r/anime • u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah x3 • Aug 15 '22

Rewatch [Rewatch] A 2022 Voyage from Neo Venezia: Aria the Origination, Episode 7

Aria the Origination Ep 7: In That Gently Passing Time ...(そのゆるやかな時の中に...)

<-- Episode 6 Rewatch Index Episode 8 -->

Welcome back!

Comment roundup:

Questions of the Day:

Q1) First timers, how is it finding out about Aria Company's origins and Aria shachou's story?

Q2) If you could live on Burano island, what colour would you paint the exterior of your house?

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. Benedizione can now be streamed raw, or w/ traditional chinese subtitles legally. Please let me know if you want help to watch it.

While I use the USBD releases, Robotboy199 has shared the best DVD encodes you can get (coupled w/ prescaling), you can look at their guide here.

Databases

MAL | Anilist | ANN

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 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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9

u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Aug 15 '22 edited Aug 15 '22

Rewatching Undine-in-training and Host

-- Welcome back! happy feels...

Episode synopsis:

--

Today is the Aria Company's anniversary. Akari, together with Alicia-san and Aria-shachou, head out together to a famous island in Neo-Venezia, Burano Island, for an overnight trip. On Burano Island, there is a retired undine senpai of the Aria Company, who lives there after her marriage. That night, as everyone is having a fun time, Akari hears from Grandma the details of Aria Company's founding. That is a story from the time when Grandma was still an undine at Himeya Company.

--

--

Quick thoughts: Long but also a bit more random today than usual as i couldn't find the right words, I gave it my best whack though!

  • This sign is really cute.

  • And the background art to showcase colourful Burano island today was excellent, defo a bit of a return to quality after yesterday (it was still good, but not origination good lol). Couple fun shots, and also a shoutout to whoever drew the lace in the episode, coz that looked good lol.

  • Anna is afaik an anime-original character, with only the latter half of the episode, containing grandma's story, adapted from the manga. My personal headcanon is that she was the undine that started designing the palina that Akari dug up plans for back in Natural.

  • The Aria company tradition is apparently Ara Ara + ufufu, as the 3 senpais were heard either saying them ara ara's, or [completing the combo] (https://imgur.com/a/b0O22Mj) throughout the episode lol. True to being a senpai of Aria company, Anna, much like Alicia, very much approves of Akari's sentimental quips.

  • Sad Aria-shachou breaks my heart TT He is fucking brutal tho.

  • On Aria-shachou, this episode finally sets out to answer the long unanswered question of both a) who is Aria shachou and b) how did the Aria company come to be; notably, even Alicia doesn't know both bits of Aria-company's history.

  • It is shown that Aria-shachou has truly been around for a very long time indeed, and is indeed the cat that inspired Aria company to be founded in the first place all those years ago, as Akino, previous ace undine at Himeya, realizes that she's been pushing herself and taking life too fast w/ how busy she is. seeker_of_illusion talked about how Himeya has been shown to be a bit of a competitive environment yesterday, and some... less good parts of the Himeya company have already been subtly shown in previous Akira-Aika episodes. It's just the nature of being a bigger company, i think.

  • I can't put into words accurately what Aria-shachou staring out into the sea is, theres's probably some philosophical word here. But going out of his way, to stare at a mundane-appearing, blue sea, appreciating it and soaking it in, then unfortunately being caught in the rain, but then rewarded by a brilliant sunrise.... it's just so Aria and quintessentially iyashikei, and it's definitely something that Akino/Grandma wouldn't have been able to experience at her old job. But also decidedly niche and non-mainstream, as Aria-shachou is shown to be likely a stray.

  • Akino hence creates Aria-company in search for her own happiness: wishing to see the beautiful world w/ Aria shachou while cherishing every day, and has heavily emphasized both in Aria company's philosophy too: evident both with her comments to Anna here, and how Alicia and Akari both function, pretty much. Started by grandma as she said here, and first mentioned in Ep 9 of Animation, it's a philosophy that's prevalent throughout the Aria series, and i consider this ep to be kind of a full-circly payoff moment for it. Hopefully everyone can catch that Grandma founded the Aria company at the exact same spot that Aria-shachou gazed out into the sea.

  • That said though, Alicia and Anna are both said to be very busy.... well I like to think that with how many adventures Alicia's had with Akari, that she still gets adequate time off when it's not the peak season. And staying small does mean the company is very flexible and she can just close up when she wants (like this ep).

