History Main / ArtificialRiverbank

* ''Manga/{{Nichijou}}'' features these from time to time. One incident sees Mio (who was tearfully sprinting across town after seeing her crush Sasahara arm-in-arm with another girl) absentmindedly rescuing a kid from drowning in one. Another chapter sees Mio meet [[OddballDoppelganger Doublecheeseburgirl]], who was wistfully gazing across the water, at one.

* The 3rd EndingTheme for ''Manga/CrossGame'' takes place on one of these.

* Titular Nanas and their friends in ''Manga/{{Nana}}'' do this as well at one time. It helps that their apartment looks out over one as well.

* ''Literature/{{Toradora}}'': Taiga lays on the riverbank exhausted after wheeling a bike around, because she can't ride a bike. A chance encounter with her LoveInterest motivates her to get up and try to ride the bike. In the novels Ryuuji and Ami go there as part of a community service project to collect trash, but the scene is heavily truncated in the anime.
* ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'': The titular character challenges another character to a duel, which takes place on such a riverbank.
* ''Manga/FairyTail'' has Erza brooding by one in Magnolia at the end of the Tartaros Arc, with Jellal briefly stopping by to exchange words with her.

* In ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003'', Ed and Al practice fighting on a riverbank like this.
* ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'': Hei is sitting with [[HeroAntagonist Kirihara]] on the stairs of such a riverbank in his [[SecretIdentity civilian disguise]] when he [[StealthHiBye suddenly vanishes]], leaving her perplexed.
* ''Anime/TheGirlWhoLeaptThroughTime'': It's in such a location that the heroine makes her first deliberate time-leap.
* All of Karakura Town in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' is built around a big river, whose banks look exactly like this. Said river is good for watching fireworks, doing exercise, and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick being devoured by]] TheHeartless.
* Tina's favorite place in ''Manga/AiYoriAoshi''.
* One episode of ''Manga/NyanKoi'' has the protagonist meet his LoveInterest repeatedly along such a riverbank while training.
* ''Manga/OmamoriHimari'' has the first meeting with the TokenMiniMoe under a bridge along one of these.
* In the first episode of ''Manga/KimagureOrangeRoad'' Hikaru and Ayukawa face down a gang of five burly high school boys and win (well, mostly Madoka wins) on this type of bank.
* Some of the most dramatic scenes in ''Manga/KashimashiGirlMeetsGirl'' take place in such a setting.
* ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'': The flat part of the bank at the bottom is [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Kaidou Kaoru's]] favorite place to work out, when he's not jogging.
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* ''kiss×sis'', in the flashback about the two dogs.
* Doused in blood in (what else?) ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'''s 18th episode. You know, the one that got them [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids knocked out of their children's time block.]]
* Rina's favourite spot in the ''Anime/MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch'' anime.
* ''Anime/FreshPrettyCure'' and ''Anime/HeartCatchPrettyCure'' each have one.
* In ''Manga/{{Heroman}}'' episode 4, one of the titular robot's many attempts to stop the sphere takes place on one of these -- it's one of the less successful ones, and Heroman quickly gets pushed under the water as the sphere rolls on.
* ''Manga/ShugoChara'' has these scenes in most episodes.
* In ''Manga/ArakawaUnderTheBridge'' the protagonist is forced to live under a bridge spanning over one of these, alongside... interesting neighbours such as a [[NunTooHoly guy in a nun's habit]] and a {{Kappa}}-wannabe.
* In episode 11 of ''Anime/ExcelSaga'' (the "youth drama" episode), TheAce of the baseball team is sitting on one of these when he overhears the conversation that convinces him to change his mind and play for the team.
* ''Anime/AllPurposeCulturalCatgirlNukuNuku'':
** In episode 4 of ''TV'', Kyousuke goes to one to angst, only to be subjected to several of Nuku Nuku's classmates practicing their karaoke. In the new year's episode, Nuku Nuku herself goes there for the same reason.
** In episode 3 of ''[[Anime/AllPurposeCulturalCatgirlNukuNuku Nuku Nuku Dash]]'', Ryuunosuke is running along the wall of one when he falls in the river, allowing Nuku Nuku to catch up with him.
* ''Manga/HajimeNoIppo'': An artificial riverbank marks the spot where Ippo Makunouchi began his boxing career. Also an essential component of many training exercises.
* In ''Manga/{{Sankarea}}'' the main school is located right after a walk through any of the sides of this.
* Episode 5 of ''Manga/HighSchoolOfTheDead'' has the group re-convene at one.
* In the ''[[Manga/Reborn2004 Reborn!]]'' anime Tsuna fought challengers of a dojo here with a style reborn taught him.
* The site of Ryoushi's training in episode 10 of ''Literature/OkamiSan''.
* Passed by in ''Anime/{{Tamayura}}'' 01.
* In ''Literature/{{Inukami}}'', Keita and Yoko are forced to live under a bridge that spans one of these for a few episodes.
* In ''Moetan'' episode 05, site of the troubled person of the week, overly dramatic scene of the week, and MonsterOfTheWeek all in one go!
* In episode 13 of ''Manga/{{Mitsudomoe}}'', that's where the Marui sisters find a stray cat, and where Mitsuba goes to brood at the end of the episode.
* Monta of ''Manga/Eyeshield21'' drinks the coke and food he had saved for his celebration on making the baseball team here, because he didn't actually make the team. Later, Sena tries to influence him into joining the American football team.
* Sanada and Arashiyama hang out on one while skipping class in episode 7 of ''Manga/AndYetTheTownMoves''.
* Hikari and Chiaki used to hang out at one in the manga ''Manga/GenkakuPicasso''. [[spoiler:Jeanne nearly throws herself into the river at the same spot when she's outed as trans, and by the end of the manga the main characters have formed a new 'riverside club' that is devoted to enjoying the riverside together.]]

