review contains no spoilers

“I wonder…what they are doing right now. There were seven men who survived rather grand days at the bottom of the cauldron of hell, inside a cell, fifty years ago.

Dark, gritty, and powerful is how i would describe this show. the dark tone of this anime leaves almost no time for any comedy. this show is a good portrayal of post WWII Japan and of general Japanese-American sentiment. its a story of 7 friends facing lifes struggles by sticking with each other till the end even in the most cruelest moments of tragedy. Trust is something that is earned. This anime teaches you that even though people and this world may be cruel, there is a friend in this world that you are destined to meet. This friend will always have your back and stick with you through the very end. Even if you do not have that friend right now, this anime becomes that comfort for you.

it is not one of those animes you watch for its escapism or happy entertainment value, its one of those Animes with serious themes and really makes you contemplate and ponder about the brutal realities in life. Rainbow is categorised in the Seinen genre as it does unquestionably appeal to a mature male demographic because of the grim, dark and rebellious undertone throughout the series, so be warned about its explicit imagery considering there are many explicit scenes highlighting r*pe, torture, psychological abuse and more.

every character is fleshed out in the 2nd part of the show. while alot of people may have had a problem with a 2nd half becomes of something that happened. i had no problem with it and thought it still maintained the good vibes from this anime. I loved all the seven characters and the character development is really awesome I lived with each one of every moment and I enjoyed every part of it. the villians are literally pure evil and the designs makes them look like fucking devils.

now lets tak about sakuragi or "an chan/bro" the best character

the man, the bro, the gigachad an chan is the oldest of the seven inmates. a troubled man who has learnt to live looking forward, a character with a huge heart and street wisedom that fights every single day to find a bit of happiness in this dark world. He's pretty well developed and is easy to feel him as a natural leader while he guides the boys through that dark path. strong benevolent young man who is treasured by his friends and considered a role model to them and to myself. he quickly gains their respect in a short period of time. he gets beat up by the guards for the sake of his friends and somehow gets used to it. i liked his arc more than the others.Sakuragi knowing of a dark secret that unfolded years ago in the Reform Jail. Is haunted endlessly by a corrupt guard & perverted Doctor, who's goal is nothing more than keep that dark secret from reaching the light of day. Forcing Sakuragi in an empty life behind bars. Following this exhilarating story of the bonds of friendship, dreams, & the struggle for survival.

Art and sound:

MADHOUSE is madhouse after all. the art fits perfectly with the tone of the series. the animation isnt that bad as well with gorgeous music and a banger opening. the visual style has atmosphere and the painterly stills during key moments are gorgeous, full of emotion. opening is awesome and makes you hyped up to watch the anime and the ending is a good cool down song that makes you just want to process everything that's happened. The OSTs are also very memorable and fitting.

if i break down some of the negatives it would probably be that there are some corny scenes that got me cringe the entire time but really the realistic characters are truly what makes this anime special.

this anime uses the same concept as Shawshank Redemption, Prison Break, Green Mile, all these fantastic dramas have one thing in common: prison. Prison is naturally going to pull viewers in, but why, I don't know. Perhaps its the despair people feel when they are stripped of everything, even their dignity, and how they struggle to survive in their hostile environment. Or maybe its the strong bonds created through prisoners holding on to hope by sharing it with prisoners who understand the pain and sorrow. Whatever the case may be, Rainbow is nothing short of a great prison drama.

Final thoughts:

i enjoyed this alot more than i thought i would, while i wouldnt consider it as a masterpiece, it was a very beautiful mature story. and definitely one of the better animes out their that deserves more recognition. Rainbow gives us the light at the end of the tunnel at just the right times and the strength of the friendship and bond between the seven boys powers the viewer through all the despair. It connects us to the characters even more and you truly end up sympathizing and rooting for these guys throughout the show. It truly is awe-inspiring how the guys kept a positive outlook even in the worst of circumstances. Some elements I particularly liked about this Anime such as the calm demeanour of the narration within the Anime, I felt, added to an effectively compelling atmosphere they were trying to depict and the range of colours and props used throughout the Anime also contributed to an already fixed tonal nature and represents its time period commendably.

TL;DR: good shit plus bros before hoes