Arakawa Under the Bridge

Arakawa Under the Bridge (荒川アンダー ザ ブリッジ) is a Japanese manga series created by Hikaru Nakamura. The manga was first serialized in the Japanese seinen manga magazine Young Gangan starting December 3, 2004. An anime adaptation by Shaft was broadcast in Japan starting in April 4, 2010 on TV Tokyo. A second season was announced during the first season last episode.

Plot
The story of a young upcoming party official who by chance meets a girl who claims to be a capitalist from Venus. He is then forced into a strange bizarre new life in which he lives under a bridge along the Arakawa River along with other strange individuals ranging from faux Orthodox priests to mythical water monsters and social outcasts.

Characters

 * Kou Ichinomiya (市ノ宮 行)
 * Kou is the future owner of the Ichinomiya corporation. He is 22 years old and a university student before living under the bridge. Throughout his life he has been living under the family rule of never being indebted to anyone. After nearly drowning in the river, he started a relationship with his savior, Nino, because it was the only way to remove the debt of saving his life. He was named "Recruit" (リクルート) by the village chief but the villagers usually call him "Rec" ("Riku") for short. If he becomes indebted to someone but cannot repay them, he'll start having an asthma attack. Even since he was little he has received the best education. Among other things he knows how to play multiple instruments and is a black belt in karate. Kou took the option of staying in the "villa" rather than Nino's house when he moved into the village, not knowing that the "villa" was the empty top of a pillar under the bridge. He quickly remedies the situation by building himself a proper apartment at the location. His job in the village is to be the teacher for the village's children. Due to his upbringing and his sudden intrusion into life under the bridge, he is exasperated at the nonsensical happenings that the others would consider normal.
 * Kou is the future owner of the Ichinomiya corporation. He is 22 years old and a university student before living under the bridge. Throughout his life he has been living under the family rule of never being indebted to anyone. After nearly drowning in the river, he started a relationship with his savior, Nino, because it was the only way to remove the debt of saving his life. He was named "Recruit" (リクルート) by the village chief but the villagers usually call him "Rec" ("Riku") for short. If he becomes indebted to someone but cannot repay them, he'll start having an asthma attack. Even since he was little he has received the best education. Among other things he knows how to play multiple instruments and is a black belt in karate. Kou took the option of staying in the "villa" rather than Nino's house when he moved into the village, not knowing that the "villa" was the empty top of a pillar under the bridge. He quickly remedies the situation by building himself a proper apartment at the location. His job in the village is to be the teacher for the village's children. Due to his upbringing and his sudden intrusion into life under the bridge, he is exasperated at the nonsensical happenings that the others would consider normal.


 * Nino (ニノ)
 * A mysterious girl who lives in Arakawa. She is a self-claimed Venusian and later Kou's girlfriend. The origin of her name comes from the sweatsuit that she always wear that has the tag "Class 2-3" on it. She is an incredible swimmer and can stay submerge for several minutes. With this skill Nino commonly goes fishing in the river and it is her job in the village to provide fish for the residents. She often forgets important information and often needs Kou to remind her. Her home is constructed of cardboard with the entrance sealed by a large curtain. Her lavish bed is made out of velvet, although she chooses to sleep in the drawer under the bed. If she becomes frightened or angry, she'll pull her sweatsuit over her head and climb on top of a streetlamp.
 * A mysterious girl who lives in Arakawa. She is a self-claimed Venusian and later Kou's girlfriend. The origin of her name comes from the sweatsuit that she always wear that has the tag "Class 2-3" on it. She is an incredible swimmer and can stay submerge for several minutes. With this skill Nino commonly goes fishing in the river and it is her job in the village to provide fish for the residents. She often forgets important information and often needs Kou to remind her. Her home is constructed of cardboard with the entrance sealed by a large curtain. Her lavish bed is made out of velvet, although she chooses to sleep in the drawer under the bed. If she becomes frightened or angry, she'll pull her sweatsuit over her head and climb on top of a streetlamp.