* Hasegawa encounters Tomoka on one in episode 2 of ''Ro-Kyu-Bu!''.
* A majority of the action in ''Literature/{{Dokkoida}}'' takes place there.
* After losing everything he owns, Iyami of Anime/OsomatsuSan lives under a bridge on one of these.
* ''Manga/{{Beelzebub}}'' has the titular character first appear on Earth near one, and later a major fight between Tojo and Oga takes place in that same spot. Main characters tend to hang out there when thinking or meet up to challenge opponents.
* Justifiably, an artificial riverbank is one of the places the characters in ''Manga/DailyLivesOfHighSchoolBoys'' hang out.
* ''Manga/TheLuciferAndBiscuitHammer'' uses one as a hurdle for the main character to practice his [[MindOverMatter telekinetic jumps]].
* Rivers are a common motif in ''Manga/MarchComesInLikeALion'', so they appear on occasion. In particular, the riverbank in Kyoto is featured in an important scene in Volume 6 that reinforces both the motif and its related symbolism.

* ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'': The baseball match between universe 6 and universe 7 is played near one. When the [[DestroyerDeity Gods of destruction]] [[SiblingRivalry Beerus and Champa]] start fighting, the area is nearly destroyed along with [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the entire universe]]. Fortunately, their Angels Whis and Vados interfere on time, preventing it.
* ''Manga/SketDance'': In [[TheHero Bossun's]] backstory, this is where he underwent his CharacterDevelopment, and had his ChronicHeroSyndrome kick in, when he decided to do what his [[DeceasedParentsAreTheBest late father and mother]] wanted him to do: stand up selflessly for a meek looking guy [[spoiler:([[ForgottenFirstMeeting who turns out to be]] [[TheRival Tsubaki]], his [[SeparatedAtBirth long lost twin]] before receiving a makeover)]] from being beaten by a bunch of delinquents.
* The first big battle of Anime/ReCreators takes place behind the bridge of a riverbank.
* ''VideoGame/InazumaEleven'': The riverbank is a common location in the first anime. This is where Raimon's soccer team usually practices.

* Sakura's stage in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'' is set on a pathway next to one of these, with a railway fly-over above and kids playing in a disused car.
* ''Project Justice: VideoGame/RivalSchools 2'' features an artificial riverbank stage at sunset, although it is presented as a rather grim, industrial environment.

* In episode 4 of ''Anime/AllPurposeCulturalCatgirlNukuNuku TV'', Kyousuke goes to one to angst, only to be subjected to several of Nuku Nuku's classmates practicing their karaoke. In the new year's episode, Nuku Nuku herself goes there for the same reason.

* [[DownLADrain Los Angeles River]], an ideal spot in UsefulNotes/LosAngeles for [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay car chases]] and [[Film/{{Grease}} drag racing]], is essentially an artificial riverbank without a river to speak of. No grass though.

