MANGA REVIEW | "Rainbows After Storms" - Volume Six
Sometimes I complain that Rainbows After Storms is a tad fluffy. That’s not to say “fluffy” is a bad thing; it’s just that when someone makes a romance manga, just being always happy and cute sometimes just doesn’t cut it. Fortunately, in the sixth volume of Rainbows After Storms, Nanoha and Chidori have a big wedge placed between them, a scenario this manga has greatly needed. However, it does arrive in a very clichéd manner.
Mai, Nanoha’s old friend, knows the secret between Nanoha and Chidori. And the fact that she too has feelings for Nanoha makes it a tricky situation to come clean about. Hence why she attempts to find something that hints at the relationship whenever they’re with their group of friends. But it’s very tricky to catch someone in the act of flirtation when they’re really good at hiding it. Well, save for a bit of blushing here and there.
But even if she can’t find proof of their romance, Mai still is a good friend to them both. Heck, even Chidori’s gotten a bit closer to Mai recently. Her advice when it comes to sharing a public bath with friends may seem silly at first, but it gives her the opportunity to calm down a bit and no longer worry. And yet, it’s these talks that get Chidori in hot water with the woman she loves the most.
Rainbows After Storms deals with a big misunderstanding between Nanoha and Chidori in the sixth volume’s second half. Yes, these sorts of things can sometimes make my eyes roll, but in a manga where there’s little conflict, it at least lights a fire under these two. Chidori refuses to tell Nanoha why she’s been talking a lot with Mai, since the friends have been discussing Nanoha herself. Suddenly, what should be a fun class trip instead gets drenched in tension, with the couple’s friends wrapped around the situation too.
It’s in these moments where we see what matters most to both Nanoha and Chidori. They love each other, so why would one little secret that’s not even a big deal push them apart? Chidori realizes this first, after having a good heart-to-heart with Reichin. As for Nanoha, it’s experiencing a bunch of things at a theme park without Chidori there that make her realize how much she misses her.
All of this leads to a beautiful scene in a nearby church. Both Nanoha and Chidori have already apologized, but they go a little further explaining how much their love means to one another. It’s a vow from Chidori that acts as the yuri icing on their romantic cake, with a little religious symbolism thrown in for good measure. (Speaking of which, ever notice how many yuri stories take place in Christian boarding schools?)
There’s finally some meat on the bone that is Rainbows After Storms in its sixth volume. While it does come via a situation that’s been done to death, it nevertheless leads to a very beautiful makeup towards the end. However, with Mai thinking she has a chance with Nanoha, who knows if this is the end of their rough patches? Odds are, the biggest one will soon be arriving on the horizon.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