 * Village Chief (村長)
 * The village chief is a self-claimed 620-year old kappa. Despite what he says, it is obvious that he is just wearing a green costume. This is evident by seeing regular skin beneath his helmet and numerous zippers on his arms and legs. He is also able to extend or retract his hair by turning the bald spot on top of his head. As chief, anyone who wants to live in the village has to get his approval and have him give the person a new name. Using the excuse of preparing for the trip to Venus, he tricked the villagers into building him a villa under the river.
 * The village chief is a self-claimed 620-year old kappa. Despite what he says, it is obvious that he is just wearing a green costume. This is evident by seeing regular skin beneath his helmet and numerous zippers on his arms and legs. He is also able to extend or retract his hair by turning the bald spot on top of his head. As chief, anyone who wants to live in the village has to get his approval and have him give the person a new name. Using the excuse of preparing for the trip to Venus, he tricked the villagers into building him a villa under the river.


 * Hoshi (星)
 * A 24-year old singer and a self-proclaimed superstar. He'll regularly hold concerts in the village but his songs' lyrics are mostly weird and complete nonsense. He is in love with Nino and is always jealous of Kou due to their relationship. Under his star mask is a moon mask and under that is his real face who has red hair. When he becomes depressed he'll start calling himself a seastar. He likes to go to the nearby convenience store and buy cigarettes. Four years prior he was a top-notched singer and supposedly constantly topped the Oricon charts. But he was bothered by the fact that he could never come up with his own songs. While battling with this feeling, he met Nino and realized that what he wanted was music that he created himself. His name literally means "Star."
 * A 24-year old singer and a self-proclaimed superstar. He'll regularly hold concerts in the village but his songs' lyrics are mostly weird and complete nonsense. He is in love with Nino and is always jealous of Kou due to their relationship. Under his star mask is a moon mask and under that is his real face who has red hair. When he becomes depressed he'll start calling himself a seastar. He likes to go to the nearby convenience store and buy cigarettes. Four years prior he was a top-notched singer and supposedly constantly topped the Oricon charts. But he was bothered by the fact that he could never come up with his own songs. While battling with this feeling, he met Nino and realized that what he wanted was music that he created himself. His name literally means "Star."


 * Sister (シスター)
 * A strong man that dresses like a nun. He is a 29 year-old Briton. On the right side of his face is a scar. Every Sunday he will hold a mass that usually lasts only a few seconds in the church under the bridge. This involves having his congregation run in place, firing his machine gun in the air, and asking if anyone did anything wrong. If he gets no response, the service ends and everyone present gets a bag of cookies. Strangely, while Sister is dressed as a Catholic sister, his church is adorned with an Orthodox cross. Under his robe is a military suit as he was formerly a soldier and still carries a lot of weapons. He is in love with Maria, who he met during the last war he was in, whose insults are the only things that can unnerve him, causing his scar to open up. Surprisingly, he is good at making cookies and other sweets.
 * A strong man that dresses like a nun. He is a 29 year-old Briton. On the right side of his face is a scar. Every Sunday he will hold a mass that usually lasts only a few seconds in the church under the bridge. This involves having his congregation run in place, firing his machine gun in the air, and asking if anyone did anything wrong. If he gets no response, the service ends and everyone present gets a bag of cookies. Strangely, while Sister is dressed as a Catholic sister, his church is adorned with an Orthodox cross. Under his robe is a military suit as he was formerly a soldier and still carries a lot of weapons. He is in love with Maria, who he met during the last war he was in, whose insults are the only things that can unnerve him, causing his scar to open up. Surprisingly, he is good at making cookies and other sweets.


 * Shiro (シロ)
 * A cordial, middle-aged man who is obsessed with always stepping on a white line. The reason thus he always walks around pushing a line painter so that he always has something white to walk on. His real name is Toru Shirai (白井 通) and used to be an office worker before he started living under the bridge. His name literally means "White."
 * A cordial, middle-aged man who is obsessed with always stepping on a white line. The reason thus he always walks around pushing a line painter so that he always has something white to walk on. His real name is Toru Shirai (白井 通) and used to be an office worker before he started living under the bridge. His name literally means "White."


 * Metal Brothers (鉄人兄弟)
 * A pair of young boys in sailor suits who wear metal helmets. Like Hoshi, they are jealous of Kou's relationship with Nino. They self-proclaim that they have psychic powers and that their helmets keeps their powers under-control and so that they won't float away or be detected by the military.
 * A pair of young boys in sailor suits who wear metal helmets. Like Hoshi, they are jealous of Kou's relationship with Nino. They self-proclaim that they have psychic powers and that their helmets keeps their powers under-control and so that they won't float away or be detected by the military.