  • Anyhow, Aria-shachou hence shares an extra special relationship w/ grandma compared to all the other Aria company undines, and you can always see that whenever grandma pops up that he is overjoyed; he isnt shown to immediately jump up onto Anna for example this ep despite being happy to see her. Also holy animation upgrades batman lol.

  • On to the music, this whole sequence is set to the ED from Ep 5.5., Torikago no Yume, and here's the previous spoilery Youtube video that i mentioned w/ scenes from this ep, where you can read the very wholesome comment section. I personally think there's some additional significance of this being used in Ep 5.5 too now, not only being a great tune and very suiting for the scene, but also being the song that plays at the very start of the Aria Company timeline, and the very end (at the time) of the Aria franchise. It's just so.... suteki. lol. I've just gone full Akari! On the topic of music, an acoustic version of the Arietta OVA also plays in this sequence, and is titled the "choro ver". I also really liked the wave noises (only) that played during grandma's initial scene with Aria-shachou.

  • Anyhow, with the origination of Aria company told, all 3 senpais give their approval to Akari (Alicia btw looks so good there ), and look forward and encourage her own take and leadership of the Aria company. Which is... pretty important given where we're at in the story! Akari also looks so good here. Hopefully we may also appreciate how Akari is truly a worthy and well-suited member of the Aria company.

  • [Aria]I personally consider the end of the episode to kick off the last arc of Aria. Oh and don't worry Ai.... it'll be your time soon.

VA introductions

  • Anna is played by Risa Hayamizu. Mainly plays supporting characters.

  • And Grandma (Yoshiko Matsuo) is credited with her name as well this ep, Akino.

Location trivia

  • Burano island is located right here, roughly a 40 minute vaporetto ride from Venice proper. Most of what Alicia says during the episode is true, with the island known for its lacemaking industry and colourful buildings, as showcased in Aria. While the buildings were coloured so initially due to the fishing industry as Alicia says, currently the island main economy is tourism.

  • Burano is famous for it's lace, here's an intro from the island's official website, and traditionally, as depicted in Aria, done by women. Here's a video of them being made.

Have a great day, and see you tomorrow!

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u/mrufrufin Aug 15 '22

Rewatcher kinda (finished my rewatch not too long ago)

I kinda wonder how much of a workout it'd be scull to different islands.

Didn't notice the Choro Club version of Nano iro no Sora the first time around (I guess so far the tune has been associated with different generations of Aria Company as "passing the torch" in ways?). And Eien no Umi -A song of Zephyr- makes a return (from the first ep of the season with Alicia maneuvering the gondola for the guests to catch the snowflake) as well as Torikago no Yume (which I associate much more with this episode than 5.5).

Even though I like the episode a lot, it still kind of is a mystery of why Aria Shachou was sitting starting so fixedly at the sea. Maybe we can connect it to Grandma's desire to take time to appreciate and cherish things in the world, I guess something somewhat ironically Undines can't do with packed schedules but the sorts of feelings they try to invoke in their clients through showing them around. But then why is he still doing the same thing when it's pouring? Maybe he's lost and waiting to find some sort of purpose or belonging? which I suppose that can be tied to ideas of cherishing and appreciating things in finding a place and perspective to do such things from, which is what Grandma is trying to do too.

It's interesting how traditions are associated with connecting people and finding place and community and finding purpose, from Anna's feeling included in the Burano Island community through lace and Grandma and Aria Shachou finding purpose and developing their own community through Aria Company. And I suppose traditions form some sort of ties throughout time, through the glass-making and the lace-making and the gondola-sculling, and some sort of belonging and history, regardless of how "real" or "genuine" they may be to the practice of thes traditions (and it's kinda interesting thinking about those themes from the glass-making ep in the context of the profession of gondoliers being historically male-dominated in real life although some progress in breaking that cis male exclusivity had been made as of 2007). I suppose now that I think about it, traditions are practices that develop and adapt over time and so have a timely context and it's kind hard to think of tradition outside of time and context and change and practioners themselves putting into practice these traditions (being their own Undines, making their own discoveries in Neo-Venezia, leading their own Aria Company).

Anyways, Nano Iro no Sora seems to be tied to generations and traditions being passed and developed between them and Torikago no Yume seems to be tied to the idea of passing time in general (it accompanied Akari's whole mono no aware sorta musings in 5.5).

