ARIA The OVA ~ARIETTA~
First thing I noticed was that Akari's chin is a lot sharper; all that gondola rowing seems to have melted away her baby fat. Not that I mind as she looks more grown-up and a lot prettier too. Which fits in well with the increased love-love atmosphere of this OVA.
As noted by YSAB Main Office's Admiral Erica, a sharp upswing in Akari x Alicia was detected in this OVA. Though I normally feel that any and every anime series can be improved by having MOAR yuri, I didn't greet this development with immediate and unrestrained enthusiasm; mainly due to Rule No.12 rather than any preference for an alternative pairing. Haiz. But it was 'undeniably romantic' and I expect fanfic writers will be getting busy with the aftermath of their date. 
Will be interesting to see if we get more along this line in the next season.
Minor note. While the dream where Akari is already a prima was a good way to set up the Alicia x Akari dynamic of this OVA, I was wondering why Alicia had to leave once Akari becomes a prima. Can't the ARIA company have two primas? After all, Himeya and Orange Planet have whole fleets of prima undines.
And Alice-chan is hilarous even when she is ghostly gloomy. Athena-senpai is Glorious, of course.
Looking forward to ARIA The Origination; I do hope that Akari doesn't go back to being chubby.
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October 9th, 2007 - 03:23
Aria, a hidden gem.
October 9th, 2007 - 05:27
My take on the conundrum of ARIA company.
Cheers.
October 9th, 2007 - 07:48
>Can
October 9th, 2007 - 11:43
dragonfire, good to hear from a fellow fan!
Skane and Stripey, looks like great minds think alike. Ahaha~
October 9th, 2007 - 14:12
I saw this episode as quintessential ARIA, with a bonus at the end. d(“d).
October 9th, 2007 - 20:30
My bet is Aria Company’s just too piss poor and small-time to be able to afford the salary of two full Primas…
Bet you Akira would be only too happy to headhunt her for Himeya tho’. ^_^
October 9th, 2007 - 20:45
^ Watchman
Erm… it was already stated during one of the episodes that under Grandma and Alicia, ARIA Company was the most profitable Undine company (per employee). ^^; So labour cost can’t be the reason here.
Cheers.
October 9th, 2007 - 20:58
Makes you wonder just what they charge the customers then… and if the wages amount to much more than “bed & breakfast”.
Which begs the question how much hush money goes to some friendly authority person…
-_-;
…sorry, a conditioned reflex that.
Nah, I’m drawing blanks for logically sustainable explanations other than the firm being basically a “mom-and-pop” outfit that can’t really meet the salaries involved in more than one Prima-class Undine. Unless they’re observing some seriously crackpot rule some founder-figure type came up with (probably when drunk) or something along those lines.
October 9th, 2007 - 21:10
Just had a thought. Perhaps it was just a dream-based form of separation anxiety on Akari’s part and not actually something that will necessarily happen in her waking world?
October 11th, 2007 - 01:27
Exactly, Zyl. It was a dream sequence, and Akari’s dream, at that. Who knows what kinds of strange things go on in that pigtailed head or hers.
I can’t imagine Alicia would leave just because Akari attained Prime status. The whole city would be in uproar.
…
The Sith Lord theory is fine too.
Alicia: “Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the Dark Side! Ha ha ha!”
Akari: *rows backwards*
Alicia: “Oshi- not as planned!”
October 11th, 2007 - 01:33
So *now* we know where they hide undercover, spinning their dastardly plots…
Dark Lords need to eat too !
October 12th, 2007 - 01:01
i mentally screamed “Egads, NoOoOoOO!!” when i saw this OVA. Mainly coz i’m rooting for Alicia x Akira instead when my yuri goggles are on full pawa.
Anyway, the OVA was overall really good. Gives quite a nice setup before we get Origination. i dunno… There’s this inexplicable magic about ARIA. Basically “nothing” happens in ARIA and i, for one, sleep halfway thru shows where nothing happens. But ARIA is a completely different case. It immensely attracts my attention…maybe because it reminds me of the places i’ve been to in Venice, which made everything lovely and nostalgic (Ok, i have a sudden urge to making a flight booking with easyjet). Undoubtedly the best healing series.
Looking forward to Origination…especially the chapter about Alicia’s birthday.
February 9th, 2008 - 02:55
Alicia and Akira FTW!
Most of the fanfics I’ve read are dedicated to this (not obvious) couple but me thinks they are well matched! (And NO, I don’t USUALLY see/notice girl-girl couples and watch what is probably quite mainstream anime) Someone recommended Aria, and wow, as everyone has said – it oozes charm. I thought I’d be bored and run away, but it was so worth watching! I especially liked some of the episodes in the the latter half of season2, which brought in quite a bit of different humour (plus scary lady dressed in black) and watching the anime makes me want to visit Venice!
Back to Aria the OVA – I’ve watched it once but plan to watch it again. It’s kind of sweet (and great) to see something (albeit disappointingyl short) inbetween season 2 and season 3, although I personally still see Akari as really seeing Alicia as a kindly older sister (perhaps almost mother-like) figure.
I hadn’t even thought about coupling in this anime (apart from Aika + Al Kun) until I saw the interaction between Athena and Alice, and thought AWWW. Then I read something about Akira and Alicia as a potential couple, and uh… it seemed so right actually on hindsight!
As for who Akari should be paired with? Mr. Salamander man s’il vous plait! He needs someone (i do think he’s sweet
) considering Alicia is technically already taken!
Looking forward to the next season!
p/s: I’m at a loss as to what happens when a Prima retires – I mean, where on earth do they go? Do they have a retirement fund? Alicia is a bit too young to retire? And how do they become Prima again – is this some sort of national exam?