Bundled with the “Aria The Origination” Blu-ray set that was recently released, the third and final episode of “Aria the Avvenire” is out. Titled “Aria the Avvenire ~capitolo 3~ その 遙かなる未来へ…”, this episode is a perfect finale to the heartwarming, soothing and miraculous journey of the ‘Aria’ series.
Although the final scenes in the last episode from the third season “Aria The Origination” were an excellent moment to end the series that perfectly captured this franchise’s main theme, “Aria the Avvenire ~capitolo 3~” goes further, becoming the extended epilogue this show deserves.
The core story in this episode is Ai, Azusa and Anya hosting a surprise tea party for Akari, Aika, Alice, Alicia, Akira, Athena and Akino to enjoy and spend some rare free time together. It is rife with flashbacks showcasing key moments throughout the entire series, all woven together with dialogue from characters like Alicia, Akari or Ai as they reminisce on the past or rejoice for the future.
“Aria the Avvenire ~capitolo 3~” isn’t just a bittersweet, heartwarming and moving end to the story that will make any fan who followed these characters their journey throughout the series shed tears, but as its title suggests it emphasizes how the past, present and future of these undine are all linked.
Even though the girls themselves look back with nostalgia to the wonderful, unforgettable times of their youth when they were still training to become undine and spending time with their friends, the bittersweet realization that those days are past and will never return makes way for appreciation, realization and a feeling the future will hold new miraculous days with new encounters to treasure.
Whether it is fate or the will of Aqua, starting with Alicia, Akira and Athena, then Akari, Aika and Alice, to now Ai, Azusa and Anya, each new generation befriend one another in their journey towards becoming full fledged undine, forming precious bonds that last a lifetime and allow them to create unforgettable memories.
Here, the ‘Aria’ franchise excelled in terms of storytelling, showcasing how the miraculous time spent with your friends or family is a fleeting moment that will pass, making you look back with nostalgia, yet also with the realization that those moments being fleeting is what makes them so precious and a motivation to look towards the future with intrepidity.
A similar theme closely linked to the above, which I do regret we may not see much more of, is how especially at Aria company, each generation of undine meets through fate but joins the company through choice, both the mentor and student choosing each other.
While this is also somewhat the case for Akira & Aika at Himeya, as well as Athena & Alice at Orange Planet, it seems the newest generation trainees Azusa and Anya may not have such a bond with their respective mentors.
This makes me long to see more of the new generation of undine and discover more about Azusa and Anya, who we know so little of compared to Ai.
Am sad to this series end. For me personally “Aria” has been a wonderful journey to embark on and a work of art I shall always fondly carry with me through life, hence instead of sadness I try to rejoice knowing that I can always read the manga or watch the anime again.
