Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge – 04
More about Nino’s past? You wish.
Arakawa, what are you doing out so early? It’s Thursday and you air on Sunday. I only found you because I have an obsessive habit of updating my favourite anime ddl site every 5 seconds. I shouldn’t complain though, since episode 4 reminds us that Arakawa won’t run out of gags any time soon. This episode may have ditched Nino’s past for other…things…but it’s worth it.
The opening sequence takes a melodramatic tone in order to introduce a movie P-ko wants to direct. In this movie, everyone loves her except for her true love interest. Sancho (…I’m ditching the weird names P-ko uses) is engaged to Nino, and yet P-ko still loves him. OH WHAT A TRAGIC TALE OF TRAGIC TRAGEDY!…A TERRIBLE TRAVESTY!…Totally…<_<
Continuing with continuity (lol ok, I’ll stop now), the show actually bases the first half of the episode around P-ko’s movie script. With Ric as the director and Takai as the cameraman, nothing can go wrong! As soon as Ric starts to read the script, he gets an idea about the kind of romance novels P-ko reads. Everyone is a stereotype who is unbearably infatuated with her girlish charm. After the last episode, I’m not surprised these kind of things run through her tomato-top head.
Wait, is this from fanfiction.net?
P-ko leads Ric to meet at the main characters (only Billy refused), which…doesn’t go so well. Unless you like having your story twisted into some sort of samurai story without your knowledge. None of them have read the script, but Ric just sighs and carries on the best he can. Deep breaths, now.
Nino appears in a schoolgirl uniform! =D It’s funny how she’s pretty much absent this episode compared to last episode. P-ko hogs the spotlight once more as they film the Nino and P-ko duel scene. P-ko does fine but Nino botches up her lines pretty badly. Now, while Nino looked pretty stellar in her schoolgirl uniform, it cannot compare to how Stella and SISTER looked in them. I think a bit of my brain leaked out through my nose when that happened.
Pick a blonde: Nino or Sister?
Time to shoot the final scene! I don’t even know where to begin with this, it’s just so absurd. Let’s just say it turns into some sort of twisted samurai showdown with Hoshi trying to be punk for a moment. Ultimately, P-ko is shafted by the mayor and the shoujo flick somehow turns into a manly war movie. “What is this, I don’t even” barely begins to describe it.
The real treat is getting to watch the movie’s final product. I was getting excited to see it, without realizing that Takai had the camera. Takai. The man who is just as mentally unstable as any of the Arakawa residents. The movie ends up being shots of just Ric. Especially shots where he says Takai’s name. I loled, but the audience was literally petrified.
Need a new creepy MSN display pic?
While Halloween is just around the corner, Arakawa celebrates with a spooky-themed episode. I’ll be celebrating by studying and doing karate. Thrilling, I know. At least Ric gets to have some fun. He scuttles out of his house (guess he switched back with Nino) to check out the haunted house everyone made. Or rather, to check out why there were lights and weirdos doing dances in costumes.
Ric is dared by Hoshi to go through the haunted house. To protect his pride, Ric stumbles into the house despite being a completely scaredy-cat with this sort of thing. His first obstacle is an adorable Stella, who pretends to be too tired to walk. Ric carries her, and her comforting weight turns into a crushing weight. The next picture is, without a doubt, nightmare-inducing.
His next horror is a…sponge. No wait, it’s Whitey about to attempt suicide. I actually didn’t notice the noose until Ric started screaming, so the gag was kind of wasted on me. Then Ric mentally prepares himself for what lies ahead: the legendary kappa. Surely with such a history of scary tales, the mayor will be going all out to traumatize Ric for life. (As soon as Ric says this, we know that things are gonna turn out differently…)
THE FINAL ATTEMPT TO SCARE RIC! Hoshi is unsatisfied with Ric’s level of fear, and convinces Nino to help scare them. The master plan? Slap some sunglasses on him so he can’t see as Hoshi makes creepy sounds. The plan sounds lame, but it works in an unexpected way.
The final gag features Takai and…okay, shield your eyes everyone…his body paint of Ric’s face on his abdomen. It can never be unseen. Someone save me from this monstrosity…*faints*
Last Minute Costume Ideas:
Who says Halloween is about wearing unflattering masks? Flaunt what you’ve got!
Green skin is sooo not fashionable. Witches can be stylish too – you’ll get more candy!
Low on cash? Just put on your bathroom and dab on some make-up for a killer kitsune costume!
Turn pumpkin smashing into pumpkin slicing with a charming samurai outfit!
Have a group of friends? Why not have a “party” this Halloween? 8D
End Thoughts: Not getting more info about Nino’s past didn’t drag the episode down in the least. It’s still going above and beyond my expectations by delivering every. single. episode. I like how P-ko got some attention this time, I love anyone voiced by Omigawa Chiaki (Maka!). I am confident Arakawa can take any plot and make it amazing. P-ko’s super shoujo movie became a masterpiece. Heck, we spent an entire episode in a makeshift haunted house and it was WONDERFUL. I think they just wanted to give us a purely humorous episode after that Nino one from last week.
Something I love about Arakawa (aside from everything) is that every character in the show is funny. Okay, so maybe Jacqueline can be excluded, but almost every character has a moment that makes you laugh. The show doesn’t just rely on Nino and Ric to make gags. Heck, Nino was hardly even in this episode and it was still good. I like how they share the spotlight with everyone too, giving everyone a chance to shine. I’m prone to liking obscure, side-characters, so I like seeing that in a show.
