Aria the Animation - Last Episode:That Bright White Morning...

Ara Ara the Animation

 This is the last episode of Aria the Animation. If for some reason you have been reading these without watching the episodes, I strongly suggest you watch this episode before you read. It will feel much better.

Remember me?

On New Years Eve, Akari and Alicia go to San Marco Square to celebrate and meet up with Woody and Akatsuki. Akari wishes that Ai were here to celebrate with her and at that moment, Ai shows up, surprising Akari.

I know about everybody.

...why you do that?

That's pedophilia.

That man in the green does.

Alicia's face is priceless.

Alicia admits that she knew Ai was coming all along and they laugh. Ai recognizes Woody and Akatsuki from Akari's emails to her. She tells them all the things she learned about them from Akari's emails. Akatsuki gets mad at Akari for telling Ai embarrassing things and Akari tries to get Ai to stop. Akatsuki's brother shows up to calm down Akatsuki and Ai recognizes Akatsuki's brother. Akatsuki's brother gives her glass beans as a sign of his appreciation for playing with his brother. Ai thanks him, calling him "uncle" and Akatsuki's brother gets embarrassed and leaves the group.

Thought you got rid of me, huh?

Oh snap!

Al, Aika, and Akira show up and Aika is surprised by Ai's presence. Ai explains that she and her sister are here to celebrate New Years on Aqua. Ai recognizes Akira, calling her the "demon instructor" and she also recognizes Al and asks him if he likes Aika but Aika stops her before she finishes. This causes Aika to question the kind of emails Akari has been sending. 

Grandma Ara.

 Much to everyone's surprise, Grandma also shows up to celebrate. Alice and Athena also join them shortly. Ai recognizes Grandma and is impressed at how nice she acts.

Now lets get this party started!

BOO!

Jump Akari. You can make it!

Enjoying your five minutes of screen time?

 After everyone arrives, President Aria runs off into the crowd of people and down a dark alley. Akari and Ai run after him but hesitate before going down the dark alley. When Akari and Ai exit the alley, the snow free town where Ami lived shows up along with Ami in her cat form. A clock bell rings bringing Akari and Ai back to their own time. Ai and Akari agree that this event was caused by Aqua accepting Ai.

A-Gri Banano?

Free stuff!  

Akari, Ai, and President Aria return to their friends as they prepare for the countdown to the New Year. Akira tells them that it is custom to throw something when the New Year arrives. When everyone countdowns to the new year, the crowd of people in San Marco Square all burst into cheer and throw their hats and belongings in the air.

Yum.

Grandma's pissed.

Boy bands of the future.

1

2

3

Finally.

I see her naming sense is as bad as Alice's.

First of the year.

Everyone spends their time playing around and celebrating the New Year with each other. When things calm down, they go to wait for the first sunrise by the docks. As people start to wake up, Ai's sister and her baby show up to pick up Ai. Akari asks the babies name and Ai's sister says that that she named her Aqua, after the planet that she loves so much. They all stay for the first sunrise and then say their goodbyes. 

"That Bright White Morning..."

Best Character award goes to Alicia.

Alicia takes Akari out on her gondola to relax and they talk about how fun New Years was. Alicia tells Akari that they are as close as family now and President Aria agrees. As Akari heads back to Aria Company, she wishes everyone on Aqua, in the past and present, and Aqua itself, a Happy New Year.

Analysis:

Many of the characters that Akari has met throughout the series make an appearance during this episode, including Ai from episode 1. After all of the emailing that Akari and Ai have done together, Ai finally shows up and this episode shows the fruit of their constant emailing when Ai meets everyone. This episode shows how many friends and encounters that Akari has made. This reminds Akari of how wonderful her year was but the year finally comes to an end. Even though the year is ending, a new year is starting and this time Akari is accompanied by all of her new friends. Akari is sad to see this year end but she is also excited to have more fun during the new year. This is a very good transition from this series to its sequel, which starts right after this one.

The theme of this episode is new beginnings. The year finally comes to an end and all of Akari's friends spend it together but they also spend the beginning of the New Year together, planning to have more fun this year. Ai's sister also finally makes an appearance with her young baby. Her young baby represents the beginning of a new part of everyone's life. As the sun rises, the scene cuts to Akari, Alicia, and President Aria spending time together just like in the beginning of the series. This was truly a new chapter in Akari's life.

This episode is called "That Bright White Morning", which refers to how this is the beginning to the New Year and also refers the scene when everyone watches the first sunrise of the year together.

See you guys on the fripSide.