Many Japanese cities, as seen in {{Anime}} and {{Manga}}, will feature a river running through a city with a gently sloped artificial riverbank witj beautiful landscaping and a sidewalk or trail either at the top or bottom (or both) and stairs to descend to the water's edge. There's likely a nearby bridge, too. Suitable for LyingOnAHillside, SceneryPorn, WatchingTheSunset, and ThatCloudLooksLike.

[[caption-width-right:350:A perfect riverbank]]

Many Japanese cities, as seen in {{Anime}} and {{Manga}}, will feature a river with a gently sloped artificial riverbank featuring a sidewalk or trail either at the top or bottom (or both) and stairs to descend to the water's edge. There's likely a nearby bridge, too. Suitable for LyingOnAHillside, SceneryPorn, WatchingTheSunset, and ThatCloudLooksLike.

* The site of Ryoushi's training in episode 10 of ''LightNovel/OkamiSan''.

* In ''LightNovel/{{Inukami}}'', Keita and Yoko are forced to live under a bridge that spans one of these for a few episodes.

* A majority of the action in ''LightNovel/{{Dokkoida}}'' takes place there.

* In ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', Kyon and Mikuru have a private talk along the steeply walled creek version. In the Endless Eight arc of ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', the SOS Brigade sets off fireworks on one.

* ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'': Taiga lays on the riverbank exhausted after wheeling a bike around, because she can't ride a bike. A chance encounter with her LoveInterest motivates her to get up and try to ride the bike. In the novels Ryuuji and Ami go there as part of a community service project to collect trash, but the scene is heavily truncated in the anime.

* In the first season finale of ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'', the entire cast is watching an after-festival bonfire on such a riverbank when [[spoiler:the enemy's OminousFloatingCastle teleports into place just above them.]]

See also GhibliHills. A small-scale subtrope of TerrainSculpting. Compare DownLADrain, its American equivalent.

* Many, many cities in Europe through which rivers flow have this. Often rivers are canalized or artificially straightened. Especially common on places where land has been gained by means of polders. Especially in Dutch polders, canals abound to divert excess water into another body of water (sometimes it's another river). Expect to see a ''sluice'' (floodgate) here and there, which are used both to control the flow and to keep junk people drop in the canal (bikes seem to be common, for whatever reason) from ending up in the wild.
* Large cities in China have long stretches of artificial riverbanks. They are beautifully designed and maintained daily, gracing cities like Beijing, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai. On good days, people can be seen taking a stroll or biking down the pathways that line the rivers, and at night, some of the rivers have spectacular night lighting.
* The Kissimmee River in Florida would look exactly like this in places except there's trees and brush growing along the water.

** The river ''used'' to be there; its tendency to suddenly flood is the reason the embankments were built in the first place. It's pretty much gone now (except during sudden downpours), mostly due to urban development and diverting its tributaries.
*** There is a local advocacy group trying—with little success—to get the government to remove the embankments and restore the river flow.

* A common sight in southern Florida as well, which also has flood concerns due to how much of the area is at or below sea level. Due to the amount of rain and swampland in the area, they're typically closer to full unless a drought has been hitting the area. Due to the quantity of mosquitoes in the area (plus the all-too-real threat of an alligator potentially in any body of water), relaxing near them is highly discouraged.
* South Louisiana has a number of these that are similar in concept and called *levees*, which are usually a high slope with a walking path on top or just a regular concrete wall bordering a river.

* ''VideoGame/InazumaEleven'': The riverbank is a common location in the first anime. This is where Raimon's soccer tgeam usually practices.

* In ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'', Ed and Al practice fighting on a riverbank like this.

** ''Anime/DoraemonNobitaInTheWanNyanSpacetimeOdyssey'': Nobita meets his new pet, Hachi, near that river when Hachi (then a stray dog) tries impressing Nobita by jumping into the waters to retrieve Nobita's baseball. Unfortunately, turns out Hachi couldn't swim and nearly drowns, if Nobita didn't wade into the water and retrieve Hachi.

** The adventure from ''Anime/DoraemonNobitasTreasureIsland'' is kickstarted when Nobita and Doraemon uses the Enlarging Light to transform Nobita's model boat into a real, life-sized boat, which they then sail upon along the river, picking up Shizuka, Suneo and Gian along the way (with passing civilians and other kids stopping to do a DoulbeTake at the sight of an ''actual pirate ship'' in the middle of the city).

* Hikari and Chiaki used to hang out at one in the manga ''Manga/GenkakuPicasso''.

