Aria the Natural: Episode 9 Commentary

Those Honest Stars

Seeing a sky view of Neo-Venezia makes me wonder how much of the city’s paths were mapped out. Could I locate areas from prior episodes, and paths taken, on that sky-view map of the city seen at the start of the opening theme? No one would notice a lack of consistency on this level, I’m certain.

The flower garden Akari never noticed follows in line with a common theme of the series, which was brought up in episode 8: seeing things we never noticed. Another episode is when Akari noticed all the mailboxes after helping with the mail route. It’s seeing things that were there, but never noticed.

This time around, however, it goes a step further. Akari doesn’t see things she didn’t notice before; she sees things she knows in a new way. It’s just as Alicia’s story about the flowers, about how returning to that spot in a different condition (after a rainfall) presenting the same thing differently. It follows with the starry sky lighting up Akari’s bedroom, something that might not happen as much when there are lights on within the city.

Speaking of lights, did I miss an explanation as to why there was a pre-planned blackout? I’m going to guess it was planned maintenance, and leave it at that.

In a prior episode, I determined that Alicia might live outside of Aria company, but goes there in the morning for breakfast (well, that, and for work). I don’t recall what specifically made me think this (I could easily look it up, I’m sure), but this episode suggests otherwise. It does make more sense for her to live there, of course.

This was a very feel-good episode, and that makes it a good episode.

This season is leaving an even greater impression on me than the first.