I'm writing this review 'raw' off of finish the entire Aria series (including this special season). Everything said here will apply to the series overall, as well as this particular entry in it. I may rant a bit and get nowhere sorry. For those wanting a short version: this is a perfect extension ending to the series and just reinforces Aria as still being relevant today.

Its kind of jarring to think that over a decade ago that Aria: The Animation aired. I stated in my review of Aria: The Animation that the show itself stands the test of time over a decade later. This season holds true to that and serves as a wonderful recap and exploration of what makes Aria perform this miraculous feat of being relevant today (in my opinion).

Aria: The Avvenire hits all points of The Animation, The Natural and The Origination without hesitation while giving us a glimpse into a new era of Undines. While this season may not exactly stand alone on its own it thrives off the feelings and emotions tied to its prequels. It really does interconnect the past with the future.

Lets just get out of the way the fact that this season is gorgeous. Clearly the studio wanted to show us Aqua in the best way possible - while also staying true to the series original look and feel. Nothing about the animation seems off. In fact it is probably exactly what the original animators of Aria strove for during The Animation, The Natural and The Origination. The fact a remaster is coming to us (hopefully soon - via a Kickstarter) to bring us these series up to HD gets me super excited.

The Avvenire strives to pull our memories back - showing us the past in many different ways. From our wonderful Prima Undines being promoted, to Akari's origins to coming to Aqua and the wonderful miracles to come in the future.

A common motif throughout this show has been the passing of time and how it changes some things but not others. What started out as a fate encounter (or miracle) that the three Water Fairies apprentices would train and grow together has turned into a bit of a tradition for even their apprentices. Just like in The Animation, The Natural and The Origination we get a strong comparison between mentor and apprentice.

Each new generation shares a core with their teachers but subtle difference between them. This was explored heavily in The Natural for Aika, Alice and predominately Akari. In episode one of The Avvenire we get to see the new generation before we even see who is training who - but just by looking at them we know the pairings without question.

Alice of course has the calm and quiet girl that is Anya. She seems strong just like Alice and even has a bit of that childishness to her still (such as her declaration in episode two). Azusa is obviously Aika's apprentice. Loud and confident just like Aika - and just as self centered in her own way. Akari, without a surprise has Ai. It had been hinted at and even mostly confirmed by The Origination how Ai would join Akari at Aria Company.

The Avvenire fits perfectly into Aria as a celebration of what made the original so amazing. It allows us the viewer to step into the world of Aqua once more to see how our Prima Undines have matured and taken on their own successors. We don't get much of a view of them training the girls but this goes without saying that if the girls were so much like their mentors its only natural that how they would train their apprentices would be similar. Which brings me to pointing out that Aria also has the motif of repetition.

This show perfectly shows that in life things will inevitably repeat. Time and time again we see callbacks to Akari and Alicia's times together being mirrored with Akari and Ai. In episode one the story of Akari and Akira shows this off well as Akari thinks how her, Alice and Aika haven't seen each other in some time.

Episode 3 serves as a final point to the series and its final goodbye to its viewers. Alicia asks Akari in a dream about saying goodbye to which we get the most Akari answer ever.

"I felt very lonely. Quite lonely. Saying good-bye is always lonely. Just with the night-light bell and my old gondola. I felt very lonely and sad. But Alicia, I think that's probably a nice thing. The more lonely you feel, the more sadness swells up. I'm sure that's proof of your deep love. It's something you keep with yourself forever, something that sparkles forever on Aqua. That beloved existence. That's why the feeling of sadness can also be the proof of happiness."

I took the time to go back into the show and write down this quote as it will stick with me for a long time. Aria is telling us that it is okay to feel sad that its over but to know that feeling that is a sign of happiness and your love. All good things must come to an end, it is up to us to embrace the change of something ending and push forward into the future with it. If I have taken anything away from watching Aria its that I should strive to be more like Akari and enjoy life as it brings me wonderful encounters of my own.