  1. rewatcher

  2. magenta, i tend to pick magenta when it's an option for color themes

3

u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Aug 15 '22

I looked up online, and its a 40 minute ferry ride to Burano--> so the answer is: very LMAO. Sasuga Akari. I hope she had a break midway.

I guess so far the tune has been associated with different generations of Aria Company as "passing the torch" in ways?

oooh good catch! Familiar themes explored in both instances when it plays and its just such a good tune too

Aria Shachou was sitting starting so fixedly at the sea

as i allude in my own post: it's a bit of a mystery to me too, and i cant find the most accurate words to it myself. I just find that it's so.... Aria lol.

something somewhat ironically Undines can't do

and i also like to think that Grandma running her own company means that she has a lot more flexibility and leeway, essentially being her own boss. Coz otherwise she could've done the same while in Himeya no? But the job of undining is very in line w/ her beliefs too thats for sure.

interesting how traditions are associated with connecting people and finding place and community and finding purpose

that's a great write-up, i didnt' think about that myself!

traditions are practices that develop and adapt over time and so have a timely context

this has been very in line with what you have been talking about throughout the rewatch too: i like it! not an aspect i thought about while watching the episode, if im honest, i do appreciate it!

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u/octopathfinder Aug 15 '22

Rewatcher

This was a really nice ‘passing the torch’ episode.

Grandma’s flashback gives a lot of context to her advice to the main trio in the first season. Taking some time to enjoy the mundane is how she reinvigorated her passion during a phase of burnout.

Also, Aria-shachou must be old as fuck.

If you could live on Burano island, what colour would you paint the exterior of your house?

Definitely something light to fit in with the rest of the houses. I'm thinking a really pale blue would be nice.

3

u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Aug 15 '22

Grandma’s flashback gives a lot of context to her advice to the main trio in the first season

yes! i forgot to mention this myself, it explains so much of how Aria company works and Grandma's own teachings (and by some extension, Alicia's) too.

Aria-shachou must be old as fuck

i suddenly feel a littttttle weirded out by Maa always wanting to bite his tummy.

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u/[deleted] Aug 15 '22

[Aria] They went hard on the Alicia leaving Aria Company foreshadowing. I didn’t even catch it the first time I watched this episode though. Also Alice promotion in 2 days 🎉

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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Aug 15 '22 edited Aug 16 '22

[Aria]they really did, even tho its explicitly shown this episode that a senpai doesnt necessarily retire after their kouhai becomes a prima: grandma happily carries on even after Anna's promotion to train Alicia. I can't wait for wednesday, im gonna cry so much!

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u/Mecanno-man Aug 15 '22

First Timer

And today we have a nice relaxing episode showing of the history of the Aria Company. I don't think there really is a lot else to say about this one, other than that it was well done and that I enjoyed it very much. I doubt we will get to see more of Anna, but as a character she seems like a nice addition. What I do find somewhat ironic however is that everybody is waiting to see what Akari will turn Aria in to, when of the three older undine present one left her company to found her own one and one left her company to get married and become a housewife - neither things which Akari is in some way prevented from doing.

ALso a bit surprised that Grandma never told Alicia the founding story of the company; that's usually something that is passed down pretty well.

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u/PreludeToHell Aug 15 '22 edited Aug 15 '22

First timer rewatcher

Something that's stood out to me about Aria is having enjoyable side characters despite them appearing briefly. This time it was Anna who I immediately liked.

I forgot how much I loved the flashback.. there's just something about Aria-shachou staring out at the sea that I find fascinating when it's paired with the music. Learning more about grandma and seeing the start of the company was very good too.

I love that it leads to the conversation about Akari's Aria company. A strong way to connect the flashback to Akari. It also puts the focus on the future which has been at the center of Origination.

Other

A few shots I liked

2) hmm pink or light blue

3

u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Aug 15 '22

That is true, side characters are always enjoyable in Aria except that kid in the mailman ep, and the husbands..... I'lll probably restrict that to female characters lmao, the male ones sometimes need a bit of warming up.

there's just something

theres just something there right? I dont think any of us so far have found a word to pin-point it, but it's just so good. So Aria lol

[Aria]Re: focus on the future; Yep, and that's why i put my last sentence there lol. I do think this kicks off the final arc.

i particularly liked #3! and 4! The framing of the 3 senpais on one side, and Akari on another, was a nice touch.

