What is with the obsession with cards in anime anyway?
Rio: Rainbow Gate! is based on a series of pachinko games…and it shows.
Rio is the most popular dealer in the Howard Resort. She has the mysterious ability to give good luck to everyone around her just by being in the area. She is a holder of a Gate. Gates are 13 cards used to determine the world’s most skilled dealer. The holder of all 13 is called the “Most Valuable Casino Dealer.”
The owner of Howard Resorts, Tim Howard, constantly has the busty Rio dress (if you can call that) in embarrassing and revealing outfits to promote his casino.
…sigh…
Other characters include Rio’s legendary mother, Risa Rollins, Rio’s friend, Rina and a cast of other villains and sub characters not really worth mentioning.
Rio is challenged to various Gate duels with other Gate holders. The duels involve various casino games like roulette. Each Gate holder uses their various abilities to bend chance in their favor. Conveniently enough almost all the Gate holders work or live around the Howard Resort.
I managed to make it halfway through the series…Howard forcing Rio into more and more revealing outfits irritated me. The entire premise of the anime just didn’t work. I never liked card based anime. They are just contrived and rather silly. Rio isn’t all bad….
The animation is decent. It is colorful and captures the feel of a casino…. I’m really trying here.
Yeah that is pretty much it.
If you are like me and don’t know how to play Old Maid, let alone any casino card game, you will be pretty lost. Rio spends too much time focusing the lens at breasts and butts when not showing the various casino games. There isn’t any real character development. Rio is comes off as too innocent to realize people are exploiting her, yet can down and serious “duel” with the hardest gambler. It just doesn’t work.
This one anime to skip or watch with very low expectations.
