Rio : Rainbow Gate

Is it possible to have an anime riddled with clichés and stereotypes, yet have a premise that's so ridiculous that it results in a viewing experience so unique that it can't even be categorized? Perhaps that was the question posed to a Xebec during a brainstorming session. There is no other possible explanation for the inception of Rio – Rainbow Gate!, a show that bewilders with its inane premise, and its unabashed love of light-reflecting breasts. The latter is a puzzle—with the exception of saunas and female bodybuilding competitions, I've never seen breasts that actually shine in real life, but in anime, they are a dime a dozen. This series, especially, loves this concept, and for every pair of heaving bosoms, there are two glints of radiant sunshine.

Rio, the titular character, is the most popular dealer at Howard Resor
t, a gorgeous beachside community with towering architectural styles borrowed from all over the world. Known as the Goddess of Victory, she exudes luck, and anyone who touches her hand or merely basks in her presence cleans up at the card tables and slot machines. How the casino manages to stay in business is anyone's guess. Aside from dealing, though, she also does various odd jobs for the owner, like dress up and entertain wealthy clients. Although, it does beg one very big question. It's obvious that Rio hates dressing in skimpy outfits and doing whatever perverted thing the owner asks of her, but—why stay at that job? Why not just use her talent for gambling, use that to earn a living, and stop working for some pervert? But maybe at Howard Resort, logic is a rare commodity only sold in the High Rollers room.

See, Rio doesn't just have a knack for luck. She can actually become “one” with whatever game she's playing and pick the cards she wants. In the first episode, she goes head to head with some bad guy who's after a little girl's teddy bear in a hand of five card draw. After the cards are dealt, both players suddenly enter some sort of fantasy dream state, where they actually start walking around a world of life-size cards and reach out to the ones they want. What? Can they actually manipulate the order of the already shuffled cards? Or is it a simple matter of ESP in terms of predicting what card is next? And even though the fantasy sequence is some five minutes long, how long does it appear to the bystanders watching this game?

Once again, logic is not one of the chips at stake here.

To the show's credit, there are two things that I was unprepared for. One, the show looks really nice. The animators put a lot of time and effort into making sure every person in a crowd looks different, and all of the architectural effects in Howard Resort are stunning. All of the cards are drawn with great detail, and every groove in the roulette wheel is carefully brushed in. I even had to admire the effort that the animators expended making sure every single set of breasts in the entire casino had a nice, freshly waxed sheen to it.

Secondly, I was completely unprepared for the motive of the bad guy. When he was trying to steal the little girl's bear, I naturally assumed her wealthy grandfather had hidden corporate secrets inside, or perhaps some kind of key to a safe. No. The actual motive was so ridiculous I audibly cried out in disbelief. As if the Gambling Goddess premise of the show wasn't enough. As if the money shot of the token ermine mascot pulling at a half-naked girl's bed sheets weren't enough. This show is simply too much, and not really in a good way.

Originally posted by bamboo dong animenewsnetwork.com

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