Arakawa Under the Bridge

Well, this is one eccentric show. And even calling it that seems to take away from the eccentricity of it all. I do know this, it had me laughing like a maniac the first episode through and if an anime can do that, it's worth watching to the end. I like that it's really just weird and the characters ae weird, but behind everything it's just a kind of oddball romance and it's cute to see the interaction between Rec and Nino, especially how Nino teaches Rec a few things without her even noticing. I think this is going to be a cute comedy with ... a nice romantic underlining. I can't wait to see it develop further. Plus, it can be funny as hell.

Story: 8- Oddball comedy with a romance lining. FUNNY.

Art: 7-8- I'm on the fence here. Some shots of Nino are stunning, and some scenes are beautiful. But it's not consistent. And Rec looks odd most of the time, though he has his fair share of 'good' shots.

Sound: -- Again, not paying much attention. The OP is cute though.

Character: 7-8- They've already introduced a good bit of weird characters, and Rec gets some back-story right off the bat, but really I'm curious to learn about all the other characters! Especially Nino, who is she really? Where did she come from? Why is she there? Why won't she leave the bridge?? And...what's wrong with everyone else??! But maybe (if this is that kind of anime) we'll never get an answer to those questions.

Enjoyment: 8-9- Super funny. 'Nuff said! But really, it'll make you laugh out-loud like a little kid most of the time (though other times it's just weird). I'm waiting for the romance to kick-off though,

Life is the crazily raging river running from past to future. There is a bridge called society and expectations that lets us cross over the river, should we, like most people take it.

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The story of 'Arakawa under the bridge' revolves around male protagonist Ichinomiya Ko, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, an elite of society in every regard (good at everything), and has strong family tradition to never rely on anyone. The opening episode is him on this bridge crossing over the river. Much like how he is progressing forward, but crossing over what true "life" is.

In an unexpected turn ... of events, Ko meets the female protagonist Nino who saves his life. Feeling indebted to Nino, Ko attempts to pay her back and follow the family policy of never relying on anyone. Oddly enough, Love becomes the one thing that bind Ko to Nino. The other residents of the river are slowly introduced and thus begins the crazy daily happenings of Life under the bridge as Ko learns about himself and people under the bridge, develops to a different human being, and as he fights of his father's plots to take him back.

The only flaws to the story I found was that it didn't quite settle on a solid "plot" or a "slice of life" direction. Many episodes seemed to be uncorrelated and had no continues plot, while other had more serious plot ideas (ie. v.s the Ichinomiya group). If there was a more serious direction it may have been more easy to follow.

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The art for the series is quite beautifully and uniquely done, particularly as it involved drawing irregular characters, like buff nuns, frequently. Directed by Akiyuki Shinobu (Negima!, Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei), and animated by Shaft Studio (Monogatari, Negima!, Sayonary Zetsubo Sensei) I expected no less than absolute quality, which they did deliver.

The clarity of the animation style (thicker outlines) combined with the environmental designs had me hooked from the beginning. The detail used in the setting (the bridge, river, grass) was exceptional, but cannot be compared to Makoto Shinkai (5cm per second). Overall, I really enjoyed Shaft's output and consistency in animating the odd characters while maintaining environmental clarity and integrity.

The only issues i found with the animation was the lack of diversity in environment. This may be a "me only" thing, but I found that they used the same settings for pretty much everything, that the "backdrop" for a scene "here" or scene "there" would be used over and over. It'd barely noticeable, but for me I'd like to have a larger diversity of areas.
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The sound for the series never disappointed me. To begin, OP "Venus to Jesus" by Etsuko Yakushimary caught my ear. The opening had a very unique feel to it and the song is a bit awkward but yet sounds great. It caught me unexpectedly as I'm usually exposed to the more cliché opening (ie. j-rock/hip). Aside from the tender opening, the ending was interesting as well with "upside-down bridge" by Suneohair producing a contrast from the opening, but really helped to close the episode off. The random OP in a certain episode also added to the comedy.

The sound throughout the series was great, background themes worked well and weren't over used, coupled with the character voicing that were consistent with the characters made this series have the irregular slice of life atmosphere I appreciate. It also helped to mediate the plot in areas where silence or other themes would've been awkward.

The only issues I found with the "sound" was that nothing really "stood out" beyond what is said above. There isn't the strong immortalized emotional melodies during emotional scenes, or distinct "theme" music for characters per se.

