Arakawa under the bridge vol 1 by Hikaru Nakamura

The heir to the most powerful company in Japan has grown up with the family motto drilled into his head: never owe anyone. So when a girl who lives under a bridge saves his life, he has to do anything she says in order to repay the biggest debt of all. She wants to know what it’s like to fall in love, so he agrees to be her boyfriend and live under the bridge with her. He’s re-christened as “Recruit” or Rec for short, and he meets the rest of the residents with their strange behaviors. Nino, his new girlfriend, claims to be from Venus; the Mayor is a man in a kappo costume; Hoshi wears a star mask that hides his secret identity, which is a moon mask; Sister is a man dressed like a nun who might have a secret-agent past in England; and so many more interesting people. Everyone has a job and contributes to the community, except Rec, who now must find a way to be useful and not continue to be indebted to all these people.

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This story is a little weirder than the creator’s other series, Saint Young Men, so this would probably only appeal to readers who love the other series. There is a colorful cast of characters here yet again, and some of them make this reading more enjoyable, but they aren’t enough for me to keep reading. Other readers who enjoy this quirky sense of humor will most likely attach themselves to one of these lovable odd-balls or want to stick it out to see what else Rec will need to do to get out of everyone's debt.

There are a few instances of smoking and alcohol use. 

Sara's Rating: 6/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12

Publisher: Vertical (Kodansha)
Publication Date: November 21, 2017
ISBN: 9781945054419 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 6/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Humor, Friendship, ​Kodansha