# Aria the Masterpiece: Chapter 15 Discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** Book Clubs\ **Created:** [September 28, 2018, 1:17am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013 "2018-09-28T01:17:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Naphthalene](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/naphthalene/32/219185_2.png) [@Naphthalene](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Naphthalene)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 12:14pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/21 "2018-09-30T12:14:11Z")
Thanks 😄 Didn’t think of ナイトキャップ This one looks decent [レディース ニット帽 猫耳帽子 ねこみみ 秋新作 毛糸【ネコポスのみ】 :3YR-001:miniministore - 通販 - Yahoo!ショッピング](https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/miniministore/3yr-001.html) (But it’s a regular hat, so it might not be super comfortable…) ---
**Author:** ![Radish8](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/radish8/32/206088_2.png) [@Radish8](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Radish8)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/22 "2018-09-30T12:26:39Z")
😍 😍 😍 ---
**Author:** ![windupbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/windupbird/32/220114_2.png) [@windupbird](https://community.wanikani.com/u/windupbird)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/23 "2018-09-30T20:15:33Z")
Aww, I really liked this chapter. Akari has such a good attitude. It was heart-warming to watch her go through the race. And アリア社長 is just too cute on pg 175 \<3 I laughed so hard at pg 178-179 xD Row, wave! Row…wave! > [@hachiken](#): > > Though it varies a little from chapter to chapter, Aria is always a pleasure to read. For my current level it’s not too easy and it’s not too hard. I totally agree! It’s a perfect level for me, too. It really hits that sweet spot where there are still things to learn, but not _so much_ that it sucks all the fun/life out of the story. ---
**Author:** ![Radish8](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/radish8/32/206088_2.png) [@Radish8](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Radish8)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/24 "2018-09-30T20:45:49Z")
> [@windupbird](#): > > And アリア社長 is just too cute on pg 175 \<3 > [@windupbird](#): > > I laughed so hard at pg 178-179 xD > [@windupbird](#): > > It’s a perfect level for me, too. Agreed, agreed and agreed! I thought it was really sweet that Akari and アリア社長 decided to compete together ^^ and he’s dressed for business! I like how they’re sitting together on page 168 as well, haha 😊 * * * So, for **page 174** , someone has suggested that 兼ねる is meaning “to think of the future” where it appears in the top-right panel. I can see how that makes sense for the context, but I can’t see how it would work grammatically, with 昇格試験 as the object, and the race sort of being the one thinking of the future?!. I’m wondering whether instead it’s “to serve two or more functions or roles simultaneously”, where the race is _also_ acting as an advancement test? I’m not totally sure that makes grammatical sense either, as I’m not sure how the object would function for that verb (it is serving that role, presumably), but it seems a bit more plausible to me? > **JP Text** > > これは昇格試験を > 兼ねている大事な > レースなのよっ Also thank you to whoever clarified that Aika was not talking about eggs on page 165 😂 ---
**Author:** ![Belthazar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/belthazar/32/4469_2.png) [@Belthazar](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Belthazar)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/25 "2018-09-30T20:59:33Z")
> [@Radish8](#): > > So, for **page 174** , someone has suggested that 兼ねる is meaning “to think of the future” where it appears in the top-right panel. Yeah, that was me. I struggled to pin that one down, though I confess I’m not entirely sure why I went with “thinking of the future” now. And after looking up some example sentences, it suddenly makes sense. The structure is something like A（は／と）Bを兼ねる = combines A and B. So これは昇格試験を兼ねている大事なレースなのよ = This is a very important race that combines (implied: a race) with an advancement test. ---
**Author:** ![Radish8](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/radish8/32/206088_2.png) [@Radish8](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Radish8)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 9:05pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/26 "2018-09-30T21:05:33Z")
> [@Belthazar](#): > > though I confess I’m not entirely sure why I went with “thinking of the future” now Well I think it makes a lot of sense for that to be something she’d be saying in the context. It was only when I really stared at it and wondered how exactly the object was fitting in there that I felt like it didn’t actually work. And then ‘combining two roles’ didn’t exactly jump out amongst the baffling array of options, because at first glance it only mentions one 😛 Okay, so you think the race bit is implied? I was assuming so, but that was the main hiccup in my theory 😁 Random aside: I wanna meet glasses girl from page 176! I assume we never will, but I live in hope… ---
**Author:** ![windupbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/windupbird/32/220114_2.png) [@windupbird](https://community.wanikani.com/u/windupbird)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 9:21pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/27 "2018-09-30T21:21:17Z")
> [@Radish8](#): > > I’m wondering whether instead it’s “to serve two or more functions or roles simultaneously” This is 100% how I read it, although I can’t really tell you why xD Let me bumble through grammar for a moment in an attempt to figure that out. According to Jisho, it looks like 兼ねている would take を in the “doubling as” context. Why? According to google, the answer is probably “because [this N1 grammar point that I never knew existed](https://japanesetest4you.com/flashcard/learn-jlpt-n1-grammar-%E3%82%92%E3%81%8B%E3%81%AD%E3%81%A6-o-kanete/).” On that page, you can see constructions kind of similar, where what the other role of the thing isn’t stated until after the を兼ねて. It seems like it could be that construction, but used as an adjective. “As for this, it’s an also-for-the-purpose-of-being-an-advancement-test, important race!” Good lord, does this make any sense at all ---
