopefully forthcoming promotions quite nicely.

It seemed like they were going this direction with Cafe Florian, but instead it's used as a really indirect and not terribly well executed metaphor for... candy wrappers.

Seriously, SatoJun?

Yeah, overall this wasn't one of the better episodes. Seemed as if they were trying to work in another example of Akari touching the life of a stranger-who-becomes-a-friend and helping them experience Neo-Venezia anew...and it just didn't take this time. The renovation angle would've been an interesting one to explore further.

Another thing that slightly nagged at me this episode was that the patissier didn't seem to have thought out his target customers very well; children's treats and delicate glass containers don't strike me as a good match. If these were gourmet chocolates intended for adults, that'd be one thing...but he seemed to make these with kids in mind, so wrapping paper was probably what he should've been doing in the first place, ne? Kinda beside the point, I guess, but it still bugged me a wee bit.

This episode aside, what's struck me about Aria is how it's been able to strike the right balance between humorous and heartwarming without tripping over into saccharine sappiness (as is all too easy for many shows to do). I imagine a lot of it has to do with the leisurely pace it's been allowed to set - The Animation and The Natural essentially serving as one big setup for the Origination (interesting title choice, that last one...).

Ashyukun

03-26-2010, 10:07 PM

This episode aside, what's struck me about Aria is how it's been able to strike the right balance between humorous and heartwarming without tripping over into saccharine sappiness (as is all too easy for many shows to do). I imagine a lot of it has to do with the leisurely pace it's been allowed to set - The Animation and The Natural essentially serving as one big setup for the Origination (interesting title choice, that last one...).
Actually, the reason Aria can strike such a perfect balance is that Aika is always there with a kinshi if it gets too sappy...

I think we discussed the naming of the last series 'Origination' back in the original discussion for the show when it first aired- and the reason I remember behind it would involve spoilers. :P

The Great Bear

03-26-2010, 10:09 PM

I think we discussed the naming of the last series 'Origination' back in the original discussion for the show when it first aired- and the reason I remember behind it would involve spoilers. :P

People who don't know will find out soon enough ;)

something

03-27-2010, 03:41 AM

From Durarara!! to Aria. A completely natural progression.
(Psst, the Dollars and the Aquan Neko Industrial Complex are in cahoots.)

Episode 4:

- During the OP, our little apprentice does lots of apprentice-like things. But she's not really satisfied with those duties. It's not so much dissatisfaction with the work as a feeling that she's not able to do enough to help out the ever busy Alicia.
- She eventually brings her concerns up with Alicia, who recommends Akari go hang out in tha' ghetto. I mean, try her hand at the traghetto. ...YES!
- The traghetto is different from handling tourists on a gondola. It's more akin to driving a bus, so Singles are allowed to take customers. They actually pair up in groups, even mixing companies! But like... everyone seems to be Himeya or Orange Planet. :sd:
- Akari gets paired up with three lovely, lovely girls. There's Atora Monteverdi (Kuwashima Houko) of Orange Planet, the sweet onee-san type. Ayumi K. Jasmine (Shiraishi Ryouko) of Himeya, the active tomboyish type. And finally Yumeno Anzu (Asumi Kana... wait, holy shit, Asumi Kana!!) of Orange Planet, the shy quiet one. One thing I found weird here is that they aren't surprised to see someone from Aria Company. After all, that all have to know about Alicia and how she basically is Aria Company, so to meet someone else from Aria Company ought to be quite a novelty.
- Ayumi and Atora are quite friendly but Anzu looks really depressed. Akari finds out that ANzu attempted the Prima promotion exam, and has failed repeatedly. It ain't easy... glad once again to have promotion on the characters' minds. Also glad to see Akari interacting more with her peers. We've been pretty isolated in that sense. Akari only seems to interact with two peers, Aika and Alice. This episode more than doubles that group in one go.
- Ayumi is interesting because until now we've been led to believe that every Undine thinks about nothign except PRIMA PRIMA PRIMA as if there were no other way to be a success. Like playing a sport in college and knowing that if you don't land a starting position on a professional team, you're going to be stuck falling back on your marketing degree and wearing a suit the rest of your life. But Ayumi simply doesn't care about Primas. She has no desire to be one, because she genuinely loves the traghetto. A lot of Singles who can't cut it as Primas end up at the traghetto too, but it's not a fall-back for her. It's her dream.
- Aw, Anzu, don't apologize. You're just depressed because you're missing your Xs.
- After all three pairings go out, it's Akari's turn. She nervously gets into the traghetto, helps the passengers onto it, and then...
- ...then, after about 44 episodes, we really discover in an objective way that, what do you know, Akari really is good at this. Not just at finding suteki sutekiness and being nice, but she is an honest to goodness damn good gondolier. As measured by a group of her peers. There are so many things to like about this episode, but this one stands above them all for me. Sure, Akari is the protagonist, therefore she's good. I mean it comes as no surprise in that sense. But "I'm good 'caus it's my show" isn't nearly as impressive as actually seeing her praised by Ayumi and Atora and Anzu. It might seem inevitable that Akari is Prima material, but when Ayumi says it here it seems to mean so much more. I feel like this is a huge, huge milestone in establishing Akari as something really special.
- It also leads to Atora talking about her own failed attempt at the exam. She blames her instructor. Someone who is really strict, even mean. I couldn't help but laugh as I imagined that instructor being Athena. Athena just acts nice and goofy around Alice and her friends. When she's proctoring promotion exams, EVIL ATHENA awakens! Crushing hopes and dreams left and right! MUAHAHAHA.
- Anyway Yuno gives a pep talk and everyone agrees to do their best and other such Aria-ish things.

Btw, Ai wants to ride in Akari's traghetto. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. ::wink::

<3 <3 <3 the Traghetto Girls. And this episode was exceptionally well animated for character art too. Just fantastic uber quality in every way.

Fencedude

03-27-2010, 03:58 AM

But like... everyone seems to be Himeya or Orange Planet. :sd:

Actually, you can see at least two other companies represented, there are Undine in Green and Purple uniforms, and I could have sworn I saw one with sky blue trim in the background. I'd be fascinated to find out more about those companies.

Anyway, this would easily be the best episode of Origination, if only episodes to come weren't just exponentially more awesome.

The best part really is finding out, for the first time, that Akari really is an EXCELLENT Gondolier. Its something that has never really come up before, because we only ever see her with the usual gang.

something

03-27-2010, 04:02 AM

Actually, you can see at least two other companies represented, there are Undine in Green and Purple uniforms, and I could have sworn I saw one with sky blue trim in the background. I'd be fascinated to find out more about those companies.
Yeaah... kinda commented without paying attention. There is indeed green, and purple. And a girl with a light blue bow. I wonder if they've been around in a whole bunch of scenes since the Animation.

MadL

03-27-2010, 04:20 AM

One thing I found weird here is that they aren't surprised to see someone from Aria Company. After all, that all have to know about Alicia and how she basically is Aria Company, so to meet someone else from Aria Company ought to be quite a novelty.

IIRC, near the end of the episode, didn't one of Akari's new friends say something along the lines of how nice it was to be able to work with someone from Aria, since they usually don't get the chance? So they do seem to at least realize how rare an opportunity it was. Maybe that's just the traghetto way - never let 'em see you surprised. :)

Agreed, this was a great episode. I loved being able to get a larger glimpse of the larger Undine community outside of the group we normally spend time with. The outside confirmation (1) of how good a sculler Akari really is and (2) that there's probably quite a few Undines who never make it to Prima for one reason or another were interesting touches.

I also really liked the new Singles we met, though Ayumi's probably my favorite. (Hm. I must have a thing for Himeya Undines...)

something

03-27-2010, 04:25 AM

IIRC, near the end of the episode, didn't one of Akari's new friends say something along the lines of how nice it was to be able to work with someone from Aria, since they usually don't get the chance? So they do seem to at least realize how rare an opportunity it was.
Yeah, they even mention Grandma too. I didn't go back and change my comment from earlier in the episode because it's still a bit odd that they didn't mention it at first. I think it was most likely avoided for storytelling purposes - if they had launched into "omg you're Alicia's apprentice!" from the start, the whole tone of the encounter would have shifted from this being a new experience for Akari, to pressure being put on Akari to live up to expectations. Ayumi being genuinely surprised at Akari's skill had more impact than it being something "expected".

I also really liked the new Singles we met, though Ayumi's probably my favorite. (Hm. I must have a thing for Himeya Undines...)
Atora is probably my favorite, but Anzu is right behind thanks to Asumi Kana.

Fencedude

03-27-2010, 04:28 AM

Atora is probably my favorite, but Anzu is right behind thanks to Asumi Kana.

What I like about Atora is that she has this "confident sempai" thing going, and then she has the complete confidence breakdown there at the end. All three of them were very well characterized for the incredibly brief period that we've known them.

MadL

03-27-2010, 04:35 AM

IIRC, near the end of the episode, didn't one of Akari's new friends say something along the lines of how nice it was to be able to work with someone from Aria, since they usually don't get the chance? So they do seem to at least realize how rare an opportunity it was.
Yeah, they even mention Grandma too. I didn't go back and change my comment from earlier in the episode because it's still a bit odd that they didn't mention it at first. I think it was most likely avoided for storytelling purposes - if they had launched into "omg you're Alicia's apprentice!" from the start, the whole tone of the encounter would have shifted from this being a new experience for Akari, to pressure being put on Akari to live up to expectations. Ayumi being genuinely surprised at Akari's skill had more impact than it being something "expected".

Good point. Ayumi's genuine surprise at how good Akari's skills are got the point across succinctly.

Thinking some more about the new Singles we met in this episode - does it seem to anyone else that each of the companies we've met so far seem to have a bit of a institutional personality, in terms of the traits their Undines share? Himeya Undines somewhat brash, Orange Planet Undines more quiet, Aria Undines...hmm...enigmatic, maybe?

something

03-27-2010, 04:38 AM

Thinking some more about the new Singles we met in this episode - does it seem to anyone else that each of the companies we've met so far seem to have a bit of a institutional personality, in terms of the traits their Undines share? Himeya Undines somewhat brash, Orange Planet Undines more quiet, Aria Undines...hmm...enigmatic, maybe?
We don't get too know too many, unfortunately (4 Orange Planet undine, 3 Himeya) so it's hard to identify strong trends, but they do seem to be emphasizing certain traits, yeah. I think it's most obvious in Himeya.

Suwako Moriya

03-27-2010, 06:07 AM

Akari gets paired up with three lovely, lovely girls. There's Atora Monteverdi (Kuwashima Houko) of Orange Planet, the sweet onee-san type. Ayumi K. Jasmine (Shiraishi Ryouko) of Himeya, the active tomboyish type. And finally Yumeno Anzu (Asumi Kana... wait, holy shit, Asumi Kana!!) of Orange Planet, the shy quiet one.

Ah, yes, spending quality time with those three was great. Part of me wishes that they had their own series. Just imagine what it would be like. Aside from totally awesome, because you'd be hearing plenty of Asumi Kana.

Aw, Anzu, don't apologize. You're just depressed because you're missing your Xs.

All she needs to do is look in room 201. That should solve everything.

Anyway Yuno gives a pep talk and everyone agrees to do their best and other such Aria-ish things.

Intentional or not, I love seeing Yuno's name.

Btw, Ai wants to ride in Akari's traghetto. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. ::wink::

Let her, Akari! Let her!

<3 <3 <3 the Traghetto Girls. And this episode was exceptionally well animated for character art too. Just fantastic uber quality in every way.

Again, those three need their own series.

The Great Bear

03-27-2010, 09:29 AM

Ashyukun

03-27-2010, 10:37 AM

This was definitely my favorite of the episodes this season beyond the untouchable final arc, for the reasons already expounded upon. It really has been impossible to tell whether Akari is actually any good or just passable as an Undine (but with a personality that wins everyone over...) up until this point because the only feedback we have is from Aika and Alice, neither of which really say anything about her rowing, and from Alicia who we pretty much never hear a cross word about anything. We have to presume she's at least got some skills that others have seen or there'd be a lot more murmuring in the background by the other Undine about Alicia having an incompetent apprentice as well as the fact that beyond Alice's solidly above the normal gondola-handling skills (I'm getting ahead of myself slightly here, but only by one episode...) the main trio of non-Primas seems largely on the same level. And presumably the three Water Fairies would have to have at least decently skilled apprentices.

I also love the three new Singles introduced simply for their own natures and personalities- they're all so unique and individual both in look, personality, and even aspirations that it's a breath of fresh air in a show that for over 3 cour has so singularly focused on just 6 Undine (8, if you count Grandma & and the other retired Aria Co. undine). Sure, we love those core 6 but variety is the spice of life- and it's much better when that ''variety' comes in the form of other cute Undine and not boring, emo candy makers. Anzu is my favorite of the lot at least in part due to the voice but also her overall nature, though she'd be nearly perfect if she had Atora's glasses (and Xs :P). Unfortunately IIRC regarding them, I don't think we see anything of them again down the line... I don't think they're in the lineup of Undine at the ceremony at the end, but I could be wrong- I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for them.

Suwako Moriya

03-27-2010, 10:38 AM

All three of them were very well characterized for the incredibly brief period that we've known them.

That was definitely proof of good writing. We only spend one episode with them, but each of them comes across as having a distinct personality, not Random Undine A, B and C.

Well, there's a good reason for that. A is too busy consoling B and C. B and C wanted to be on the show, but since their names didn't start with A., they were rejected. It's just so sad. Poor B and C.

In all seriousness, having characters that are developed well in a single episode just makes the ones that are poorly developed after several episodes even more depressing.

nekonene

03-27-2010, 11:11 AM

- It also leads to Atora talking about her own failed attempt at the exam. She blames her instructor. Someone who is really strict, even mean. I couldn't help but laugh as I imagined that instructor being Athena. Athena just acts nice and goofy around Alice and her friends. When she's proctoring promotion exams, EVIL ATHENA awakens! Crushing hopes and dreams left and right! MUAHAHAHA.

I think Athena is better at crushing skulls (http://aria.tinybooru.com/_images/1eee861cc71812dcf42c88c0e925ac87.gif) than hopes & dreams. :catgirl:

This is probablly my favorite Aria episode of all the seasons. As was said before, you really don't have any idea how far the three have progressed, and this episode is the first step in showing how far their training has come since they first met up. Remember the beach training with all of them falling off their logs?

BTW... when is this (http://aria.tinybooru.com/_images/b06ff2dfcb5950eb2c40b96e6f9c2551.jpg) game coming out?

Unfortunately IIRC regarding them, I don't think we see anything of them again down the line... I don't think they're in the lineup of Undine at the ceremony at the end, but I could be wrong- I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for them.

You would be incorrect, you see them for a few seconds during Episode 12 during Akari's examination.

Isuzu Inugami

03-27-2010, 11:31 AM

Also glad to see Akari interacting more with her peers. We've been pretty isolated in that sense. Akari only seems to interact with two peers, Aika and Alice. This episode more than doubles that group in one go.

Akari is so nervous about the whole thing! But as soon as she deals with the customers, she's all bright and professional. It's another facet of her skills, actually.

Also, do we see Akira guiding a tour in the background somewhere here?

- ...then, after about 44 episodes, we really discover in an objective way that, what do you know, Akari really is good at this.

I like seeing Anzu's reaction as Akari starts out.

Athena just acts nice and goofy around Alice and her friends. When she's proctoring promotion exams, EVIL ATHENA awakens! Crushing hopes and dreams left and right! MUAHAHAHA.

Heh, I was imagining the same thing. Although I'm pretty confident that's not the case.

<3 <3 <3 the Traghetto Girls.

Indeed!

MadL

03-27-2010, 11:32 AM

BTW... when is this (http://aria.tinybooru.com/_images/b06ff2dfcb5950eb2c40b96e6f9c2551.jpg) game coming out?

Couldn't come out soon enough for me. :) For now, ARIA fans will have to content themselves with this (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-43-49-en-15-aria-70-3fd8-43-99.html) (well, fans who can speak Japanese and who have a Japanese PS2, anyway...)

HitokiriShadow

03-27-2010, 01:31 PM

Akari wants to be more useful? Hmm, I don't remember where this goes.... Ooooh, right... "Traghetto" Yep, its this episode.

How convenient that Akari spaces out and just happens to be at the pier she is assigned to.

I really like these three. Ayumi is interesting because she's very different from our three main girls, and most other Undines, in that she isn't even trying to become a Prima. Oh, and Anzu was highly amusing, particularly her congratulating Akari on becoming a Prima after Ayumi's comments. They have some interesting things to say about the Prima Promotion Exams.

On a side note, I discovered something interesting about my PS3, which only recently started using as my DVD player (instead of an actual DVD player which I was using until I bought my new TV). I took the disc out yesterday to watch my Gundam Unicorn BD, and when I put Aria back it, it still went straight back to where I had paused it before.

Oh, and I think next episode is one of my favorite Aika episodes.

HitokiriShadow

03-27-2010, 01:39 PM

something

03-27-2010, 04:26 PM

Also, do we see Akira guiding a tour in the background somewhere here?
For a moment I thought we saw someone who looked like her, but concluded it was just another Himeya undine.

something

03-27-2010, 04:34 PM

I had totally forgotten there actually were companies other than Aria Company, Himemiya, and Orange Planet.
I have to feel a little sorry for them. We know that Himeya and Orange Planet are the biggest, and Aria Company has an amazing history for its size, and all three have their own Water Faeries. So what are the other three? Jeeze nobody even mentions their names. :sd: No idea of their size or history or standing.

I wonder if the extras touch upon them at all. Guess I'll find out at the end. One thing I wish this series had is cast/staff commentaries on each episode. Think of all the awesome stuff we could learn.

Dack Ralter

03-28-2010, 02:16 AM

This episode is... mediocre. Really not on par with the rest of the season at all. Patisserie guy was just not that great a character. This one put me to sleep. Chocolate-making-guy was dull and uh...insufficiently odd looking by ARIA standards.