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The characters were a broad and diverse bunch who carried unique pasts (most of which we'll never know about) and who provide very critical social commentary. A brief introduction of the characters will prove to show the diversity and commentary.

Protagonist Ichinomiya Ko, nicknamed "Ric" or "recruit" is the new addition to the riverbank and the story flows showing his development as he expressed the usual and societal ideologies of "life" and "values". Being, in reality, a super successful elite, he represents what regular people aspire to. Oddly enough in the upsidedown world of Arakawa, he is meerly the a "leech" in the least. His confrontations with his short comings and with other things he finds valuable in life are the key points of his developement and will keep you thinking. Voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya (Teiria-Gundam00, Izaya-Durara, etc), the expressions of Ko to situations is diverse and draws attention and sympathies.

Female protagonist, Nino, is the self proclaimed Venusian who brings Ko, as a lover into the group. Little is known about her and her past. But she expresses the purest form of humanity, much like a child she accepts things and takes things oddly seriously. Her love for Ko is uniquely expressed and her lack of expression makes her very interesting to watch. She directly contrasts Ko in both values and traditions as she knows seemingly nothing of the surface world, or its values. She knows of love and caring for other people, sometimes blissfully ignorant of many facts. Her comments about Ko's responses to kindness, or forcing him to show it provide insightful commentary for how society perceives those around them.

The village chief, or the kappa, is a self proclaimed Kappa who is obviously some guy in a costume. The general hilarity of seeing a character completely believing in their own decided existence makes him fun to watch, particularly how his character does not change. Kappa, dare I say represents nature or the earth. Part of life, yet barely recognized (and recognized less and less though the years).

Hoshi, or Star, is the rival of Ko for the love of Nino. He is also a musician. The comedy of him and Ko's onesided rivalry is fun to watch in itself. But, truly it is his expressions in situations and how he completely delves into the world of Arakawa and combines it into his rivalry that is the most interesting. I think he is a major reason that Ko is able to integrate into the community, and an even greater reason that Ko is able to truly appreciate Nino. Hoshi represents one extreme of expressionism, muscianship. In society, those that pursue music to an over extent are critqued and excluded.

Other characters that are introduced each present their own very unique expressions of reality and uniqueness. Each commenting on individual ghosts of past and on societal reconciliation with said people. For the sake of length, I've excluded an indepth analysis of the other Characters:
- Sister (the Military male Nun)
- P-ko (the cute gardener girl)
- Iron Twins (the two kids with iron helmets)
- Maria ( sadist, and farmer)
- Stella (the little girl)
and other minor characters (Takai, Billy, Jacqueline, Last Samurai, Shimazaki, father Ichinomiya, etc).

If you'd like to hear my opinion about these characters please PM me.

The only flaw I found was that the characters were used very "on and off" the only character that was used consistently was Ko (expectedly). There are episodes that will no even touch upon characters for a long time. Billy, Jacqueline, and Last Samurai for example, do not even get fully introduced until the last episode of this season.

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I really enjoyed this series, not only because it had me laughing, crying, or nervous at the right times, but rather because of it's awkward uniqueness that resonates with the human soul. I started this series hoping for nice rom-com, which is supplies, but I found a deeper social commentary in the series. I was, throughout the series, reflecting on where my sympathies lie, and like any other anime fan ... What would I do if I met these characters in reality?

The abnormalities of the people in the series, in real life, would be the people we deem to be crazy, that we can't spend another day with. Indeed, having done lots of work with people in poverty, there are many people with delusions out there. In reality, we cast them aside, or rather acknowledge their insanity. Even though they live in crazy communities, we neglect their reality.

So when did crazy become so normal? I don't know at what point in the series that I finally accepted the Mayor as being a Kappa, or that Hoshi was a star, or Nino was actually from Venus. In fact, near the end I became part of Arakawa, finding Ko's surface level ignorance to be odd, finding that Ko was the crazy one.

So this was most enjoyable to me because It actually made me realize how immersed is was in the world or Arakawa.
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Overall, an amazing first season. PM me if you have any thoughts or comments about my review. I hope you check this series out.

Part 1 English
Part 2 Bahasa Indonesia

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Well, well, well, what do we have here? It's Arakawa Under the Bridge, an anime that's so weird, it makes my collection of Hawaiian shirts look normal.

