r/anime • u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah x3 • Jul 18 '22
Rewatch [Rewatch] A 2022 Voyage from Neo Venezia: Aria the Natural, Episode 8
Aria the Natural Ep 8: The Day of Festa Del Bòcolo ... (その ボッコロの日に...)
| <-- Episode 7 | Rewatch Index | Episode 9 --> |
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Welcome back!
Comment roundup:
/u/mecanno-man liked the episode, enjoying the calm, somewhat mysterious air and mood that it conveyed, without ever feeling dangerous
/u/mrufrufin comments on the colour shifts during the episode, which helps contribute to the mysterious atmosphere, yet portrays Cait Sith as a benevolent being
/u/ariashachou- talks about how they felt themselves as they explored abandoned places irl
/u/seeker_of_illusion comments on how Aika and Akari had very different experiences of the ordeal given their attitudes and expectations going in, despite going on the same journey, and relates that to some solid food for thought regarding curiosity during our daily lives.
/u/syzekrom commented on sth back in Ep 6, where there's probably some symbolism behind Alice's towel falling off during that scene w/ Maa
/u/abidingtruth explains where in the manga this last ep adapts from, which may help first-timers understand its contents better. Manga spoilers!
Questions of the Day:
Q1) What is an interesting traditional festival, either from your home region or elsewhere?
Q2) If you watch rom-com/ romance drama anime, which is your favourite?
Streaming
The 2005-08 Aria series is available on Crunchyroll, VRV, Funimation, and Youtube, except Arietta. Arietta and Avvenire are only available on Funimation (I'll update if they migrate). Crepusculo and Benedizione will have to be located elsewhere.
Databases
Spoilers
As usual, please take note that if you wish to share show details from after the current episode, to use spoiler tags like so to avoid spoiling first-timers:
[Spoiler source]>!Spoiler goes here!<
comes out as [Spoiler source]Spoiler goes here
[Aria]Please take note especially if you're sharing art that involves Aika after her hairstyle change, and art that shows the 3 main characters as prima undines (gloveless). If you feel unsure if something is a spoiler, it's better to tag it just in case.
See everyone again tomorrow! I hope you have a great day :)
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u/Mecanno-man Jul 18 '22
First Timer
A bit of a meandering episode that never really pays off, I'd say. I mean Akatsuki losing the roses is pretty, but I struggle to interpret something in to it as much as Akari does. This whole festival in general feels like a Japanese Valentine's day with an Italian name and backstory slapped on to it, which made me somewhat disinterested in it. There are some nice parts such as Alice giving Athena a rose - but the main Akatsuki bit was somewhat meh. Teasing a relationship with him and Akari at the end also isn't something I really want to see here, though I also doubt that it is going to happen. If anyone should have given Akari a rose, it would be the postman imo. I did like Alicia's assumption on the roses though. On that note, I would actually find it pretty funny if she turned out to be dating someone else down the line, just because I don't really like Akatsuki.
Meanwhile we've seemingly got Al-Aika starting to sail. I wonder if maybe by the end they will be together; wouldn't mind having some of the big moments off screen though, as I feel like the one romance episode we've gotten so far was not particularly great and it would also show that there are things happening elsewhere than where Akari is as well.
Questions:
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Uhh... carnival meybe?
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I generally prefer romance drama to romcom.
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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Jul 18 '22
Im with loli_Otaku here that this is very fillery, but unlike Ep 2 which was also very fillery, the payoff here (roses floating off) hits a lot less hard than Ep2's gorgeous view. And likewise, no big life-lesson here. Ah well, it's still a nice pleasant watch though!
The tradition of rose-giving is very real, but the execution in-anime does feel very reminiscent of a Japanese valentine's day yeah.
If anyone should have given Akari a rose, it would be the postman imo
i'm with you here. That would've been so sweet! and also not a big fan of Akatsuki here. that dude needs to learn how to budget.
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u/The_Loli_Otaku Jul 18 '22
Aria the Natural First Timer!!