I'll agree that it would have been better if they had spent some time talking more about the restoration projects; I guess that interplanetary shipping rates aren't as high as one might expect, but what sort of enterprising individual successfully pitched moving multiple stone/masonry buildings with historical significance to Mars? :sd:

Fencedude

03-28-2010, 02:17 AM

Dack Ralter

03-28-2010, 02:29 AM

Probably whoever first suggesting building a completely accurate replica of Venice there to begin with.This would make and interesting story in and of itself, really. Maybe not an Aria one, though.

And yeah, the more you think about it the less sense it makes.
Partially into the third series and I still haven't learned my lesson about mixing reality with anime. :sd: Ah well. At least Akari and crew give me enough warm fuzzies to distract myself.

Dennis_Mullin

03-28-2010, 03:01 AM

I'll agree that it would have been better if they had spent some time talking more about the restoration projects; I guess that interplanetary shipping rates aren't as high as one might expect, but what sort of enterprising individual successfully pitched moving multiple stone/masonry buildings with historical significance to Mars? :sd:

Probably whoever first suggesting building a completely accurate replica of Venice there to begin with.

And yeah, the more you think about it the less sense it makes.

Supposedly this all takes place on a terra-formed planet, complete with modified gravity (Mars currently runs around 37% of earth gravity). So if you can produce artifical gravity, then transporting buildings though space should be inexpensive.

And it's been mentioned before during the series that the original Venice on Manhome is gone, drowned under rising seas. So picking up buildings for bargain prices and moving them elsewhere (even if off planet) doesn't seem like too much of a stretch.

something

03-28-2010, 04:45 AM

Just as a heads up, I am probably taking tomorrow (er, today... tonight? Sunday!) off, so ep 5.5 will likely be Monday.

Episode 5:

- As the girls stop to grab some food (yay! summer uniforms! SEXY GLOVE!), the whole crowd stops as Athena rows by, singing the only song she knows. Everyone is sucked in. Right behind comes Alicia, who is suuuuuuch a blatant show-off. :sd: She amazes everyone with the rowing skills she earned through a satanic pact.
- Alice and Akari talk about what natural prodigies those two must be. Aika looks really uncomfortable though. Her habit of thinking waaay too much is kicking in. She starts to think about how Akira must have felt, being friends with those two genius undine. Alice and Akari point out that Akira is the hardest working and amazing in her own right but Aika can't shake her funk.
- In the next scene it becomes clear that her depression isn't really (or not fully anyway) about Akira. She herself is friends with the young sculling prodigy of Orange Planet, Alice Carroll, who is clearly the most technically skilled of the three. Likewise Akari is a prodigy of personality; a charismatic individual who draws everyone towards her effortlessly. By far the most skilled at interacting with people of the three.
- When Aika returns to Himeya and finds an old photo of Akari as the remaining Single after Alicia and Athena's promotions, she finally breaks down. She repeatedly asks Akira how she was able to bear it, how she was able to keep trying to hard, how she was able to support herself though it all. She may be firing these questions at Akira, but they're questions she's no doubt asked herself time and time again. She's so desperate to hear an answer because she's been unable to overcome it herself.
- Akira (who is looking good in that ponytail, though I can't give the pants a thumbs up) senses this, of course, and tries to help Aika out indirectly, with a story from back when Athena (the second to get promoted) became a Prima.
- Akira went through a lot of what Akia is going through, only worse considering her friends were even more amazing. She's really on the edge of giving up when an oh so cute little blue twintailed girl comes by and ends up cheering her up. If you can't find a four leaf clover, just make your own! It takes a bit of work but you can do it. That's mini-Aika's message. Oh god Aika was so so so so so adorable.
- Of course Aika doesn't remember any of this. But that's okay. Akira has a bookmark of the makeshift clover to remember it by, and she gives it to Aika as a good luck charm.

Feeling emotionally recharged, Aika is back to her old self at training the next day. She also ends up having to kinshi herself repeatedly when she's thinking about how wonderful Akira is. =D

Oooh damnit I am getting so antsy for those final episodes. I could blow through the rest of the series right now, but I mustn't. I've teared up a bunch of times in the episodes so far at the slightest reminder of anything remotely related to the last few eps. Neeeeeeeed. But no, not yet. Must be patient. There are many wonderful episodes just like this one to watch first.

Ashyukun

03-28-2010, 07:40 AM

Episode 5:

Oooh damnit I am getting so antsy for those final episodes. I could blow through the rest of the series right now, but I mustn't. I've teared up a bunch of times in the episodes so far at the slightest reminder of anything remotely related to the last few eps. Neeeeeeeed. But no, not yet. Must be patient. There are many wonderful episodes just like this one to watch first.
Though Episode 4 is by far my favorite of the 'episodic' episodes of this series, this one is definitely quite good too. It definitely kind of reinforces the distinctions and similarities between the Water Fairies and their apprentices- Alicia is graceful but also very charismatic herself and Akari is probably the most charismatic person on the planet but fairly skilled with an oar in her own right; Athena is widely recognized as a vocal prodigy but has to work at much of everything else whereas Alice is a prodigy at rowing but likewise is not as comfortable with many of the other aspects of being an Undine. Aika and Akira are extremely similar in that both are skilled and talented but lack the 'genius' qualities that the other four do- but make up for it through sheer force of will and personality. I think of all of them you have to have the most respect for the Himemiya pair- the others do have to work for things, but at the same time they could likely sit back and coast more; Akira & Aika have to put in a lot more sheer effort to keep up and excel.

Unfortunately, I'm going to be on the road for the next week and largely unable to watch anything so I'm going to fall way behind. :(

The Great Bear

03-28-2010, 08:18 AM

Episode 5:

- As the girls stop to grab some food (yay! summer uniforms! SEXY GLOVE!), the whole crowd stops as Athena rows by, singing the only song she knows. Everyone is sucked in.

I'm sure she must know some other songs, but we're just unfortunate that she only sings that one when we see her :P

Right behind comes Alicia, who is suuuuuuch a blatant show-off. :sd: She amazes everyone with the rowing skills she earned through a satanic pact.

Be careful what you say. We all know that Alicia is a goddess.. Blaspheme at your own peril. あら　あら。

- Akira (who is looking good in that ponytail, though I can't give the pants a thumbs up)

What was that thing she was wearing? Not very flattering, but then she was engaged in cleaning up, wasn't she? So, that's the one outfit of hers she doesn't care getting dirty. Especially since it looked like an adult version of children's overalls or something like that.

- Akira went through a lot of what Akia is going through, only worse considering her friends were even more amazing. She's really on the edge of giving up when an oh so cute little blue twintailed girl comes by and ends up cheering her up. …Oh god Aika was so so so so so adorable.

Yes, yes she was (http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/9027/aika1qf8.jpg).

Akira wasn't too bad in (http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/1569/akira1xj4.jpg) her short-hair phase either.

Suwako Moriya

03-28-2010, 09:00 AM

In some ways, Akira impresses me more than her counterparts. Perhaps it's the whole not having a gift to rely on angle.

Aika is cute and she's got an awesome philosophy. If you can't find it then make it.

Ashyukun

03-28-2010, 09:06 AM

Yes, yes she was (http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/9027/aika1qf8.jpg).

Akira wasn't too bad in (http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/1569/akira1xj4.jpg) her short-hair phase either.
That brings up something I've been thinking about since rewatching the OVA- their hair grows FAST in this show. Akira in the flashbacks had short hair whereas now it's fairly long. Alicia's was moderately long back in Arietta's flashbacks in the sexy braided twintails, but it's considerably longer now. And getting into spoiler territory, even Akari's hair in the final episode after the time jump is considerably longer- IIRC it's appoaching Alicia-length despite it being very short in the back in the current timeframe despite there only being what, a 5 year or so max jump? I suppose given this is the future that they could have a way to grow their hair faster, but that seems somewhat out of line with the show in general...

Ashyukun

03-28-2010, 09:23 AM

MadL

03-28-2010, 12:11 PM

This was probably my favorite episode - it was great getting more of Akira's background (+ Aika-chan too! Awwww - she was so cute when she was little), and it nicely illustrated why I like this duo the best. Not to mention all the little moments in the episode - Aika's frantic self-kinshi at the end; Aika's futile struggle to avoid helping Akira clean ("I cordially decline." "You understand, don't you? Hehehehehe..." :) ) Akira's ponytail was quite becoming, too (but yeah, the outfit's definitely "something I don't mind getting dirty"). I wonder - when Aika started out as a Pair, did Akira pick her to be her apprentice, maybe with her past encounter in mind; or was Aika assigned to Akira?

IMO, Episodes 5 and 4 compliment each other very nicely. Episode 4 helped to put Akari's skills in the context of the larger Undine community; Episode 5 reminds us that the slice of Undine life we've been getting is a pretty rarified one - along with the Three Water Fairies, you've got:
-the one and only current apprentice of the legendary Aria Company;
-the heiress-apparent to Himeya, Neo-Venezia's longest-running Undine company; and
-the rising star of Orange Planet, Neo-Venezia's current number one Undine company.

Aika overcame a pretty big obstacle here. Both Akari and Alice would be crushed if they didn't make Prima eventually, but Aika knows that if the person set to inherit Himeya was stuck being a Single, the implications for the company couldn't be good, so she's had that extra bit of pressure on here shoulders; and of the three, she has seemed to be the one most likely to wonder if her skills are really up to the task. But as others have said, that's what makes her and Akira so great; if God didn't give them a talent, they just make one on their own. :)

Out of curiosity - when we start discussing the last episode on a disc, is it OK to discuss the Picture Dramas on that disc, or should we save that for the end?

something

03-28-2010, 03:00 PM

I wonder - when Aika started out as a Pair, did Akira pick her to be her apprentice, maybe with her past encounter in mind; or was Aika assigned to Akira?
Hm, I'm inclined to think it would be arranged. It seems natural that the daughter of the owner would be paired up with the company's greatest Undine. Of course this time it worked out nicely since I'm sure Akira would have wanted it that way.

Out of curiosity - when we start discussing the last episode on a disc, is it OK to discuss the Picture Dramas on that disc, or should we save that for the end?
I still don't have my set (...maybe it'll arrive tomorrow? please?) so I didn't know if they were on the individual discs or all on the extras disc. I guess I was planning them for the end since they would have come out after the TV episodes (only being on the discs and all).

Maybe I could do some of them today since I didn't plan to do a full episode... how many are on disc 1? 1-3 I guess?

MadL

03-28-2010, 03:03 PM

[quote]Out of curiosity - when we start discussing the last episode on a disc, is it OK to discuss the Picture Dramas on that disc, or should we save that for the end?
I still don't have my set (...maybe it'll arrive tomorrow? please?) so I didn't know if they were on the individual discs or all on the extras disc. I guess I was planning them for the end since they would have come out after the TV episodes (only being on the discs and all).

Maybe I could do some of them today since I didn't plan to do a full episode... how many are on disc 1? 1-3 I guess?

IIRC, 1-3 are on Disc 1, 4 and 5 on Disc 2, and 6 and 7 on Disc 3. Edit: Yep, that's how they did it.

HitokiriShadow

03-28-2010, 05:35 PM

I was very amused at seeing the girls all blushing after hearing Athena and seeing Alicia's display, especially Akira and the shopkeeper saying the same thing, glancing at each other and then the shopkeeper quickly changing the subject.

I just looove Aika's face when she hears Alice's comment about Alicia and Athena being geniuses. You can see the the sudden realization about what the implications of this are for her own beloved Prima.

I can barely recognize Akira without her Himemiya uniform and her hair up like that. Then we get an absolutely beautiful scene between Aika and Akira. Aika crying and asking Akira how she felt at being the last one to be promoted is just incredibly moving. It brought tears to my eyes, and that very, very rarely happens. Easily one of the best scenes in the entire series.

Then we get an equally moving story from Akira and get a nice glimpse into her past. Even better, we get to see a much younger Aika (probably about 6 years old). And it turns out that Aika had an absolutely incredible impact on Akira's life. It is very likely that Akira would have simply given up if she had not met Aika at that point and Aika hadn't said what she did.

And what better way could you end this episode than by having Aika kinshi herself repeatedly? Well, maybe by having Alice kinshi her repeatedly.

Goooood, I love this episode. Easily one of my favorite episodes of all three series. In the Top 5 at the absolute minimum. Aika and Alice are basically tied for my favorite characters, and Akira comes in third. She is by far my favorite of the three Water Faries. I initially didn't have any particular attachment to any of the Water Fairies, but Akira skyrocketed to first during Natural (even before the stuff with Aika's haircut). While I like Akira well enough based on personality alone, its her relationship with Aika that really makes her one of my favorites, and this episode delivered that in spades.

Fencedude

03-28-2010, 06:28 PM

The Golden Witch Alicia Beatrice strikes again! She's just soooooo blatant about it.

Aika was wonderful this episode, both in the current day scenes and back when she was just disgustingly adorable in knee-socks and twintails.

something

03-28-2010, 06:35 PM

The picture drama extras were brought up as being placed at the end of the three main content discs. I'd initially planned to just watch all 7 after the series was over, when I did the extras disc, but no harm in doing them along with the TV episodes I guess. Didn't plan to do an episode today anyway so this will fill in. I don't *think* any of these spoil anything beyond the episodes seen so far (if they spoil anything at all).

Picture Drama 1:
- Onsen! The girls in just towels! Scandalous! ...and hot.
- Alice teases Aika about Al, so Aika tries to deflect the conversation to Akari and Akatsuki. Of course, this is a comlpete dead end because Akari wouldn't think of Akatsuki romantically in a million years. =D
- Alice looks wonderful, even if we only see her from behind. Her hair looks really nice tied up like that, and mmm, she's only wearing a towel...
- But all things must balance out, so next is pajamas... and Alice is completely covered up. ;_;
- Akari's hair looks awesome though. She should tie her hair up like that more often.
- Then they eat ice cream and talk about romance. And it's just hilarious because it spells out so very explicitly how there's just not one guy in the cast that is an even remotely plausible match for any single girl in the cast, except Aika and Al.
- Aika objects violently to the idea of Alicia having a lover. Hah.
- Alice decides to blow Aika's mind up with the thoght of Alicia and Al being in a relationship. Hahahaha.
- Then Alice kinshis Akari! XD

I'm sad we didn't get a front shot of Alice in the onsen. ;_;

Picture Drama 2:
- Oooh, this one does fall in a specific place in the timeline, i.e. after ep 4. It's the Traghetto girls!!
- Atora buys some panini for lunch, without realizing that it was Ayumi's turn to buy lunch today. Ayumi already bought a whole boatload of onigiri. They have enough for six people!
- Anzu arrives and, well, she doesn't help matters much. She bought a bunch of not-nikuman. Enough for three. :sd:
- So what to do now? They have three times more food than they need. So they need more people!
- Anzu calls Akari, who agrees to bring two friends (guess who!).
- Except that, well, Anzyu didn't explain the situation very well. Akari, Aika and Alice all brought food too...

I'd eat with them!

Picture Drama 3:
- Soccer time. Aika recruits Akari and Alice for a 3 on 3 charity tourney. Alice's hair is so cute~!
- Aika thinks Alice is good at kendo? HAH! That's totally a seiyuu joke. Hirohashi Ryou also voiced Kawazoe Tamaki of Bamboo Blade, the second cour of which ran concurrently with Origination. Bwhaha, I don't know if I caught that the first time. Saitou Chiwa also has a cameo appearance in the last ep of Bamboo Blade.
- Oh and btw the tournament is tomorrow. Way to give them advance notice, Aika!
- Aika knows how to work Akari though. She tells her that the soccer ball is like the precious feelings of the people of Neo Venezia, and she must receive the ball just as she receives those feelings! >_> Well, it works!
- Ahaha, Saitou is losing it. The best extras are always the ones where the seiyuu go wacky. Gondola toorimasu!
- DEKKAIROCKETDASHGONDOLATOORIMASUSHOOOOOOOOOT!

...they're knocked out in the first round. They kinda forgot about the "defense" part. :sd:

Picture dramas 4-5 will follow after whatever episode ends disc 2.

Fencedude

03-28-2010, 06:55 PM

Picture Drama 1:

Aika is surprisingly well endowed.

As for the rest, Alicia and Akira are clearly having a torrid affair, and Athena likes younger women, as Alice very well knows.

And of course Akari is in a committed, albeit long distance, relationship.

AIRHEADED LINES ARE NOT ALLOWED!

Picture Drama 2:

You know, when I think of food in Italy and Venice, I totally think of Onigiri and Nikuman. They just leap right to mind!

All of it sounded really good though, especially the Cheese Panini and the Super Spicy Pizza Bun.

Picture Drama 3:

Oh man, this was too funny. Saito Chiwa was getting way to into things.

And those uniforms were...well...uhh...I liked the shorts, at least. And lol at the Bamboo Blade reference.

Oh, and I finally figured out why Alice looks weird when she's in her Undine uniform and takes off her hat. She doesn't have the two little side antenna twintail things when she's in her Undine uniform.

The Great Bear

03-28-2010, 07:21 PM

Aika is surprisingly well endowed.

That's been noted and seen before, especially when Aika is in regular clothes. The undine uniforms seem to be tailored especially to make them less a target for sexual harassment.

And those uniforms were...well...uhh...I liked the shorts, at least. And lol at the Bamboo Blade reference.

That was really funny, especially since Ryou Hirohashi uses the a very similar voice for both.

Fencedude

03-28-2010, 07:27 PM

Oh yeah, did anyone else note that the Vegetable seller in this episode looked remarkably like Nanako? Only less spectacularly endowed, of course.

The Great Bear

03-28-2010, 07:34 PM

Oh yeah, did anyone else note that the Vegetable seller in this episode looked remarkably like Nanako? Only less spectacularly endowed, of course.

I did kind of notice that, now that you mention it…

HitokiriShadow

03-28-2010, 11:02 PM

Alice alone has absolutely no worries about becoming a Prima. So, naturally, Aika makes sure to give some to her.

