Title: Rainbow Days Vol. 8
Author: Minami Mizuno
Publisher: Viz Media
Language: English
Format: Paperback
Pages: 203
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Publication Date: February 6, 2024
The Story
The gang has entered their senior year of high school. As they look down at all of the new students coming in, they begin to remember what it was like during their freshman year. This is when we take a trip back in time that shows how the four of them came together. This also holds significance because their senior trip is coming up and they will, once again, be going together… or so they thought.
Hashiba was really hoping to be in the same group as Anna; however, that didn’t end up being the case. Despite that, they talk about what they want to do as a group for their free day. They agree that they want to go see the famous sights together. When Hashiba goes to buy some food, he runs into Anna and it seems as if her group is planning on doing the same thing.
Later, he runs into Mocchi who happens to be in Anna’s group. He wants to know if Hashiba made any progress on confessing his feelings for Anna yet. When he finds out he hasn’t, Mocchi proclaims that he plans do to so during the senior trip. The race we thought was on but wasn’t is back on once again to see who can confess their feelings for Anna first!
Characters
Despite getting the backstory of how they came together, it was Hashiba who received all of the development from it. The other three really haven’t changed all too much since their freshman encounter. The only thing they shared was a feeling that it wasn’t good to let their guards down around each other yet. Slowly, they all opened up to one another and became friends; however, if anyone had their guard up the most, it was Hashiba.
He started off looking around to see if he could find anyone from his junior high class because he felt as if he failed at making friends on the first day. It wasn’t until he was placed into a group with Keiichi, Tomoya, and Tsuyoshi and forced into being their leader that things started to change; however, it didn’t happen instantly. Of all things, it was an argument over roll call on the trip that caused them to bond. As weird as it sounds, given what we’ve seen from this group, I don’t think there was a better way of bringing the four of them together.
Mocchi returned to remind us that he was Hashiba’s love rival. This seemed to light a fire inside of Hashiba but will he actually confess his feelings? We are at the halfway point in the series so it’s possible.
Final Thoughts
Sorry, but I cannot buy Mocchi as a legitimate threat and I think it’s for the very same reason I gave when the rivalry aspect of the story was first introduced. It’s painfully obvious that Anna has feelings for Hashiba… especially after they went on that Ferris wheel ride together. Then, there was the whole accidental confession when Hashiba fell ill and passed out. All of this added up in her head and it made Anna realize that she was in love and that Hashiba was the boy who made her feel that way.
So, what good is there adding drama to the story when we, as readers, already know the outcome? It would be the biggest non-sensical curveball ever if Anna was asked out by Mocchi and she said ‘yes.’ I just can’t see it even remotely happening in any capacity with the way the story had been set up… which means one thing and one thing only… Mocchi is nothing more than a plot device character to get Hashiba and Anna together and that doesn’t sit well with me.
Rather than letting things play out naturally, we’re getting a scenario where it’s a bit forced. The only way out of this is if Hashiba decides to go confess and accidentally strolls up when Mocchi confesses his feelings for Anna and witnesses Anna turning him down. He would then be able to breathe a sigh of relief and take his time and ask her out at his own pace. In fact, that very well may just happen but whatever the case may be, we won’t find out until Vol. 9
As for the flashback, that was fun. I liked how it was a class trip back then as well. It tied in well to the overall theme of the volume and it was pretty fitting how the four of them came together. Figures that it would be an argument over their antics that would cause them to bond.
Gripes about the love rivalry aside, this was a productive and fun volume! Now, to see if I’m right about the whole Mocchi thing next time around.
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This item was provided for review by VIZ Media.