…Will I ever spend my end thoughts not praising this show to death? No, never. This is officially my favourite Fall show, and I’m so glad I got to blog about it alongside Kyokai (who is currently a very busy woman, as you can imagine). I…should stop now before my fangirling mode is truly released. What a terrible sight that would be, especially for Halloween.
About Overcooled
A neuroscience graduate, black belt, and all-around nerd. You'll either find me in my lab or curled up in my rilakkuma kigurumi watching anime.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
i lol’ed so much at this episode. especially when sister and stella was comforting pico in the movie…xD oh and stella’s trick to horror ric too xD
and the dwarf is the largest of those three, that’s just not right!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Me toooo~ I love Stella’s seiyuu so much for pulling off that manly voice. I hope that if I ever have a child it does NOT turn out like her. She defies all odds by being a super tall dwarf lol. (Sister looks like a manly Legolas ahaha)
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
arakawa has finally returned back in the comedy division after the previous episodes
now im eager for the next ep
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Last episode was still hilarious, they just mixed some drama in there too XD
I’m eager for the next one toooo
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 33 comments
Omigawa Chiaki is also voicing the lead character in ãã‚Œã§ã‚‚町ã¯å»»ã£ã¦ã„ã‚‹ desu ne? U must be a very happy girl! Hehe.
Y’know, I thought Sister didn’t look TOO bad in a sailor fuku! It could have been worse, srsly. Well, until they had to make that skirt fly up a little bit. Uguu.
I just knew Takai would make the movie all about Ric. Sigh. He only has his sights on his ‘bocchama’. And poor P-Ko, her shoujo dream turned out to be soooo far away from everything. And that Sakamoto RyÅma reference made me think of Hakuoki instinctively since I’m watching that series concurrently. My brain couldn’t handle everything. It’s mush. Complete mush.
Oh Soncho, please discover an otome’s junsui love for you!!
Btw, Stella becoming an unbearable weight whilst being carried is a horror legend that I heard abt as a child. We were told never to carry strangers or crying kids on our backs if they asked, because they would turn heavier and eventually crush us to death. I have to say, it’s pretty interesting to see that the Japanese have this belief too (or is it just a coincidence?).
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Yeah, I should probably get around to watching that show…lol…I’ve kind of been ignoring it XD
Sister in odd outfits always makes my day.
I actually didn’t expect Takai to do that, so I got owned. I wanted to see that movie!! XD Arakawa tends to turn everyone’s brain to jello with awesomeness. LOL junsui ai…P-ko is secretly perverted though XD
…It’s actually a legend? WHAT? LOL, WHO TOLD YOU THIS? This is obviously something we need to teach in schools, with this clip in the background to scare them for life. I unconditionally love whoever told you this.
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 21 comments
I pick sister. *___* *has a big fetish for those things*
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Kekekekekekeke I’m glad you agree
POWUH: iLurker with 4 comments
Ppor P-ko, slahsed by Kappa and, what is his name again.
Camreman ruined the movie, lol.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
By the mayor and Last Samurai, lulz. What a crushing defeat. It’s probably better that it wasn’t caught on camera XD
POWUH: 400-499 with 406 comments
Oh my goddddd. This episode was so funny. Sister in a skirt… I also didn’t realize that Takai was behind the camera. I think I died laughing when I saw the final results.
Also Takai’s gag at the end made my eyes bleed a little.
Can’t wait for the next episode!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
XD I knowww, I didn’t expect the movie to be that much….fail/win. Takai actually does some pretty funny stuff, BUT I NEVER WANT TO SEE THAT MUCH OF HIM EVER AGAIN.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 304 comments
Fantastic episode (as usual)! It got me in the Halloween mood. Sister is way sexy in a sailor fuku. oh yeah. That movie… just… xD. For some reason I loved Ric’s expression when he got scared by the konnyaku. I don’t really know why… but anyway!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Mmm hmmm, so good and Halloween-y~ Sister’s costume stole the show, ahaha.
P-ko should make her own spin-off series lol. Takai, not so much. XD
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
wow the elf,dwarf, and pico party was awsomeeeee
i love how arakawa puts on parodies here and there out of the blue XD Use Show ▼
tags for spoilers! | Insert smilies here:
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I love when they do things like that too. It somehow just fits in so well! =D
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 37 comments
Sister defo stole the show! And what is it about about girlifying a man that makes him suddenly so much more, um, manly? (Seriously, I never noticed Orlando Bloom until he donned that long blonde wig and started shooting arrows while prancing around on Elephants’ trunks… hmm…)
Anyways, loved every minute of this epi, and yes, it is a testament to the cast how funny and cohesive it can be even without much of Nino in it. Let the cosplaying continue!!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
YEAHHH SISTERRR!!! He looked so manly in that skirt, I don’t get it either. Maybe because we can see his manly muscles in all their glory. Legolas, I don’t know how he pulled it off, but he did. XD
Next up, maid outfit? 8D (I can only hope)
POWUH: iLurker with 13 comments
I only have one thing to say:
I want to rape Sister!!!
sounded so lesbian but in my mind its all heteresexually hot and sexy…
Hope the cops wont catch me…or worse…that Sister kills me D:
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Well, Sister is a man (contrary to the schoolgirl uniform, name, and what everyone else in the show says) so IT’S ALL GOOD!!!! 8D Just tell Sister that it’s a rigorous workout, and it’ll be fine, right? <_<
POWUH: iLurker with 13 comments
Marvelous idea!!! *drools*
I wish upon a star, that one day, I could do “rigorous workout” w Sister lol