Part 1: The Curtain Rises on Hell
The year is 1955. The season is spring, but there is no warmth in the air for the six teenagers standing before the imposing iron gates of the Shounan Special Reform School. The sakura blossoms are blooming outside, indifferent to the fate of the boys about to enter.
They are criminals, or so society has labeled them. They are strangers to one another, united only by the heavy shackles around their wrists and the crimes that brought them here.
First, there is Sakuragi Rokurouta, a boy with the eyes of a hawk and a body built for boxing. Next is Mario Minakami, a hot-blooded youth locked up for violence. There is Matsunaga Tōru, who covered for a crime he didn't commit; Maeda Tadayoshi, a quiet boy with a brilliant mind for mechanics; Nomoto Ryuunosuke, the stoic realist; and Yokoyama Jō, known as "Cabbage," whose simple, gentle demeanor seems out of place in a detention center.
As they are processed, the guards strip them of their humanity. They are forced to strip, hosed down with freezing water, and given rough uniforms. The message is clear: You are no longer people. You are inmates.
Their destination is Cell 204. A dark, cramped space that smells of mildew and despair. It is here that the six strangers are locked inside, left to stew in their own anxiety.
Part 2: The Sixth Man
The atmosphere in Cell 204 is thick with tension. The boys size each other up, suspicious and defensive. But they quickly realize something is off.
"Hey," one of them mutters. "There are six beds."
The guards had mentioned seven inmates for this cell. The boys look around the dim room. That is when they see him. In the far corner, a figure sits cross-legged on the cold concrete floor, eyes closed, silently performing a breathing exercise. He is shirtless, his muscles taut and defined.
This is Sakuragi Rokurouta. Unlike the others, he doesn't radiate fear or bravado. He radiates a strange, intense calm.
The tension breaks when one of the younger boys, unable to handle the silence, snaps. He kicks the bucket that serves as their toilet, splashing filth across the floor. The smell is unbearable. The boy breaks down crying, terrified of the environment and the shame.
Sakuragi stands up. He doesn't say a word. He walks over to the mess, grabs a rag, and begins to clean it up.
The others stare. "Why are you doing that?" Mario asks, incredulous. rainbow nisha rokubou no shichinin chapter 1
Sakuragi looks up, his expression unreadable. "Because it stinks. We live here now. If we don't clean it, we are the ones who suffer."
He turns to the crying boy. "Stop crying. Tears won't wash away the smell, and they won't open the door."
There is a weight to his words that silences the room. Slowly, one by one, the others join him. They scrub the floor until it is spotless. In that moment, a silent bond is forged. They are not friends yet, but they are comrades in survival.
Part 3: The Demon
The door to Cell 204 slides open with a crash. The warden stands there, a man with a face like stone. But the true horror stands behind him.
A guard steps forward. He is tall, with a twisted smile that doesn't reach his eyes. This is Ishihara, a man who has made it his life's purpose to break the spirits of the young inmates.
Ishihara’s eyes scan the room, landing on Sakuragi. He recognizes him. Sakuragi is known for his violent outbursts against corrupt authority.
"So, we have a hero among us," Ishihara sneers. He strikes Sakuragi across the face with a baton. The sound is sickening.
Sakuragi doesn't flinch. He takes the blow, his feet rooted to the ground. He stares Ishihara directly in the eyes. It is a look of pure, unadulterated defiance.
This angers Ishihara further. He raises the baton to strike again, but a voice cuts through the air.
"Stop!"
It is Mario. He steps forward, shielding Sakuragi. "If you hit him again, I'll report you for brutality!"
Ishihara laughs. It is a dry, rasping sound. "Report me? To who? In here, I am the law. You are nothing but trash." Part 1: The Curtain Rises on Hell The year is 1955
Ishihara leaves them with a final threat, locking the door. The boys are left bruised but unbroken.
Part 4: The Promise Under the Moon
Night falls. The reform school is quiet, save for the snores of guards and the distant sound of the ocean. The boys sit in the dark, unable to sleep. The reality of their sentences hangs over them like a guillotine. Some of them are here for years. Some may never leave.
Sakuragi breaks the silence. He speaks of the outside world, of the sun, and of the freedom they have lost. He talks about his dream—to become a professional boxer.
"We can't give up," Sakuragi says, his voice low but fierce. "If we give up, they win. We have to survive. We have to get out of here and live. We have to live so hard that it makes up for this hell."
