Arakawa Under the Bridge 5

Book excerpt: Best-selling mangaka Hikaru Nakamura (Saint Young Men) makes her English language debut with this surreal comedy starring a 620-year-old water sprite, a man with a star for a head, a nun, and a samurai who runs a barber shop under Tokyo's Arakawa Bridge. Part 5 contains volumes 9 and 10 of the Japanese edition. The aura of craziness emanating from the Arakawa river bank keeps luring in those who want to fly their own freak flag, including, of all people, Rec’s secretary Shimazaki. As the day of the launch to Venus, Nino’s home planet, draws ever closer, everyone must make their preparations and say farewell to those who are earth-bound. Will the rocket, filled with the hopes of its crew, be able to make the interplanetary journey…?