Anime Review - Arakawa Under The Bridge (S1, S2) - I See You’re A Man of Culture

I'm a big fan of comedy anime, since I always try to find something fun in life. I'm sure a lot of people like me find satisfaction in watching anime because they cannot replicate the same situation in reality. I have never seen myself as a funny man, but I love to have a good laugh once in a while and create some cheeky banter. Arakawa Under The Bridge is hit-or-miss for some people. The anime is portrayed as a romantic comedy, but the romantic component is downplayed a lot - it's more about the comedy and that's definitely the right approach for this anime. The comedy stems from the ridiculous nature of the residents under the bridge, near Arakawa River. Furthermore, there have been many memes created from this anime - most notably the "I See You're a Man of Culture" line.

Story (7/10):

Like any comedy, there's not really a solid plot-line, but the story starts off with our main character Kou (later nicknamed Recruit or Ric/Riku) who is saved by Nino when he fell into the Arakawa River. By being saved, Kou owes Nino, and Nino request Kou to love her, and that's how the love story starts. 

Most of the comedy bits are generally enjoyable. They aren't making me laugh so hard that my stomach hurts or until I tear up, but is more to create a chuckle. Frequent chuckles are more important for me so I can consistently being happy throughout the anime. I feel that the more ridiculous the scene is, the more I laugh, because I will never experience in reality.

Characters (9/10):

The characters in this anime are on-point. You got a variety of characters - you got your airhead Nino, rival Hoshi, macho Sister and Stella, sadistic Maria and characters that have the best facial expressions like P-ko and Takai. 

The character that made me laugh the most is Takai, Kou's assitant. I believe the comedy stems from the over-affection of Takai, and how he treats Kou like a "son", actually not like a son, but rather an idol. He fantasizes over him and oh boy, does it make the situations ridiculously funny. The interactions between Sister and Stells are pretty good too, and Stella's cute and macho sides further add to the ridiculous nature of the anime. Seriously there is every type of character in this anime, and I will be surprised if someone liked none of the characters.

Art (8/10):

The art is above par generally. The backgrounds are relatively beautiful, but what makes this comedy anime even better is the ridiculous scenes. In these scenes, the drawings are so well done - the facial expressions, the way they draw backgrounds to emphasize the situation (fire when Stella transforms, etc.). Also, the ending credits for S2 is a must watch as it is a compilation of end screens, which are so beautiful. It ended on a good note and makes us feel more satisfied.

Sound (8/10):

The OP for both seasons are very catchy and I always listened to it (most of the times I skip OPs if they aren't that good to listen to). The voice acting for the anime is amazing and I'm not surprised since they brought popular and good voice actors to voice them.

Enjoyment (8/10):

What I like about comedy anime is that you can drop it and pick it up at anytime. I usually try to finish it all at once before starting a new anime, but I like to leave some comedy episodes as reserves when I don't feel too happy. It was during the holidays when I watched this anime so I just finished it off and during this period, I was extremely happy and productive.

Overall (8/10):

Arakawa under The Bridge is a hit-or-miss comedy. The comedy might come off dry compared to animes like Nichijou (to be honest - not even that funny, at least not funnier than Arakawa under the Bridge) or Daily Lives of High School Boys, but I don't really see a big difference between these anime. All the comedy stems from the ridiculous situations that arises. I guess Arakawa under the Bridge is more of a rom-com, but the romance aspect is essentially non-existent. Sure they are a couple of scenes where it is heartwarming, but if you are expecting heavy romance elements, this anime is not for you. If you are just looking for a good laugh, I would recommend this. Furthermore, after you finish the anime, the manga has more content, and the manga is completed already to.