Like The Shawshank Redemption? Watch Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin (Rainbow)

• Episodes: 26
• Aired: October 2010 – September 2010

Major Similarities Between The Shawshank Redemption and Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin (Rainbow)

1. The Bonds that Bind

Andy's budding friendship with Red serves as The Shawshank Redemption's heart. Initially, Morgan Freeman's inmate acts as a mentor for the babyfaced Andy; however, as the years fade away, their relationship turns into one defined by mutual trust and respect. Surviving prison is not a task easily achieved on one's own. Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin challenges the bonds established between the seven principal cellmates, with the older Rokurouta Sakuragi acting as a role model for the terrified newcomers. In such a harsh environment, isolation guarantees death, and the people in charge desperately try to extinguish even the slightest source of warmth.

2. Cut From the Same Awful Cloth

Samuel Norton is undoubtedly an intimidating and cruel Warden, but Ishihara makes Shawshank's corrupt supervisor look almost decent! Driven by a deep-seated hatred for Rokurouta and dedicating his miserable life to torturing youngsters who might have had a bright future, Ishihara ranks among the most loathsome modern villains. Please note, we are taking into account more than just anime! Ishihara is a monster. Describing the guard as the "worst" is a gross understatement, but Ishihara always comes across as human. Norton and Rainbow's detestable supervisor are both plausible. Consequently, The Shawshank Redemption and Madhouse's anime both have terrifying villains!

3. Freedom Comes at a Price

Andy never gives up hope of eventually tasting freedom, but The Shawshank Redemption clearly illustrates the challenges faced by ex-cons seeking to reintegrate into society. Rainbow opts for a similar approach, with the prisoners lacking anywhere to call home beyond the hellish school's walls. They have been abandoned by civilization, and there is no guarantee that anything positive awaits them. The convicts dream about reuniting as free men, but such a goal is nearly a fantasy.

Liked The Shawshank Redemption? Watch Nanbaka

• Episodes: 13
• Aired: October 2016 – December 2016

Major Similarities Between The Shawshank Redemption and Nanbaka

1. A Life Behind Bars

Crammed with quirky characters and extravagant animation, Nanbaka is far more lighthearted than The Shawshank Redemption. The opening episode quickly establishes that Satelight's series is closer to a gag anime than a straight-up drama. Despite the tonal differences, Nanbaka tackles many of the same themes explored by 1994's fantastic film. Perpetually incarcerated for the majority of his time on Earth, Juugo seeks the comfort of a prison cell and fears that he is incapable of adapting to normal everyday life. Nanbaka's prisoners are all haunted by dark pasts that left scars upon their psyches, ultimately leading to Cell 13.

2. A Battle of Willpower

As the supervisor striving to keep Cell 13's likable scoundrels confined in their cage, Hajime Sugoroku is the foremost obstacle standing in the way of the prisoners' freedom. Nanbaka presents its convict-guard dynamic in a more competitive light than The Shawshank Redemption or Rainbow, but this is still a clash of willpower. Hajime is not unrelentingly abhorrent or corrupt, but he will go to any length to ensure Nanba's walls remain unbreached. Andy seeks to escape Shawshank, but Nanbaka's characters view the escape itself as the liberating act. The journey is more important than the destination.