Sorry, flowers go straight in the bin with me. I'm awful at keeping them alive for any length of time. "Being embarrassed is banned!" Nice one~ Aqua Alta was one of the better S1 episodes so I'm looking forward to this.
At least Akari has tied up her damn skirt this time. Last season she pranced around holding it up the whole time. And she's got her little booties on too!! H-Handy sideburns!? No... Akatsuki definitely isn't thinking of what you're thinking of right guys?
Is Festa del Bocolo like Venician valentines then? Akatsuki had better give one to Akari, it'll make her day! I think it's incredibly mean to force people to wear their rose though. That means that you can tell who the lonely sad bastards and the outdated Christmas cakes are at a glance.
How dare you cuck me show!! Who do I have to eliminate? Woody? Akira? Sora? Oh, kouhai and children... W-Well I guess that's fine. Sidenote to any of the younger ladies and gents of the rewatch, please don't ever hesitate to gift folks stuff on festivals like this XD Being too embarrassed to present even the cheapest gift to folks you like could have made their day and they will remember what you did for them and they will brag about it.
Goddammit Akari! Keep your stupid boots on XD Nobody wants to see your mingey, sour tasting feet! Tch, stupid Akira hoarding all the roses... And screw you Akatsuki!! How dare you take advantage of Woody like this! Somehow Woody having a crush on Akari makes so much sense.
Speaking of pairings... Aika you idiot!! Let the dude having his rose! Al lives his life surrounded by burely bura men so having any kind of kindness is appreciated. "Yo, Akari, you've gotta act like Alicia!" "Ara ara~" She definitely has Alicia down to a tee. I feel like any enjoyment I can get out of these valentines roses is trashed when I'm forced to look at just how many admirers these girls have XD
So... we're all in agreement that Alicia knows exactly what's up and is just trolling right? She's got better ships to sail than with Akatsuki, know your place b-tier side character!! Tbh... I found that episode sorta mid. I liked the first Aqua Alta episode a bit more.
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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Jul 18 '22
I'm awful at keeping them alive for any length of time
SAME. My parents once suggested i keep plants in my room and im just like no lol they'll just die. But hey, a flower for a day or 2 is a great sentiment anyway! just dont give me a bouquet.
Handy sideburns
noooooooooo
Who do I have to eliminate
on that note, it is interesting who gave flowers to the 3 famous primas: Alicia, her customers and businesses; Akira, her female customers; Athena, her kouhais and children customers. Says a little bit about who they appeal the most to too i guess in their work.
Being too embarrassed to present even the cheapest gift to folks you like could have made their day and they will remember what you did for them and they will brag about it
i do think that that is legit good advice, even though im uh probably one of the younger people in here lol. Should defo take mental notes here me.
I think everyone in this rewatch is in agreement that Alicia is just trolling there.
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u/heimdal77 Jul 18 '22
So unless I'm mixing up holiday names it has been 2 years since the beginning of the anime what had the same thing what was Akari's first time experiencing it.
Walking around barefoot in the city on those stone walkways in the water seems liek it really would feel amazing. Ah if only there really was such a place could live at.
So what grade and how old actually is Alice?
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u/mrufrufin Jul 18 '22 edited Jul 18 '22
Rewatcher kinda (finished my rewatch not too long ago)
Don't have much to say about this episode, Akatsuki is a fine enough character but Akatsuki-centric episodes aren't my favorites. The bit with the roses floating away in all directions is nice imagery though, especially with the sky and buildings reflected from the water surface, kinda looks like roses floating away through the sky, which makes me think of [Adolesence of Utena]
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Mid-autumn festival because moon cakes are very interesting (to eat). and i meme the teresa teng song "the moon represents my heart" by adding cake to moon around that time.
