Arakawa Under the Bridge (Anime)
A quirky anime takes a young man and turns his over-achieving life upside-down. Arakawa Under the Bridge is the story of a man called Kou Ichinomiya.
Kou lives by one rule: 'Never be in debt to others.' He's a winner and immense over-achiever who has managed to maintain straight As at Tokyo University, and to pay his own way without help from his super-rich family.
One day while crossing a bridge he is attacked by a street gang, falls into a river and is saved by Nino, a girl who lives under the bridge. Kou starts to freak out as he realises he owes Nino his life.
He tries to buy her a house to get out of what he sees as his debt to her, but she's not interested. When he asks what she does want, she says, 'Fall in love with me', and offers him a place to live under the bridge.
To pay off his debt, Kou agrees, giving up his luxurious life for one filled with uncertainty and some very odd characters.
The show is based on the manga by Hikaru Nakamura. whose other work includes Saint Young Men, in which Buddha and Jesus holiday together on earth, sharing an apartment in Tokyo
This is one of those series that takes a satirical look at modern society and how social norms, etiquette and ethics can run counter to morality. This show takes a while to get into, so give it a chance, and it will grow on you. Catch it when comes out on DVD.