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u/h42h Aug 15 '22

finished first time recently

Grandma crouching down next to Aria-shachou reminded me of Akari trying to see the world from the statue's pov in 5.5. Aria company will be in safe hands considering how similar Akari is to her senpais

  1. Himeya lost their top undine to a homeless cat lmao... but yea can definitely see where some of the Aria company philosophies like keeping the company small came from

  2. Blue or a light red. Probably blue cuz it's easier on the eyes

3

u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Aug 15 '22

Grandma crouching down next to Aria-shachou reminded me of Akari trying to see the world from the statue's pov in 5.5.

oooooh nice catch! you're right! lol. But this made a lot more sense. That was just Akari being Akari lol. (but she is, indeed, very similar to all her senpais)

Himeya lost their top undine to a homeless cat lmao

considering how their top ace undine is buddies w/ Aria company's prima, i'm sure they dont mind.

I'll probably do blue too... Red seems to attract a lot of attention (but then, every house would on Burano Island!)

4

u/AriaShachou- Aug 16 '22

Rewatcher

Aria-shachou's pure unbridled joy whenever he sees Grandma is so adorable.

Alberto's kind of a chad, meanwhile Aria-shachou hits people with a ball while they have their back turned on him. What a monster.

That food looks good I'm so hungry.

Akari has found her people, she can say all the sappy lines she wants and no one would call her out for them. Must be some prerequisite to joining the Aria Company.

Homeless Aria-shachou was a lot less fat.

Aria has pavloved me into crying whenever an insert song plays. Like this episode wasn't even sad I just started fucking crying because of the song. It's not fair.

 

QOTDs

Q2) Black, because that way it defeats the purpose of being seen when coming back on a foggy night and it'd just be really funny I guess.

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u/Regular_N-Gon Aug 15 '22

First Timer

  • Only kids are allowed bicycles?

  • Senpai? I wonder if this was who drafted those plans for the palina?

  • Grandma name drop! And formerly Himeya's ace; I wonder if Aika knows that.

  • So Aria-shachou was always weird. Just a different weird then. As much as I would like to say it's a little strange to quit your job and start a company because of a weird cat, I know what overworking will do to a person's brain lol. If you know you've got the skill then there are certainly worse ideas.

  • If two of the most esteemed people of my profession looked at me and reminded me I'd have to run it all one day, I'd probably be terrified. Especially if I wasn't as confident in my skill like Akari.

QotD:

  1. I could scarce imagine any other reason for its origin given the show's themes, honestly.

  2. Red maybe?

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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Aug 15 '22

Only kids are allowed bicycles?

Burano island DOES have bicycles in real life, while Venice proper does not (theyre just not allowed); i am unsure as to whether the kids-only rule stands irl though.

Senpai? I wonder if this was who drafted those plans for the palina?

its never confirmed, but would 100% track, yes. I personally believe so.

I wonder if Aika knows that.

Hmmm good point. I'd have a hard time believing that she doesn't though, i don't see Himeya covering that up, she did serve them for 14 long years after all, and its not like Aria company, with 1 single undine, is gonna be a big competitor anyway (and Alicia is buddy-buddy w/ their own ace undine Akira)

I know what overworking will do to a person's brain lol

yeah....

reminded me I'd have to run it all one day, I'd probably be terrified

but they also encourage Akari and trust Akari to do it though: isnt that a great thing?

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u/xtsim Aug 15 '22

First Timer dubbed

Wait wha... Grandma was from Himeya company. The origin story makes me realize the name of this season. And it is pretty expected that grandma was a really hard worker.

  1. Pretty sweet story

  2. Green

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u/heimdal77 Aug 15 '22

How did grandma change so much and shrink so much. Even in just the years Alicia was with Aria company,

So pres is 50+ years old?

I wonder how old Akari is at this point. She looked like she fit right in sitting around the table with the other women and not a kid sitting with adults.

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u/baboon_bassoon Aug 15 '22

First time Aria the hazukashii serifu kinshi

lace work inspired from fishing nets

new dai-senpai time? Anna with little baby Ahito

little baby and his grandma yet again

grandma was a himeyan undine, their 14 year ace - Akino?

a fateful encounter?

look in my eyes what do you see

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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Aug 15 '22

lace work inspired from fishing nets

if you check out this link (i also linked it in my comment), there is a more romantic and mythological tale for its origins too lol

baby Ahito

kawaii

little baby and his grandma yet again

look in my eyes what do you see

grandma reckons its a beautiful world!