Akari's dream was the other high point of the episode for me, since we got to see Ai. I think she's the only character other than Akari to get lines in every episode, but we so rarely get to actually see her and its always a joy when we do.

This was definitely among the better Akari/Alicia episodes. Some of the stuff that focuses on just the two of them leaves me wishing Alice and Aika would show up and make things more entertaining, but this episode is pretty good.

HitokiriShadow

03-29-2010, 12:09 AM

Unlike the the actual series, this is my first time seeing the picture dramas.

Picture Drama 1
Onsen!! This is like outright porn by Aria standards.

Alice's pajamas are absolutely adorable. A little weird (especially the faces on the puffs hanging on the strings attached to her hood), but adorable. Oh, so its apparently some character from their world called "Mu-kun".

Alice tries tease Aika but Aika fails to take the bait. And suddenly, the topic becomes Akira's love life.

But Alice gets to have her fun when the conversation goes to the possibility of Alicia seeing Al and how Aika feels about Al, at which point Aika starts getting flustered. And a flustered Aika is a highly entertaining Aika.

LOL Akari.

Ahahahaha! "No really airheaded remarks allowed!" The picture when she said that was perfect, and absolutely hilarious.

Picture Drama 2
Oh, yay, more of the Traghetto Trio!

Six people's worth of food? Clearly, the solution is to invite Akari and her friends to join them. Which, thankfully, seems like the natural direction for things to go rather than just wishful thinking. ... But that's Plan B (or maybe even farther down the list). Plan A is to get Anzu to eat as much as she can. I loved Anzu's response.

The great part about this is we get to see the Trio interact normally, particularly Anzu, since she spent most of their episode in a depression. I love Anzu's happy smile after she comes back from calling Akari.

Ahahaha, and they end up bringing even more food, making the situation worse.

Whut. Did they seriously just end it before Alice and Aika joined the lunch? Nooooooooo, I wanted to see them interact with the Traghetto Trio so badly.

Picture Drama 3
Damn. I was hoping this would continue from where the previous one left off. On the positive side, we get to see Alice and Aika in sports uniforms! Alice's :0 face there amuses me greatly.

And they are showing a hell of a lotta leg there. Again, by Aria standards this is absolutely scandalous.

And they make sure to let us get nice, long looks at each of the girls. Never has seeing just a bit of leg, just from the upper shin to the thighs, seemed so sexy.

Aim for the top, Aika! And she's quite good at manipulating Akari.

LOL Saito Chiwa screeching her lungs out "Gondola TORIIIIMA(*hack*wheeze)su!" She was clearly having a lot of fun in the recording booth for this scene. "Gooooru!"

Alice Rocket Dash! And her shouting "Gondola torimasu!" over and over again was even more amusing. ... We clearly need an Aria sports anime spin-off, with them playing a different sport each episode, and then eventually they would make up ridiculous new sports, and the season finale would be life and death fight in some sport that combines all sorts of other sports with gondola rowing. Why has this not been made yet!?

Her legs are filled with justice! Shining Foot! Gondola Torimasu Shuuuuuto!!

Suddenly, Aika realizes how the three of them can make millions on the side. Alice is their invincible weapon and they'll take Pro Soccer by storm! Dekkai Dekkai Beautiful Goal! ....Or not. Guess they'll have to stick with their Undine careers for now. Or at least until next year.

That was awesome, definitely my favorite of the three picture dramas on this disc, though they were all really good.

Suwako Moriya

03-29-2010, 12:20 AM

Picture Drama 1

Even now, I still feel that Alice fans got shafted. Ah, well. I still got some Aika service and even in her pajamas, her chest stood out.

Picture Drama 2

Not long enough, but at least we got to see the three of them again.

Picture Drama 3

Seiyuu references are fun. Also, clearly Aria wants to be a sports anime.

Ingraman

03-29-2010, 01:47 AM

Picture Drama 2
Did they seriously just end it before Alice and Aika joined the lunch? Nooooooooo, I wanted to see them interact with the Traghetto Trio so badly.

You expect the three tragetto ladies to be able to interact with our regular cast? Wouldn't they be stunned by the awesomeness of having the apprentices of Neo-Venezia's top three undines sitting across the table from them? Would the two from Orange Planet feel any intimidation from Alice's presence? ^_^; I was momentarily wondering if Alice might have met her co-workers at the party that she ended up attending back in Natural (or was it Animation?), before I remembered that it was a party for pairs...

I do wish that the short story had continued a bit further. ^_^

Fencedude

03-29-2010, 01:49 AM

Would the two from Orange Planet feel any intimidation from Alice's presence? ^_^;

I'd be more interested in seeing Ayumi's reaction to having a casual lunch with the boss's daughter.

Dack Ralter

03-29-2010, 06:21 AM

- Akari gets paired up with three lovely, lovely girls. There's Atora Monteverdi (Kuwashima Houko) of Orange Planet, the sweet onee-san type. Ayumi K. Jasmine (Shiraishi Ryouko) of Himeya, the active tomboyish type. And finally Yumeno Anzu (Asumi Kana... wait, holy shit, Asumi Kana!!) of Orange Planet, the shy quiet one.Wasn't sure if I was going to like these three or not at first, but they did well for themselves. I like Ayumi, I think. A bit more insight into the organization of the undines across Neo-Venezia is also welcome (so much cooperative work...).

This looks like it will end up one of my favorite episodes of Aria. So much right with this one.

Dack Ralter

03-29-2010, 06:38 AM

- As the girls stop to grab some food (yay! summer uniforms! SEXY GLOVE!), the whole crowd stops as Athena rows by, singing the only song she knows. Everyone is sucked in. Right behind comes Alicia, who is suuuuuuch a blatant show-off. :sd: She amazes everyone with the rowing skills she earned through a satanic pact.A natural consequence of sculling up the Canal of Convienent Coincidence. Ah, I did miss those summer uniforms. I do sort of like the winter gloves better though. =P

- Akira (who is looking good in that ponytail, though I can't give the pants a thumbs up)Daaaamn! Akira should do the ponytail more often. I wonder what sort of horrors her closet might be hiding though, given those pant-type-things.

Two very good episodes in a row make up for boring chocolate guy pretty fast. Akira is otherwise so indomitable; very nice to see her more vulnerable side. Still my favorite water fairy, too.

Isuzu Inugami

03-29-2010, 05:29 PM

Oh Aika... you're the most level-headed take-charge undine of the three, yet you're the one with the least confidence! I hear the whistle of the Moe Train: next stop, Neo-Venezia!

- Alice and Akari talk about what natural prodigies those two must be.

They're unwittingly showing off their own prodigy power too--Aika looks troubled as Akari slides the gondola into dock as smooth as glass, and Alice slaloms down the back canals with terrifying skill (although I have to wonder if you'd ever do such a thing with a customer....) I can sense Aika feeling outmatched.

- When Aika returns to Himeya and finds an old photo of Akari as the remaining Single after Alicia and Athena's promotions, she finally breaks down.

I just love this scene. She's been holding this in all the time, never letting anyone see it, and now it all comes spilling out. Wow.

- Akira (who is looking good in that ponytail, though I can't give the pants a thumbs up)

It took me a moment to recognize her. Do we know any girls with ponytails in this show? :sweat:

Feeling emotionally recharged, Aika is back to her old self at training the next day. She also ends up having to kinshi herself repeatedly when she's thinking about how wonderful Akira is. =D

Heh, everyone else is totally confused by her!

something

03-29-2010, 05:32 PM

Fencedude

03-29-2010, 05:34 PM

They're unwittingly showing off their own prodigy power too--Aika looks troubled as Akari slides the gondola into dock as smooth as glass, and Alice slaloms down the back canals with terrifying skill (although I have to wonder if you'd ever do such a thing with a customer....) I can sense Aika feeling outmatched.

I was thinking that that totally has to violate all sorts of regulations. I guess its the Neo Venezian equivalent to street racing.

Isuzu Inugami

03-29-2010, 05:52 PM

I was thinking that that totally has to violate all sorts of regulations. I guess its the Neo Venezian equivalent to street racing.

Singles who can't make Prime status end up painting their gondolas in ita-sha designs and competing in underground canal-racing! Initial-G! (for Gondola. Or would it have to be Initial-A?)

nekonene

03-29-2010, 06:28 PM

and Alice slaloms down the back canals with terrifying skill (although I have to wonder if you'd ever do such a thing with a customer....)
Alice has a future on the Neo Venezia highway patrol squad. High speed chase, go!
Neo Venezia Highway Patrol.. could we get a crossover with the Bokuto PD Traffic Division? ;) Of course Alice in a high speed pursuit would be interesting, only more so if sped up 1.5x and played with Yakkity Sax (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUYbu5DJA1U).

William K

03-29-2010, 07:38 PM

I was thinking that that totally has to violate all sorts of regulations. I guess its the Neo Venezian equivalent to street racing.

Yeah, an undine should never let her gondola drift. Or go drifting in her gondola

EmperorBrandon

03-29-2010, 08:53 PM

Akari gets paired up with three lovely, lovely girls. There's Atora Monteverdi (Kuwashima Houko) of Orange Planet, the sweet onee-san type. Ayumi K. Jasmine (Shiraishi Ryouko) of Himeya, the active tomboyish type. And finally Yumeno Anzu (Asumi Kana... wait, holy shit, Asumi Kana!!) of Orange Planet, the shy quiet one.

Ah, yes, spending quality time with those three was great. Part of me wishes that they had their own series. Just imagine what it would be like. Aside from totally awesome, because you'd be hearing plenty of Asumi Kana.

It's a shame they're not in the English credits, because Nozomi has something against listing episode characters. At the very least, though, I guess I can be happy with the fact my mind has become a seiyuu name kanji dictionary at this point. I know Shiraishi Ryouko right away, though - it's hard for me to miss that voice. They're all pretty awesome. Not just the seiyuu, but the girls themselves were great characters too. I rather enjoyed having this episode with a different bunch of undines, and a very interesting bunch too.

EmperorBrandon

03-29-2010, 08:57 PM

- ...then, after about 44 episodes, we really discover in an objective way that, what do you know, Akari really is good at this. Not just at finding suteki sutekiness and being nice, but she is an honest to goodness damn good gondolier. As measured by a group of her peers. There are so many things to like about this episode, but this one stands above them all for me. Sure, Akari is the protagonist, therefore she's good. I mean it comes as no surprise in that sense. But "I'm good 'caus it's my show" isn't nearly as impressive as actually seeing her praised by Ayumi and Atora and Anzu. It might seem inevitable that Akari is Prima material, but when Ayumi says it here it seems to mean so much more. I feel like this is a huge, huge milestone in establishing Akari as something really special.

Yeah, it really did seem like something to me. For some reason, I kind of expected her to have undergone some ordeal here or something, but instead we got this, which was much, much more interesting. She's rather humble about it too in her cute Akari sort of way too, which is also awesome.

something

03-29-2010, 09:01 PM

Still no delivery. Maybe tomorrow. Will the set arrive before we're half done the thread? Stay tuned to find out!

And, well... hot damn, what do you know? I've never seen this episode! Must have been DVD-only (well, had to be I guess), so it wasn't out when I was watching this. And I must have missed it when it finally was available. No wonder the idea of Origination having a .5 confused me when people brought it up.

Episode 5.5:

- Akari/Aria-shachou episode. They're off visiting a side of Neo Venezia we rarely see. Residential districts! This could be really neat. We usually only see the big important touristy areas, or on the other hand super obscure hidden areas.
- Oh Akari, you're so easily amused. OMG LAUNDRY! And yikes, after the looks at the second street full of laundry, there's this really disturbing sound that I can only assume it supposed to be Aria-shachou making one of his weird noises but it sounds more like a baby being stabbed.
- SEXY GLOVE!
- We find out that Akari won't be able to quit her day job and become a basketball star.
- Aria-shachou teaches some local boys his disturbing dance. The one he learned from the 4koma I guess.
- After that it's off to a restaurant Akari and Aria-shachou apparently visited before. Seems they've come to this area in the past. The waiter doesn't seem perturbed that Akari is having dinner with a cat.
- They meet a man at the cafe who... ...kinda scares me. I think he's a bit crazy, and perhaps just escaped from prison.
- Akari sure ordered something interesting. It's a wooden box with strings stretched over it, called a "chitarra". Some sort of dough is placed over it and then packed down over the string with a rolling pin. When it's thinned enough over the strings, you can pluck the chitarra and the dough strips fall downward. Or just go here (http://www.math.columbia.edu/~bayer/Chitarra/) for probably more info than anyone really needs. Aria-shachou isn't very good at it.
- Aria-shachou leaves crumbs. Birds descend like pigeons upon Yuno's onigiri.
- Escaped convict laughs. Laughs his creepy fucking laugh. I'm going to have nightmares. I think he's going to stalk them the rest of the ep.
- Awwwwww shit, I'd prefer the convict. We're stuck with Akatsuki. ;_;
- Although he keeps missing Akari so they don't meet, yay. And for totally inexplicable reasons, Akari buys Aria-shachou a really horrendous looking monkey suit. Wut?
- Akari returns to more familiar areas and takes a peek at Cafe Florian, which is undergoing renovations.
- Akari meets briefly with Mr. Boring Candy Man.
- Akatsuki continues to stalk Akari. I much prefer Alice and Aika playing stalker. Hmm, how many times did they do that? Besides the Amaranta episode, I know they also stalked Akari in the puppeteer episode in an earlier season.
- Hahah, Akatsuki tries to catch Akari at the Campanile but she got in through the back door again. =D This would be the reference to Arietta, I assume. Akatsuki isn't an awesome power-abusing Undine so he has to get in the normal peasant line.
- Aika!! And ALICE!!!! Much better. Especially school uniform Alice. <3 I love how I bring up their stalking habit and not even a minute later they're at it again. =D
- SEXY GLOVE!
- Akari is in her special place, a tower near the Campanile that nobody else seems to know about. Not even Alicia, as far as Akari knows.
- Ah, Akari is up on top of the Basilica di San Marco. Akatsuki manages to find where she's hiding and she tells him that she comes here for a secret rendezvous with a certain man... a... A MAN!? My whole Aria world has been turned upside down! This episode is not a blessing, it's a curse! A plague! A horrendous calamity! I will not stand for this, Akari is saving herself for Ai!!!
- ...Oh she's just talking about a statue. Crisis averted. ::heart resumes beating::
- Suddenly, insert song. One I don't know, since I've never seen this ep before. It's called "Torikago no Yume" according to the credits.

Good episode overall, would have been better without Akatsuki. Just have Alice and Aika stalking her. Ah well.

Ashyukun

03-29-2010, 09:01 PM

It's a shame they're not in the English credits, because Nozomi has something against listing episode characters. At the very least, though, I guess I can be happy with the fact my mind has become a seiyuu name kanji dictionary at this point. I know Shiraishi Ryouko right away, though - it's hard for me to miss that voice. They're all pretty awesome. Not just the seiyuu, but the girls themselves were great characters too. I rather enjoyed having this episode with a different bunch of undines, and a very interesting bunch too.
I don't think it's that Nozomi has something against episode characters, I think they're just lazy and didn't bother with making unique slates for each episode beyond changing the episode number. :angry:

EmperorBrandon

03-29-2010, 09:09 PM

Love, love, loved this episode. I said that Akira is my favorite of the Three Water Fairies while the Anime Draft was going on and this just reinforces it. This was a pretty beautiful and emotional episode. I liked the alternate looks we got for both Akira and Aika in this episode (young Aika was so cute).

There were some amusing kinshi moments in this episode, with Aika just not being able to put much strength into it after Akari shows her befriending talents, and then at the end of the episode when she has to do it to herself. :bigsmile:

Fencedude

03-29-2010, 09:25 PM

Hey, right before the "eyecatch" (such as it is here), that big wall was L'Arsenal. I bet thats where they keep their giant robots and combat submarines.

Uhh...rest of the episode was pretty good, though way too much Akatsuki. Would have been more entertaining with just Aika and Alice stalking Akari.

Ashyukun

03-29-2010, 09:31 PM

- Akari sure ordered something interesting. It's a wooden box with strings stretched over it, called a "chitarra". Some sort of dough is placed over it and then packed down over the string with a rolling pin. When it's thinned enough over the strings, you can pluck the chitarra and the dough strips fall downward. Or just go here (http://www.math.columbia.edu/~bayer/Chitarra/) for probably more info than anyone really needs. Aria-shachou isn't very good at it.
That's actually a really cool page- but far more involved than I have time for. I DO have an unfortunate weakness for kitchen gadgets though, so I may have to keep my eye out for the production ones as I'd LOVE trying that myself (given I managed to find a way to have a Insalata Caprese (http://whatscookingamerica.net/Salad/InsalataCaprese.htm) as part of my dinner tonight :P).

EmperorBrandon

03-29-2010, 09:33 PM

I don't think it's that Nozomi has something against episode characters, I think they're just lazy and didn't bother with making unique slates for each episode beyond changing the episode number. :angry:

When asked about it, I'm pretty sure Allison said one point that it was a licensor demand (not sure if it was about Aria specifically or more in general). Marimite does have minor characters listed (but is still missing a lot of staff credits), so maybe it is something that varies between series. I just wish the translated credits were more like what Sentai does with Clannad, which are absolutely complete (credits from both the OP and all of the ED, though they did have occasional errors of course :P Can't be perfect).

Ashyukun

03-29-2010, 09:39 PM

When asked about it, I'm pretty sure Allison said one point that it was a licensor demand (not sure if it was about Aria specifically or more in general).
That they have the slates in general, or that they leave off minor characters? I can see the former (wanting to give credit where it's due...), but the latter would just strike me as weird...

I'd prefer they translate the credits as a whole too...

EmperorBrandon

03-29-2010, 10:05 PM

Oh yeah, did anyone else note that the Vegetable seller in this episode looked remarkably like Nanako? Only less spectacularly endowed, of course.

Ooooh... I totally did too! That was kind of an interesting "looks like a crossover, even if it's just a coincidence" kind of moment.

