Review: Arakawa Under the Bridge (anime)

Current mood: BORED

Even before the anime was planned I've heard of the manga, from a weekly magazine or online reader, I don't remember. The only thing I knew about the series was a man with a star-shaped head. That's all. Then the anime came out, I still see the star-shaped head guy, and because I wanted to watch some comedy, so I picked AUTB.

The story follows a man named Ichinomiya Kou whose family motto was "Never be indebted to anyone". His pants got snatched by some thug youths and they hung it on a bridge pole. Kou, trained well by his father, refuses to get help from anyone, not that there's anyone passing by anyway. A girl was sitting by the edge of the bridge, fishing, and Kou didn't realize that. She offers to help him get his pants back with her fishing pole, but Ko refuses, again with his family motto. He climbs the pole to retrieve his pants, but halfway through his boxers got stuck between some wires, and the girl asked if he needed any help again. Kou still refuses, and the girl stops whatever she was doing, which was supporting the pole from falling down... and Kou falls into the river along with the pole. He was about to drown when the girl rescues him... and he's indebted to her. After all that effort though.

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Kou wants to clear his 'debt' quick, so he offers the girl a comfortable house (she's living under the bridge) and some other material stuff, but she declines. Kou insists on repaying her, and so she wants him to be her lover. Desperate to clear his 'debt', Kou agrees., but he's never dated before (WTF). She introduces herself as Nino, and brings Kou to meet the chief, a kappa. Chief gives him a new name, Recruit.

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Kou meets the other residents living under the bridge. The star-head guy I mentioned was Hoshi; there's a normal-looking middle-aged man named Shiro (White); a young clumsy girl by the name P-ko; the (probably) veteran soldier who now opens a church, Sister; beautiful but sadistic Maria; two brothers wearing metal helmets Tetsuo and Tetsuro; Last Samurai, the barber; guy with a parrot head, Billy and self-proclaimed queen bee Jacqueline. Another resident soon came along: Stella, an orphan who used to be under Sister's care when he was still in England. Do not judge the book by its cover though, Stella can transform into something... unexpected.

Various events happen under the bridge, and just when we're wondering about Kou's company, Takai, his secretary shows up! Kou tries to mask the fact that he's living down here because of a dept and asks help for some of the residents to disguise as his new employees. Only Shiro did a good job though (because he was once a businessman). Somehow Takai is convinced that construction work is in progress but when Nino shows up to introduce herself as Kou's lover he just snapped. Takai has a Kou obsession WTF.

SourceReminds me of Ace Attorney shhh....)

Soon after, Kou's father receive news from Takai's assistant about his son's 'living conditions'. He is displeased about Kou's failure to live up to the family motto and decides to destroy what he holds dear under the bridge. Kou also realizes that his dad was trying to buy the land and develop it, so he goes back to his company to compete for the land rights. Kou's plan was not successful as the contract company was afraid of the Ichinomiya Company. It seemed that Kou's father might win... but then a mysterious figure intervened and the residents under the bridge are saved! The father loses himself and decides to see how his son is doing... and his pants got hung by thug youths. Like father like son! He meets Nino and sees his son... and decides to leave him alone. Case solved? Teaser for second season comes up. Last episode was just there to introduce the other three characters who rarely show up: Last Samurai, Billy and Jacqueline.

My thoughts: Quite humorous, but not enough to make me crack up. I may go and say it's boring, but that's too sad. The funniest there was Maria I think. I like her sadism. And the Stella's whole... getup... was amusing. There was one particular scene which made me roar in laughter though. Kou takes Nino out for her ideal 'date' and he said he studied (shoujo manga wtf) and there had an event where the boyfriend carries his girlfriend bridal style, and the results were STUPID AF. That was only one scene. The others were not as funny. Maybe because I watched GSNK. Maybe. Sister and was silly af also. Overall I wouldn't recommend watching this because I feel it's boring, sad but true. However it spawned a second season so I guess it appeals to some audiences?