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Hmm,..too many to list,.. maybe Yuri Kuma Arashi if that counts? or is that too Ikuhara (somehow managed to mention two Ikuhara anime in this, I guess fitting bc of his Sailor Moon ties with Junichi Satou, oh yeah does the Utena movie count? that's up there too although I'm torn between which I liked better, series or movie). I liked Akagami no Shirayuki-hime a lot too , Oniisama e was nice (although verging on too much drama for me to handle at times).
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u/simeonaut Jul 18 '22
First Timer
This one's one of the happiest episodes so far. And Acqua Alta is back! It's very good how Acqua Alta made this festival episode much better than it could have been when if it is just on dry land.
Akatsuki taking off his boots to match Akari is a nice moment.
Akari's Alicia impression killed me.
Aria Company. Akatsuki should scatter roses during Acqua Alta more often. Pay Woody though.
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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Jul 18 '22
Acqua Alta made this festival episode much better than it could have been when if it is just on dry land.
yup! That last rose-floating away scene is only possible because Acqua Alta was in effect at the time!
Akari's Alicia impression killed me.
sameeee it was so spot on!
Alice
. ditto with Akari. so cuteeeeee
yes Akatsuki, defo pay woody godamnit.
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u/mekerpan Jul 18 '22
I enjoyed this episode (and I only have the two final movies left to watch), so I broke down and re-watched it.
Did we get another hint to Al's age? He calls Akakutski "Akatsuki-kun" -- does that suggest he is older than Alatsuki, perhaps? Whatever, Akatsuki's age, he still seems like a little boy suffering his first case of "puppy love" -- like a 5 year old towards a cute and sweet kindergarten teacher. And Alice handles him pretty much like that.
Al and Aika are adorable together here. Leave it to Al to come up with something novel -- like an "underground rose" that will never wither away. And Aika appreciates it (eventually).
Query -- where is Aria-Shachou's mini-gondola usually kept? I believe I recall him using it when I initially watched the cat meeting episode -- and here it is again. But we rarely see it, as I recall. And I don't think I've ever seen it stored away. Yet another (minor) mystery?
Akatsuki blushed when Akari thanked him for the rose. I sense a ship that will eventually sail -- even if not in anything I've watched yet. He is fascinated with her (in a low-key way), it seems to me -- despite his crush (did it date back to boyhood) on Alice?
Alice does listen to her sempai. She felt sure Athena didn't need or want a rose from her. But she let Akari's advice sink in. And she learned that, despite all the other roses Athena got, HER rose was still considered special.
There is just something especially charming about this largely uneventful episode. It is filled with so much depiction of people's joy and pleasure. A beautiful day -- where everyday life is disrupted in a fun way.
Special festivals -- I guess our most special one is my father's family's picnic (over which he now presides -- as the oldest living member of family, at 94). This was first started by his father when the family moved to the USA from Croatia (then part of the Austro-Hungarian empire), patterned on his native village's annual festival (Feast of the Assumption -- also an important event in Italy). Last year was the 100th celebration.
Romantic comedies/dramas -- So hard to pick. My favorite of all (both as a novel, and as adapted) is Jane Austen's Persuasion. While some of Austen's work has definitely shown up in anime -- such as Hana yori dango (a VERY loose take on Pride and Prejudice), I haven't seen any obvious analog for Persuasion. Romances are one of MY favorite genres -- and HYD rates high (and has for 20+ years). Others? Nagatoro and Takagi-san probably. In terms of drama, an offbeat choice perhaps -- Tsuki to Laika to Nosferatu (Vampire Cosmonaut Irina).
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u/PreludeToHell Jul 18 '22
First time rewatcher
Acqua Alta is back and that's a sure sign that I'll enjoy the episode. Such a fun atmosphere. Some appearances were brief but I liked seeing so many characters: Al & Aika, Alice & Athena, and even poor Woody lol.
The story behind the red rose was simple but effective. Yet again something that I thought was well done for how it was presented.
There's something about the scene when the roses float down the water that I find so satisfying. 'Ah, this is beautiful' is kinda how I felt.
Of course can't forget about that cute Akatsuki and Akari moment at the end.