EmperorBrandon

03-29-2010, 10:06 PM

The picture dramas were all pretty nice. Definitely happy that stuff like this gets included in Nozomi's release. It's great.

It looks like I'm still an episode behind. Hopefully I'll get caught up and stay that way. I haven't had as much time to watch episodes the past few days, but Origination has gotten pretty awesome from what I've seen today so I don't want to get behind on the discussion.

- Onsen! The girls in just towels! Scandalous! ...and hot.

Oh yes, that seems like quite a rarity in fanservice levels there. It's definitely quite hot. I liked their pajamas later on too, though. They were pretty cute.

- Oooh, this one does fall in a specific place in the timeline, i.e. after ep 4. It's the Traghetto girls!!

I was definitely happy to see some more of them. Too bad their too-much-food situation just kept getting worse and worse... Very amusing, though.

- Soccer time. Aika recruits Akari and Alice for a 3 on 3 charity tourney. Alice's hair is so cute~!

The Aria sports uniforms were pretty neat.

- Aika thinks Alice is good at kendo? HAH! That's totally a seiyuu joke. Hirohashi Ryou also voiced Kawazoe Tamaki of Bamboo Blade, the second cour of which ran concurrently with Origination. Bwhaha, I don't know if I caught that the first time.

Ah, I definitely caught that immediately, particularly with Alice responding that Aika mistook her for the wrong person. Good thing I've seen some of Bamboo Blade since, so I know (though I actually haven't bought the second set just yet).

AIRHEADED LINES ARE NOT ALLOWED!

The whole time Akari was acting airheaded in PD1 I couldn't help but think of Yamamoto-sensei (given how much she's been too...)

EmperorBrandon

03-29-2010, 10:08 PM

That they have the slates in general, or that they leave off minor characters? I can see the former (wanting to give credit where it's due...), but the latter would just strike me as weird...

I'd prefer they translate the credits as a whole too...

I think it was a question specifically about them not being complete with their credits (so yes, leaving stuff off), though I'm not certain of course. Haven't gone digging around, but that's what I would have asked.

There was some mention in the ANNcast where they had Shawne Kleckner as a guest about how hard it was to get the Japanese to approve things sometime. Can't remember if they talked about credits, but maybe (know there was talk of packaging at least).

EmperorBrandon

03-29-2010, 10:13 PM

Whut. Did they seriously just end it before Alice and Aika joined the lunch? Nooooooooo, I wanted to see them interact with the Traghetto Trio so badly.

Yes, that's the real tragedy of PD2. I was kind of hoping we'd see (well, mostly hear) a bit of Alice and Aika interacting with the Traghetto Trio.

something

03-29-2010, 10:20 PM

- Suddenly, insert song. One I don't know, since I've never seen this ep before. It's called "Torikago no Yume" according to the credits.
Oh, if anyone was wondering, I took a look in the booklet that came with the Aria the Box (http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=VTCL-60114) (OOP, at least at CDJ) music collection, which lists all Aria CDs (and helpfully highlights the tracks in the Box). Torikago no Yume is the B-side of the Kin no Nami, Sen no Nami (http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=VTCL-35018) (Origination ED) single.

Off topic: Oh crap, it's Arai Akino, she did the fantastic OP to Spice & Wolf II. Didn't realize it was the same singer. If CDJapan doesn't list Railgun 5 + External Bonus before April 5 when my 2700 yen coupon expires, I'm going to need to find some CDs to order with it (because damn I would hate to waste it). Might grab some Aria stuff, ideally something with minimal overlap with Aria the Box.

Suwako Moriya

03-29-2010, 11:00 PM

Aika! Alicia! Keep a better eye on your daughter Akari. Only you are allowed to stalk her.

Akatsuki, if you want to stalk someone. Stalk some obscure character and do it off screen.

HitokiriShadow

03-30-2010, 12:03 AM

Oh, what do you know, I hadn't seen this episode before. I had forgotten there was a DVD-only episode (or maybe I hadn't heard about it at all, which would have been odd, but possible), but that would certainly explain the odd episode number and why I couldn't remember why it was labeled that way.

Not nearly enough Alice and Aika (as I expected based on how the episode began), but their very, very brief appearances were pretty amusing.

I don't like Akatsuki, but this episode actually managed to make pretty good use of him. His scene with Akari near the end was pretty good, and it was nice to see him be the one screwed over in his dealings with Woody for once. That he did it to himself made it even better.

Akari had some nice bits and it was nice to see a completely new type of area of Neo-Venezia.

Oooh, and next episode is a really nice Alice episode.

something

03-30-2010, 09:09 PM

...No delivery yet.

Episode 6:

- Ai gets scolded by her mother. Athena gets scolded by Alice. Akari gets scolded by Aika.
- Jeeze, Athena. You shouldn't be eating anything that doesn't come in an enclosed steel cup and is eaten through a straw. Alice sure has her work cut out for her, caring for Athena.
- OP over, on to our usual training. Akari is kinda goofing off though, which prompts a discussion about how she'll be scolded by Alicia. Alice, however, realizes that she can't even imagine what Alicia scolding someone would be like.
- Akari can't imagine it either because it's never happened. Alicia has never gotten angry and never scolded. :sd:
- Athena hasn't scolded Alice either, but not much of a surprise there. It's Alice who needs to scold Athena. besides, Alice is completely and infinitely perfect and has absolutely no flaws. Any perceived flaws are merely a flaw in the viewer. A flaw in the viewer's perception of reality, which obviously is wrong if it perceives any imperfection in Alice. Alice is, by definition, the epitome of perfection and everything she does is by definition right and perfect, now and forever, until the end of time and beyond.
- Also, she's staring right at us right now, and it's piercing into the depths of my being... ::shudders:: I like it.
- Anyway, Alice is curious. Alicia must get mad sometimes, right? She starts stalking! Aria-shachou notices her, though. If nothing else, he's proven himself good at spotting stalkers.
- So Alice, uh, starts pretending she spontaneously stopped by to scrub the flooring at Aria Company. :sd: I don't think they're buying it, Alice. Not even Akari. (But of course that's their flaw!)
- Alice is the cutest liar eeeeeeever.
- OHGODSHESSOCUTEARRRRRRGHHHHHHHH!
- Akari is sure screwing up a lot. Gives Alice many opportunities to observe Alicia's reactions. Akari even shatters Alicia's favorite tea cup. ;_;
- And then, jeeze, Akari's gondola almost floats away because she messed up securing it to the dock. Alicia, being easygoing is nice and all, but at a certain point it becomes a personality flaw. :sd: Although it does turn out that it wasn't Akari's fault this time. Still, Alice isn't convinced that Alicia would scold her even if it had been.
- A week passes. Still no clues as to what Alicia is thinking. Alice is--GAAAAH ZETTAI RYOUIKIIII!
- Oh god, yes, this scene. Hands down one of the greatest "OHSHIT" moments of the franchise. Alice stops for some ice cream after school, and as she takes the first bite, the bells ring... er, 15 o'clock? Do Venetian bells ring military time? 3pm would make sense. ANYWAY, she takes a bite, the bells ring, and she opens her eyes to see Alicia a couple tables over, smiling and waving. Alice looks like she shat bricks. This is perhaps the most unintentionally scary scene in all of Aria. If Alicia were wearing Akari's skin and eating Aria-shachou's brains like a parfait, you wouldn't have to change anything else about the scene and it'd work fine. I love it. <3
- Ahahaha, Alice has no idea what to do. Alicia invites herself over to Alice's table. Alice's brain goes into overdrive.
- Oh ho ho! Alice tries to play it cool but when she closes and opens her eyes again, Alicia is there, giving Alice her patented RAEP EYES.
- It's the Buddhalicia! Run! Ahahah, Alicia is right - we've never see her and Alice alone together. And now that we are, it's glorious.
- Alicia knows Alice has been watching her, and Alice decides to just go for it since she's cornered. She's so blunt about it that even Alicia is caught off guard. That clearly isn't one of the questions she was expecting.
- Alicia finally answers by performing an experiment. The gist of it is clearly that patience on the part of the teacher is important, lest the student become discouraged by too much scolding or incompetent by having their hand held. Alicia prefers to gently guide, without explicitly pointing out mistakes unless necessary. An admirable philosophy, certainly, but it does rely on the student being fundamentally competent, if scolding is to be avoided. Thankfully Akari is competent.
- Alicia sums her philosophy up nicely with a watermelon splitting metaphor. She wouldn't tell the blindfolded person they were going the wrong way, she'd beckon them to the right direction.
- The final conversation on the bridge is absolutely top notch, even by Aria standards. Especially Alice making Alicia blush, and then ending it with "Please scold me." <3 <3 I have a feeling that every Alicia/Alice doujin in existence (however many that is) starts on this bridge and with that line. =D

I'd say this is hands down the best episode for Alicia of all the episodes in all three seasons by far. (Being around Alice tends to do that for people.) Alicia becomes a lot more interesting with this episode. Just seeing her blush like that is almost unprecedented, and it's great getting behind her seemingly perfect unflappable exterior and learning about something that makes her feel uncertain. She and Alice make a delicious pair.

We're halfway done. And it's only going to get better as we get closer to the end. Oh so much better. The next episode isn't as good as this one, granted, but it's still really interesting in its own way.

Fencedude

03-30-2010, 09:13 PM

Oh Alice, you can't put anything over on the Golden Witch Alicia Beatrice, so don't even try.

Alice was amazing this episode (but of course! She's ALWAYS amazing!), and Alicia was certainly much more interesting than she usually is.

She's also, in a bizarre way, utterly terrifying.

HitokiriShadow

03-30-2010, 10:21 PM

Woohoo, its an Alice episode! This is a very rare 100% Alice episode (sure, there are other people, but she's basically always present and its told through her perspective), so naturally its a fantastic episode full of amusing and cute Alice moments. Alice is especially cute when she tries to make excuses every time she gets caught spying.

And she gets some one on one time with Alicia, and its a fascinating conversation. Also, I can't blame Alice for freaking out, sometimes Alicia scares me too, and this is one of those times.

Also, Aria-sacchou wearing random weird costumes continues with his strange hats this episode.

EmperorBrandon

03-31-2010, 12:24 AM

I rather enjoyed this episode, as I tend to do with Akari wandering around being cute. I'm guessing we won't have any more of the "acid trip" style wanderings with this series being different in theme from Origination, but I like these too. I just can't get enough of Akari's funny face with the straight line eyes and square mouth.

- They meet a man at the cafe who... ...kinda scares me. I think he's a bit crazy, and perhaps just escaped from prison.

Hah, that guy really does stand out in an odd way. Definitely quite bonkers. :sweat:

EmperorBrandon

03-31-2010, 12:26 AM

I don't like Akatsuki, but this episode actually managed to make pretty good use of him. His scene with Akari near the end was pretty good, and it was nice to see him be the one screwed over in his dealings with Woody for once. That he did it to himself made it even better.

I kind of agree, but then again I'm not really as annoyed with Akatsuki as others. He's got his amusing moments, and there were some in this episode too.

EmperorBrandon

03-31-2010, 12:33 AM

- Jeeze, Athena. You shouldn't be eating anything that doesn't come in an enclosed steel cup and is eaten through a straw. Alice sure has her work cut out for her, caring for Athena.

Hah, those scenes in the OP with Alice and Athena were so cute and amusing.

- A week passes. Still no clues as to what Alicia is thinking. Alice is--GAAAAH ZETTAI RYOUIKIIII!

I just love Alice in school attire.

Seeing her interact with Alicia later in this episode was really nice. It's kind of a unique thing and Alicia even points it out herself.

Isuzu Inugami

03-31-2010, 11:22 AM

Episode 5.5:

- Oh Akari, you're so easily amused. OMG LAUNDRY!

It does have a kind of festive air to it, though....

- Aria-shachou teaches some local boys his disturbing dance. The one he learned from the 4koma I guess.

I'm just trying to pretend I didn't see that part.

- Akari sure ordered something interesting. It's a wooden box with strings stretched over it, called a "chitarra".

She's so excited over this! Also, her skills outrank Aria-shachou's here.

- Awwwwww shit, I'd prefer the convict. We're stuck with Akatsuki. ;_;
- Although he keeps missing Akari so they don't meet, yay.

I love how he complains about her being so fast. No, Akatsuki, you just suck as a stalker.

- Akari is in her special place, a tower near the Campanile that nobody else seems to know about. Not even Alicia, as far as Akari knows.

Until Akatsuki manages to find her. Followed by Alice and Aika, who jump to completely the wrong conclusions, but derive much pleasure from doing so.

Akari's closing monologue about things changing (this is now their collective secret place, instead of just hers) is interesting.

Ashyukun

03-31-2010, 03:07 PM

Akari's closing monologue about things changing (this is now their collective secret place, instead of just hers) is interesting.
Definitely. It's something that I'm seeing all the more upon this re-watch of the show: just how well and consistently they kept this theme up through all of the episodes building up to the final arc.

Isuzu Inugami

03-31-2010, 04:57 PM

Alice, however, realizes that she can't even imagine what Alicia scolding someone would be like.

...So now she desperately wants to see it....

-Aria-shachou seems to be in a cosplay mood these days....

- Alice is the cutest liar eeeeeeever.

But maybe not the smoothest.

- And then, jeeze, Akari's gondola almost floats away because she messed up securing it to the dock. Alicia, being easygoing is nice and all, but at a certain point it becomes a personality flaw. :sd: Although it does turn out that it wasn't Akari's fault this time.

Because the mooring line was cut! Nobody wonders about this?? (I suspect Alice of getting proactive here, but the show never really reveals that she did it.)

- ANYWAY, she takes a bite, the bells ring, and she opens her eyes to see Alicia a couple tables over, smiling and waving. Alice looks like she shat bricks.

Spectacular! Just as she's plotting away, she gets caught.

- Alicia knows Alice has been watching her, and Alice decides to just go for it since she's cornered. She's so blunt about it that even Alicia is caught off guard. That clearly isn't one of the questions she was expecting.

Hah--it's so Alice to be blunt like that. I'm kind of surpised it took her this long. And naturally, Alicia doesn't give a direct answer.

- An admirable philosophy, certainly, but it does rely on the student being fundamentally competent, if scolding is to be avoided.

Oh, I don't know--would scolding be of any use to a truly incompetent student? At that point, it's a question of communicating to them that they've reached the limits of their talent, and scolding isn't going to help.

- The final conversation on the bridge is absolutely top notch, even by Aria standards. Especially Alice making Alicia blush, and then ending it with "Please scold me."

Oh man! I just about died! So perfect!

something

03-31-2010, 05:05 PM

MadL

03-31-2010, 11:50 PM

- Jeeze, Athena. You shouldn't be eating anything that doesn't come in an enclosed steel cup and is eaten through a straw. Alice sure has her work cut out for her, caring for Athena.
:) Aww, poor Athena. Alice does make a good mother/big sis.

- Oh god, yes, this scene. Hands down one of the greatest "OHSHIT" moments of the franchise. Alice stops for some ice cream after school, and as she takes the first bite, the bells ring... er, 15 o'clock? Do Venetian bells ring military time? 3pm would make sense.
Hmm. That does make sense. I was thinking that Aria might not divide its day into 24 hours the way Manhome nee Earth does...but since Aria's smaller, then the day would have fewer hours, not more, right? Or maybe someone at a church really likes ringing bells. :)

ANYWAY, she takes a bite, the bells ring, and she opens her eyes to see Alicia a couple tables over, smiling and waving. Alice looks like she shat bricks. This is perhaps the most unintentionally scary scene in all of Aria. If Alicia were wearing Akari's skin and eating Aria-shachou's brains like a parfait, you wouldn't have to change anything else about the scene and it'd work fine. I love it. <3

(Edit: BTW - very nicely put here. :) This was a shot that would be right at home in a Hitchcock movie.)

I'd vote for scariest moment of the franchise, period. Scarier than the fox's wedding party, scarier than the ghost passenger. Alicia's sudden appearance combined with that perfect poker face of hers...you realize along with Alice that Alicia would probably still use the same gentle smile and "Ara, ara!" for anything from mild amusement to sociopathic rage. :)

- Alicia finally answers by performing an experiment. The gist of it is clearly that patience on the part of the teacher is important, lest the student become discouraged by too much scolding or incompetent by having their hand held. Alicia prefers to gently guide, without explicitly pointing out mistakes unless necessary. An admirable philosophy, certainly, but it does rely on the student being fundamentally competent, if scolding is to be avoided. Thankfully Akari is competent.

Another nice illustration of how well the mentors and the apprentices match up. Akari, as shown in Episode 4, does have skills, and her personality fits in nicely with Alicia's laid-back style of mentoring. Aika might complain about how she'd rather have Alicia as a mentor, but I think that during her moments of self-doubt in the past, it was better to have Akira's firmer guidance to help see her through. And Alice does a great job of keeping Athena out of too much troub--eh? Oh, that's right. Well, Athena has her own uniquely...subtle style of guidance as well. :) (BTW - I really do like Athena - she's probably my third-favorite behind Akira and Aika. I have to say, however, that I find her mentoring technique unorthodox.)

HitokiriShadow

04-01-2010, 12:14 AM

Because the mooring line was cut! Nobody wonders about this?? (I suspect Alice of getting proactive here, but the show never really reveals that she did it.)
Hah, well, I don't think she did so. She did entertain the idea of causing a ruckus to bait Alicia into scolding (wow, kinda evil there, Alice), but only on a later day, shortly before meeting Alicia.

I had kind of wondered about it too, as what happened just screams sabotage. It was cleanly cut, and Alicia's explanation doesn't really make sense, as there was no other damage, no one heard or saw anything, and its unlikely anything would have been getting that close anyway. However, Alice herself never acted like she did or thought anything to suggest it in the slightest, and we would have seen or heard something suspicious to at least suggest that she did it if that was in fact the case.