* In the first season finale of ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'', the entire cast is watching an after-festival bonfire on such a riverbank when [[spoiler: the enemy's OminousFloatingCastle teleports into place just above them.]]

* ''Manga/SketDance'': In [[TheHero Bossun's]] backstory, this is where he underwent his CharacterDevelopment, and had his ChronicHeroSyndrome kick in, when he decided to do what his [[DeceasedParentsAreTheBest late father and mother]] wanted him to do: stand up selflessly for a meek looking guy [[spoiler: ([[ForgottenFirstMeeting who turns out to be]] [[TheRival Tsubaki]], his [[SeparatedAtBirth long lost twin]] before receiving a makeover)]] from being beaten by a bunch of delinquents.

* In the ''Manga/[[Reborn2004 Reborn!]]'' anime Tsuna fought challengers of a dojo here with a style reborn taught him.

This is TruthInTelevision, as the Liberal-Democratic Party - which has virtually monopolized the government for several decades [[note]] Except for a couple brief stints of minority status in 1993 and from 2009 to 2012, more about that on UsefulNotes/JapanesePoliticalSystem [[/note]] - realized back in the 1960s that investing huge sums in semi-useful infrastructure and beautification projects kept people employed, happy, and voting for them. Thus, many if not most rivers that pass through urban areas have received this treatment. However, only the largest tend to be picturesque, with most being small creeks enveloped by steep concrete. These also happen to serve a practical purpose in allowing for controlled overflow during the typhoon season.

* ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'' - The titular character challenges another character to a duel, which takes place on such a riverbank.

* In ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'' - Ed and Al practice fighting on a riverbank like this.
* ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'' - Hei is sitting with [[HeroAntagonist Kirihara]] on the stairs of such a riverbank in his [[SecretIdentity civilian disguise]] when he [[StealthHiBye suddenly vanishes]], leaving her perplexed.
* ''Anime/TheGirlWhoLeaptThroughTime'' - It's in such a location that the heroine makes her first deliberate time-leap.

%% NOTE: kissXsis was removed from the wiki under the content policy.

* In ''Manga/{{Heroman}}'' episode 4, one of the titular robot's many attempts to stop the sphere takes place on one of these - it's one of the less successful ones, and Heroman quickly gets pushed under the water as the sphere rolls on.

* In the ''Manga/Reborn2004'' anime Tsuna fought challengers of a dojo here with a style reborn taught him.

* Monta of ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'' drinks the coke and food he had saved for his celebration on making the baseball team here, because he didn't actually make the team. Later, Sena tries to influence him into joining the American football team.

* Kyoto's Kamo River has a river bank quite like this, and also has some small islands in the middle of the river, connected to the river banks by stepping stones. As one might expect, this is a fun place to play as a kid - or alternatively, a fun place to drunkenly set off fireworks in college with visiting international students.
** Many Japanese cities with rivers do have this, Kyoto is just the one that's most well-known.

* In ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', Ranma often passes by one, occasionally he falls into the water [[SexShifter and turns female]] or he'll have a battle nearby. He also seems to like to hideout under a bridge next to the riverbank when he wants to get away from the craziness. It's actually become a bit of {{Fanon}} that he commonly does this.

* ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'' - [[FanNickname Chinese Electric Batman]] is sitting with [[HeroAntagonist Kirihara]] on the stairs of such a riverbank in his [[SecretIdentity civilian disguise]] when he [[StealthHiBye suddenly vanishes]], leaving her perplexed.

Many Japanese cities, as seen in {{Anime}} and {{Manga}}, will feature a river with a gently sloped artificial riverbank featuring a sidewalk or trail either at the top or bottom (or both) and stairs to descend to the water's edge. There's likely a nearby bridge, too. Suitable for LyingOnAHillside, SceneryPorn, WatchingTheSunset, and ThatCloudLooksLike. This is TruthInTelevision, as the Liberal-Democratic Party - which has virtually monopolized the government for several decades [[note]] Except for a couple brief stints of minority status in 1993 and from 2009 to 2012, more about that on UsefulNotes/JapanesePoliticalSystem [[/note]] - realized back in the 1960s that investing huge sums in semi-useful infrastructure and beautification projects kept people employed, happy, and voting for them. Thus, many if not most rivers that pass through urban areas have received this treatment. However, only the largest tend to be picturesque, with most being small creeks enveloped by steep concrete. These also happen to serve a practical purpose in allowing for controlled overflow during the typhoon season.