A N I M E / O T A K U : PART 2

Arakawa under the Bridge

Other Title:

Arakawa Under the Bridge

Type:

TV

Aired:

April 5, 2010 to June 28, 2010

Source:

Manga

Genres:

Comedy, Romance, Seinen

Synopsis:

Kou Ichinomiya is the son of a wealthy businessman who holds firm belief in his elite status. As such, he is determined to avoid becoming indebted to anyone; but one day, after a run-in with some mischievous kids on Arakawa Bridge, he ends up falling into the river running underneath. Luckily for him, a passerby is there to save him—but now, he owes his life to this stranger!

Angered by this, Kou insists on paying her back, but this may just be the worst deal the arrogant businessman has ever made. The stranger—a stoic, tracksuit-wearing homeless girl known only as Nino—lives in a cardboard box under the bridge and wants only one thing: to fall in love. Asking Kou to be her boyfriend, he has no choice but to accept, forcing him to move out of his comfortable home and start a new life under the bridge!

Characters and Voice Actors:

- Main:

Kou "Riku, Recruit, Himo-niisan" Ichinomiya

Kou is a 22-year-old man who self-proclaims to be part of the 'elite.' He is the first son of the Ichinomiya family, which makes him the heir of the family company. While others of his age are just your regular, everyday college students, he has already bought his own luxurious apartment, and claims to have made over 8 million yen within his short life.

From the day Kou was born, he has been taught not to be indebted to anyone. Therefore, his whole life has been obsessed by it. From wearing the necktie that bears his family's 'motto', to coming up with scenarios how to avoid unnecessary 'charity' from others. But his life quickly changes when he is saved by Nino. In order to pay off his 'debt' to her, he fulfills her wishes by becoming her boyfriend and moving in with her, thus leaving his carefree and rich life behind him.

When he gets nervous or stressed out, Kou suffers from a bad case of asthma, just like the other members of his family.

Like the rest of the group, the mayor also nicknames him, which in his case is 'Riku.' Riku is an abbreviaton of 'recruit,' referring to a newly recruited businessman.

- Kamiya, Hiroshi (Japanese)

Nino

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" (Ni-no-san) 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.

- Sakamoto, Maaya (Japanese)

- Supporting:

Amazoness