MadL

04-01-2010, 12:23 AM

HitokiriShadow

04-01-2010, 12:37 AM

So, if Alice didn't cut it...and presumably Akari didn't cut it...the only other person who would've been near that rope was...ara, ara.

That would make some sense actually. It would at least be consistent with her questionable explanation. It doesn't make sense why she would do it though, since she didn't know why Alice was spying on them at that point. Unless she read Alice's mind and she was just feigning surprise when Alice asked her the next day. .... Yeah, that's gotta be it.

Dack Ralter

04-01-2010, 06:51 AM

- Although he keeps missing Akari so they don't meet, yay. And for totally inexplicable reasons, Akari buys Aria-shachou a really horrendous looking monkey suit. Wut?I wasn't paying close enough attention, so I was hoping that Akari was interested in clothes shopping. Such a cruel bait-and-switch.

- Ah, Akari is up on top of the Basilica di San Marco. Akatsuki manages to find where she's hiding and she tells him that she comes here for a secret rendezvous with a certain man... a... A MAN!? My whole Aria world has been turned upside down! This episode is not a blessing, it's a curse! A plague! A horrendous calamity! I will not stand for this, Akari is saving herself for Ai!!!I was expecting a statue, but not just a head. :sd: Ah Akari...:beatingheart:

After saying I don't mind Akatsuki earlier, he was pretty annoying early on in this episode. He made up for most of it by the end, though. I also can't get enough of Akari's faces when she's wandering about town.

This episode was a pretty nice way of pacing the Prima talk that has dominated the early episodes.

Dack Ralter

04-01-2010, 07:00 AM

- Akari is sure screwing up a lot. Gives Alice many opportunities to observe Alicia's reactions. Akari even shatters Alicia's favorite tea cup. ;_;Akari was working pretty hard at messing everything up this episode. Even her flop sweat was cute.

- It's the Buddhalicia! Run!Now that was just weird. Oddly intimidating.

- Alicia sums her philosophy up nicely with a watermelon splitting metaphor. She wouldn't tell the blindfolded person they were going the wrong way, she'd beckon them to the right direction.So wonderfully Alicia. I agree that Akari being up to snuff (before this episode at least!) is making it possible though.

I'd say this is hands down the best episode for Alicia of all the episodes in all three seasons by far. (Being around Alice tends to do that for people.) Alicia becomes a lot more interesting with this episode. Just seeing her blush like that is almost unprecedented, and it's great getting behind her seemingly perfect unflappable exterior and learning about something that makes her feel uncertain. She and Alice make a delicious pair.We went this long without really seeing these two interact and it was worth the wait. I love how their sudden pairing for this bit went along so naturally.

Aria-shachou needs to knock it off with the costumes.

something

04-01-2010, 07:23 AM

Hmm. That does make sense. I was thinking that Aria might not divide its day into 24 hours the way Manhome nee Earth does...but since Aria's smaller, then the day would have fewer hours, not more, right? Or maybe someone at a church really likes ringing bells. :)
::checks:: A Marti-- er, Aquan day is, assuming they didn't do something funky that impacted its rotational period when they were reengineering the place, 24 hours, 37 minutes long. Very close to an Earth day. Well that's convenient, I suppose.

Aika might complain about how she'd rather have Alicia as a mentor, but I think that during her moments of self-doubt in the past, it was better to have Akira's firmer guidance to help see her through.
Yeah, dreams may be better than reality there. And imagining Aika and Athena... oh lord that would be a disaster.

Dennis_Mullin

04-01-2010, 08:28 AM

Hmm. That does make sense. I was thinking that Aria might not divide its day into 24 hours the way Manhome nee Earth does...but since Aria's smaller, then the day would have fewer hours, not more, right? Or maybe someone at a church really likes ringing bells. :)
::checks:: A Marti-- er, Aquan day is, assuming they didn't do something funky that impacted its rotational period when they were reengineering the place, 24 hours, 37 minutes long. Very close to an Earth day. Well that's convenient, I suppose.

For more clock detail Wikipedia has a Timekeeping on Mars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timekeeping_on_Mars) article (and it even has an Aria reference).

MadL

04-01-2010, 07:49 PM

Hmm. That does make sense. I was thinking that Aria might not divide its day into 24 hours the way Manhome nee Earth does...but since Aria's smaller, then the day would have fewer hours, not more, right? Or maybe someone at a church really likes ringing bells. :)
::checks:: A Marti-- er, Aquan day is, assuming they didn't do something funky that impacted its rotational period when they were reengineering the place, 24 hours, 37 minutes long. Very close to an Earth day. Well that's convenient, I suppose.

For more clock detail Wikipedia has a Timekeeping on Mars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timekeeping_on_Mars) article (and it even has an Aria reference).

Neat - thanks! (In my defense - I think it's been about 20 years since I took Astro 101. :sweat:)

something

04-01-2010, 08:09 PM

Episode 7:

- It's the anniversary of Aria Company's founding! They close for the day and all head out together to Neo Burano island.
- Interesting, on that island bicycles are allowed, but this is very unusual to Akari (and come to think of it we've never seen any) and you an only ride them until you're 12. How strange.
- Neo Burano has some very colorful ::coughgaudycogh:: houses, so Alicia tells us about the old tradition and how it got started. It's a fishing town, and the show does a good job giving it a distinct air from Neo Venezia.
- They came to Neo Burano island to visit a woman named Anna. A former Aria Company undine! And one who was even in higher demand than Alicia is now... wow.
- Anna has a husband. Clearly she was thrown out of the Undine Order for marrying a man. Undine are only allowed it give themselves up to Aqua itself, or each other.
- She also has a son, who is voiced by Kobayashi Yumiko, so heh, all I can hear is Matake from Shana. Or Black Star.
- Now Alicia tells the story of Anna's same. Er, I mean, how she met her husband. And there's an old picture with her and Grandma, and of course Aria-shachou.
- It's always so amusing seeing Grandma when she was younger. She's at least two feet taller then.
- Of course Anna's husband's name starts with an A too. Alberto. Obviously she couldn't marry a man whose name didn't start with A.
- Alberto gets back from his fishing trip, and has a guest with him. Grandma.
- After dinner the men fall asleep and it's time for the women to reminisce.
- Flashback time! Grandma Akino is even taller. And hot. Oh the ravages of time. At the time of the flashback she'd been Himeya's most famous Prima for 14 years, which implies she must be around 30 here.
- She likes her life and her job but she feels like she's missing something. As she gradually gets to know a strange mutant cat that sits in the same place and stares out at the sea all day every day, she, uh, learns from him that taking it slow can be nice too. Somehow.
- Then off she goes to found Aria Company with him. I wonder if she made enough money as an expert Undine to fund the start-up on her own or if she had to take out loans. I can see her getting funding from an earlier generation of Akatsuki's brother's successful business I guess.
- We end with a really nice scene. Grandma tells Akari that one day Aria Company will be hers, and then her, Alicia and Anna all just stare lovingly at Akari. Aww.

Ai is kinda jealous. Aria company eems like such a nice place. Well then just join it! Ah if only. Good episode overall, with some interesting background on Aria Company's beginnings.

Anna brings our number of known Aria Company undine to five. In order: Grandma Akino, Unnamed palina undine, Anna, Alicia, Akari.

The Great Bear

04-01-2010, 09:40 PM

Episode 7:

- It's always so amusing seeing Grandma when she was younger. She's at least two feet taller then.

While people in real life do shrink a little in their older years, it doesn't happen this much :sd:

- Of course Anna's husband's name starts with an A too. Alberto. Obviously she couldn't marry a man whose name didn't start with A.

I guess Kozue Amano likes the letter A.

- Flashback time! Grandma Akino is even taller. And hot. Oh the ravages of time. At the time of the flashback she'd been Himeya's most famous Prima for 14 years, which implies she must be around 30 here.
- She likes her life and her job but she feels like she's missing something. As she gradually gets to know a strange mutant cat that sits in the same place and stares out at the sea all day every day, she, uh, learns from him that taking it slow can be nice too. Somehow.
- Then off she goes to found Aria Company with him. I wonder if she made enough money as an expert Undine to fund the start-up on her own or if she had to take out loans. I can see her getting funding from an earlier generation of Akatsuki's brother's successful business I guess.

And I guess this is why this season is called The Origination, since we learn the origin of the Aria Company.

Anna brings our number of known Aria Company undine to five. In order: Grandma Akino, Unnamed palina undine, Anna, Alicia, Akari.

It is interesting how the Aria Company has become so famous and in demand while having so few actual employees. Though, obviously, it doesn't hurt that they have some of the most famous and sought after undines in all of recent Aquan history.

William K

04-01-2010, 09:49 PM

It is interesting how the Aria Company has become so famous and in demand while having so few actual employees. Though, obviously, it doesn't hurt that they have some of the most famous and sought after undines in all of recent Aquan history.

It's all about quality, not quantity!

HitokiriShadow

04-02-2010, 12:36 AM

So, Akino realizes that she needs to slow down a bit, be a bit less busy so she can enjoy life more.... so she starts her own company? That sounds like a good way to add to her workload.

Anyway, possible logic holes aside, it was a pretty interesting Aria Company history episode. We even get to see most of Aria company's employees and former employees in the same room together. Or maybe its even all of them. One of the episodes in Natural brought up another employee that had left, but I'm not sure if that was Anna or someone else that was simply never talked about again.

My one disappointment with the episode is that we didn't get to see the reaction of anyone from Himemiya when she announced she was leaving and starting her own company. That had to have been an interesting scene.

HitokiriShadow

04-02-2010, 12:40 AM

- Of course Anna's husband's name starts with an A too. Alberto. Obviously she couldn't marry a man whose name didn't start with A.

I'm pretty sure citizens of Aqua are required by law to have names that start with A. They also don't let anyone visit unless their name starts with an A. Clearly "Woody" is just a nickname.

EmperorBrandon

04-02-2010, 12:54 AM

I'm pretty sure citizens of Aqua are required by law to have names that start with A. They also don't let anyone visit unless their name starts with an A. Clearly "Woody" is just a nickname.

It's actually "Udo", so he seems like an odd one out, though his family name "Ayanokouji" fits the theme.

something

04-02-2010, 07:41 AM

So, Akino realizes that she needs to slow down a bit, be a bit less busy so she can enjoy life more.... so she starts her own company? That sounds like a good way to add to her workload.
Ah, but once she gets it set up she can be as lazy with it as she wants!

Or maybe its even all of them. One of the episodes in Natural brought up another employee that had left, but I'm not sure if that was Anna or someone else that was simply never talked about again.
It had to be someone else, or I'm sure the show would have been tripping all over itself to make the connection in this episode. The palina undine was completely unknown to Alicia which seems to indicate she'd been there some time before Anna or Alicia arrived.

From what I've read, Akino was a Prima for 30 years before retiring. If she founded Aria Company in year 14 of that stint, Aria Company would have been formed right around when Alicia was born. I've gotten the impression from flashbacks that by the time Alicia joined, Akino was already in retirement from active gondoleering. And Anna just doesn't look old enough to have been with Grandma from the early years. In fact there's gotta be more than just one unnamed Aria Company undine, though perhaps not too many more. It is interesting that none stuck around to take over the company until Alicia. Or perhaps not, because I guess Akino wouldn't have been ready to hand it over before retiring (for good, not just from sculling herself).

My one disappointment with the episode is that we didn't get to see the reaction of anyone from Himemiya when she announced she was leaving and starting her own company. That had to have been an interesting scene.
The contract cancellation negotiations must have been ugly...

HitokiriShadow

04-02-2010, 09:42 AM

So, Akino realizes that she needs to slow down a bit, be a bit less busy so she can enjoy life more.... so she starts her own company? That sounds like a good way to add to her workload.
Ah, but once she gets it set up she can be as lazy with it as she wants!

Yeah, but then there's overhead that she has to worry about and pay the costs for all on her own. Unless she was stinkin' rich from her Himemiya work, she probably had a lot of debt to pay off for a while for building that house and buying her own gondola, not to mention general maintenance and other overhead.

But I guess that still means she gets to be lazy after another year or two, as owning the company almost certainly lets her make a lot more money off the gondoleering she does. The show doesn't even begin to hint at how Undines are paid at places like Himemiya or Orange planet (do they get paid by the customer, or is it a salary job?), but they obviously aren't getting all of what the customers pay, and I would imagine the companies get the vast majority of it. So now she gets to keep all of it for herself. And while owning the company adds some overhead, now that I think about it, it probably isn't that much after the initial expenses. After the house, new gondola purchases would be by far the most expensive part. There's general maintenance too, but that's probably pocket change for a Water Fairy.

It had to be someone else, or I'm sure the show would have been tripping all over itself to make the connection in this episode. The palina undine was completely unknown to Alicia which seems to indicate she'd been there some time before Anna or Alicia arrived.

From what I've read, Akino was a Prima for 30 years before retiring. If she founded Aria Company in year 14 of that stint, Aria Company would have been formed right around when Alicia was born. I've gotten the impression from flashbacks that by the time Alicia joined, Akino was already in retirement from active gondoleering. And Anna just doesn't look old enough to have been with Grandma from the early years. In fact there's gotta be more than just one unnamed Aria Company undine, though perhaps not too many more. It is interesting that none stuck around to take over the company until Alicia. Or perhaps not, because I guess Akino wouldn't have been ready to hand it over before retiring (for good, not just from sculling herself).

Interesting. Yeah, I was pretty sure she was a different one, but I couldn't remember enough about that other episode to be sure. I also didn't think about Alicia's age vs. Grandma's, but then, I'm not sure what their exact ages are either.

something

04-02-2010, 10:38 AM

Yeah, but then there's overhead that she has to worry about and pay the costs for all on her own. Unless she was stinkin' rich from her Himemiya work, she probably had a lot of debt to pay off for a while for building that house and buying her own gondola, not to mention general maintenance and other overhead.
I heard Cait Sith runs a venture capital firm on the side. He had to be funding her.

The show doesn't even begin to hint at how Undines are paid at places like Himemiya or Orange planet (do they get paid by the customer, or is it a salary job?)
Heck we don't even know how Akari gets paid. She's probably getting some kinda stipend as a live-in apprentice.

I also didn't think about Alicia's age vs. Grandma's, but then, I'm not sure what their exact ages are either.
Decided to poke around the JP Aria wiki some for more exact details. Some of this I knew, but a lot I didn't. None of it spoils anything, and most probably comes from supplementary material rather than the anime anyway. So:

Alicia became Prima at 15, and Aria takes place 4 years later. So she's 19 at the start and I guess 20 or so by the end. I haven't really kept track of how much time the three series cover.

Akino is 50 at the start of Aria (yeah... she clearly looks older). It does basically add up when you consider she might have made Prime around 15-16, + 14 years at Himeya + 16 more years as a Prima at Aria company + a short time as owner after retiring from sculling + a few years between then and the start of the anime. A few years in which she apparently contracted some sort of crippling body-altering disease.

She founded Aria Company in 2281. This means Aria-shachou is at least 20 years old, and considering that he was already an adult cat when Akino met him, he's quite possibly much older.

It also says Akino retired in the year 2297 which matches up with the idea of her being Prima for 16 years after founding Aria Company. Add a few years and we're at about 2301-02 during the anime. I think we got a starting year confirmed somewhere but I don't remember.

Apparently some of the other Undine companies are named in the manga and other material, although I have no idea which of the three other companies we saw in the traghetto episode are connected to which of the five: MAGA, 奇想館, Empress, 天神遊船, and スクロッコ. The ones in Japanese I don't know the names of and can only come up with somewhat ridiculous sounding literal names for. The last is presumably supposed to be some Italian word. Not that any of that has any relevance to the anime.

Also, Anna is an anime-original character, it seems. So too, of course, is Ai. Ai along with Chika from Hidamari Sketch provides INFINITE ETERNAL PROOF that anime-original material can greatly improve the original-original!

Isuzu Inugami

04-02-2010, 12:43 PM

- Interesting, on that island bicycles are allowed, but this is very unusual to Akari (and come to think of it we've never seen any) and you an only ride them until you're 12. How strange.

Given the way space is at a premium in Neo-Venezia, I could see them getting in the way more than being useful. But on Neo-Burano, where I guess there's space, the age prohibition seems pretty odd.

- It's always so amusing seeing Grandma when she was younger. She's at least two feet taller then.

The divergence in character design is pretty... :sweat:

- As she gradually gets to know a strange mutant cat that sits in the same place and stares out at the sea all day every day, she, uh, learns from him that taking it slow can be nice too. Somehow.

He doesn't even interact with her!

- I can see her getting funding from an earlier generation of Akatsuki's brother's successful business I guess.

The Neo-Venezia mob?! I guess this could help explain the cut mooring line last episode.... Aria Company is just a front!

William K

04-02-2010, 07:36 PM

The Neo-Venezia mob?! I guess this could help explain the cut mooring line last episode.... Aria Company is just a front!