**Author:** ![Radish8](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/radish8/32/206088_2.png) [@Radish8](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Radish8)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/28 "2018-09-30T21:28:04Z")
> [@windupbird](#): > > Good lord, does this make any sense at all Yes! Basically “this thing is doubling as X” → you only have one X. Perfect! And we all get to feel fancy for learning something N1-level 🕶 ---
**Author:** ![tessberg](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/tessberg/32/34712_2.png) [@tessberg](https://community.wanikani.com/u/tessberg)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2018, 4:09pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/29 "2018-10-01T16:09:12Z")
> [@Belthazar](#): > > あまあまのあんまみーやよ I thought that this あま-mess for sure has got to have something to do with 甘い in the sense of not being that sharp (in your rowing posture etc). The best I could come up with was 甘々の甘味ーやよ I was thinking it would mean something like “sloppy sloppyness!” with a kansai-ben da yo at the end. I found that 甘々の can mean 厳しさに欠けるさま. That means something like lacking in strictness, right? So it works. Can 甘味 be used in this sense? I have found no support for this. But considering the context maybe it can anyway. The next question: is やよ something you say in the kansai region. I have found no support for this. Things are looking bleak. But then I thought, the よ is incidentally tagged on this time. The actual catch phrase is あまあまのあんまみーや without the よ. I hope I got this right. I wouldn’t know. It’s the first time I’ve seen it. What if… This is going to be really far-fetched, so stay with me. What rhymes with あんまみーや. How about マッマ・ミーヤ? “Mamma Mia!” is a regular Italian exclamation, right? It fits with the Venice theme. So maybe Aika is starting out by saying 甘々の and then continues towards either 甘味 or 甘い or something but switches over, sort of mid-word to “Mamma Mia!” ---
**Author:** ![Radish8](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/radish8/32/206088_2.png) [@Radish8](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Radish8)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/30 "2018-10-01T18:50:56Z")
Okay, a few questions I have from this chapter. @tessberg I was so horrified by that whole bubble that I can’t possibly comment except to say that あんまみーやよ sounds a lot like mamma mia to me 😂 * * * 1. **Page 162** Alicia says 勝敗とかは全然関係ないけどね, and I just want to check that the nuance of 関係ない here is “irrelevant”? So paraphrasing, “how well you do is irrelevant” in the sense of “winning isn’t the point”? 2. **Page 164** Alicia says このエベントが終わると本格的に待中が冬支度を始めるのよ, and again I want to check the nuance of how 本格的 is being used here. Is she saying “once this event is over, we really start the preparations for winter”, or is more like “that’s when the full-blown preparations for winter start”? I guess the question is sort of whether 本格的 is applying more to the preparations, or the starting (this is the start of the real preparations vs this is when the preparations really start). Feel free to tell me I’m splitting hairs and that it doesn’t make any difference to the meaning or that it’s inherently ambiguous 😁 3. **Page 167** I don’t understand what いうのならば means in the top-right panel? > **JP Deets** > > ヴォガロンがが > 昇格試験であると > いうのならば > > 絶対に > 上位に > 入らねばっ 1. Still page 167, middle panel What does たとえ噂(でも) mean? It seems like it should be ‘example rumour’, but that doesn’t make any sense 😅 Also, what exactly is お互い bringing to the sentence in the next bubble? I just know it as meaning ‘mutual’ or ‘reciprocal’… They both want to become undines? They want to be undines together? > **JP Deets** > > たとえ噂でも > 昇格試験と聞くと > つい力が入って > しまいます > > 一日でも早く > お互い一人前の水先案内人に > なるわよ 1. **Page 173** There’s a little note about Aika that says “because Alicia is close by… [something I can’t make out]” 😛 I think the Japanese is でかい態度がとれない, but all I can get from that is that 態度 **を** とる means “to take a stance” or “to commit oneself”. 2. **Page188** What does よりにもよって mean?! (middle-bottom panel) > **JP Deets** > > のりにもよって > 丸一日かけて > ゴールするなんて > > 一体 何 > 考えてん > のよ ---
**Author:** ![Kyasurin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/kyasurin/32/71139_2.png) [@Kyasurin](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Kyasurin)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 1:46am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/31 "2018-10-02T01:46:19Z")
1. Yes, it isn’t a race for the sake of winning, it’s just an event everyone can enjoy, whether they row professionally or not. 2. I think you’re splitting hairs 😂 3. Don’t forget the と: …というのならば - if (it is that case that) … 4. A) Even if it is just a rumour. [たとえ～ても・でも](https://nihongonosensei.net/?p=4085) is a set grammar point. B) They both want to become undines, and they also want each other to become undines. 5. でかい is kansai ben for 大きい, and 態度が大きい means boastful/arrogant. So I think maybe the point is that Akari is chilled out and just enjoying the day, while Aika is wanting to prove her worthiness as an undine in front of her idol, and can’t shake that attitude while Alicia is nearby. (Edit: see @naphthalene’s comment below for a better opinion) 6. look up よりによって - the も is just for extra emphasis. Hope that helps! 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Naphthalene](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/naphthalene/32/219185_2.png) [@Naphthalene](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Naphthalene)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 2:04am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/32 "2018-10-02T02:04:15Z")