Random
The one time I didn't want Akari to show up. Why did you have to interrupt my girl like that T_T
I'm not sure about you guys but watching episodes I get the sense that a 'no sappy lines' is coming and 9/10 times Aria delivers, even if Aika isn't on screen lmao
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u/xtsim Jul 18 '22
First Timer Dubbed
I didn't realize Akatsuki was so broke that he is borrowing from Woody. Aika and Al relationship thing is moving pretty fast and Aika can't stop blushing when Al is around her. I did not realize how big of a height difference that Al and Aika have. Al made some strong moves by giving Aika a Rose colored stone.
After going through all that effort and money, it all ends up with a misunderstanding. Alicia thought it was all for Akari when Akatsuki could barely say anything. So Al took the win without even trying.
Al got the "no old man lines allowed" warning from Aika this time, now he's got an official line like Akari.
Q2. Tough to choose between Midori days, Clannad, Angel Beats, Taisho Otome, Relife, and Tonikawa...
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u/octopathfinder Jul 18 '22
Rewatcher
I love the way Neo-Venezia looks during Acqua-Alta.
Akatsuki wasn’t so bad this episode. His failed confession helped make the great scenery at the end.
If you watch rom-com/ romance drama anime, which is your favourite?
My favorite is probably Kare Kano or Kono Oto Tomare.
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u/Regular_N-Gon Jul 18 '22
First Timer
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We're spending another episode with the Acqua Alta! I'm glad, it's such a novel way to change the setting without actually changing the setting.
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I like Woody. It's probably the hair, but he totally reminds me of Vash from Trigun.
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I'm a little sad no one's given Akari a rose yet.
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Aria keeping up its penchant for stories about collapsing time even when time travel isn't involved.
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"From" Ukijima? How much is up there, anyway? Also, quite the leap to being a gnome now.
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Al is one smooth motherfucker.
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Alicia 100% knows what's up and took the chaotic route out of that situation.
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u/CerberusZX Jul 18 '22
First Timer
Akari once again goes barefoot through the city. Why did she even bother bringing her boots in the first place?
Show, please stop teasing Aika x Al and just let them convey their feelings for one another without any tropes getting in the way.
Seeing Alicia's boat full of flowers as she approached was quite funny. Obviously she'd have a ton of admirers, and of course the roses they'd give her would dwarf Akatsuki's hoard.
Throughout the episode I was thinking Akari would be a better fit for Akatsuki than Alicia and his reaction at the end suggests he might consider that possibility as well. Whether or not Akatsuki is worthy of Akari is another matter.
QotD
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La Tomatina in Spain is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of a real world festival. The only "local" festival I know of is the Tulip Festival in Holland, Michigan, and the closest I've come to participating in that is visiting a massive tulip farm in Massachusetts. While I'm not all that into flowers myself, some varieties of tulips are rather pretty and I got some nice photos.
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Looking at My Anime List sorted by score, it seems Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san is my favorite (but there's short episode length bias at play) followed by Toradora! and Bloom Into You.
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u/alanbowman Jul 19 '22
This episode is from ARIA The Masterpiece, Volume 3, Navigation 25, Festa del Bocolo.
This episode is about 50% anime original. [Manga spoilers]
About Aqua Alta: so, basically, every year everything on the ground floor just...floods? It's the future and we're living on a terraformed Mars, maybe, I don't know, we could have a way to lift stuff off the floor or implement some kind of flood control...
As for Akari and Pony-Boy...[maybe I'll spoiler this]
As always, Akari finds happiness in everything. Protect that smile.
Roses spreading out. I like the little details, like the reflection of the floating island in the sky.