So Alicia is a bootlegger like Filicia too?

something

04-02-2010, 07:58 PM

Episode 8:

- Alice wants to unlock Athena's treasure box. ::cough::
- We begin with Alice telling Aika and Akari that she's going on a picnic with Athena. They're surprised to hear that it's Alice that invited Athena rather than the other way around. Side note: Japanese turns "picnic" into the most amusing word ever. Pikuniku! Pikuniku!!!
- Also: Alice is hot.
- Alice plays it cool but she's tooooootally excited for the picnic. After practice she runs home with the food she bought, and eagerly plans out the route. Even taking into account the direction of the sun and where to get the best views.
- Oh god oh god oh god Alice, you are the cutest thing. And even cuter with bread! (http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t299/anon09876/AriaAliceep8bread.png) Love love love love love love love love love lovelovelovelove love.
- Alice is so happy, and pretty, and prettily happy, and happily pretty, and ARRRRRRGH I WANT ONE OF MY OOOOWWWWNNNN!
- Alice is naked and bathing, and all we see is her feet. ;_; This makes me so sad...
- SO MUCH ALICE. I AM IN MY HAPPY PLACE.
- Athena is in the room and asleep when Alice gets back, so Alice just lets her sleep. After all, she wouldn't have forgotten the promise, right?
- Well, she had sudden bookings and was out most of the day. Alice is left alone with Maa-shachou, and does a make-beleve trip to Burano Island. It's kind of sad to watch her try to have lunch with him and be left with food for two people when he's not hungry. ;_; Poor Alice... she was so excited.
- Athena comes back in a rush but it's really too late to get started and Alice is unhappy. She doesn't openly lash out but she does give Athena the cold shoulder. She's leaving the room when Athena trips on a banana peel, faceplants, and... loses her memory!?
- Alice calls Akari and Alicia over in a tizzy and what do they find? Athena being very attentive and responsive and just generally not-Athena-like at all.
- Somehow, Athena can remember Aria-shachou's name. But not Alice, Akari or Maa-shachou. She remembers Alicia too, with some prompting. Alicia seems satisfied, and leaves to go to work.
- Akari and Alice take Athena to Athena's favorite hot chocolate dessert shop. She manages to pick her favorite out of four choices right away. AND she instinctively calls Maa-shachou by name.
- Alice is upset. Her beloved Athena-senpai recognizes not only Alicia, but also two cats before her own apprentice. ;_;
- Not only that, she's able to pick out her favorite oar from a huge line-up, *and* remembers Akari's name. Alice is the last one... how heartbreaking. ;_;
- They head back to Aria Company. Alice looks miserably depressed.
- When Athena finally asks Alice just what she means her, Alice begins to cry. ;_;
- And this is where Athena reveals, at Alicia's prompting, that the amnesia was all a lie. She wanted to get a completely honest answer from Alice because she was worried that Alice hated her after the picnic problem. Damn Athena, that's cruel. Playing with Alice's heart like that! Alice crying makes me cry...
- Of course Alice doesn't hate Athena, and Athena dumb for thinking so, but that's just how Athena is. Alice tells her that if she can act levelheaded and graceful like when she was faking, she should do that all the time. But Athena protests that it's really exhausting for her to be elegant like that. :sd:

ALICE ALICE LOOOOOOVE!

Wonderful wonderful Alice episode, not that an Alice episode could be anything else. That's two incredibly Alice-centirc episodes this season, just one part of the reason why this is the best Aria ever. But... there's more to come.

Fencedude

04-02-2010, 08:00 PM

Anna reminds me of someone else, though I can't figure out who.

And Akino was by far the hottest person in the entire cast. Not even a remote competition.

And she was like, 30 at the time! Holy crap.

Fencedude

04-02-2010, 08:36 PM

The most amusing part of all of this is the revelation that Athena can act perfectly composed and together, its just too much trouble for her to bother.

MadL

04-02-2010, 08:45 PM

- And this is where Athena reveals, at Alicia's prompting, that the amnesia was all a lie. She wanted to get a completely honest answer from Alice because she was worried that Alice hated her after the picnic problem. Damn Athena, that's cruel. Playing with Alice's heart like that! Alice crying makes me cry...
- Of course Alice doesn't hate Athena, and Athena dumb for thinking so, but that's just how Athena is. Alice tells her that if she can act levelheaded and graceful like when she was faking, she should do that all the time. But Athena protests that it's really exhausting for her to be elegant like that. :sd:

On the one hand, I have to agree with Alice - this was a lousy trick for Athena to pull. Poor Alice was really heartbroken before the reveal.

And yet - the reminder that Athena can actually be pretty clever when she wants to be actually made me like her more. Again, though, I'm with Alice - I just wish Athena wouldn't put her smarts to use on passive-aggressive stunts like this one.

Fencedude

04-02-2010, 08:51 PM

On the one hand, I have to agree with Alice - this was a lousy trick for Athena to pull. Poor Alice was really heartbroken before the reveal.

And yet - the reminder that Athena can actually be pretty clever when she wants to be actually made me like her more. Again, though, I'm with Alice - I just wish Athena wouldn't put her smarts to use on passive-aggressive stunts like this one.

Its an interesting insight into her personality, generally we just think of Alicia, Akira and Athena as "the three great water fairies", but we've been reminded (and Alicia made this point explicitly) that they're really just ordinary girls. Akira has suffered major self consciousness issues, Athena has a major passive-agressive streak, and Alicia...is an immortal witch, so she doesn't have flaws. Obviously.

The Great Bear

04-02-2010, 08:54 PM

… and Alicia...is an immortal witch, so she doesn't have flaws. Obviously.

Oh, Alicia has a flaw, but they never reveal it in the anime.

MadL

04-02-2010, 09:06 PM

and Alicia...is an immortal witch, so she doesn't have flaws. Obviously.

Hmm. I wonder if that explains why Grandma's so much shorter now than she was in the prime of her Undinehood. Maybe all of the Aria Company's Undines make a pact with Cait Sith (brokered by Aria-shachou) that gives them immeasurable beauty and charm so long as they work for the company. Once they leave, however, they slowly shrink over time...and at the end of their human lifespan, they transform into an Aquan cat. (where do you think they get that human intelligence from?) Anna and Alicia still have their height for now -- but give them time...

something

04-02-2010, 09:16 PM

Its an interesting insight into her personality, generally we just think of Alicia, Akira and Athena as "the three great water fairies", but we've been reminded (and Alicia made this point explicitly) that they're really just ordinary girls. Akira has suffered major self consciousness issues, Athena has a major passive-agressive streak, and Alicia...is an immortal witch, so she doesn't have flaws. Obviously.
I loved Alicia's little blushing "naisho!" when Akari asked if Alicia ever felt that way as well. Hah, Alicia, you can't fool us!

What's weird about Athena is that unlike Akira and Alicia who are, clearly, very competent and hard-working, Athena is very... oh how to say it, she's really mysterious. Not in the Alicia way either, more like even Athena doesn't quite know what Athena is thinking. In a way, she may be the most talented of them all because I swear she just stumbles through life successfully without necessarily trying or realizing that she's doing it. Even when she gets an episode that implies there's more going on deep down (like Alice's shadow game episode) there's this really strong feeling that she's on autopilot, that she's disconnected from the world.

She's really the strangest character in Aria in that respect.

something

04-02-2010, 10:28 PM

This episode could not wait until tomorrow. There was simply no way.

Episode 9: The Best Episode Of Aria Ever And One Of The Best Episodes of Anime Ever And If You Disagree You Are Wrong And Should Feel Very Bad

- I may have slightly altered the episode title.
- Alice has graduated! Wait, don't get ahead of yourselves. I'm talking about school.
- On the way out of the ceremony, Alice gets ambushed by two of her fangirls!
- ...and then the entire student body.
- As she just barely escapes being ruined for marriage, Akari and Aika are there to smirk at her as she's looking frazzled. :sd: Interestingly, Aika refers to herself as an alumni of the school. That can't apply to Akari, though. Alice is graduating at 14-15 and Akari only came to Aqua at 15.
- Btw, ZETTAI RYOUIKIII!!!!
- During the OP, Alice completes her final going-home challenge. This time it's walking backwards. But when Athena rows by, Alice turns around to look at her. Aika points out that Alice failed her challenge, but Alice has a simple reply: It's dekkai no problem because when Athena-senpai is around, time stands still! How did Aika not kinshi her here? :sd:
- Neo-Alice, Mk. II! What's interesting is that high school doesn't seem to be a concern. Clearly it's not mandatory, as none of the three have or will attend.
- "Alice.. why don't we go on a picnic tomorrow?" I'm tearing up already.
- Athena makes a phone call while Alice readies the gondola, then comes over to Alice and suggests that, for today, Alice be the Undine and Athena the customer. Alice gets into the role immediately, stretching her hand out to Athena and smiling beautifully. ...Ah. I'm going to cry for this entire episode, aren't I?
- Alice is doing a lot better at playing the Undine than Athena is at playing the customer. Alice has to subtly remind Athena to get back in character.
- Alice does the sightseeing bit with skill, talking briefly about how much she's learned from a certain senpai with a perfect smile, and another strict one who kinshis anything out of line. =D
- Athena then has them take a route through the countryside of Neo Venezia, cows and all. Alice gets to show off her skills as a large passenger ship comes by and narrows the canal.
- They stop for lunch and then get moving again, coming eventually to a water elevator. A Himeya Prima is coming down from the other direction, and as she passes Alice, smiles and wishes her luck. Alice has no idea why.
- In the elevator, Athena tells her she can be at ease until they reach the top. She compliments how skilled Alice has become and even Alice agrees, but there's one thing she's not confident in. Her singing.
- Athena tells her that if she wants people to love her singing, she's the one who needs to love it first. She delivers this message and drives it home with a stare.
- The elevator door opens behind her. The setting sun wraps the planet in an orange glow. They're at the top. It's Undine time again.

The beautiful orange sunset.
Athena's explanation of its meaning for their company, for all of Aqua.
Alice rounding the corner and seeing Orange Planet officials, a Gondola Association representative, Aika, Aria-shachou, and Akari.

- They stop and Athena thanks Alice for a truly wonderful experience. She asks Alice to end things with a song.
- All of Alice's hesitation vanishes. With confidence, she looks back at her customer and informs her in no uncertain terms that, even if she doesn't look it, she's the beloved apprentice of The Siren, one of the great Water Fairies.

A song as beautiful as the scenery.
The look of wide-eyed amazement on everyone's face.

- Athena steps behind the passenger seat on the gondola and stands directly in front of Alice.
- She informs her that everyone has been waiting for the day Alice graduated middle school. The company, the Association, and certainly Athena herself.

She reaches for Alice's hand.
She recites the list of Alice's qualifications, and expresses everyone's satisfaction that she has successfully gone beyond her perfect sculling skills to master tour guidance and customer interaction.
She removes the glove. Alice Carroll is a Single.

- Before Alice can fully register what just happened, Athena continues.
- She tells Alice that, furthermore, in recognition of her unparalleled skills, the Association has made an unprecedented decision.

She removes the second glove. Alice Carroll is a Prima.
It's the first ever double promotion in all of the storied, glorious history of the Aquan Undine.
It's the birth of the Orange Princess.

...And that is why this is one of the most amazing, most beautiful, most emotionally powerful episodes of anime. Ever.

<3

MadL

04-02-2010, 10:47 PM

This episode could not wait until tomorrow. There was simply no way.

Episode 9: The Best Episode Of Aria Ever And One Of The Best Episodes of Anime Ever And If You Disagree You Are Wrong And Should Feel Very Bad

- I may have slightly altered the episode title.
No, no...that sounds about right. :)

That really was a beautiful smile Alice gave...Alicia-level, even.

I'm still a Himeya fanboy, but this episode had me welling up by the end. And I have to admit the double-promotion caught me by surprise as much as it did Aika, Akari and Aria-shachou. Heck, I think I'm welling up just remembering the episode from reading this summary.

Fencedude

04-02-2010, 11:25 PM

It's the birth of the Orange Princess.

...And that is why this is one of the most amazing, most beautiful, most emotionally powerful episodes of anime. Ever.

<3

Oh god, I cried during the episode, and now I'm crying even more as I read that line.

Absolutely the best episode of Aria, and one of, if not the, best episode of anime ever (yes I know I have several best episodes of anime ever, thats beside the point).

Completely shocking all around, it was obvious she was heading for her single promotion, since we know that that is the location they all take place at (and somehow no pair ever finds out...), and having the Himeya Undine tell her "Good Luck" was a nice touch (and I'll bet she's going to be shocked at what actually happened when she finds out!), but they just blew away the expectation.

HitokiriShadow

04-03-2010, 12:17 AM

Soooooo much Alice greatness this episode.

Alice just has the cutest smiles when she's planning her trip. Then we get some sexy Alice feet. Alice was had a lot of cute moments, but her freaking out after Athena's fall is especially adorable and her face when she hears that Athena was lying about the whole thing was hilarious. We also see the more emotionally vulnerable side of Alice this episode, first when she gets upset over Athena missing the picnic and then her devastation over Athena seemingly forgetting her.

This was also one of the better episodes for Athena, especially if you already know (or just guessed ahead of time) that the whole thing was an act. I'm pretty sure her saying Aria's name was a slip of the tongue and then she just had to roll with it and try not to blow her act. Her discomfort when Alicia was staring at her, and basically forces Athena to say her name, was pretty amusing too.

On an overly-analytic note, the big deal about Athena saying the names doesn't really make sense when you think about it. They were saying each others' names right in front of her multiple times, so there shouldn't have been anything odd about her saying their names when she did. Well, I'm not sure they said the cats' names, but they were definitely saying each others'.

HitokiriShadow

04-03-2010, 12:19 AM

something

04-03-2010, 12:22 AM

On an overly-analytic note, the big deal about Athena saying the names doesn't really make sense when you think about it. They were saying each others' names right in front of her multiple times, so there shouldn't have been anything odd about her saying their names when she did. Well, I'm not sure they said the cats' names, but they were definitely saying each others'.
Hmm, I was paying attention to precisely this during the episode, and I'm not sure Alice and Akari said each others' names in front of Athena. Akari says Alice's name once, but it's after Alice hangs back from the group a bit to sulk. I guess the assumption is that Athena was out of earshot then.

HitokiriShadow

04-03-2010, 12:30 AM

The Great Bear

04-03-2010, 07:49 AM

Episode 9: The Best Episode Of Aria Ever And One Of The Best Episodes of Anime Ever And If You Disagree You Are Wrong And Should Feel Very Bad

I disagree, and I'm not going to feel bad :P

Nah, it is one of the best episodes, though I'm not an Alice maniac like you are. Don't get me wrong, I like Alice a lot.

It was very touching at the end, even though the first time I saw this episode, I saw it raw, so this time my eyes were distracted by having to keep on darting down to read subs and the moving back up to look at the beautiful moment.

Suwako Moriya

04-03-2010, 10:36 AM

The "watermelon" analogy that Alicia used to explain her philosophy is simple, but interesting.

Alice's dedicated mission to research the lack of scolding made for a decent episode.

Suwako Moriya

04-03-2010, 11:15 AM

Finally, we learn the story about how Akino became corrupt and formed Aria company in order to dominate Aqua.

The Great Bear

04-03-2010, 11:23 AM

Finally, we learn the story about how Akino became corrupt and formed Aria company in order to dominate Aqua.

Geez, all you people with these weird theories and assumptions about how Akino got the start up funding for Aria Company :sd:

How can you all make such accusations about such a sweet, old lady (who used to be an incredibly hot woman).

Isn't it obviously how Undines make their money? They're all attractive women, and they give "tours."

Suwako Moriya

04-03-2010, 11:32 AM

Finally, we learn the story about how Akino became corrupt and formed Aria company in order to dominate Aqua.

Geez, all you people with these weird theories and assumptions about how Akino got the start up funding for Aria Company :sd:

If you want to get technical, in my case I'm not making a theory as to how she was able to get the funding for Aria Company. I'm making a theory as to her true purpose for starting the company.

Isn't it obviously how Undines make their money? They're all attractive women, and the give "tours."

For some reason, I'm interested in going on one of those tours.

Isuzu Inugami

04-03-2010, 11:41 AM

- We begin with Alice telling Aika and Akari that she's going on a picnic with Athena.

Their ears really perk up at the news, to a suspicious extent, until they found out it was Alice inviting Athena. It took me a moment to catch on, heh.

- Athena is in the room and asleep when Alice gets back, so Alice just lets her sleep. After all, she wouldn't have forgotten the promise, right?

She did leave her a letter to remind her too, so I think Alice gets some credit for covering all bases. ^^

She's leaving the room when Athena trips on a banana peel, faceplants, and... loses her memory!?

A banana peel? A banana peel? SatoJun, are you serious?!

- Alice is upset. Her beloved Athena-senpai recognizes not only Alicia, but also two cats before her own apprentice. ;_;

This is where it started getting pretty painful.

- And this is where Athena reveals, at Alicia's prompting, that the amnesia was all a lie. She wanted to get a completely honest answer from Alice because she was worried that Alice hated her after the picnic problem. Damn Athena, that's cruel. Playing with Alice's heart like that! Alice crying makes me cry...

I think Athena panicked about the picnic situation, and, umm, maybe doesn't think through ideas well. Alicia says she did do some pretty crazy things in the past. This does end up being a bit on the cruel side though (I'm sure Athena didn't intend that), and I'm glad Alicia steps in when she does.

Hmm, the next episode preview makes me think we'll be seeing what Akari and Aika were thinking at the start of the episode....

Suwako Moriya

04-03-2010, 11:57 AM

There are times I'm 1% tempted to find out if banana peels are really that slippery. Of course there's a difference between being aware it's there and being taking by surprise.

Athena reveals her dark side in this episode and poor Alice suffers because of it.

Suwako Moriya

04-03-2010, 01:00 PM

In this episode, Alice uses the Konami Code successfully to skip levels and become the Orange Princess! It was a wonderful episode, but I do have to wonder about a few things.

At this point in the story, Alice was good enough to become a Prima. Which begs the question. At what point was Alice good enough to become a Single, but still not good enough to be a Prima?

How long before someone says "She was qualified from the start, she was only made a pair to fool people"?

I find the timing of her single/prima test to be rather interesting. Although I guess it makes sense since they would wait until school life was no longer taking up her time.

Finally the fun part about the glove system is this. Instead of gaining a decorative badge, you're figuratively removing a limiter.

The Great Bear

04-03-2010, 01:55 PM

A banana peel? A banana peel? SatoJun, are you serious?!

Hey, you have to thank that banana peel for the back-of-the-knee service that it provided.

(Yes, that's as close as you get to fanservice in this show. The feet of a few of the Undines and Athena's back of her knee).

HitokiriShadow

04-03-2010, 02:34 PM

Best. Alice Episode (and Aria episode, for that matter). Ever. And easily one of the best episodes of anime ever made. Even when you know that she's going to straight to Prima from the beginning of the episode, its still incredibly emotional.