Finally have a bit of time at work, and I thought I’d reply, but @Kyasurin beat me to it 🙂 Just a couple of things: > [@Radish8](#): > > I guess the question is sort of whether 本格的 is applying more to the preparations, or the starting (this is the start of the real preparations vs this is when the preparations really start) I agree with @Kyasurin that it’s a bit of hair splitting, but if you really want to know, since it’s に, it applies to the verb. If it applied to preparation, it would be 本格的支度 or 本格的な支度. > [@Kyasurin](#): > > can’t shake that attitude while Alicia is nearby. I read it as the opposite. がとれない is the negative potential of をとる, so _can’t take_. Since she _does_ want to prove her worthiness (as you said), she _can’t_ act all proud and mighty (since she hasn’t proved herself yet). ---
**Author:** ![Kyasurin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/kyasurin/32/71139_2.png) [@Kyasurin](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Kyasurin)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 2:33am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/33 "2018-10-02T02:33:58Z")
Yes, that makes much more sense, now that I read it again! Thank you. 😌 ---
**Author:** ![Radish8](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/radish8/32/206088_2.png) [@Radish8](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Radish8)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 8:15am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/34 "2018-10-02T08:15:17Z")
Thank you both! Aah, I completely missed 態度が大きい meaning arrogant - I knew でかい because it came up before at some point, but I didn’t think to try searching for 態度 with 大きい. > [@Kyasurin](#): > > look up よりによって - the も is just for extra emphasis I didn’t think to try taking out the も 😭 I was trying to think of もよる verbs and all sorts 😅 > [@Naphthalene](#): > > but if you really want to know Haha, thank you, I do 😁 for some reason that kind of thing just bugs me. * * * Also on the last page I just noticed that アリア社長 stole an orange! 😮 ---
**Author:** ![Ditto20](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/ditto20/32/517934_2.png) [@Ditto20](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Ditto20)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 8:28am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/35 "2018-10-02T08:28:24Z")
> [@Radish8](#): > > Also on the last page I just noticed that アリア社長 stole an orange! 😮 I would personally say that was the best part of the chapter ---
**Author:** ![seanblue](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/seanblue/32/579844_2.png) [@seanblue](https://community.wanikani.com/u/seanblue)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 1:45am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/36 "2018-10-16T01:45:08Z")
So I’m reading this chapter now. Someone wrote in the vocab sheet for あわよくば: “Where is this? I can’t actually find it in the manga, heh”. It’s on page 167 above Aika’s head. あわよくば優勝 If possible, victory! * * * I’m nowhere near finished the chapter, and won’t finish tonight. But I just wanted to mention how much I love Akari’s cat ear nightcap! 😊 ---
**Author:** ![Radish8](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/radish8/32/206088_2.png) [@Radish8](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Radish8)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 7:44am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/37 "2018-10-16T07:44:12Z")
Oh that was me, haha! Thanks for pointing it out - not sure why I couldn’t see it 😅 ---
**Author:** ![seanblue](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/seanblue/32/579844_2.png) [@seanblue](https://community.wanikani.com/u/seanblue)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 1:59am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/38 "2018-10-17T01:59:45Z")
On pages 174 and 179, what is つい? Is this just the adverb that jisho says means “unintentionally; unconsciously; by mistake; against one’s better judgement (judgment)​”, and it’s just showing up at the end of the sentence as sometimes happens? * * * Spoilers for future chapters below. @Belthazar Isn’t it kind of a glaring omission that Akira wasn’t there to watch/support Aika? I mean, from what I remember from the show it’s less in her personality to do that, but still. I guess it’s mostly ommissions from characters the author hadn’t thought of yet. * * * Anyway, I’m done the chapter and it was super cute. 😊 ---
**Author:** ![Naphthalene](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/naphthalene/32/219185_2.png) [@Naphthalene](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Naphthalene)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 2:24am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/39 "2018-10-17T02:24:55Z")
つい has other meanings as well. I don’t have the book right now, can you share the sentence(s)? ---
**Author:** ![seanblue](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/seanblue/32/579844_2.png) [@seanblue](https://community.wanikani.com/u/seanblue)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 3:03am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013/40 "2018-10-17T03:03:03Z")
Sure, I broke my own rule by not posting the context! Page 174: いっぱい舟がいるから嬉しくって つい…… Page 179: えへへー あんまり楽しくて つい Also, for page 174 why いる instead of ある? Is Akari conflating the gondolas with the people rowing them? [Previous page](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013.md?page=1) [Next page](https://community.wanikani.com/t/aria-the-masterpiece-chapter-15-discussion/33013.md?page=3)