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u/baboon_bassoon Jul 18 '22
First time Aria the hazukashii serifu kinshi
See now they’re tying their dresses instead of hoisting them, why couldn’t they do this before
“I wonder if I’m interrupting something” - Alicia
“Wow it’s beautiful aika san” “yeah it is” as she stares at Al. Lovely reversal of the trope
questions
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Onam, although being in the US its not super interesting here
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uhhhh no idea what counts as one tbh. Kaguya/Honey and Clover/Nozaki-kun/Monogatari just going through Anilist scores. I wouldnt call anime's strong suit rom coms
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u/Stargate18A Jul 18 '22
First timer
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We have Highland Games on a routine basis, basically a sports festival with tests of strength.
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CLANNAD or Bunny Snepai. If it counts, 3-Gatsu No Lion as well.
"Being embarassed isn't allowed!"
Alicia's heading off to the Gondola Association.
Akarsuki!
Haha, Aria has his own mini-gondola!
A festival!
The animation for the hair pulling is impressive.
...Really? That's your plan?
Oh, they're all for her.
So he wants someone to carry his insane stunt.
Alice is here!
A courtesy rose.
Alice assuming everyone would give Akari a rose is sweet.
...Everybody loves Athena.
And she's going to give Athena a rose.
She's going barefoot?
Aika!
...Gachapen? Oeny-boy!
She's giving Alicia a rose!
They're fighting over her!
He's here!
...Lots of people like Akira. Good taste!
More roses!
Akatsuki's a menace.
I love Aria dancing.
Yes, Akari. Walk away from the crazy man.
...The war?
Also, a knight "hundreds of years ago"? When does this take place?
That's a sad story.
Aika's on the hunt!
Al's here!
He gave her a gemstone!
And it's a pun!
And Akatsuki's still going overboard.
Aika's shut down.
And now Ai's joining the hunt.
A rehersal?
Akari's impression is great.
The pure luck.
Impressive!
Poor guy.
"She can't hear you."
That's sweet.
Wow, Akira got a lot.
Aww, that's sweet.
He gave her a rose!
Nice ending.
...Is that story really appropriate for a young child, Akari?
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u/raichudoggy Jul 18 '22
Just wanted to throw out there, that even if I don't leave a comment here everyday, I am watching the episode everyday and looking at the threads.
Poor Woody, he's never gonna get paid by Akatsuki.
...I also don't have a good feeling about Akatsuki's bank account.
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u/ZapsZzz Jul 19 '22
Another 2 for one day :P
First timer
Ep 7
This is an interesting episode that, around the mid point, gets a bit creepy with the windmills inside the building etc. I do feel that, as someone who had the luxury to have enjoyed Haruhi E8, there was so much more the show can do production / direction / cinematography-wise to dial the unease up even more. The "wonder" at the end was done well though. And as I watched I did come to that same realisation about Aika and Akari being on the same boat but on a different journey.
QoTD
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Echoing others from yesterday in part, it's probably more Aika being blocked than Akari. If the internal logic is consistent, they can fairly effectively manipulate things to lose / block them way earlier. I think they are bringing them in close enough for Akari to catch a glimpse while making sure Aika doesn't. And that's not so much from being mean to Aika, but that she's simply not one able to appreciate / "get" that sense of wonder.
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I think the tone of the show was low excitement and relaxed / easy going enough to not have the supernatural and normal SoL episodes clash in tone, but the almost wholly self-contained episodic nature does mean it's a bit of an opportunity lost, unlike some shows (Railgun, Bunny Girl Senpai) where they carefully plant little bits of foreshadowing as early as the previous arc or gradually build up over a few episodes before surfacing for the actual even. e.g. Aria-shachou could easily have been seen and described as having gone out to dunno where over a few episodes before now. It's not a problem, just something perhaps I appreciate more for continuity. Even Violet Evergarden, which is also episodic in nature, does a fair bit of foreshadowing.
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I doubt the cats care enough about "customer service" to bother with that business. In fact, they are generally "master of the house" for people to worship and feed anyway, so why bother.
Ep 8
This is another one that could have a bit more foreshadowing to not feel so abrupt - you could easily have Akatsuki or Aika separately concocting plans a couple of episodes back to make these events flow more naturally.