Until I saw the preview in the previous episode, I had forgotten this episode occurred here. I thought it didn't happen for another episode or two. I also thought the talk of graduation in the preview and the beginning of this episode might have been hinting a bit two heavily at Alice's graduation from a Pair... until the episode proper started and I remembered she was still in school all this time and was graduating from that.

something

04-03-2010, 02:58 PM

At this point in the story, Alice was good enough to become a Prima. Which begs the question. At what point was Alice good enough to become a Single, but still not good enough to be a Prima?
She probably started out at at least Single level. They just weren't going to promote her while she was still in school.

How long before someone says "She was qualified from the start, she was only made a pair to fool people"?
Well, you got the first half from me. =P

something

04-03-2010, 03:02 PM

Until I saw the preview in the previous episode, I had forgotten this episode occurred here. I thought it didn't happen for another episode or two. I also thought the talk of graduation in the preview and the beginning of this episode might have been hinting a bit two heavily at Alice's graduation from a Pair... until the episode proper started and I remembered she was still in school all this time and was graduating from that.
Yeah, when I saw the preview and heart Akari mention graduation, all I could think was "oh crap, the preview spoils the new viewers!" because I forgot about school too. I don't remember how I took it the first time I saw it, but I had been under the mistaken impression that Origination was 2 cour at that point so I probably didn't think it was her promotion exam yet.

And even if I expected the promotion, I did not expect the double promotion.

HitokiriShadow

04-03-2010, 03:24 PM

Yeah, when I saw the preview and heart Akari mention graduation, all I could think was "oh crap, the preview spoils the new viewers!" because I forgot about school too. I don't remember how I took it the first time I saw it, but I had been under the mistaken impression that Origination was 2 cour at that point so I probably didn't think it was her promotion exam yet.

And even if I expected the promotion, I did not expect the double promotion.

The funny thing about the first time I saw it was that I think I had actually been spoiled about her becoming a Prima, or at least graduating from being a pair, before watching the episode. However, I couldn't remember the exact wording, and when I saw the pre-episode stuff and then her school graduation at the beginning, I thought "Oh, that's what was being talked about", so I was effectively unspoiled.

EmperorBrandon

04-03-2010, 11:18 PM

I had a feeling she was going straight to a Prima, though I don't think I was completely unspoiled in thinking that. I remember coming across a comment before that hinted me towards this, but it wasn't really a spoiler - it was more of a vague comment that I put two and two together on as I was watching this episode (since it seems Alice was much above Single-level in skills already). This was a really beautiful episode and I definitely quite enjoyed it.

something

04-03-2010, 11:50 PM

Since I doubled up last time, and we finished the second disc in terms of how the R1 is set up, it's just picture dramas tonight.

Picture Drama 4:
- Yeah know how we'd always joke about the Aquan Undine wars? ...
- Himeya is the Old Empire. Aria Company is a radical religious movement. Orange Planet is the new order.
- Buddhalicia demands worshipers.
- Himeya is ready for war! What will the small Aria Company do? ...Buddhalicia will just seduce Aika. Easy enough. Too bad when she converted she didn't get an Aria Company uniform. I'd kinda like to see the girls switch outfits for a moment.
- The war rages! DEKKAI BEAM!
- In the end, the only one left standing is Buddhalicia. And tea.

Picture Drama 5:
- Yukata! Alice! Alice in a yukata!
- While waiting for fireworks, Alice decides to pass the time with a ghost story.
- Aika of course is scared, but even more of-coursely won't admit it. So she keeps trying to not very subtly change the topic, but Alice won't give in. =D
- They keep wondering about what various other cast members would do upon hearing a scary story. Athena doesn't realize it's a ghost story until hours later. :sd:
- Oooh, the bgm when Alice finally gets her story started is one of my favorite - "Blue Pacific"
- The fireworks show starts and Akari and Aika think they're safe, when Alice suddenly remembers: the girl in the story disappeared after the fireworks...

EmperorBrandon

04-04-2010, 12:10 AM

PD4 was really very odd, but I got a good bit of amusement out of it. :)

Dack Ralter

04-04-2010, 07:05 AM

- Flashback time! Grandma Akino is even taller. And hot. Oh the ravages of time. At the time of the flashback she'd been Himeya's most famous Prima for 14 years, which implies she must be around 30 here.Perhaps there are some very silly consequences to Aqua's artificially strengthened gravity well. =P She is damn hot, though, I agree.

I really liked this episode for putting some context into the history of Aria Company. It's nice to know that it's not just some place where magical things happen; somebody made it that way. Anna is a neat character that we don't get to see enough of, although I would have guessed she worked for Himeya. :sd:

Dack Ralter

04-04-2010, 07:14 AM

- Well, she had sudden bookings and was out most of the day. Alice is left alone with Maa-shachou, and does a make-beleve trip to Burano Island. It's kind of sad to watch her try to have lunch with him and be left with food for two people when he's not hungry. ;_; Poor Alice... she was so excited.Tiny mutant cat eating bananas is creepy.

Alice is always at her cutest when she's left to her own devices.

This episode left me a bit cold. I like all the Alice stuff (deathly cute, she is) but Athena is uh...not so hot. Alicia's hand-waving that this isn't the first weird thing she's done doesn't help too much. All the same, I'll take this Alice episode, warts and all.

Suwako Moriya

04-04-2010, 08:05 AM

The important thing about the fourth picture drama is that it reveals the truth about Alicia.

Dack Ralter

04-04-2010, 08:12 AM

In the elevator, Athena tells her she can be at ease until they reach the top. She compliments how skilled Alice has become and even Alice agrees, but there's one thing she's not confident in. Her singing.Oh, are they talking about that thing that they only ever mention when Athena's around? Yes, I might have been waiting to hear the possible gondola-wreck that would be Aika or Akari singing all this time. Was never worried about Alice, though.

Athena's explanation of its meaning for their company, for all of Aqua.This was one of the best parts of the episode for me; I love Athena's tying together of things in a very Aria-ish way.

Alice rounding the corner and seeing Orange Planet officials, a Gondola Association representative, Aika, Aria-shachou, and Akari.Okay, I get Akari and Aika, but what are the others doing here?...

She removes the second glove. Alice Carroll is a Prima.JOOWAH?! Wasn't expecting that! I guess that explains why they were content to leave Alice as a Pair for a while.

That was one damn fine episode. One of the best Aria episodes ever indeed. Holy crap.

Spirit Of The Stage

04-04-2010, 09:37 AM

[QUOTE=something;1752623]

That was one damn fine episode. One of the best Aria episodes ever indeed. Holy crap.

I've kept quiet for a while because I'm not going to enjoy it again until two weeks time, but this episode isn't just one of the best Aria episodes, but one of my favourite anime episodes ever. One of my favourite characters ever in one of my favourite series ever - and the moment Athena clutches the second glove, the name, the hug with Akari and Aika...I cried for like 10 minutes straight.

And guaranteed when I watch this again, it will make me cry again. And again. Every single time I see it. ALICE.......(HEART)

MadL

04-04-2010, 09:05 PM

...And that is why this is one of the most amazing, most beautiful, most emotionally powerful episodes of anime. Ever.

<3

This really is one of the best anime episodes I've watched, ever - period. And yet, it could only be that because of all that has led up to this moment: all the events from The Animation, The Natural, and the part of The Origination up to this point. I was moved by this episode so much because I'd become so invested in the lives of the characters in Aria. This isn't a final episode, but if it were, IMO it would be one of the best series-enders any anime series had. This episode shows how well Aria works by taking little snapshots from their characters' lives and slowly building them into something great.

something

04-04-2010, 09:29 PM

Episode 10:

- This time Alice isn't the one doing the stalking. Aika and Akari follow her while she guides passengers around as a Prima! Go go Orange Princess!
- Ohgodohgodohgod she's so adorable and I love her and arrrrrrrrgh! She looks a bit nervous at first but as she goes through passengers she softens up a bit. I love watching her notice the photographer missed his shot, and then switching into reverse and following the cats so he can get the shot he wanted. Great OP sequence this time.
- Heh, she's still having some issues, though. I thought she was going to fall backwards right off the gondola. :sd:
- The customers were happy, though! How could you get into Alice's gondola and not be? I'm pretty sure that's what heaven itself would be.
- Hah, the stalkers get caught. Alice brings a dekkai/kinshi double whammy down upon them for their naughtiness!
- Alice is depressed. ;_; Being thrown into full blown Prima-dom straight from being a pair, when you're only like 15 years old and just graduated middle school is just beyond harsh. Sink or swim, to say the least. Ganbatte, Alice! You can do it! You're the best!
- Akari decides to take her mind off the pressure by inviting them all to go moon gazing that night.
- I really do appreciate that we got to see a bit of what Alice had to go through as a suddenly promoted Prima. If only the whole episode could be about that... BUT! It's Aika's turn, because this is really an Aika episode.
- Time for moon gazing. Alice isn't familiar with the tradition, but that's no surprise, it's not like she's ever been to Japan. Or Manhome for that matter.
- Aika has her thighhighs on! =D I was never big on these pants but the outfit as a whole is sexy on her, especially the scarf. Alice has suuuch cute hair and her own little scarf thing, which is is adorable. And I really like Akari's hat and skirt.
- No eating two dumplings at once! Hey, if Alice can move two ranks at once, she can handle some double-dangoing! Heh, Aika objects so Alice just gives her a look, and pops two more in as she goes instantly chibi. <3
- Aria-shachou, you are a dango. A dango-cat mutant.
- Aika mentions Al. Alice smells blood. Muahahha.
- You can't even fool Akari anymore, Aika. That's bad.
- Aika runs off to find Al. He makes a comment about them being along, and Aika has to walk a few steps ahead of him so he doesn't see her face. Hah.
- She jumps on top of a covered well... and falls right through. Awesome.
- Aika really is a lot taller than Al. And weighs more, to her chagrin. :sd: Don't worry Aika, Al is just weak! At any rate now they're both stuck in the well.
- Maa-shachou to the resc... ....okay so she's useless (hard to think of Maa as having a gender). They finally get her out of the well and, uh... maybe... hopefully... going to find Alice and Akari.
- While Aika and Al wait, Al explains stuff about Aqua and its moons. He ends up inadvertantly describing the emotional astrophysics of himself and Aika.
- Aika is being incredibly adorable but I feel compelled to point out that there's not anywhere near enough wood at the bottom of the well to account for the cover that Aika broke through.
- Haha, either Al can't read the mood or is nervous as well, so he starts going on about the moons again, just as Aika is getting into the mood. One note of interest is that one of the moons has been turned into a large space station.
- Aika is very amused to find out that the gnome is scared of the dark. As they're playing around, the second moon comes into view.
- More physics talk ensues and oh god it's all so adorable. Very sweet. You two are the only hetero relationship in Aria that I will (begrudgingly) allow!! Well, not that the show is terribly interested in romance in general. But a rumbling tummy ruins the mood, just as Akari and Alice arrive. :sd:
- Ahh... Al is just impossible to dislike. It's great when he grabs Aika's hand, and just says "it's the force of attraction." And we get a good old kinshi along with it.

I simply adore Akari's little conversations with Ai at the end of each episode.

Very good Aika episode here. And we only have three left... I so want to keep watching. I'm in such an Ariariffic mood right now. Curse employment! Curse the 9-5 (well 8-4)! Curse this life! I want to go to Neo Venezia and ride in Alice's gondola all day! ;_;

MadL

04-04-2010, 09:38 PM

Episode 10:
- Maa-shachou to the resc... ....okay so she's useless (hard to think of Maa as having a gender). They finally get her out of the well and, uh... maybe... hopefully... going to find Alice and Akari.
Well, at least Maa-shachou seemed to be having a good time. :) Actually some pretty impressive acrobatics on Maa's part.

Another nice episode - Aika's been getting some great material in this series. The look on her face as she realizes that Al's afraid of the dark was priceless. And we get a sweet tale of romance to boot.

HitokiriShadow

04-04-2010, 10:08 PM

Picture Drama 4
I like how Alice was the one making the calls for Orange Planet. Alice: "They are bugs beneath my feet, let us destroy them!" Athena: "Yes, m'liege"

Picture Drama 5
Yay, Alice narrates the PD and she's the one that really drives this one. And she proceeds to scare the crap out of her friends. She clearly enjoys toying with her friends like that, especially Aika, as she's done a number of times in the series proper.

HitokiriShadow

04-04-2010, 10:49 PM

Awwww, Alice is so cute looking nervous on her first day working as a Prima. LOL Alice trying to explain the Bridge of Sighs as she passes under it.

I just love Aika's casual outfit in this episode. So sexy. Alice and Akari are pretty cute in their clothes, especially Akari in that hat.

I also love Alice's smiling SD face as she's eating the dumplings. Her and Aika both doing it, and Aika trying to kinshi Alice about eating more, is especially amusing.

And now smiling SD Alice teasing Aika. Sooo cute.

Then we get some very cute Aika/Al scenes. And my favorite Maa-shachou scene in the entire series (not that she has any others that really stick out). Aika trying to get Maa-shachou to go get Kouhai-chan is hilarious to me. Especially when Aika tries to insist that she has the utmost confidence in Maa-shachou because she's a noble Aquan cat and she has no doubt.... whatsoever... that Maa-chan... will get Kouhai-chan.... for them... Maybe. Hopefully.

Aika has some of the most amusing faces when Al starts going on about the Moon and other tangential topics. The entire scene is my favorite Aika/Al scene in the series. Origination is just full of favorites and bests.

Dack Ralter

04-05-2010, 12:54 AM

- Aika has her thighhighs on! =D I was never big on these pants but the outfit as a whole is sexy on her, especially the scarf. Alice has suuuch cute hair and her own little scarf thing, which is is adorable. And I really like Akari's hat and skirt.Casual clothes! Why can a change of wardrobe do so much.... Anyway, Aika's working that top pretty well too.

- She jumps on top of a covered well... and falls right through. Awesome.I was getting ready to write off this episode for being too contrived, but it just turned out so well. Love how Aika shoots right through the wood without a big production.

- While Aika and Al wait, Al explains stuff about Aqua and its moons. He ends up inadvertantly describing the emotional astrophysics of himself and Aika.I'll leave the moon stuff be even if I don't want to =P. It's so hard to tell if Al is dense or just playing hard to get. I guess he's too short to see the green light that's being flashed.

But a rumbling tummy ruins the mood, just as Akari and Alice arrive. :sd:Apparently Aqua hates Aika. Damn funny, though.

This was such a sweet episode; a bit of a respite from the (otherwise welcome) drama of promotions and whatnot.

Isuzu Inugami

04-05-2010, 01:30 PM

Episode 9: The Best Episode Of Aria Ever And One Of The Best Episodes of Anime Ever And If You Disagree You Are Wrong And Should Feel Very Bad

- I may have slightly altered the episode title.

Yes. I'm pretty sure it begins with "That" ^^

- On the way out of the ceremony, Alice gets ambushed by two of her fangirls!
- ...and then the entire student body.

Evidently she had a bigger fanclub than anyone realized, including the fanclub!

- Neo-Alice, Mk. II! What's interesting is that high school doesn't seem to be a concern. Clearly it's not mandatory

As I recall, that's actually the case in Japan as well. :sweat:

- "Alice.. why don't we go on a picnic tomorrow?" I'm tearing up already.

Hah! I've never seen the episode before, and I'm tingling in anticipation!

- Alice does the sightseeing bit with skill, talking briefly about how much she's learned from a certain senpai with a perfect smile, and another strict one who kinshis anything out of line. =D

It's a bit like the previous episode, this time with Athena being left unnamed (until the end, where it becomes a huge payoff.)

A Himeya Prima is coming down from the other direction, and as she passes Alice, smiles and wishes her luck. Alice has no idea why.

Jeez, don't give away the game, girl! Poor Alice misinterprets it as evidence she looks unreliable, though. :sweat:

- They stop and Athena thanks Alice for a truly wonderful experience. She asks Alice to end things with a song.
- All of Alice's hesitation vanishes. With confidence, she looks back at her customer and informs her in no uncertain terms that, even if she doesn't look it, she's the beloved apprentice of The Siren, one of the great Water Fairies.

Fantastic scene. And, it turns out Alice can sing beautifully. Have we heard her sing before, or is this the first time?

She removes the glove. Alice Carroll is a Single.

Yes! The delicious climax I've been waiting for all episode!

- Before Alice can fully register what just happened, Athena continues.

Wait, what?

She removes the second glove. Alice Carroll is a Prima.
It's the first ever double promotion in all of the storied, glorious history of the Aquan Undine.
It's the birth of the Orange Princess.