The premise is simple - a rich guy named Ko Ichinomiya falls into a river and is rescued by a homeless girl named Nino. He ends up owing her a debt and moves into a community of eccentric and bizarre characters who live under a bridge.

Now, if you're looking for an anime that's grounded in reality, you've come to the wrong place. This anime is like a Salvador Dali painting come to life. The ... characters are all strange and quirky, and the humor is often absurdist and surreal.

But let's be real here, the humor isn't for everyone. Some might find it too strange or nonsensical, like a car that runs on pickles. And the plot, well, let's just say that it's not exactly the most coherent thing I've ever seen.

Overall, I'd give Arakawa Under the Bridge a score of 6.875/10. It's a weird and wacky anime that's sure to leave you scratching your head, but if you're in the mood for something completely bonkers, this might be right up your alley

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Baiklah, apa yang kita miliki di sini? Ini adalah Arakawa Under the Bridge, anime yang begitu aneh sehingga membuat koleksi baju Hawaiian saya terlihat normal.

Premisnya sederhana - seorang pria kaya bernama Ko Ichinomiya jatuh ke sungai dan diselamatkan oleh seorang gadis tunawisma bernama Nino. Dia akhirnya berhutang kepadanya dan pindah ke sebuah komunitas karakter yang eksentrik dan aneh yang tinggal di bawah jembatan.

Sekarang, jika Anda mencari anime yang berlandaskan realitas, Anda salah tempat. Anime ini seperti lukisan Salvador Dali yang hidup. Karakter-karakternya semua aneh dan eksentrik, dan humor seringkali absurd dan surreal.

Tapi mari jujur, humor ini tidak untuk semua orang. Beberapa orang mungkin merasa terlalu aneh atau tidak masuk akal, seperti mobil yang dijalankan dengan acar mentimun. Dan plotnya, baiklah, mari kita bilang bahwa itu bukanlah yang paling koheren yang pernah saya lihat.

Secara keseluruhan, saya akan memberikan skor 6.875/10 untuk Arakawa Under the Bridge. Ini adalah anime yang aneh dan gila yang pasti akan membuat Anda menggaruk kepala, tetapi jika Anda sedang dalam suasana hati untuk sesuatu yang benar-benar kacau, mungkin ini cocok untuk Anda

* Enjoyment and laugh levels overload,WHY IS THIS SO UNDERRATED??!!?!*
Like literally i can't describe it with more than 3 sentences. Firstly, one of the best comedies ever created. It lacks common sense, but that's the whole point!!
Absolutely hilarious, original and outstandingly beautiful.
Epic voice actors and fucking unique story and characters.
If it was only a Comedy-parody this would be a 9/10 but since its has "Comical"-->romance that kinda ruined it. Whatsoever it wasn't bad. It could have been better . . .
In my opinion, this was 4 hours full of laugh and enjoyment.The only problem is, that in the end you will wanna learn the ... truth behind the characters. (I hope 2nd season will cover the backstory)
What are you waiting for? Bookmark it, watch it you won't regret it if you like comedies!!
9/10 people said that this is a masterpiece!

This was my Shameless critic.
I am leaving without remorse!

If you like weird, but an amazingly well-written story then this is your kind of show.

This show has a certain type of humour which is not liked by everyone, which I can understand. The humour comes mostly from its weird cast of characters, which often results into something called ‘dry humour’.

The characters make this show great for me. They are unique in their own way and I mean this, they are very unique. They are a bunch of weird people living under a bridge, and without a doubt, they believe everything they do is the most normal thing ever and I love it. They ... live in peace with one another even though they differ so much. They are accepting a person for who they are which is a wonderful thing.

What makes it even more enjoyable is how you were expecting a sort of normal main character getting his life thrown around by these weird people, but he is weird himself. How amusing.

This show is all about its comedy, but there is a certain amount of character development in it. There is more to this show than meets the eye.

So the conclusion is, everyone with a taste for dry humour will enjoy this thoroughly.

This was a very cute, very hilarious, touching, kind of show. It subtly hit on a few very real philosophies and ideas about the kinds of expectations a parent or guardian can have for their kid. It touched on a few deeper topics, which gave this show just a little more appeal and juice that it needed on top of all of the hullabaloo. And th soundtrack is AWESOME, i listen to the ending song of season 1 almost every day. Suneohair FTW!!!

