Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge 10-11

TOO. MANY. SPARKLES.

Kyokai: Yes! I’m finally done with the holidaying up of Metanorn! Of course, those lists won’t finish themselves so let me entertain you for a breather in reviewing Arakawa Under the Bridge. The past week was sure busy and so it took me time to actually sit down and watch Arakawa’s two episodes together. After my semi-rage at the meh ninth episode in Arakawa standards (I seriously mean it because it’s usually damn funny and you can never get enough of it!), we finally get the exact stuff we signed up for. MOAR LULZ.

Overcooled: MOAR LULZ INDEED. While there’s no sign of going to Venus in episode 10 or 11 aside from dieting to fit o the spaceship, these 2 episodes are heavy on the humour. The whole dieting in order to fit onto the spaceship due to sister weighing WAY TOO MUCH is the main plot of episode 10. The girls opt for an ichigo-only diet, Ric and Mayor get a crazy massage from Jacqueline, and Sister has his own deadly boot camp to work the men into shape.

The results are mixed, to say the least. The girls are suffering from malnutrition (and P-ko from insanity). Ric is….well…radiating. Really, this feminine thing needs to stop. While Ric and the Mayor have shiny, smooth skin – Hoshi, Samurai, and those metalhead brothers are now EXTREMELY MUSCULAR. Like, horrifyingly so.

All seems to be back to normal after a few days, since once everyone stopped exercising, they turned back into their skinny selves. All except for one of the Tetsujin brothers, who became obsessed with his muscles to point where he thinks they’re “cute” and looks down upon anyone who isn’t as buff as he is. I have seen enough muscles to last me well into 2011, dear God. Things are further set into motion when he pushes Stella away for coming into contact with his abs.

Tetsuo decides that HE should be the boss instead of Stella, and that he will be the one to have Stella’s children?!? Stella gets that deadly serious look on her face, and it’s loli versus bodybuilder now as the rest of the Arakawa peeps hide behind Ric’s blackboard until it’s over. Except Sister, who looks so proud of them, he could die. Everyone else agrees that this should stop, especially Tetsurou. When his brother increases his muscle mass EVEN MORE to match Stella’s muscle transformation – he starts trying to build up muscles to smack some sense into his brother.

Okay, so, Tetsurou is a muscle-building prodigy who can gain muscle mass just by thanking his muscles for supporting him…Yeah. Really. He’s so good that Tetsuo’s punches just bounce off of him, and he manages to suck his brother’s muscles out of him. I…don’t even…

NO MORE. PLEASE, NO MORE.

These opening sequences have become little more than an excuse to see Nino and friends in cool costumes. Not that I’m complaining. This week’s episode revolves around the summer festival!  We can’t have just a normal, romantic summer festival in Arakawa though. No. The Amazoness charges in and turns her charm up to “maximum” in order to win Ric over. Sadly, I don’t think a woman with the build of a linebacker is what he’s looking for.

Amazoness tries one last time to get her precious sensei to look at her by taking over the Youkai ondo dance with her rather…ritualistic one. I backed away from the TV by at least a foot. Her tactics fail, as Ric is busy doing some weird waltz dance with Nino. The Amazoness breaks down into tears and is about to give up until Hoshi cheers her up. Great, now she’s head over heels for Hoshi who not only called her cute, but got a winning popsicle stick too.

It must be awkward to get a bento box made by a girl that has the face of another man on it. Or a sweater made for you with the face of someone else on it too. Come on, how obvious can you get? The Amazoness manages to cover it up by convincing Hoshi she hates stars, but her facade doesn’t fool Nino. Afterall, she’s a Venusian and can sense waves coming from her body. <_<

Why am I tempted to make this now?

Nino helps in the way only Nino can: by dunking the behemoth’s face into the river until she’s nigh unconscious. Nino does provide some really touching advice, considering that the woman has been trying to steal her boyfriend for the past while. Nino even agrees to formulate an elaborate plan with her (we don’t find out that Nino helped plan this until later) to get all the guys to go to a beach. What better way to lure men than with a blonde in a bikini giving you a wink and a kiss?

