Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin (original) (raw)

Almost a decade after I watched the anime (2015), I'm happy that I could read all the original manga. All these years I didn't know what to expect from the rest of the story that the anime didn't cover, and I can safely say it was a pleasant surprise.

This is a tale about seven young men – Nicknames Mario, Suppon, Heitai, Kyabetsu, Joe, Baremoto and Anchan - in a juvenile reformatory in the post-war Japan (1955, more specifically), and how their encounter changed their lives.

Being written by George Abe, who was a teenager in the 1950’s Japan, takes great care in addressing social topics such... as the American occupation and how it affected the country culturally (we see an ascension of Jazz and Rock music, boxing and other western sports, etc.).

But the main point is the economical devastation affected the Japanese people for decades after the war.

The manga expands beautifully on the backstory and development of all the seven characters, their personal struggles, families, goals, traumas, hopes and dreams. But the focus is on their relationship since juvie, and how there is no bond as unbreakable as a strong friendship.

It’s a wonderful tale wonderfully illustrated by Masasumi Kakizaki, a very talented artist.

Despite all the social criticisms Abe makes, you can tell a lot of the plot has his own life story in it, and the main point he makes is and how having good, trustworthy people by your side is what makes you overcome even your most rough hardships.

Overall, a great and very human story, great character design and development, beautiful art and a clear philosophy. I can respect that.

Recommended specially if you like historical novels and such. It was the first piece of media that I saw being set on 50’s-60’s Japan, and being told by someone that lived the period, at that.

“If there’s a place inside this world,
Where hopes and dreams are not yet lost
We stand and climb against this walls,
And fight this fight forever more.
If there’s a place inside this world,
Where hopes and dreams are not yet lost
Where we must go back to once more,
Until the day,
We find that place…
We are not alone”