This show is one of the most fun and random shows i've seen, and it was a great time watching the MC adapt ... to life going from the rich kid life to living under a bridge with other bridge dweller cats.

Okay besides all that, this show is SO troll funny humour, weird relationships between characters, and a very wide variety of the kinds of characters, and there something i guess you could call character development in this show, (i dont even know what happens to some of the characters over the course of the show LOL.)

Great watch, would recommend to someone who is looking for some laughs, a charming cutesy show (it has its moments i promise,) and some ideas from your parents that just might make you think a little bit..

Well at first i judged this anime by the cover and thought it would really suck but then one day i was bord enough to watch and truthfully this anime is interesting and has its funny moments.

The story mostly revolves around 2 people Nino and Recruit(Ric).

The story starts of as Ric trying to get his pants that a few kids stole from him and hung on part of a bridge he climbs to get it at that moment he meets Nino who offers help but because of Vics pride he refuses so he gets his pants and falls into the water by accident. He was ... about to die then Nino saved him because of that Ric stay with Nino as her lover because he feels everytime some one does something for him he most repay that person.

And that were the story begins

(This review covers both season of arakawa under the bridge)
have you ever wondered why sometimes weird things makes us laugh ?
I think it is because it gives us a relieve from common sense and logic.

Story(7/10) - A perfect and respectable of person of society starts living under the bridge,sounds crazy enough ? add some even more crazyness by adding crazy characters.and there daily live is called arakawa under the bridge.
But is arakawa only comedy.I do not think so because you will find some nuggets of great lessons in it.But let's come to the actual point.It has no reall story XD

Art(7/10) - Shaft is known for ... there unique art style.and you definitely can that is arakawa. you will also found great sakuga movements in it.and as a bonus you will find at the end of every episode a artwork by different mangaka.

Sound(8/10) - This anime was one of the early anime work of Music Composer Yokoyama Masaru (Your Lie in April fame).and There is Stellar Voice acting of the Seiyuu. Especially of Kamiya Hiroshi and
Sugita Tomokazu ( his himo song in the anime XD).there are also other famous Seiyuu like Miyuki Sawashiro and Nakamura Yuuichi.

Characters(9/10) - and Now comes the Soul of this anime.The characters.they are wacky,funny and most of time illogical XD.

Enjoyment (9/10) - I enjoyed this anime a lot because of its quirky nature.

Overall (8/10) - Wanna Kill Common Sense ?
Then there is no need to look further that the holy land of arakwa under the bridge.

and fun fact - The anime this manga on based is written by Kamiya Hiroshi's Wife.

My first review ever, so I don't know if it will be good. :)

Story 10/10
This is the only anime I've watched that has no particular story whatsoever, but manages to hint deep thoughts behind the comedy scenes. So, the story is absolutely ridiculous, all the characters are crazy ( I mean , they live under the bridge without any reason to do so ) and there is no main plot, there is a lot of smaller stories and thoughts that we follow. How, you ask, is it possible that this anime is even watchable let alone enjoyable? It's really simple, the key is in the ... simplicity of the story. Each episode is filled with comedy and ridiculousness and it is amazing how fast the episode ends. You just go with the flow. On the first glance, the anime doesn't really look promising, but believe me, as the episodes go by, you will see more and more of the deep thougts that are hidden behind the daily lives of our citizens under the bridge.


Art 8/10

Art is mainly good, I remeber there were a few scenes where it could have been better, but all in all I enjoyed the way the characters were designed and the backgrounds were beautiful.


Sound 10/10

Sound in this anime is perfect, it really matches all the scenes. I especially loved the ending.


Character 10/10

Characters are the key point of this anime. Each character is explained through the episodes, and each has his own share of circumestances. As our mc is "normal" among them all, we are watching the acts of the other citizens under the bridge from his point of view. The more he spends time with the bunch under the bridge, the more he begins to question all that he took for granted, even the meaning of being 'normal'. Mc is the character that really develops throughout the series and that is what I liked the most.


Enjoyment 10/10

I laughed throughout the whole series, I really enjoyed the character development and I loved the way the story was told - simple but brilliant.


Overall 10/10

I really think that being able to tell deep thoughts in a comedy with crazy characters and even crazier events, in which our mc is frequently found, is a talent in itself. I highly recommend this anime to anyone who is looking for a laugh or a good slice of life anime with a little bit of romance in it.