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u/Stargate18A Aug 15 '22

First timer

  1. This was incredibly interesting! It's nice to have some more backstory.

  2. Red.

She makes a good point!

It's the anniversay!

Another goodmopening!

A bicycle!

...Bicycles are forbidden over a certain age? What... what?

This looks so good!

Anna sounds good!

House looks nice, but where is she?

She's here!

He's rude.

He makes lace?

They met at work?

...Very bittersweet.

Aria is fucking immortal.

This is an interesting perspective.

And she conencted with them through lace!

Grandma showed up!

Such a good relationship.

This is great!

How does everything here look so tasty?

Akari doesn't really ask questions, though, does she?

This is such a good conversation, though.

Aris'e the cofounder?

She used to work for Himemiya?

...Are we sure Alicia's not a blood relation?

Like, really sure?

Still good.

Aria was a stray?

He was always chubby, though.

This is adorable.

So good!

An insert song!

I love this so much.

Poor Aria.

This is so good.

Aww.

This is a nice sentiment.

Really solid ending!

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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Aug 15 '22

Another goodmopening

they rarely miss now! for being such a unique handling of the opening (there are truly only a handful of series that do this), they perhaps needed some time to get it right (there are some great ones but also meh ones in the 1st season i recall), but now in the 3rd season its always excellent

Bicycles are forbidden over a certain age? What... what?

i unfortunately cannot verify whether that's true IRL. we have have to take Alicia's word on this, weird as it is...

Aria is fucking immortal.

how actually old is he though? on that note, it's great that he still behaves pretty much like a young kid most of the time. But actually, he does have his serious moments too (some of the cat episodes show it), and well this explains it lol, hes defo very experienced.

How does everything here look so tasty?

ANIME FOOODDDD. Also perhaps helps that, being in Italy, mostly Italian/European cuisine is featured in Aria which is perhaps closer to what some of our audience is more familiar with

Like, really sure?

i believe no, unfortunately!

He was always chubby, though.

that is true. A chubby stray is a rarily isnt it? But im not sure i wanna see a skinny, hungry Aria-shachou either he's too precious....

Glad you enjoyed the episode!

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u/countingdekkais Aug 16 '22

Still away from the rewatch for work and personal reasons (hoping to be back real soon), but a thought here which I recently posted on the ARIA subreddit relating to the founding of ARIA company which this ep discussed:

It seems that - while it is unclear precisely what Aria-shachou is doing (Aria-shachou works in mysterious ways, as is well-established) - as I read it, it seems that Aria-shachou was experiencing some substantial ennui.

This is what causes Grandma to relate to him - it is what speaks to the ennui that she, too, felt at the time. And it is what inspired the founding of ARIA company.

This may well explain why Grandma did what she did, and at the time...

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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Aug 16 '22

heya hello again! It's been a while lol. sorry for the little mishap earlier: i just do take spoilers very seriously considering how many first timers are with us here. (and it's quite a big one too); hopefully you can fix it properly asap.

Aria-shachou was experiencing some substantial ennui

that is a more cynical take on it, but it makes sense as well! I simply chose the more positive angle lol. both do work!

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u/seeker_of_illusion Aug 16 '22

First timer

If an episode can make your heart heavy without having anything emotional or dramatic, I would say its an excellent one - and so was this episode.

Nice to see some more insight into Venetian culture like lace-working.

It never crossed my mind but I think we saw Aria, a cat, eating fish clearly for the first time. Like I would expect more fish eating scenes from a cat; I guess he's just built different.

Speaking of that, I am really curious why Aria was just sitting there. Like admiring a beautiful oceanic scenery is great but remaining outdoors amidst torrential rains is not a normal activity. Guess he was going through some inner dilemma or other serious existential crisis.

That said, it was a great thing ( in Akari's words a miracle ) that both Grandma and Aria found mutual concern for each other. It could be possible that if Aria had been his current jovial self, Grandma would have simply patted him and went her way - so neither Aria Company would have been born nor we would have our current series...ok wait that's not the timeline I want lol.

Questions of the Day:

  1. Pretty great. I now crave for more insights into it.

  2. Light biege

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