Thursday, August 12, 2010

RAINBOW: Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin. Don't get fooled by the RAINBOW part!


It's rare to have an anime like RAINBOW airing these days. Because unlike what its name sounds like, it's dark and filthy, and definitely not a dreamy show. Well, there is a hoping theme in there. But it's hope for what might seem trivial to us mommy's plush toys, that being only due to our lack of experience of what some less fortunate kids went through in their lives. Yep, basically that's RAINBOW for you.


It's about 7 teenagers who try to hold up together against the harsh, inhumane life they are experiencing in a disciplinary prison in Japan. The story starts in 1955 and follows afterward with some brief moments of their unfortunate pasts. If you expect anything like a hotel-like prison and a perfect break plan, *coughs*pris*coughs*reak, then you'll be definitely shocked. It's all brutality, harassment, and starvation for survival in that pathetic shell of a reformatory school.


Now I'm not enjoying the anime because I'm feeling masochistic or anything, but because there is more to it than freaking old perverts and pitiful young men. It shows how the strongest bonds can be formed in the harshest of times, How is sacrificing oneself for another sometimes bring moments of happiness which cannot be if all care only for themselves, and how some spoken words can be endless treasures to the poorest of people when told at the right times.


The show also send messages that a social rank is not a measure for the quality of a person. One of highest authorities can be the worst kind of scum, and a labeled criminal can be the best kind of man. Good people aren't sinless angels, and bad people aren't sinful devils. Humans are mixture of right and wrong, only with different shades of gray.


A decent show to say the least. Sure it has its share of problems like relying a bit much on sexual abuse to seek sympathy, but that doesn't prevent anyone ready to have a look at the dark side of life from enjoying it. It touches the heart at painful spots and leaves the eye with salty tears. Get prepared for some emotional moments if you plan on watching it. Recommended.

links: RAINBOW official site.

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