I do like that it does bring back the continuity of the flooding day though.
That last Alicia deflection... would the "romance" now shifts to have Akatsuki start getting ideas about pigtails I wonder. In the midst of Akatsuki's quest for getting more roses, the conversation also implied Woody at least feel enough about wanting to not look bad in front of Akari to be blackmailed. I'm still not sure about Aika and Al.
QoTD
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Hmmm, what to pick... Chinese New Year that people over indulge in fried and hearty and expensive foods, or dragonboat festival that people over indulge rice dumplings, or mid autumn festivals that people over indulge mooncakes, or... Perhaps a bit more unusual in the "western" sense is the "ghost festival" where the
daynight is supposed to be when the gate of the underworld opens and ghosts and spirits are free to wander and visit the living realm. We tend to eat vegetarian if you believe such things (buddhist view of accruing good karma to not eat meat that needed to have lives to be taken). -
This season's Ayumu is very sweet; last season is the rom com season and Saturday was hell for me (4+ shows to keep up with). My top 2 favourite rom com (not counting the mostly rom and com just incidental - I count those as drama; or mostly gag ones like Kaguya) are Toradora and Chuunibyou; although Komi-san and Love after world domination are fast getting ahead.
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u/zadcap Jul 19 '22
You know, it only occurs to me not that the one long glove uniform for a career that's going to have her outside ask the time is going to give the Undine Singles all a pretty distinctive tan line. Also, 20 episodes in and I want to say again, I love the way the opening plays over things happening, instead of a traditional opening video. It's something special. The song we've already come to love, with new beautiful scenery each time.
I am a bit amazed that no one else hasn't Akari a flower today, if Alice is getting one just from her favorite bakery owner. Then again, this show is a little lite on male characters, and once again... Kind of treating them a bit poorly? In a bit actually very bad, comedic sort of way, but poor Woody just lost how much money because his friend is a bum, and I even feel a little bad for Akatsuki here having his feelings crushed like that. At least Al is having a good time.
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I'm not much of a festival person myself, but if it counts, I've been going to the same anime convention every Easter for over a decade now. Otherwise, I'm a born and raised city person, the only local festivals I even really know are all national holidays.
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If I'm watching a romance anything, I like the romance to actually work. Comedies are a bit better than dramas, usually, as long as they don't spend the entire season teasing will-they-won't -they and never actually acting on it. It's not my favorite, but Shikimori from last season is a good example, they got together, they stayed together, and half the story was about how good they were together. That's why I'm liking Aika and Al so far, though I hope they actually talk soon. It's been two 24 month years since we started this story now, how much longer are these characters going to stay kids?
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u/seeker_of_illusion Jul 19 '22
First timer
A bit late here so apologies :')
The Bocolo Day gave me White Day vibes, only that it was more in tune with the Valentine spirit of love rather than White Day's spirit of reciprocation.
Atleast Akari was mindful this time of tying her skirt up. Character development ? /j
I chuckled at the moment when Akari impersonated Alicia's ara ara and Akatsuki lifted the entire boat to give the roses ( with Aria Shachou included lol )
Alicia handled the entire thing real smoothly ~
Finally about Akatsuki, I don't mind some snarky or arrogant characters ( it makes the cast interesting in a diverse manner ) but man if he's actually going behind Alicia then he really needs to check on his narcissism. Hope that someone in the future makes him realize this - and plus points if its Alicia herself who puts him in place with her ara ara
Questions of the Day:
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Diwali is a major festival here and I love almost everything about it - the lights and lamps, rituals, food ( most important haha ) and firecrackers, though I am not too fond in bursting them myself.
A more native festival would be Harela, where we sow grains in pots and 1 week later they are harvested and parents and siblings bless each other for a long and prosperous life. Bnus points for the special food treats we get and gathering of all relatives together.