From the first episode there was something to this anime, a kind of quirk that I wanted to see more of later in the series. The dynamic between the characters was part of it. I really enjoyed the relationships that the characters formed supported by the uniqueness of the characters themselves. Those who enjoy the 'feeling' of the first episode will be pleased to hear that the later episodes hold the same feeling.

The storyline followed a blurry line that seemed to stray from the 'main progression' though looking back after watching the whole series those straying episodes did not run too far off ... the path and helped to progress the story, if only a little.

The characters are all extremely unique in their design but hold a sense of familiarity. As with most stories of any kind, they are the embodiment of targeted emotions or characteristics that we all have (nothing new there) however, what makes them unique is their actions and trains of thought are frighteningly easy to make sense of. The best way to describe the character dynamic is the the main character unknowingly falls into one of the mad hatter's tea parties.

All said, this anime is a light one but one to watch, have a laugh, and forget about how hard life is for a few episodes with all of the characters' mind-numbing antics (in a good way).

After two big disappointments with Soul Eater and Occult Academy I decided on watching 2 respected animes yesterday. One which has been very good so far, Durara!! (I only watched 12 episodes so far) and the other which is very good, but that could've been a masterpiece - Arakawa Under The Bridge. Before anyone says anything I didn't watch the 2nd season. I'm just analyzing the first season for what it was.

*Note: I've finished watching the 2nd season and it's exactly the same as the 1st. A little bit more boring, actually, but it's still enjoyable.*

An overly proud man who accepts no favors from ... anybody is saved by a self-proclaimed Venusian woman. He can't feel at ease unless he pays her back. What she asks in return is nothing else than to be loved. Ko (the man) agrees with her and is then forced on start living under the bridge with Nino (the girl). He then, finds out that there are many other people living under the bridge. The first one he meets, the mayor (a guy wearing a kappa costume) names him Recruit and thus, his life with Nino under the bridge starts.

I must say, the first two episodes were perfect. Full of comedy, interesting twists and the promise of one of the best plots you could find in an anime. But it stopped there.

I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one who felt like that while watching it. I truly believe that lots of other viewers were expecting a lot of character development, such as the reasons why those people decided to live there, what happened in their past and why most of them try hiding their real identity (Star is the only one with some consistent background in the whole first season). I must admit that I was also expecting some romance development, which is really rare for me in a series. I thought Ko and Nino made a really interesting couple, and think they could have provided some unique moments during the first season.

And this was my major let down with Arakawa. After watching the first two episodes I thought I was about to watch a masterpiece for sure, but their resolution on focusing on the comedy only and on some cliche situations (like the conflict between Ko and his father) was a definite waste, in my opinion.

I won't deny that I enjoyed watching it a lot. Despite the average story, the art is really beautiful with expressive characters and beautiful landscapes. The seiyuus did an amazing work as well, even when the other sound aspects weren't that special: an okay soundtrack, op & ed.

It could have been a masterpiece. I hope the second season makes amends for the first one.

So i found this show just by chance, I've been looking for good shows for awhile now because the newer stuff just isn't that good.

Opening - so the opening is pretty fitting for the show, the visuals have this kind of dreamy affect to them plus with the way the song is sung it just combines into a work of art.

Story - To keep this short and sweet, if you know the show Gintama' OK take the comedy from that show or a portion of it and add a sweet side of romance and that's how to put i simply, but it's better than i ... describe it.

Character - Ok so if you know the Gintama characters, it's kind of like that, each character having their own comedic character traits and habits.

Personal Opinion - If you're a sucker for those shows with the sweet romance that you see slowly build up, but with that comedic spice sprinkled, don't worry the comedy is actually funny.

I honestly think you'll get a kick out of this show I mean you can at least give it a try.

I usually give an average of 7 to anime that i like but this one is pure 10.I only have 2 Anime a 10 and this one is 3rd
The story is great,characters are funny and interesting and there is slow but solid character development and as
each episode goes you learn more about everyone
Animation and quality are 10,nothing to complain.
All i can say is its a must watch.Not only does it have romance and comedy but also its gives you a new perspective on life.It shows what really matter and that just because someone is different doesnt mean they are bad in fact it might ... be the opposite.Watch it and you will not regret it

The setting and characters are displaced from reality but still very likeable - there’s Nino, girl in a windbreaker who thinks she’s from Venus, there’s Hoshi, (literally meaning star) a man that covers his head with a plush star mask infatuated with the Nino and love rival to the MC, and the MC, Kou Ichinomiya who is heir to a large corporation and as early as when he was just a grade schooler was taught by his father (in ridiculous fashion) to never owe anything to anyone through his father dressing up as a baby and making Kou take care of him.

