RAINBOW: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin: A thorough review of a touching story of youth and friendship

RAINBOW The Seven in the Six Chambers

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 6, 2010 - September 28, 2010

■TV Broadcast

• Nippon Television (NTV) April 6, 2010 to September 28, 2010 (Episodes 1 to 26) Every Tuesday 24:59 to 25:29
• Chukyo Television (CTV) April 16, 2010 to October 8, 2010 (Episodes 1 to 26) Every Friday 26:59 to 27:29
• Sapporo Television (STV) May 26, 2010 to November 17, 2010 (Episodes 1 to 26) Every Wednesday 25:34 to 26:04
• Yomiuri Television (YTV) June 28, 2010 to December 20, 2010 (Episodes 1 to 26) Every Monday 26:47 to 27:17
• Nittele Plus October 22, 2010 to April 22, 2011 (Episodes 1 to 26) Every Friday 25:30 to 26:00

■ Online distribution

• Bandai Channel April 2, 2010 to October 1, 2010 (Episodes 1 to 26) Updated every Friday from 12:00 * (Episodes 2 and onwards are distributed 3 days later than Nippon Television)

■Broadcasting station

Nippon Television, NTV Plus, Bandai Channel

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 26

■Original Story

Joji Abe and Masazumi Kakizaki

■ Director

Hiroshi Kojina

■ Production

• Animation Production: Madhouse
• Planning and production: Nippon Television Network
• Production copyright/Vap

■Works

©2010 Joji Abe, Masazumi Kakizaki/Shogakukan, VAP, Ntv_a

■ Story

By the summer of next year...we'll all be free.
The year is 1955. Six boys, including Mizukami Mario (nicknamed Mario), commit a crime and are imprisoned in building two, cell six of the Shonan Special Juvenile Detention Center.
Amid the daily occurrences of fights and beatings, they face the absurdity and live strong lives, bearing in mind the teachings of their older cellmate, Sakuragi Rokurota (nicknamed Anchan).

■Explanation

The year is 1955. Six boys commit a crime and are sent to the Shonan Special Juvenile Detention Center, cell number six, building two. In the midst of constant fights and beatings, they learn from their cellmate, "Anchan," or Sakuragi Rokurota, and live strong lives, facing the absurdity of the situation.
The original work is the hit manga of the same name by Joji Abe and Masazumi Kakizaki, which has sold a total of 3.3 million copies in 22 volumes. In 2005, it won the 51st Shogakukan Manga Award.
This is a human drama that carefully depicts seven people as they overcome the gritty times of the 1950s, shortly after the war.

*Quoted from Madhouse's official website

■Cast

• Mario Mizukami/Shun Oguri
• Setsuko Koike/Shihori Kanjiya
• Rokurota Sakuragi/Rikiya Koyama
• Noboru Maeda/Park Mi
• Ryuji Nomoto/Keiji Fujiwara
• Yokosuka Joe/Hasome Tatsuya
• Tadayoshi Toyama/Takaya Kuroda
• Mansaku Matsuura/Tomohiro Waki
• Ishihara/Ishii Yasushi
• Lily/Yamagata Kaori
• Yokosuka Meg/Toyoguchi Megumi
• Narration: Megumi Hayashibara

■ Main staff

• Original work: Joji Abe, Masazumi Kakizaki (published by Shogakukan Young Sunday Comics)
• Director: Hiroshi Kojina
• Series Composition: Hideo Takayashiki
• Character design: Ai Kikuchi
• Chief animation director: Ai Kikuchi, Mika Takahashi
• Art Director: Tomoyuki Shimizu
• Director of photography: Yukihiro Masumoto
• Color design/Yoshinori Horikawa
• Edited by Satoshi Terauchi
• Music: Yu Takami
• Sound Director: Masafumi Mima
• Producers: Toshio Nakatani, Manabu Tamura
• Animation Production: Madhouse
• Planning and production: Nippon Television Network
• Production copyright/Vap

■ Main Characters

• Mario Minakami
  Nicknamed "Mario." Nickname comes from his name, "Mario." He was incarcerated for attempted murder. He is a reckless man who will put his life on the line for his friends, no matter who it is, but to put it bluntly, he has a short temper.
• Rokurota Sakuragi
  Nicknamed "Anchan." The nickname comes from "everyone's Anchan." He was incarcerated for assaulting a U.S. soldier. He is a senior in the "Nisho Rokubo" cell. He is close to being released, but is confined behind bars for a certain reason. His dream is to become the world champion in boxing and repay his filial piety to his mother who raised him despite losing his father and five older brothers.
• Mansaku Matsuura
  Nicknamed "Cabbage." The origin of his nickname comes from the fact that the rock peony tattoo on his right shoulder looks like a cabbage. He was admitted for assault and battery, drinking and other bad behavior. He is a slow-witted, kind-hearted, big-eater and strong man.
• Ryuji Nomoto
  Nicknamed "Baremoto." The nickname comes from his motto, "Barete Moto Moto." He was incarcerated for fraud, embezzlement, and baggage pickpocketing. His father was killed in the war in Manchuria, and he lost faith in people due to the chaos that followed the war, but was saved by his friends and strangers.
• Noboru Maeda
  Nicknamed "Soft-shelled Turtle," his nickname comes from the fact that he bites into the weapon with his teeth and won't let go (like a soft-shelled turtle). He was incarcerated for repeated theft of large sums of money. He became an orphan after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. He is short, and has a bald spot the size of a 10 yen on his head. He is a smooth talker and a born businessman, and dreams of becoming very rich. He usually hangs out with Cabbage and Baremoto, and has become especially close with Baremoto's family.
• Tadayoshi Toyama
  Nicknamed "Heitai." The nickname comes from his dream of becoming a "soldier." He was incarcerated for violent acts and illegal confinement. He is a big, tough man with a frightening appearance and a chivalrous disposition when he is angry. He has a clear dream of becoming a "soldier."
• Yokosuka Joe
  Nicknamed "Joe." Nickname comes from his first name, "Joe." He was admitted for assault and battery and illicit sexual relations. He is mixed race. When he was a child, his mother left him and his sister in front of the gates of an orphanage for mixed race children, where he grew up, but because of his good looks, he caught the eye of the female director and was sexually abused. After he was admitted, his sister was taken in by an adoptive father, and they were separated for a long time without knowing each other's whereabouts, but they were later reunited.
• Setsuko Koike
  A nurse. She hid the members who escaped from prison. She was also Anchan's lover. Later, Mario fell in love with her and she accepted him, but left him shortly after.