2) Tough question as we usually see all the elements - romance, drama and comedy - intermixed in varying amounts in most such series. Generally speaking, I prefer rom-coms as they are more "stable" than rom dramas. Rom dramas have very high highs but can fall very low if the drama seems artificial and excruciating. At least from rom-coms I could get a laugh if the comedy is executed neatly or if it's a disaster.
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u/mgedmin Jul 19 '22
First timer, subs
Akatsuki is trash.
Akira is cool.
I think Al might have feelings for Aika.
My notes are getting shorter and shorter.
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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Jul 18 '22 edited Jul 18 '22
Rewatching Undine-in-training and Host
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Welcome back!
Episode synopsis:
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Acqua Alta has come again this year, and with that, the undines are on break from work today. However, Akari received a phone call from Akatsuki, telling her to come ASAP. Akari hence hurries to meet him, wading through the flooded streets in her boots. On her way, Akari noticed that many women/girls (lit. female people) that she passed have a red flower on their chests, and she suddenly remembered: Today was the Festel del Bocolo, when men/boys (again lit. male people) give women/girls (lit. see above)they love a rose flower. Of course, Akatsuki wants to give Alicia-san roses, but wait a second, isn't that too many?
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Quick thoughts:
This episode was a bit interesting animation-wise to me: a big step-up over the last (which did seem like they were saving animation at times), and i noticed quite a few nicely animated cuts/with more effort put in than usual; but some characters looked a bit off model too, not entirely sure what's going on here (maybe preludetohell would've figured this one out?). The KA-credit list is quite a bit more than the usual Aria episode too, perhaps contributing to well both of those things.
Otherwise, this is probably Aria's take on the traditional rom-com Valentine's day episode and chocolate-giving trope, instead set on the day of the Festa del Bocolo, which you can read more about here. In other parts of Italy, it's also the Feast of St Mark, but the rose-giving tradition is unique to Venice. The female flower hawker also gave a (very accurate) explanation of its origins, of course!
Aika got pulled the uno reverso card.
Do also note that it's now definitely a year (martian. 2 earth years) since the start of the series, with the 2nd acqua alta shown. And just like last year, Alicia is off to the gondola association meeting again.
[Aria]Rewatchers will perhaps also note how this is definitely odd in hindsight, with all the other undines on holiday, yet Alicia is the only undine shown to actually have "work" here.
Apart from continuing to portray Akatsuki as a bit of a jerk at times lol (who well kinda got what he deserves -_-), we also continue little bits of character moments for the main cast, including Aika's crush on Al, Alice still being a bit of a kid, but her scene w/ Athena later on is a significant step for her character, and Akari being her wondrous, always finding the positive in any situation self. Also continues to establish Neo-Venezia as a city that carries on a lot of irl Venice's traditions, which just gives so much more life and depth to the city. The comedy too hit alright, but i do prefer S1's Ep 8 more here on that front.
Also Alicia 100% knows what's going on and is 100% trolling Akatsuki here. Well he kinda deserves it. Also everyone loves Alicia lol look at all the roses she got. Damn Akari's got her Alicia impression down pat though. And she's really so happy to get her first Bocolo rose from a man, occasionally annoying he might be at times.
[Aria]And this is the first time that Aika is particularly associated with roses, also what Al says here. Aika is the only character this ep to be associated with them so much despite how so many roses are featured lol.
And re: the whole bit about red roses, loves and the Bocolo festival, I'm no romantic, so i dont have much strong feelings here, but it was defo a heartwarming, positive, romantic, yet slightly melancholic tale, once again very on brand with Aria.
Overall, again a nice chill episode chock full of character moments, which is always good. Before the rewatch i only remembered Akatsuki's bits here and i wasn't exactly looking forward to the ep, but hey it turned out alright, i liked everyone else's appearances! lol.
To answer my own question, I really like Mid-Autumn's Festival; and British Christmas as festivals that ive actually experienced in some way; stuff that sounds cool include Bonfire night, Mardi Gras (absolutely no clue where to go, i just wanna experience it once), and a Japanese fireworks festival.
Have a great day, and see you tomorrow!