The animation is ... reminiscent of Bakemonogatari and the music has a very indie artist feel. The art is the usual anime style but with occasional flourishes of color and pop art cuts with the main characters.

The anime is about the characters under the bridge interacting with one another, usually with Kou playing the straight-man within the interaction or being teased. Other than that, not much actually happens in terms of a plot or characterization. There might be little hints here and there of the characters and what they are doing under the bridge but mainly not much happens. I could definitely see this being a problem for someone that really wants a plot or experience a story. However, that's not what this anime is for. This anime is for when you don’t want to think about stuff like school, work, personal problems, or atrocities that happen to people all the time and just want to unwind. For that purpose, I find it's perfect.

I watched the first and second seasons of Arakawa and I really enjoyed the show, although I was a bit disappointed that some of the character back stories/romances/conflicts were never completely resolved-- at least to the level that I would have preferred.

Story:
Absolutely hilarious; I would recommend watching just for the comedy factor. There was also an interesting back story for the main character, Rec, as well as for his love interest, Nino. However, I felt like the second season ended without much resolution. I was left with so many questions still unanswered. I wish there was a third season!

Art:
Decent. There were some pretty moments, especially ... when it came to the scenery in the background, but the art for the characters was nothing extraordinary. Still, I've seen far worse.

Sound:
This is mainly a comedy, so the intro and credit music were nothing stunning, just funny and up-beat to fit the mood.

Character:
Again, I felt that Rec and Nino began to be developed into interesting, dynamic characters, but I think the series ended just short of its full potential. The supporting characters were hilarious and charming, though.

Enjoyment:
Watching Arakawa is a great way to pass an afternoon. I was amused the entire time and I laughed a lot.

Overall:
I would recommend watching this anime as long as you are looking for something light-hearted and quick. Definitely worth your time.

At first glace, Arakawa Under the Bridge just looks like your averagely bizarre anime with a sketchy plotline and averagely bizarre characters. However, it's proved to be much more than that to me. Arakawa presents an environment packed full of character development and relationships that simply draw the viewer in.

Arakawa has a large amount of characters, and the story, for me, revolves around how all the characters branch out and form relationships with eachother, but the truly unique aspect of Arakawa to me is the way the that relationships... grow.

In the first few episodes, I thought that the romance between ric and nino was ... just a forced, cold, and unloving one, which I also believed would eventually lead to the show's demise. However, their relationship quickly strengthens and as the story progresses,you start to feel the love and romance between the two. Along with ric and nino, Arakawa develops relationships between all of the characters - in a very dynamic way.

While watching Arakawa Under The Bridge, the viewer is drawn into the hearts of each character and faces the obstacles presented to the cast while they make their residence under a great bridge that they like to call home.

i admit that it is not hard to make me like,love or go crazy over an anime, but Arakawa is something on a whole different level:
the story- hilarious
the characters- ingenious
the voice actors some of the best
and they all mix together into one random, silly, inspiring, over the top funny anime that we should all at some point see.
and of-course the second season is just as good

Spoiler free!

I have to admit, watching Arakawa Under the Bridge was a wild ride. The characters all come off as really unique, each of them are remarkably different and have their own weird quirks.

It wasn't until I read another review that I realized it's about how we shouldn't worry so much about conforming to society's standards. I really appreciate that, because being a bit of a strange person myself I've always stood out- whether I liked it or not.

I love the fact that they embraced that no matter who you are or what you do, you're still you. That there will always be people ... who care about you, who are like you, you still fit in somewhere.

Pretty much my only complaints are that I was SO lost for a long time. "What is this?" and "What is even happening?" were questions that were constantly on my mind. But it also made me realize that even if I am confused, it doesn't stop me from enjoying something. It's okay to not get things.

I recommend this anime to anyone who can handle the amount of randomness in this anime, it was a bit of a challenge for me to keep up with but I still really enjoyed it nonetheless.

Another thing I wish they touched on more was character exposition. I really would like to know what led these beautiful characters to be how they are now. They do touch on a bit, like Hoshi's past. Although, there's so many cool characters that just aren't talked about enough.