 * P-ko (P子)
 * A young red-haired girl who grows vegetables for the village. The vision of a klutzy girl, she is literally dangerously clumsy, often turning what should be a simple accident into a massive disaster. Despite an allusion to mishaps, P-ko is still intent on get a drivers license so that she can travel further during Winter to gather seeds. Kou is strongly against this and in their argument he learns much to his horror that she already possesses a motorcycle license. It is implied she has a crush on the village chief.
 * A young red-haired girl who grows vegetables for the village. The vision of a klutzy girl, she is literally dangerously clumsy, often turning what should be a simple accident into a massive disaster. Despite an allusion to mishaps, P-ko is still intent on get a drivers license so that she can travel further during Winter to gather seeds. Kou is strongly against this and in their argument he learns much to his horror that she already possesses a motorcycle license. It is implied she has a crush on the village chief.


 * Maria (マリア)
 * Maria is a pink haired woman who runs a nearby farm where all the Arakawa residents get their dairy and produce from. Whilst having a beautiful appearance, she casually passes out incredibly harsh insults to other people. She met Sister during the last war that they had and she was an opposing spy that tried to get information from him.
 * Maria is a pink haired woman who runs a nearby farm where all the Arakawa residents get their dairy and produce from. Whilst having a beautiful appearance, she casually passes out incredibly harsh insults to other people. She met Sister during the last war that they had and she was an opposing spy that tried to get information from him.


 * Stella (ステラ)
 * Stella is a little blonde girl from an orphanage in England that Sister ran. Whilst initially thought to be small and cute, she is a powerful fighter and sometimes speaks in a threatening tone to show her superiority. When she is angry she has the ability to turn into a giant and look extremely masculine.
 * Stella is a little blonde girl from an orphanage in England that Sister ran. Whilst initially thought to be small and cute, she is a powerful fighter and sometimes speaks in a threatening tone to show her superiority. When she is angry she has the ability to turn into a giant and look extremely masculine.


 * Seki Ichinomiya (市ノ宮 積)
 * Kou's father.
 * Kou's father.


 * Terumasa Takai (高井 照正)
 * Kou's secretary. After his wife left him, Takai became Kou's secretary in one of his companies. He became inspired by Kou and his words and becomes quite fond of him.
 * Kou's secretary. After his wife left him, Takai became Kou's secretary in one of his companies. He became inspired by Kou and his words and becomes quite fond of him.


 * Shimazaki (島崎)
 * Takai's personal assistant.
 * Takai's personal assistant.


 * Last Samurai (ラストサムライ)
 * Last Samurai is a typical samurai character who runs a barbershop under the bridge, capable of cutting everyone's hair in a matter of seconds.
 * Last Samurai is a typical samurai character who runs a barbershop under the bridge, capable of cutting everyone's hair in a matter of seconds.


 * Billy (ビリー)
 * A man with a parrot head.
 * A man with a parrot head.


 * Jacqueline (ジャクリーン)
 * A woman in a bee suit who implies she has thousands of husbands and children, though is also in a 'forbidden' relationship with Billy.
 * A woman in a bee suit who implies she has thousands of husbands and children, though is also in a 'forbidden' relationship with Billy.

Manga
The manga is written and illustrated by Hikaru Nakamura and is serialized in Square Enix bi-weekly seinen magazine Young GanGan. As of March 2010, the serial chapters have been collected into nine tankōbon the first one released on August 25, 2005, and the ninth on September 25, 2009. The tenth volume is scheduled for release on April 24, 2010.

Anime
The original manga is being adapted into a 13 episodes series by the studio Shaft and is directed by Akiyuki Shinbo. The anime adaptation was announced in August 2009, and started broadcasting in April 4, 2010 on TV Tokyo. A second season has been greenlit for production.

The anime has three theme songs, two opening themes and one ending theme. The main opening theme is "Venus & Jesus" (ヴィーナスとジーザス) by Etsuko Yakushimaru and its ending theme "Upside-down Bridge" (逆様ブリッジ) by Suneohair. The opening theme was released as a single on May 26, 2010, and the ending theme on June 23, 2010. The opening theme for episode five is "Think up a title yourself" (タイトルなんて自分で考えなさいな) performed by Miyuki Sawashiro.