Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge: What is the appeal of this unique worldview and unique characters?

Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge - A unique world view and charming characters

"Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge" is a TV anime series based on the original manga by Nakamura Hikaru, and was broadcast on TV Tokyo and other stations from October 3rd to December 26th, 2010. The story is set on the Arakawa riverbed and depicts a humorous and moving story woven by unique characters. Below, we will take a deeper look at the appeal and details of this work.

■ Story

Set on the banks of the Arakawa River, this story begins with the encounter between Ichinomiya Yuki (nicknamed Riku), a young, successful elite, and Nino, a beautiful homeless girl who calls herself Venusian. Riku is an elite who has lived his life without relying on anyone, following the family motto of "never owing others anything," but when Nino saves his life, he ends up indebting her for the first time. To repay the debt, he becomes Nino's lover and moves into the Arakawa riverbed where she lives.

The story revolves around the awkward romance between Riku and Nino, and the chaos caused by the residents of the riverbank. A series of unique characters, including the village chief, appear, and the story unfolds with humor and emotion. This work has a unique worldview known as the "electromagnetic wave" genre, but can also be enjoyed as a heartwarming romantic comedy.

■Explanation

"Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge" is the second season of the original manga "Arakawa Under the Bridge" by Nakamura Hikaru. Following the first season, Akiyuki Shinbo is the director and Shaft is in charge of animation. Director Shinbo's unique direction and Shaft's high quality animation enhance the appeal of this work.

Riku is the heir to the large corporation "Ichinomiya Group" and a young elite who manages multiple companies while still a university student. However, after his life is saved by Nino, he decides to live on the banks of the Arakawa River to fulfill Nino's wish. Nino calls herself a Venusian and claims that her parents are on Venus. Her purity and Riku's awkwardness intertwine to create a hilarious and touching story.

The riverside residents are also charming, and the village chief believes he is a kappa, and everyone except Riku believes in his existence. Hoshi is a former popular musician who is in love with Nino. The sister is a strong, large man who holds mass every Sunday, and many other unique characters appear. The story woven by these characters will keep viewers entertained.

■Cast

The cast of this work is impressive, with Kamiya Hiroshi as Riku and Sakamoto Maaya as Nino. The performances of the voice actors, including Fujiwara Keiji as the village chief, Sugita Tomokazu as Hoshi, Koyasu Takehito as the sister, and Sawashiro Miyuki as Maria, bring out the charm of the characters. The narration is provided by Tachiki Fumihiko, adding to the atmosphere of the work as a whole.

Other than that, many other talented voice actors are also participating, such as Saito Chiwa as Stella, Otsuka Yoshitada as Shiro, Omigawa Chiaki as P-ko, Sanpei Yuuko as Tetsuo and Shintani Ryoko as Tetsuro, Nakamura Yuichi as the Last Samurai, Tachiki Fumihiko as Billy, Goto Yuko as Jacqueline, and Kobayashi Yu as the Amazoness. The performances of these voice actors make the individuality of the characters stand out even more.

■ Main staff

Many staff members are involved in the production of "Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge." The project was planned by Taguchi Koji and Moriyama Atsushi, the original story was written by Nakamura Hikaru, the series composition and script was written by Akao Deko, the character design and general animation director was Sugiyama Nobuhiro, and the series director was Miyamoto Yukihiro. In addition, the visual effects were handled by Sakai Motoi, the art director was Azuma Koji, the color design was Takizawa Izumi, the cinematographer was Uchimura Shohei, the editors were Matsuhara Rie and Seyama Editing Office, the sound director was Tsuruoka Yota, and the music was Yokoyama Masaru.

The work of these staff members has resulted in a high-quality production, both visually and aurally. In particular, the unique direction of Director Akiyuki Shinbo and the animation production by Shaft bring out the best in the work.

■ Main Characters

The main characters of this work are Nino and Riku. Nino is a homeless, beautiful girl who calls herself Venusian and claims that her parents are on Venus. Her purity and unique worldview deepen her relationship with Riku. Riku is the heir to the large conglomerate "Ichinomiya Group" and a young elite who manages multiple companies while still a university student. After Nino saves his life, he becomes her lover and they end up living on the banks of the Arakawa River.

Other characters include the village chief, who is the godfather of the riverbed residents and makes them believe he is a kappa. Hoshi is a former popular musician who is in love with Nino. Sister is a strong, large man who holds mass every Sunday. There are many other unique characters. The story woven by these characters will keep viewers entertained.

■Subtitle

"Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge" consists of 13 episodes, each with its own unique subtitle. Episodes 1 to 13 depict the relationship between Riku and Nino and the turmoil of the riverside residents. Below are the subtitles for each episode.

• #1／1 BRIDGE×2(2010/10/03)
• #2／2 BRIDGE×2(2010/10/10)
• #3／3 BRIDGE×2(2010/10/17)
• #4／4 BRIDGE×2(2010/10/24)
• #5／5 BRIDGE×2(2010/10/31)
• #6／6 BRIDGE×2(2010/11/07)
• #7／7 BRIDGE×2(2010/11/14)
• #8／8 BRIDGE×2(2010/11/21)
• #9／9 BRIDGE×2(2010/11/28)
• #10／10 BRIDGE×2(2010/12/05)
• #11／11 BRIDGE×2(2010/12/12)
• #12／12 BRIDGE×2(2010/12/19)
• #13／13 BRIDGE×2(2010/12/26)

■ Related works

"Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge" is the second season of the original manga "Arakawa Under the Bridge" by Nakamura Hikaru. The first season of "Arakawa Under the Bridge" has also been made into an anime, and watching it will also give you a deeper enjoyment of the work. The original manga is also serialized in Square Enix's "Young Gangan", which is also recommended.

■ Theme songs and music

The theme songs for "Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge" are "COSMOS vs ALIEN" (opening theme song), written and composed by Tika Alpha, arranged by Kondo Kenji, and sung by Yakushimaru Etsuko. The opening theme song is "Go! Summer!! ~No, I'm going to Venus~" (opening theme song), written by Mieno Hitomi, composed and arranged by Yokoyama Masaru, sung by Takai Cho, and with lines by Shiro, Billy, and Jacqueline (Otsuka Yoshitada, Tachiki Fumihiko, Goto Yuko).

The first ending theme is "Akai Coat," written and composed by Kenji Watanabe, arranged by Suneohair, and sung by Suneohair. The second ending theme is "Gyakusama Bridge," written and composed by Kenji Watanabe, arranged by Suneohair, and sung by Suneohair. These theme songs and songs add to the atmosphere of the work.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge" is highly acclaimed for its unique worldview and charming characters. In particular, the direction of director Akiyuki Shinbo and the animation production of Shaft are highly praised, making it a visual and audio treat. In addition, the awkward love story between Riku and Nino and the humorous story of the riverside residents are captivating viewers.

This work has a unique worldview known as the "electron wave" genre, but can also be enjoyed as a heartwarming romantic comedy. The story woven by the unique characters will entertain viewers with a mix of laughter and emotion. In particular, the relationship between Riku and Nino, and the personalities of the riverside residents including the village chief, stand out.

"Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge" is a work that has a unique world view and charming characters. The high quality animation, both visually and audibly, and the humorous and moving story will keep viewers entertained. Please watch this work and enjoy its unique world view and charming characters.