He holds out his fist.
One by one, the others place their fists against his. Mario, Tōru, Tadayoshi, Ryuunosuke, and Cabbage. Seven fists stacked together in the dark.
"We will get out," Mario whispers. "All of us."
Outside the barred window, the rain has stopped. A break in the clouds reveals the moon. But in their hearts, a different phenomenon occurs—a promise of a rainbow after the storm.
Thus begins the story of seven boys, stripped of everything but their lives, fighting to reclaim their humanity in a world that sees them as monsters.
End of Chapter 1.
Chapter 1 of Rainbow: Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin , titled "Crime 1," establishes the gritty and oppressive atmosphere of post-WWII Japan in 1955. Written by George Abe and illustrated by Masasumi Kakizaki, the manga begins with a bleak introduction to the Shōnan Special Reform School. Setting the Scene: Shōnan Special Reform School
The story opens 10 years after World War II, a time of deep poverty and social instability in Japan. Six teenagers— Mario Minakami Noboru Maeda Ryūji Nomoto Mansaku Yokohama (Cabbage), Tadayoshi Tōyama (Soldier), and Jō Yokosuka Many fans first encountered Rainbow through the acclaimed
(Joe)—are transported by bus to the reformatory for various crimes.
Upon arrival, they are immediately stripped of their dignity. The institutionalized abuse is highlighted by a humiliating medical examination conducted by the sadistic school physician, Dr. Sasaki Key Plot Points The Meeting with Sakuragi
: The six boys are assigned to Compound Two, Cell Six, where they meet a seventh occupant: Rokurouta Sakuragi , whom they later call "An-chan" (Big Brother). The Initial Conflict
: Mario, feeling defensive and aggressive in the hostile environment, picks a fight with Sakuragi. Despite being outnumbered six to one, Sakuragi easily knocks out all of them, demonstrating his physical dominance. A Symbol of Defiance : The confrontation is interrupted by the head guard,
, who violently beats Sakuragi as punishment for the disturbance while the others watch in shock. Forging the Bond
: Despite the brutal beating, Sakuragi shows no fear or resentment toward the newcomers. When he regains consciousness, he accepts a smuggled cigarette from Joe and shares it with the rest of the boys. This selfless act in such a "rotten world" serves as the foundation for their legendary bond of brotherhood. Chapter 1 Character Overview
Rainbow: The Seven from Compound Two, Cell Six (TV Series 2010) - IMDb
Here’s a concise review of Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin – Chapter 1 (manga).
Many fans first encountered Rainbow through the acclaimed 2010 anime adaptation by Madhouse Studios. Episode 1 follows Chapter 1 almost panel-for-panel. However, the manga chapter has a rawer edge. The anime adds a beautiful soundtrack (fittingly, a choir singing “Tsubasa o Kudasai”), but the manga’s silent panels—the long pauses between dialogue—create a heavier, more claustrophobic atmosphere.
If you’ve only seen the anime, reading Chapter 1 of the manga is essential. Kakizaki’s original art captures a grittiness that animation smooths over.
Manga has the power to transport you to fantastical worlds, but every so often, a series drags you into a grim, unflattering corner of reality and forces you to look. Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin (Rainbow: The Seven from Cell Six), written by George Abe and illustrated by Masasumi Kakizaki, is precisely that kind of story. Serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday starting in 2002, Rainbow is a brutal, poignant, and ultimately uplifting tale of seven juvenile delinquents struggling to survive Japan’s post-WWII reform school system.
Chapter 1, often subtitled “The Song of Freedom” in fan translations, is not a gentle handshake. It is a punch to the gut. It sets the tone for the entire series: unflinching violence, profound camaraderie, and the flicker of hope in absolute darkness.
If you are searching for "Rainbow Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin Chapter 1," you are likely either a curious newcomer or a fan looking for analysis. This article will break down the plot, themes, character introductions, and artistic mastery of the very first chapter.
Are you tired of isekai power fantasies and high school comedies? Rainbow Chapter 1 is the antidote. It is mature, challenging, and emotionally devastating. But it is also incredibly rewarding.
Warning: Rainbow is not for the faint of heart. Chapter 1 contains graphic violence, depictions of sexual abuse (referenced), and intense psychological cruelty. It is rated for mature readers. However, the series never indulges in gore for shock value. Every brutal moment serves the theme of survival.