Aria the Animation - Episode 2: On That Special Day...

My foot feels funny.

Alicia is too cool to worry about flooding.

 After the exciting adventure last episode, Akari and Ai become pen pals and Akari is emailing Ai about her shocking discovery this morning. After Akari wakes up and goes down stairs, she is greeted by ankle deep water inside of her house. Apparently, all of Neo-Venezia floods right before the summer.  This phenomenon is called the Acqua Alta, which means high water in Italian. Ai replies to Akari saying that it must be inconvenient but the blue sky reflected in the water must look nice.

Again.

Adventure time.

Alicia leaves the house again to go to a gondolier meeting but not before telling Akari to get some food for President Aria.  Akari, being the adventurous girl she is, decides to walk to their destination, despite the town wide flooding.  Thus, her journey begins.

What wonderful weather we're having.

That face.

A love struck Aria.

Akari and President Aria's adventure into town ends up getting them lost and to make things worse, it starts to pour.  Akari and President Aria find a shelter but worry that they might not be able to make it back home.  A few moments later, they spot a cat wearing the Himeya Company uniform on a window and sure enough, it's the Himeya company building.  Aika, confused at why Akari is out in the flood, asks them to come in.

Normally people try to prevent flooding.

After observing the conversations between Aika and her fellow employees, Akari discovers that she is well respected within the company.  Akari figures that this is because Aika is the only heir of the Himeya family but Aika says otherwise.

Well done.

Pop Quiz.  Why are cats with blue eyes the presidents of the company?

Didn't think we'd just let that slide, did you?

How dare she.

SURPRISE!

After a comedic scene between the two Presidents, we are introduced to Akira, who angrily interrupts Akari and Aika's teatime.  Akira tells Aika that she should be practicing even now since she is an apprentice still but Aika refuses.  Akira points out that Akari is a bad influence and also insults Alicia for being too soft on them.  This angers Aika, causing her to go join the Aria Company, much to the surprise of Akari.

Tell me again what this company does.

Another rival company?

Akari chases Aika after her argument with Akira and they end up at Aria Company. After Aika asks Alicia if she could stay over, she makes dinner for both Alicia and Akari. During their dinner, as Aika complains about Akira's behavior, Alicia tells her that Akira is a really nice person and that Aika already knows that.  This silences Aika immediately.

Depression.

Is that how it works in the future?

 Before Akari and Aika go to sleep, Aika recalls a moment in her childhood when she ran away from home. While she was sitting on a bridge, she saw Alicia passing by.  Alicia tried to talk to her but Aika didn't want to talk and tried to get away but her shoe fell in the water. After that, Alicia picked retrieved her shoe and offered her a ride. Alicia spent the rest of the day with Aika to cheer her up and then took her back home. Aika explains that this was the reason why she wanted to become and undine and why she like Alicia so much.

Sneak attack!

I'd like to disagree.

Ara, ara, ara.

How did that work out?

Why did she make them race?

The next morning, Akira comes to Aria Company and demands that Aika returns. When Aika and Akari come to meet Akira, she is already talking with Alicia.  Akira recalls her childhood with Alicia.  Alicia was always better than her and even became a prima first. Akira takes her anger out on Alicia but soon after, proposes that Aika and Akari have a race.  If Aika wins, then she can do whatever she wants but if she loses, then she has to come back home.

How did they grow a tree there?

Bad timing.

An "ara" for everyone.

Half way through the race, Aika and Akari quit and they go to get Akira's favorite walnut bread.  Aika tells Akari that out of all the employees, Akira is the only one who doesn't talk formally to her. Akari understands Aika's mixed feelings about Akira and says that Akira is the only one who can bring out a different person in Aika. Meanwhile, Akira and Alicia talk about Aika. Alicia talks about how their students are like their masters.  Akira denies that Aika is like her but if Aika changes companies, then Akira will change companies too.  Alicia says that both Aika and Akira are stubborn but kind people on the inside. They all have tea together and Akari hopes that she and Alicia can have a close relationship like Akira and Aika one day.

Analysis:

This episode introduces us to Akira. Akira is one of the three water fairies of neo-Venezia and she is usually shown to be rude and bossy.  Aika works for the Himeya Company. She usually picks on Aika for not practicing since she is still an apprentice.

All of the employees in Himeya Company talk really formally with Aika since she is the only heir of the Himeya family.  Aika feels lonely because of this. Everyone in the company is polite to Aika and they don't show her their real personalities. The only one who doesn't speak formally to Aika is Akira.

The theme this episode is true friendship. Even though Akira and Aika fight a lot, they are really good friends. It's because they fight that they are such good friends. They both don't hold back when they are around each other. They can both be themselves, which is usually not the case around normal people. This is what true friendship is about.
The title of this episode refers to the special day when the Acqua Alta happens, and the day four years ago when Aika ran away from home. The events in this episode represent the events that happened four years ago to Aika except this time Aika became better friends with Akira instead of Alicia.