Rainbow (2010)
A raw, emotionally charged anime drama about seven young men forging unbreakable bonds inside a brutal postwar Japanese reform school.
Rainbow - Series Information
- Original Title: ＲＡＩＮＢＯＷ 二舎六房の七人
- First Air Year: 2010
- Last Air Year: 2010
- Created by: Kôjina Hiroshi, Masasumi Kakizaki
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Animation, Drama, Crime
- Content Rating (US): TV-MA
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode (22 minutes)
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Number of Episodes: 26
- Status: Ended
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- First Air Date: April 6, 2010 (United States - TV-MA), April 6, 2010 (Canada - 18+), April 6, 2010 (Germany - 16), April 6, 2010 (France - 16), April 6, 2010 (Australia - MA 15+), April 6, 2010 (Brazil - 16)
- Networks: Nippon TV
- Alternative Titles: RAINBOW Nisha rokubou no Shichinin (JP), 少年犯之七人 (CN), Rainbow - Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin (US)
- Production Companies: Madhouse
- Production Countries: Japan
Rainbow - Plot
About ten years after the Second World War, a group of juvenile offenders are sent to the Shounan Special Reform School, a kind of juvenile detention center, to deal with the atrocities and injustices they experienced in the war.
Rainbow - Trailer
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Rainbow - Cast & Crew
Creator(s)
- Kôjina Hiroshi
- Masasumi Kakizaki
Main Cast
- Koji Ishii
- Romi Park
- Tatsuya Hasome
- Megumi Hayashibara
- Shun Oguri
- Takaya Hashi
- Takaya Kuroda
- Rikiya Koyama
- Tomohiro Waki
- Keiji Fujiwara
Rainbow - FAQs
Is Rainbow based on a manga?
Rainbow is adapted from the manga series by Masasumi Kakizaki, serialized in Weekly Young Sunday from 2002 to 2008. The manga spans 22 volumes and is known for its raw, unflinching portrayal of postwar Japan and the bonds formed between young men in a brutal reform school.
What makes Rainbow stand out among anime dramas?
Rainbow is celebrated for its emotional intensity and unflinching honesty. Unlike typical anime, it focuses on survival, trauma, and deep male friendship in postwar Japan. Produced by Madhouse, it combines gritty realism with genuinely moving character development, earning a devoted following among fans of mature, story-driven anime.
Where can you stream Rainbow?
Rainbow is available to stream on Crunchyroll and the Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, both offering it as part of their flat-rate subscription. These are currently the primary legal streaming options for the series in the United States.
Is Rainbow worth watching for non-anime fans?
Absolutely. Rainbow transcends typical anime conventions with its grounded, human storytelling. Its themes of resilience, loyalty, and survival under oppression resonate universally. Viewers who enjoy prestige dramas like prison narratives or postwar stories will find it deeply compelling, even without prior experience with the medium.
Who are the main voice actors in Rainbow?
The cast features acclaimed voice talent including Shun Oguri as Mario Minakami, Romi Park as Noboru Maeda, Rikiya Koyama as Rokurota Sakuragi, Takaya Kuroda as Tadayoshi Toyama, and Keiji Fujiwara as Ryuuji Nomoto, among others. Megumi Hayashibara provides the narration.
How was Rainbow received by critics and audiences?
Rainbow earned strong praise from anime critics and audiences for its emotional depth and mature storytelling. It is frequently cited as one of Madhouse's finest productions and appears on numerous 'best anime' lists, particularly among fans of seinen drama. Its unflinching tone was both its most praised and most debated quality.
What is the historical setting of Rainbow?
Rainbow is set in Japan roughly a decade after World War II, during the early 1950s. The story unfolds in the Shounan Special Reform School, reflecting the social chaos, poverty, and institutional brutality that marked Japan's difficult postwar recovery period. This historical backdrop gives the series much of its dramatic weight.
What anime series are similar to Rainbow?
Fans of Rainbow often enjoy Monster (2004) for its dark, morally complex narrative, and Psycho-Pass (2012) for its exploration of crime and systemic injustice. Prison School (2015) shares the reform school setting, while BEASTARS (2019) offers similarly layered character dynamics in a mature, Madhouse-adjacent production style.
More About Rainbow
Explore further details about Rainbow on these authoritative resources.