Aria the Masterpiece: Chapter 7 Discussion

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Aria the Masterpiece Chapter 7: 社長はツライよ

NOTE: If you are reading Aqua 1st edition, it is a different chapter number!

Aria the Masterpiece Volume 1

Start Date: August 4th
Previous Chapter: Chapter 6
Next Chapter: Chapter 8

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Well that was a pretty easy chapter to read, though I guess it is only twenty pages long.

My first thought on reading the last panel of page 228 was “Aria, literally your only qualification for being president is that you’re a cat with blue eyes.” :stuck_out_tongue:

The roof of the Aria Company building seems to be less steeply-sloped in close-ups than in long shots. I’ve gotta say, though, the more I look at the Aria Company building, the less there seems to be enough room under the roof for Akari’s bedroom. Compare the positions of the second-floor windows in the last panel of page 244 with the height of the internal walls way back on page 43…

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That was my thought as well. I found I didn’t have to refer to the vocab guide as much as I usually do.
But like you said, maybe that’s just because it’s short.

I agree, the roof does seem steeper on the first panel of page 43.

Poor president Aria, I really felt for him. Especially after reading the note on the typewriter.

Whoever left the note regarding the last panel on p.244 - “awwww…” :slightly_smiling_face:

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I had a specialist appointment on Thursday and she always runs late, so I took the book with me.
I read the entire chapter (and did a bunch of reviews) while I was in the waiting room. :joy:

Passing the time like a boss with my fancy foreign language reading material.

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Aaaaaand my favourite chapter is the short silly cute one. I’m starting to wonder about myself, honestly…

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Just remembered something I want to comment: very first panel of the chapter, 惑星 (わくせい) is furigana’d as ほし. Both can mean “planet”, so why the distinction? Is the idea of “star” intended to be invoked here

Also, not specifically related to this chapter, but I may as well ask it here as anywhere: Akari’s name is a pun, right? 水無, without water, living on the planet of water?

How are you supposed to get caught up on six-year-old Readers’ Digests if you do that?

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Oh! Yeah! I’ve also been wondering :slight_smile: but not enough to stop reading, and I forgot afterward.

That’s how I see it too, with a twist that she has been dreaming of coming to Mars. because she had no water and wanted some.

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Me too! What do you mean by “both can mean planet”, @Belthazar?

I’d also assumed her name was intentional, if not quite a pun. Especially as her other name is kind of fiery as well.

Not sure I would go as far as saying it also means planet, but at least it seems to be a very common 当て字 for 惑星. That being said, my googleing couldn’t find what extra nuance it brings…

That’s putting it mildly. I would have a hard time believing the author came up with that name for the main character by accident. :upside_down_face:

Ah I see, thanks - I wasn’t sure whether Belthazar meant that 星 could also mean ‘planet’, or whether the alternative reading of ほし for 惑星 could also mean planet, if you see what I mean.

Haha, I know, I couldn’t work out how to express what I meant :joy: just that it’s not really a pun.

That was my thought right from Ch 1.

According to what I’ve read, ほし/星 covers a range of meanings including 惑星. Which is quite interesting in itself, as I’d previously thought 星 only meant star.

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I meant 星 could also mean “planet”.

Gotcha. I too did not realise this.

Yep, I found that out a few weeks ago. It also includes planets and comets, which is interesting.


I literally laughed out loud twice reading the chapter. First was President Aria’s idea on page 235. The second was the last panel on page 241.

The end of the chapter was kinda funny. Apparently all you have to do to feel wanted is to pretend to get stuck on the roof.


I did have one question, from page 225. What is 示さねば? Is it some variation of 示さなければ? This would make the previous panel and this one combined something like:
“The president has to work personally to be an example to the employees.”

Right?

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Can I just check my understanding on page 226 as well…

社長としての腕のみせ所です

I believe that’s the same instance of として meaning ‘as / in the role of’ that I asked about in a previous chapter, and that 腕 here is meaning ‘skills’ or ‘ability’. So I’m getting “this is an opportunity to show off /demonstrate one’s skills as the president”?

I also laughed at the handwritten text and the sparkles in the very middle panel of page 227 :laughing: his face is just so gosh darned cute.

I wonder if it’s intended as a double meaning here, because he is lifting something with his arms.

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Well, my first interpretation was literally that it was an opportunity to show off that he could actually do something with his tiny little arms :joy: so seems plausible that the literal double meaning is intentional.

I’m just giving it a second read-through and Alicia’s face on page 231 (one up from the bottom) is priceless, and the whole arc from page 233 to 235 cracked me up. Such a roller coaster of emotions!

Oh, and the bit on page 232 where he realises he doesn’t actually have anywhere to go so he just sits on the roof…

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Oh my gosh, I love this chapter. Such drama - such heartbreak! :joy: He definitely deserved some food and cuddles after all that, poor guy :heart:

The company president’s kind of my favorite character tbh, he’s just too cute xD

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にゅ! Yes, I just wish the character was drawn to look a little cuter

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Like ヒメ社長?

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