Oh my effing OMFG! That just had my jaw on the floor. Amazing, and, wow, now I guess Aika and Akari have some catching up to do!

something

04-05-2010, 08:03 PM

Episode 11:

- Akira is clearly trying to come up with Prima names for Aika. By far the best is Kinshi-hime! =D
- You know, I'd really quite forgotten this episode was in here. And it's such a fantastic one in so many ways.
- What's funny about all this is that Akira is having the harder time of it out of the two. Aika is actually pretty fired up, and you can see how focused she is while guiding passengers around with Akira watching. But Akira is really skittish. It's like all Aika's concerns from that earlier episode about Akira being "left behind" by her friends were transferred over to Akira instead. I like how Alice comes out in her Prima gondola and catches Akira's eye.
- Awesome moment. Aika mentions Alice's double promotion, and plays it off like she's really happy. Akira, assuming she's actually depressed, rushes over and grabs her by the shoulders and tells her that it's okay not to put up a brave front and... Hah, Aika's response is basically hells no, she really is fired up and ready to go! ...Akira is dumbstruck.
- But Akira regains her composure and does a very Akira-like thing. She tells Aika to cancel a planned date with Al and hands Aika the paper on which she was doodling down Prima names. As soon as Aika gets to "Rosen Queen", she realizes what it's for. No sentimental surprises here, no sudden magical moments. They're great in their own way, but that's not how the hard-working Himeya undine roll. Akira is setting a specific date and telling Aika that failure is not an option! How absolutely perfect.
- Haha, we cut to Orange Planet with CLEARLY SAITOU CHIWA running through the hallways (hey Anzu!!) calling out for and finally catching up to the Orange Princess. Except Alice doesn't react to that nickname at all yet. :sd:
- Alice is a busy, busy girl. Everyone wants to ride in the gondola of the double-promotion genius undine! She's enjoying it, though, and has adjusted very well to her new role. She's selling those reservations hard! Kickbacks must be a huge source of income for the Undine...
- The downside becomes clear as Aika and Akari row by during their practice. Becoming a Prima was Alice's dream, but it does mean she gets to spend much less time with her friends. Must be rough at her young age.
- This is... really kinda heartbreaking. Alice gets off work at 9pm (child labor laws, where?) and wants to call Aika and Akari up and hang out, but as she's dialing she stops, and worries that she might be bothering them. Worries that she can;t visit them unannounced. Worries that she doesn't have a reason, an excuse, to be with them. Alice, you silly girl. You don't need an excuse. They're your friends, and they love you. It makes me sad to watch Alice worry like this. ;_;
- I was amused by the "I ♥ NV" shirt.
- Aww... Alice lets her customers off, and after they walk off a ways, their young son runs back to Alice, hugs her, and gives her a piece of candy. Alice blushes and IT IS SO CUTE ::HEADEXPLODE::
- Good things, bad things, fun things, sad things. Alice is experiencing so much so quickly lately, and she dearly wants to tell Akari and Aika about it. Do it! Do it!!
- "I'm so lonely." Ah! Alice, don't do that. My heart can't take it. ;_;
- But... she gets back to her room, opens the door... and sees Akari, Athena and Aika happily pigging out on bananas. :sd: (Totally invited by Athena, if you ask me. Good gong Athena.)
- She settles into the usual dynamic quickly, but Aika and Akari catch her thinking aloud about her worries. About how she doesn't have an excuse to see them.
- Akari's answer - chibi and all - is perfect. Of course Alice has an excuse. She IS the excuse. You don't need anything other than that to be with your best friends.

They go out onto the balcony and look out at the night sky. Aika and Akari both put their gloved hands on Alice's ungloved hand, and tell her they'll be catching up. Alice knows that with friends like these, she's going to be okay. She really going to be just fine.

I am really impressed, and hugely grateful that they set things in motion with Alice so relatively early (9 of 13) because they didn't just hit us with that epic double-promotion and stop character development right there. They actually saw it through. They really pushed beyond the emotional climax and addressed what that means for Alice, both in terms of getting over her initial jitters and even beyond that, getting over her fears of being cut off from her friends. And in doing so they've really set Aika and Akari's own quest on track and done great things for them, primarily Aika so far. But it really has been best for Alice. This season does more to develop her character than all three previous cour combined. In so many ways she is the star, and not just because I'm madly in love with her!

The whole season (candy man aside - boy doesn't that ep just seem shockingly out of place amid all this mindblowingness now?) has been gorgeous, but the whole final stretch of episodes from 8 until the end is absolutely beyond words. It's... it's....

It's just so beautiful. ;_;

Fencedude

04-05-2010, 08:28 PM

Picture Drama 4:
- In the end, the only one left standing is Buddhalicia. And tea.

Indeed. Buddhalicia is the true ruler. I also loved the altered pronunciations. A'ika!

Picture Drama 5:
- Yukata! Alice! Alice in a yukata!

Yes, that classic piece of Venetian summer attire, the Yukata.

...

Fencedude

04-05-2010, 09:00 PM

You know, Aqua didn't have two moons until this episode. Which kinda annoys me, because of course it does have two moons, but you only ever see one of them.

Also its moons aren't round.

...yeah yeah, sorry.

Anyway, Aika's outfit is pretty silly, but very hot regardless. That shirt is just way too tight around the chest. <3

Uhh...the Alice stuff at the beginning was pretty cute too.

The Great Bear

04-05-2010, 09:15 PM

Episode 11:

- What's funny about all this is that Akira is having the harder time of it out of the two. … But Akira is really skittish. It's like all Aika's concerns from that earlier episode about Akira being "left behind" by her friends were transferred over to Akira instead.
- Awesome moment. Aika mentions Alice's double promotion, and plays it off like she's really happy. Akira, assuming she's actually depressed, rushes over and grabs her by the shoulders and tells her that it's okay not to put up a brave front and...

Akira is unexpectedly moe.

MadL

04-05-2010, 09:16 PM

Episode 11:

- Akira is clearly trying to come up with Prima names for Aika. By far the best is Kinshi-hime! =D
I really liked that one too - although "Crybaby Lullaby" was a close runner-up for me. :)

- Awesome moment. Aika mentions Alice's double promotion, and plays it off like she's really happy. Akira, assuming she's actually depressed, rushes over and grabs her by the shoulders and tells her that it's okay not to put up a brave front and... Hah, Aika's response is basically hells no, she really is fired up and ready to go! ...Akira is dumbstruck.
Aika's really grown up...and quite a bit just over the course of The Origination. I do believe Himeya's future is in good hands.

No sentimental surprises here, no sudden magical moments. They're great in their own way, but that's not how the hard-working Himeya undine roll. Akira is setting a specific date and telling Aika that failure is not an option! How absolutely perfect.
Well put. One of the things I love about them - they keep looking forward, eyes on the prize. If they don't have the supernatural talent of their Aria and Orange Planet brethren, they'll just work that much harder to make up for it.

- But... she gets back to her room, opens the door... and sees Akari, Athena and Aika happily pigging out on bananas. :sd: (Totally invited by Athena, if you ask me. Good gong Athena.)
Great timing after Alice talks about how lonely she feels - and LOL at her double-take after opening the door. :)

Another great episode - these last few eps just keep building on one another. I can't think of many series that have finished as strong as Aria seems to be. And yet...I don't want it to be over...

Fencedude

04-05-2010, 09:28 PM

I, sadly, cannot take Aika's title seriously. Its really terrible of me, but I just can't.

Ah well.

Very nice episode all around (Anzu!), and a great way to kicking things off into the final stretch.

something

04-05-2010, 09:31 PM

I sadly, cannot take Aika's title seriously. Its really terrible of me, but I just can't.
::thinks:: ::NISA comes to mind:: Oooooooooooh. Yeah that's... heh.

HitokiriShadow

04-05-2010, 10:58 PM

Silly Alice, you don't need an excuse to go visit your friends!

Interesting that Akira didn't know about Aika being there for Alice's incredible promotion. I assumed she knew beforehand, or at least almost immediately after the fact. I certainly wouldn't have though it would take a full two weeks for her to learn about it. It's also interesting to see Akira being the one that's struggling for a change. She's uncertain of what to do and worried about Aika, who in turn is the stronger of the two at the moment. Contrary to what Akira was thinking, Aika wasn't just acting happy to cover up her own insecurities, she was genuinely fired up and happy.

Unlike Alice, Aika isn't going to be incredibly surprised when she gets her promotion, as Akira is even getting Aika's input for her Prima title.

Oh, I spotted Anzu when Aika (errr, or not Aika, but I really thought it was her before it showed the granny intead) was looking for Alice. It was nice to see her, even if only for about a second. I definitely didn't notice her the first time I saw this episode.

And that makes 4 straight fantastic episodes focusing on my one or both of my two favorite characters of the show (or even my top 3, as in this episodes case).

HitokiriShadow

04-05-2010, 11:07 PM

Episode 11:
- But... she gets back to her room, opens the door... and sees Akari, Athena and Aika happily pigging out on bananas. :sd: (Totally invited by Athena, if you ask me. Good gong Athena.)

Athena definitely called them up. Her expressions earlier in the episode were dead giveaways that she could read Alice's loneliness and was getting a bit depressed over it herself.

The whole season (candy man aside - boy doesn't that ep just seem shockingly out of place amid all this mindblowingness now?) has been gorgeous,It really does. I really wish they could have found something else to do with that episode, because its the only flaw in what is otherwise one of the most perfect 13 episodes of anime ever created. It was just plopped in there in what was otherwise a very thematically focused set of episodes, and that episode just added nothing at all to that theme. The only remotely positive thing you can say about it is that they at least referred back to the stuff about the building being repaired in this episode, but they could have done the same thing in a much better and more relevant episode.

HitokiriShadow

04-05-2010, 11:09 PM

I sadly, cannot take Aika's title seriously. Its really terrible of me, but I just can't.
::thinks:: ::NISA comes to mind:: Oooooooooooh. Yeah that's... heh.

Yeah, that immediately came to mind as soon as Akira mentioned "Rosen". And then we she said the "Queen" part... :sweat:

Dack Ralter

04-06-2010, 12:22 AM

No sentimental surprises here, no sudden magical moments. They're great in their own way, but that's not how the hard-working Himeya undine roll. Akira is setting a specific date and telling Aika that failure is not an option! How absolutely perfect.I was initially irked by that, but it makes more and more sense, given how Aika (and Akira) do things. Do love Aika's go-getter attitude (save in matters romantic :sd:).

It makes me sad to watch Alice worry like this. ;_;Poor, poor Alice. I can sympathize with her fears, but has she learned nothing from hanging out with Akari? At least Akari sets her right later. Oh, and Athena makes up for her...weirdness with the amnesia thing. Go Athena!

I like the Alice/Aika split thing they did for the moon-gazing party episode and this one. I know that Akari's time must be coming, so I'll persist. It's all coming fast and furious, but the emotions and reactions of our characters are just perfect for...everything.

EmperorBrandon

04-06-2010, 01:05 AM

I'm really liking how both of these last two episodes had a good bit of focus on Aika and Alice. I'm guessing that Akari focus is coming up soon, but it definitely makes sense to get to get to these two here now - showing how Alice is adjusting to being a Prima, and continuing with the issues brought up in ep. 5 with with Aika.

Akira worrying over Aika and seeing all of her interactions with her were very sweet. It was really just as great as the last Akira-Aika focused episode (ep 5 mentioned above). On the Alice part, though, I think I liked it even better than ep. 9 - we really get to see what's she's dealing with after now being a Prima. Of course not just making it out to be big ordeal (with being busy and lonely and whatnot), but also showing the good side of it, like Alice making her customers happy (the candy kid bit was really adorable). I was happy she got to meet up with Akari and Aika at the end, though.

Suwako Moriya

04-06-2010, 02:39 PM

It's nice that for once Akari was involved in stalking.

Alice makes for a cute Prima.

The part where Akari was holding the dumpling and moving it back and forth to cover up the moon is kind of silly, but fun.

Aika's outfit reminds us as to just how hot she is.

Speaking of chests. Is it just me or their chests even in the Undine uniforms more noticeable this season? Well, they are older by default...

Suwako Moriya

04-06-2010, 02:40 PM

You know, Aqua didn't have two moons until this episode. Which kinda annoys me, because of course it does have two moons, but you only ever see one of them.

I wonder if one of those moons happens to contain the absolute dark substance or if you prefer the wellspring of darkness. The fact that was my first thought probably says something about me.

Suwako Moriya

04-06-2010, 03:27 PM

Akira is the master of coming up with titles.

Poor Alice, worrying about her current situation due to being a Prima.

Akari is right, Alice needs no excuse to see them.

Suwako Moriya

04-06-2010, 03:28 PM

I sadly, cannot take Aika's title seriously. Its really terrible of me, but I just can't.
::thinks:: ::NISA comes to mind:: Oooooooooooh. Yeah that's... heh.

In other words, ordering from Rosen Queen would mean supporting Aika?

Ashyukun

04-06-2010, 07:52 PM

In other words, ordering from Rosen Queen would mean supporting Aika?
That's an even better reason than their exclusive extras... :catgirl:

something

04-06-2010, 08:18 PM

Episode 12:

- ...Hah. Akari talks about how practice with just the two of them is a little lonely, but still just a reminder that they both need to work hard and catch up to Alice and... Aika isn't saying anything. I wonder why. =D
- Of course, it's because she got promoted. Even though it's what she's wanted for so long, she's hesitant to tell Akari. You just know she has to be thinking of her discussion with Akira earlier, in episode 5 or whatever, about how Akira felt being the last one left. Aika no doubt feels like she's put Akari in the same position. Awww, Aika, you should know that Akari can probably deal with this the best out of the three of you.
- Aika also seems to have something else to say, though we don't hear it.
- OP! I guess it's possible to feel a little cheated that we don't get an incredibly emotional scene dedicated to Aika becoming a Prima, but I guess her discussion with Akira in episde 11 took its place. Besides, it's really amusing seeing Akira and Aika both crying, Akira trying to hide her tears. Heh.
- Also, is it just me or are Himeya oars longer and a bit thinner? I noticed it a few episodes ago and noticed it again here.
- Akari tells Alicia all about what happened, and reveals the other bit of news Aika had: a new branch of Himeya is opening, and Aika will be the branch manager! Aww, Aika is happy, but also crying. She's going through the same feelings Alice just got over.
- Aicia listens to the story, takes a look at Akari, and cuts right to the chase. Akari, your promotion exam is tomorrow.
- Akari is in chibi shock. She can't even sleep, so she goes out for some nighttime practice.
- Akatsuki stuff. He drops a wallet that recent was in a toilet on her head. >_>
- She returns and gets some sleep. The next day is... miserably rainy!
- Alicia offers to postpone the exam but Akari declines. This day was already decided on, and so it's already a special day to her. But the weather clears up by the afternoon. And off they go...

Utterly perfect in every possible way.

- There are three stages to Akari's exam.
- The first involves the tour guide section, which plays to Akari's strengths so well. Everywhere she turns there's someone who knows her. Most poignant of all is when Akari passes by Aika, and then Alice, both of whom give her knowing v-signs. They knew she wouldn't be far behind.
- The second stage calls on Akari's sculling skills. Alicia got permission to open up an exceptionally narrow and difficult canal (it's nice to see that Alicia isn't just phoning this one in and giving Akari an easy pass) and Akari glides through it masterfully. Seeing her navigate the obstacles, seeing her feeling a rush of self-confidence, and hearing "Yokogao" play though it all had me crying all over again. The second half of this series has an incredibly high tears quotient.
- When she exits the canal, Alicia thanks her for a wonderful ride and tells her the third state: Akari is to end the exam at any place of her choosing. Akari hesitates only a moment before deciding exactly where she wants to be when the glove comes off.

You know exactly where she was going to go. You know what her dream is, what her goal is.

Aria Company.

- Alicia takes Akari's hand, and thanks her. Thanks Akari from the bottom of her heart for the way that Akari has changed her worldview, changed her life. In so many beautiful, heartwarming, loving ways.

"Thank you... my Aquamarine." *, **

It's unbelievable how perfect this entire sequence was. The show could have ended here without complaint from me, but we have another episode. And Alicia has something important to tell Akari...

I really didn't mean to move this quickly through the second half of this show, but both 8-9 and 12-13 demand to be watched together. So I'm off to watch 13 right now. The final episode. I'm both overjoyed and so very sad to see it end. Again.

Yes, Akari is a member of the Aquan Marine Corps. Undine shock troopers. Alicia really can't think of anything other than world domination, can she?
[**] Yeah so I was going to use the actual hex code for aquamarine as listed by wiki but it looked eye-searingly awful against the gray post background, so you can all settle for blue.

Fencedude

04-06-2010, 08:27 PM

Absolutely perfect episode in every way. It didn't make me cry the same way Alice's promotion did, but in every aspect it was exactly what it felt like it should be.

Just beautiful.

nekonene

04-06-2010, 08:49 PM

MadL

04-06-2010, 08:56 PM

"Thank you... my Aquamarine."

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong here, but in an early episode of Aria, wasn't Aquamarine the name of the guradian of Aqua or something like that? It's been sometime since I watched that episode, but I thought it was a fitting title for Akari. Go Pigtales! :sdsmiley:

That sounds right - IIRC, that's the reason why the Undine companies have cats with aquamarine eyes as their presidents.

- OP! I guess it's possible to feel a little cheated that we don't get an incredibly emotional scene dedicated to Aika becoming a Prima, but I guess her discussion with Akira in episde 11 took its place. Besides, it's really amusing seeing Akira and Aika both crying, Akira trying to hide her tears. Heh.
I admit I was a little upset at first that Aika's promotion was given relatively short shrift, but the more I think about it, the more it really fits. Aika's promotion to Prima wasn't so much a big, emotional, momentous occasion as another expected progression in her career. Life goes on. So it may actually be quite fitting that the exam plays over the opening credits instead. And Akira trying to hide her emotions at the end was a nice touch. :)

Akari's promotion exam, of course, was every bit as moving as could be expected. I've been shedding a lot of tears over this series's end run. Another great episode.

Dack Ralter

04-06-2010, 09:48 PM

- OP! I guess it's possible to feel a little cheated that we don't get an incredibly emotional scene dedicated to Aika becoming a Prima, but I guess her discussion with Akira in episde 11 took its place.After the bit in the previous episode, I wasn't expecting to see anything at all from Aika's promotion so a flashback-y thing is welcome. Love Aika and Akira's tears.

- Aicia listens to the story, takes a look at Akari, and cuts right to the chase. Akari, your promotion exam is tomorrow.Alicia's not letting those other Fairies get that far ahead with their proteges! Also sort of expecting this, but I did wonder about Alicia's motivation for choosing such a time.

- Akatsuki stuff. He drops a wallet that recent was in a toilet on her head. >_>Akatsuki--such a Lothario. I guess if half of the workforce in Neo-Venezia didn't go to high school than everybody would go to middle-school reunions.

Utterly perfect in every possible way.Yes. Yes! YES! Although I knew the likely outcome, I was gripping my chair pretty tightly watching Akari do her best. It's all been for this! Go Akari, go! :beatingheart:

"Thank you... my Aquamarine." *, **:cry: I've never been so happy.

Yes, Akari is a member of the Aquan Marine Corps. Undine shock troopers. Alicia really can't think of anything other than world domination, can she?I hear you have to stroke a cat the wrong way when you sign on. Rough stuff, the Aquan Marine Corps.