That concludes my first ever review on MAL though, I hope you all enjoy this beautiful anime :)

It's hard to know where to start reviewing such a fever dream of an anime, but I will attempt to. The "plot" consists of a successful CEO named Ichi almost drowning, before being saved by a strange blonde girl named Nino. Not wanting to be indebted to anyone due to his family motto, he agrees to become her "lover" and live with her under the bridge he fell from. It turns out there is a community of eccentrics living under the bridge.

That is both the premise and the plot. The anime mainly consists of Ichi meeting various members of the community and the wacky antics ... that ensue. So if you are after an anime with a coherent and strong storyline, this is most definitely not for you. The show is also listed as a "Romance" on this site, but this is sort of debatable. The romance aspects of the show are very few and far between, perhaps this will be more prevalent in the second season, if I watch it.

And so the main genre of this anime is certainly comedy. For me, it was hit and miss. There is certainly a lot of good comedy in this anime, mostly absurdist, sometimes referential (such as a straight up rip of Bisky from HxH). Sometimes the humour was drowned out by the utterly frantic editing style of the show, which if you have watched it you will know what I mean, I really cannot describe it.

It is also quite a heartwarming anime and has good messages about how to live life, and Ichi actually goes through some pretty solid character development. Other character's stories are quite heartwarming too like that of Hoshi. Although, I personally would have liked to have known some more about how the community came to be and more character backgrounds (although that would probably be against the message of the show). Some moments also seem not to make much sense, such as how Stella is able to transform and everyone is able to see this occur. It is pretty confusing. Some characters are also just plain unlikable douches, like Maria, who gets way too much screentime and does nothing but insult the actually likable characters.

Overall, if you are ok with meandering, slow paced shows, but also ok with insanely fast editing and no logic, this show may be for you. For most people, it will probably just come across as nonsensical and rather pointless. I thought it was ok, so I give it a...

6/10

So what is the essential element of comedy?
It would be the element of surprise, one would say.

Arakawa Under the Bridge is a comedy that breaks the concept of any expectations to outer space (and quite literally with introduction of Nino), something which modern comedy often lacks. Is this show hilarious? Absolutely.

And those confused with the romance genre tag: It's not a romantic-comedy like Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, but rather a comedy-romance, focused much on the first part than the latter.

But would I recommend this series to anybody I see? Yes. But would I recommend them to finish both seasons... No. In fact, I'd actually tell ... them to drop this mid-series for a reason I will explain.

Story: 7/10
This is the type of comedy I just couldn't see coming. It mainly comes from characters who just blow expectations you'd see from an anime. But this type of anime has a critical flaw. As you watch more of this kind, the element of surprise dwindles, making each successive episode less funny than the rest. I've come to a problem with this section as I was watching the second season, and the comedy just wasn't fresh anymore. Either take a break from this series while you watch this or drop it. This isn't the best show for binge watching IMO.

When the element of surprise is fresh, the story is a 9/10. But with more exposure, it just becomes an average routinical comedy.

Art: Works fine to tell the story.

Sound: 8/10
Being a comedy, there just isn't need for many background tracks (although Konosuba revealed how much vibrance it could bring with just soundtracks). One thing that Kinda bugged me throughout the series was the fact that the VA for Kou was VA for Araragi and I just wasn't able to get Araragi out of my mind for the first few episodes. Well, it might be just me every time I hear Hiroshi Kamiya's voice.

Character: 9/10
The way that these characters are just out of the Earth (and one literally) is what makes this entire comedy work.
There is a diverse spectrum of characters, all of which are perfectly suited for comedy. And what is fantastic about this series that even the side characters have importance in the comedy, unlike how some cliche anime just throws them away or kills them for 3 seconds of emotion. Those who live under the Arakawa Bridge will make you laugh, I'm sure.

Enjoyment: 8/10
Pretty funny series overall. No complaints. I wouldn't say that this is the masterpiece of comedy, but it made me just laugh really.

Overall: 8/10
Funny and above average anime that just makes you wonder what would happen next.
But drop this series once you feel like this gets repetitive. I personally gave a lower score to the second season because it just didn't feel as funny anymore. It wasn't much different from the first season, but being exposed to the characters for quite some time didn't make the series as funny as it could have been.

TL DR; Funny series that is an expert at the element of surprise. However, it will fade as you watch more episodes, and I'd recommend dropping this series once the comedy starts to feel like a routine.