Add “bikini Nino” to the costume list. I’m still waiting for “Military suit Nino”

After running for 3 hours, they actually do come across a beach. The first thing they do? You’re wrong if you said swim. They decide to try to act likes girls in order to understand them. Because that is definitely the way it works. Although I hate when they bust out girly!Ric, seeing the whole group get into the Kameari thing was pretty lulzy. Sister’s attempt to be moe floored me. AWWWW SISTER, IT’S OKAY, I THINK YOU’RE A CUTE GIRL!!!! LET’S GO SHOE SHOPPING TOGETHERRRR

Kyaaa~~

Once they’re back to normal, they hear the cry of a fair maiden. Everyone runs to save her from drowning, but everyone falls into pitfalls (lulz, Animal Crossing) except for Hoshi, who ends up saving none other than the monstrous Amazoness. Back on shore, she confesses to Hoshi soap opera style, and Hoshi promises to come back for her one day from Venus. The mood is ruined once she gives him popsicle stick armour. Priceless.

Kyokai’s gif Mini-Bonus!:

Maybe he’s born with it, maybe it’s Maybelline.

WHY DOES THIS DANCE REMIND ME OF A HARD GAY ROUTINE? Fuuuu~

End Thoughts:

Kyokai: I literally yipped, when episode ten started because YES, SOME VENUS PREP, GET! I have been waiting for this; so what if it was all a ruse. It usually is. The best part though, Takai’s song… He’s usually pretty neglected and specifically by Ric so actually hearing him lament his master going off to some unreachable place was damn funny.

Getting back to things, Venus-mention actually means everyone should go on a crazy diet because everyone did. After, the limit of the rocket to venus can take up to 500Kgs. We have a wide selection of diets including P-ko’s Ichigo diet, Queen Bee’s special diet, Sister’s muscle training and the twins getting over a feud for muscles… >.> and someone sure likes Stella.

As for episode 11….Nino-love! She looks beautiful in a yukata and a swim suite! This week’s Arakawa was definitely a nice up. The current one was everything that you could expect from an amazing episode. I laughed like hell on the CO-SAMA song as if Kou is Carbon Dioxide… Another pun over the CO in Venus I guess. Anyway, at least they are preparing to go to Venus. Would they be going by the end of this series in next two episodes is a big question. Maybe they will end it with the rocket shooting off to the sky or something.

Episode eleven was such a holiday treat that I went woo~ Which reminds me, I am sooo getting a yukata in my next trip to Singapore. This was definitely Amazonness-centric episode but it was nice to get to know her rather than seeing her repeat the bad jokes again and again. I will now imagine her without makeup, whenever she annoys me later while watching Arakawa. This big-boned girl is not so bad after all and wow, HOSHI! More respect for this guy because he’s sure amazing. He has been trundling along with his feelings for Nino, without giving up. Sure, he needs some lovin’.

The best scene of all however was the transformation of Miracle Kameari! I laughed so hard and literally rolled on the floor over Sister’s antics. Poor Sister though, he can never get moe like Ric, Hoshi and Last Samurai. I can’t wait for the next episode as usual and am nervous for the last one because well, what progress can they show within two episode in Arakawa’s slow pacing standards?! Also, before I sign off, I love you SISTER!

If it’s any consolation, WE are happy that your top fell off.

Overcooled: wouldn’t it technically be Carbon MONoxide since there’s only one O? /science nerd

Episode 10 was a pretty bland one for me. I liked it, but I’ve come to expect more from Arakawa. Like, say, VENUS? At this point they’re just dangling a carrot in front of us because they know we’ll chase after it. -.- Tch. If you couldn’t tell, the muscles freaked me out sufficiently while watching episode 10. It was way too much. I did not need to see half an episode of manly men posing and flexing. The fight was well-done, but I found myself wishing it would just end. The best part of the fight was how happy Sister was XD

Episode 11 was much better. The humour level was back up to par, which makes waiting for Venus a lot easier. Episode 10 just makes me feel cheated -.- (It wasn’t that bad, but I judge Arakawa on an “Arakawa standard” XD) The Amazoness was – dare I say it? – Funny. I think this is the first time her antics have made me smile since she appeared in the series. I guess I prefer her attempts to nab Ric when it’s utterly futile. The switch of feelings towards Hoshi was refreshing, since there’s nothing in the way of NinoxRic that way XD

My favourite parts from these 2 episodes would have to be Whitey trying to get them to stay on the bridge with his fattening foods and the entire Kameari style girly sequence. Once again, my grandma was hovering around as I was watching it. She watched it wordlessly, and then left just as quietly. I am sure she thinks I am insane now, especially because I take notes when I watch anime I blog about (DON’T JUDGE ME, SOMETIMES I FORGET THINGS THAT HAPPEN). So all she knows is I’m seriously taking notes about a bunch of weirdos acting gay. Ah well.

Until next time! Kyokai and Overcooled OUT!

About Tag Team

We live, laugh, enjoy and strictly believe on "more the merrier". When together, we usually come up with very chatty, conversation-based episodics and interesting posts.