■Subtitle

• CRIME 1/After the rain(2010/04/06)
• CRIME 2/Fugitive (2010/04/13)
• CRIME 3/Distrust (2010/04/20)
• CRIME 4/Dissolve (2010/04/27)
• CRIME 5/Someday…(2010/05/04)
• CRIME 6/Truth (2010/05/11)
• CRIME 7/Determination(2010/05/18)
• CRIME 8/Freedom (2010/05/25)
• CRIME 9/Lament (2010/06/01)
• CRIME 10/Vengeance(2010/06/08)
• CRIME 11/Showdown (2010/06/15)
• CRIME 12/Promise (2010/06/22)
• CRIME 13/Recollect (Compilation) (2010/06/29)
• CRIME 14/Revenge (2010/07/06)
• CRIME 15/Annoyance(2010/07/13)
• CRIME 16/Hidden (2010/07/20)
• CRIME 17/Parting (2010/07/27)
• CRIME 18/Unbreakable(2010/08/03)
• CRIME 19/Reunion (2010/08/10)
• CRIME 20/Vocation (2010/08/17)
• CRIME 21/Blinded (2010/08/24)
• CRIME 22/Emergence(2010/08/31)
• CRIME 23/Chance (2010/09/07)
• CRIME 24/Desperate(2010/09/14)
• CRIME 25/Independence(2010/09/21)
• CRIME 26/Over the rainbow(2010/09/28)

■ Theme songs and music

• OP1
  
  • We're not alone
  • Lyricist: Masato
  • Composition: YKC, Masato
  • Song: coldrain
• ED1
  
  • A FAR-OFF DISTANCE
  • Lyricist: Sho
  • Composer: Syu
  • Song: GALNERYUS

RAINBOW Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin - Rainbow Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin Review and Recommendation

"Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin" is a TV anime series that aired in 2010 and is based on the manga of the same name by Abe Joji and Kakizaki Masazumi. This work is a human drama set in Japan in the 1950s, depicting the days spent by juvenile offenders in the Nisha Rokubou of the Shonan Special Juvenile Detention Center. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal, evaluation, and recommended points of this work.

The appeal of the story

The story of "RAINBOW: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin" depicts the growth and friendship of boys living in the harsh environment of a juvenile detention center. The protagonist, Mizukami Mario (Mario), and six other boys live strong lives while facing the absurdity of the detention center, where fights and lynchings are commonplace, with the teachings of their older brother, Sakuragi Rokurota (Anchan), in mind. The story skillfully incorporates the historical background of Japan in the 1950s, shortly after the war, to realistically depict the boys' suffering and hopes.

Particularly impressive are the backstories of each character. Mario was incarcerated for attempted murder, and is a hot-blooded man who will put his life on the line for his friends, no matter who it is. Meanwhile, Anchan was incarcerated for assaulting a US soldier, and dreams of becoming the world boxing champion. Characters such as Cabbage, Heitai, Suppon, and Baremoto each have their own deep pasts and dreams, and their growth and changes enrich the story.

Character Appeal

The greatest appeal of this work is its diverse characters. Each character's unique characteristics add excitement to the story, such as Mario's short-tempered and passionate personality, Anchan's calmness and leadership skills, Cabbage's kindness and superhuman strength, Heitai's chivalrous temperament, Suppon's business acumen, and Valemoto's talent as a con artist. Characters outside the juvenile detention center, such as the nurse Setsuko Koike and Mario's sister Lily, also play important roles, adding depth to the story.

The voice actors are also impressive, with Shun Oguri as Mario, Rikiya Koyama as Anchan, and Shihori Kanjiya as Setsuko Koike, and their performances bring out the individuality of each character. In particular, Rikiya Koyama's voice for Anchan really expresses the presence that supports the boys' hearts.

Production quality

"RAINBOW: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin" is known for its animation produced by Madhouse. The character designs are by Kikuchi Ai, and art director Shimizu Tomoyuki's work is superb, realistically recreating the atmosphere of the 1950s. The music is by Takami Yu, and the impressive background music enhances the tension and emotion of the film. Additionally, the opening song "We're not alone" by coldrain and the ending song "A FAR-OFF DISTANCE" by GALNERYUS also match the worldview of the story.

Evaluation and recommendation points

"RAINBOW: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin" is a hit manga that has sold a total of 3.3 million copies in 22 volumes and won the 51st Shogakukan Manga Award. The anime version also faithfully inherits the charm of the original, and by adapting it into a movie, it has created a new excitement. This work is a human drama that depicts the growth and friendship of boys, and can be recommended to a wide range of generations.

It is especially recommended for the following audiences:

• People who are interested in Japan in the 1950s
• People who like stories set in juvenile detention centers and rehabilitation facilities
• People who want to enjoy the growth of unique characters
• People who like works that have friendship and bond themes
• People who want to enjoy a realistic human drama

"Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin" is a moving story about the suffering and hopes of young boys. Please enjoy watching this work and experience their growth and friendship.