[Review written for lazy people like myself who can't be bothered reading long ones]
Arakawa Under The Bridge is possibly the only gag manga I can actually stand. Instead of just seeming stupid and pointless, I actually find it funny and smart.
Each chapter is short and ends quirkly with a joke, so if you only have time for around 5 pages you'll still get enjoyment out of it.
The characters are extremly likeable, each one has a story behind them. If you are a fan of the anime you will really appreciate seeing more of their back stories like I did. Even though this is a
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 Alternative TitlesJapanese: 荒川アンダーザブリッジ More titlesInformationType: Manga
Volumes: 15
Chapters: 410
Status: Finished
Published: Dec 3, 2004 to Jul 3, 2015
Demographic:
Seinen
Serialization:
Young Gangan Authors:
Nakamura, Hikaru (Story & Art) Statistics Ranked: #12552 2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #1076
Members: 18,614
Favorites: 397 Available AtResources | Reviews
Filtered Results: 7 / 7
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Jun 17, 2011
What do you get when you put an overly competent individual together with an alien, a kappa, a star (no pun intended), a nun, a critic, a klutz, and all sorts of mental ward escapees (eccentrics) under the bridge?
a.) You get a nonsensical /slash/ somewhat enlightening escapade. b.) You get a manga abbreviated as AUTB to read later. c.) You get to profit. d.) You get nothing whatsoever. If your answer is A; keep it up, you’re reading from right-to-left just fine. If your answer is B; OMG! What have you been reading all this time? If its C; you must be Hikaru Nakamura. Sign (here) please. If its D; ... 
Nov 12, 2018
Having read the entire manga and watched the anime, I am so glad I chose to read and see both on a whim, a manner very like this work. That is not to say that I don't recommend it, quite the opposite. In fact, this is perhaps my favorite comedy based manga out there because it's so "out there." Arakawa Under the Bridge to me is like Monty Python's Flying Circus with its random, absurdist humor.
But I believe it's so much more, it shows the fragility of how humans act in accordance with one another and how love and friendship can heal all wounds. ... 
Jul 5, 2022
Does some things right. Very unique style of comedy that may not be for everyone, but I liked it enough. Interesting enough characters. Issue for me was the end. Throughout course of the manga there were hints of a much more sinister reality underneath the cheery facade. Unfortunately this whole plotline which makes up most of the final volume was rushed, underdeveloped, tonally confusing due to the lack of isolation from the comedy parts and lack of development, and thematically dry. Not a lot of good character development takes place and the ending leaves a lot of loose ends and dissatisfaction. Some people might say
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Aug 30, 2020
Chapter 1-5 spoilers*
Arakawa under the bridge is a story about a high social status person who one day almost drowns. After having been saved by a girl, he promises to repay her by becoming her lover and so he suddenly starts living under a bridge with a group of very bizarre people, including his lover who claims she's from Venus. Just with this premise, it kinda seems like shit but don't be fooled. It's a very good seinen manga with a lot of comedy (if you're into this type of random comedy). All the characters, behind their bizarre personalities and appearances have hidden backstories which you ...
Oct 11, 2023
Every gag series runs the risk of devolving into pure "Lolrandom" territory, where the dialogue is less a means to set up, then tell, jokes, and more a means of dazzling you into thinking something's happened in the story. I've braved through hundreds of these short chapters, trying to crack a smile as best I can, but I can confidently say that this is all pointless bullshit. Sometimes, rarely, they'll tell a funny joke, or do a funny gag, but most of the manga is basically a series of random noises and gags ostensibly tied together by the setting. The key to figuring out when
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Jan 22, 2017
I wanted to like this manga. I really tried to like it, persisting in the hopes it would improve. Maybe you'll have better luck with it but I just couldn't get myself to care about any of the characters. I was promised "charming" and amusing, I personally wasn't getting either.
The issue I have with the story is that it strains believable far beyond anything I can cope with. Not in the sense that it's physically unbelievable, though from a quick skim of the last few chapters it seems it did end up that way, I mean the characters and their behaviour ... |
