History Main / EverythingsbetterWithRainbows

* In Myth/NorseMythology, Bifröst is a rainbow bridge connecting Miðgarðr (man's domain/earth) Ásgarðr (realm of the gods). Presumably every rainbow is an instance of the same bridge.

[[folder: Film]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

* Metal band ''Music/{{Rainbow}}'' featured several songs using rainbows as a symbol for imagination, ambition and human effort. "Catch the Rainbow" from their debut album is about trying to reach for the impossible, and "Rainbow Eyes" is about mourning for TheLostLenore, who grows more mythicized and fantastical in the singer's memory over time. Various other songs name-check the word now and then, though in a more random manner. The cover for the album ''Rising'' features a hand reaching out of the roiling sea and actually catching the rainbow.

* In ''ComicStrip/RoseIsRose'', Pasquele "catches" rainbows -- the little ones. That is, he sprays the hose and makes small rainbows (He always releases them unharmed).

* Game publisher Creator/LJNToys, a subsidiary of Creator/{{Acclaim}}, intended for this to be in effect with their logo. [[SubvertedTrope Unfortunately]], for gamers in the NES / SNES era, the rainbow instead symbolized a company notorious for poor quality games, typically [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames licensed ones from popular franchises]].

* At the end of ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'', a rainbow forms a bridge to the Ark of Yamato. In ''VideoGame/{{Okamiden}}'', rainbows can be used as bridges on an inhabited stormcloud.

** The course Rainbow Road in ''VideoGame/MarioKart'' is just a big, long rainbow that you drive on. Also applies for Rainbow Road's appearances in ''VideoGame/FZero'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2''.
** Rainbow Ride from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' (and Rainbow Cruise from ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros. Melee'' and ''Brawl'').

* In ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' the Rainblower is a weapon that shots rainbows, or at least that`s what the user sees.

* In the asdfmovie 1, there's a clip that goes like this:
"Man: Doctor, I think I'm a homosexual!"
"Doctor: What makes you say that?"
Man: (Proceeds to barf rainbows on doctor while saying "RAINBOWS!")

* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', the Aes Sedai organisation is made up of seven distinct "Ajahs" each of which are devoted to a specific area of study or action. The organisation's flag shows a spiral of the seven colors, as does the headdress of their leader, the Amyrlin Seat. Since this symbol incorporates gray, brown and white into its overal scheme, this isn't a strict rainbow, but is evocative of such anyway.

* In [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Greek Mythology]], Iris was the goddess of the rainbow and messenger of the gods. Even when Hermes took up the messenger role, she never gave it up; gods sent both of them.
** There's also Iris' lesser known fraternal twin sister, Arke, sometimes said to represent the second faded rainbow in the shadow of the first. In a lot of ways she's also her EvilTwin because, in direct contrast to her being the messenger of the gods, Arke served as the Titans' messenger during their war.

* Used in the logo of ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball''; Tobias and his family/species has a rainbow color scheme as well. Also, there's apparently a placed called a Rainbow Factory where Nicole works and which Masami's dad owns.

* Ragyo Kiryuin in ''Anime/KillLaKill'' has rainbow HolyBacklight to go along with her rainbow MulticoloredHair. Warning: LightIsNotGood. This is also an instance of rainbows as '''ultimate power''', since she's above and beyond any other character in terms of strength and influence.

* In ''Anime/KillLaKill'', Kiryuin Ragyu has spectra in the underside of her hair, and rainbows figure in several of her garments. This may tie in with the Japanese view of rainbows as symbol of calamity, as she's the BigBad in the series. Also, it indicates her connection with [[AppliedPhlebotinum life fibers]], which also emit rainbow sparkles on occasion.

* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series, rainbows are associated with Meridia, a [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Prince]] whose sphere is obscured to mortals, but is associated with LifeEnergy, [[LightIsNotgood Light]], and [[ProudBeauty Beauty]]. One ancient [[OurElvesAreBetter Ayleid]] text even claims that by traveling the "rainbow road" (a reference to the prismatic refraction of light), Meridia can in some sense [[TimeMaster alter the rate at which time flows forward]]:

* The Rainbow Crystals (fragments that come together to form the Silver Crystal) of ''Anime/SailorMoon''.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH2-TGUlwu4 Nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan]]...

May overlap, especially in the second variant, with AllYourColorsCombined. See also RainbowMotif and RideTheRainbow. If a rainbow is drawn with fewer than seven stripes, that's RainbowLite.

* Shang Tsung's "[[DefeatMeansFriendship Friendship]]" FinishingMove in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat2'' has him form a rainbow with his hands.

* One of Music/RonnieJamesDio's favorite topics to sing about. He ''was'' in Music/{{Rainbow}}, after all!

* ''Music/{{Rainbow}}''. In addition to their name, the cover of their album ''Rising'' showed a hand grasping a rainbow.

Since rainbows are natural phenomena of great power, it's also reasonable to give them to actual characters and forces within a story. Expect some of the flashier Anime characters to use them [[ImprobableWeaponUser directly as a weapon]] or to incorporate them somehow into KiAttacks. They're also a common symbol in worlds known for their ElementalRockPaperScissors, as a representation of a character's equal dedication to each element. Finally, they are known in some circles to be extremely girly and are often a symbol of {{Camp Gay}}ness.

-->''[[spoiler: [[TestosteronePoisoning I want a dad made out of ninja robots!]]]]''

* In ''Discworld/TheLastContinent'', after the rain returns to [[LandDownUnder FourEcks]], the Man Who Carries The Universe In A Sack produces a boomerang decorated with more colours than the Ecksian Aborigine boy has ever seen in one place, and throws it at the sky, where it sticks.

* ''The Compleat Arduin'' ''Book 2: Resources''

* The seven colours of the light spectrum (which constitute a rainbow) are each represented in the various Corps in the ''Franchise/GreenLantern'' franchise. Each colour is part of what's called an 'Emotional Spectrum', though they better correlate to things that drive people (in order: [[Characters/GLRedLanternCorps Rage]], [[Characters/GLOrangeLanternCorps Greed]], [[Characters/GLSinestroCorps Fear]], [[Characters/GLGreenLanternCorps Willpower]], [[Characters/GLBlueLanternCorps Hope]], [[GLIndigoTribe Compassion]], [[GLStarSapphireCorps Love]]), which the respective Corps use to manifest their rings' power. All of them combined create the [[ComicBook/BrightestDay White Light of Life]], while the [[ComicBook/BlackestNight Black light of Death]] feeds on the independent 'emotions'.

* In Creator/VictoriaForester's ''Literature/TheGirlWhoCouldFly'', Bella can create a rainbow.

* ''Series/TheWarAtHome'': Kenny dances to Music/VillagePeople's ''[[GratutitousDiscoSequence Y.M.C.A.]]''... with ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNM7SV8uCjo rainbows]]''!