(no subject)

I must say that it's rather inhumane to schedule a baby shower at 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday!

(Don't mind me, just pondering the fact that that's when I usually wake up.  On a weekday.)

manga: Aria Vol 4

I still find it hard to believe, at times, that this charming, rambling tale of female gondoliers and landscape pr0n is shounen. Plot (Is there a central plot?) is still far secondary to character interaction and Akari and her friends falling in love with their world.

Here, I’m especially fond of the chapter with the secret society of cats, and the one where Akari, Aika and Alice meet Neo Venezia’s most famous gondolier. We also learn that the city’s messengers and delivery service are the owners of the flying scooters we see in the background, and are called sylphs. The sylph Akari befriends is named Woody (he’s an odd one) and is an associate of Akatsuki’s. I can’t tell if they’re friends or hate each other’s guts, as Akatsuki apparently not being thrilled with reckless people flying Akari around on their air bikes seemed to spoil his mood in their main scene together. I think Akatsuki (and Aika) thinks Akari is like an eager puppy who will follow anyone home if they promise a treat. He may not be far off.