No.6

Well, I have actually been tryin to watch this back in the summer of last year. And I finished it in one day, so that's nice. Now, onto the review.

I do have to say, the main reason I wanted to watch this show was because it was recommended as a yaoi anime. But in all entirety, it's not really all that yaoish. Yeah, the main characters are the intended couple, but this is more of a story than a yaoi anime. So, even though I was disappointed in that area, it turned out to be a great story all together with amazing characters. I really ... could not stop watching once I had actually started.

Story - 10 - The story, though somewhat...unoriginal with the post apocalyptic background, turns out to be something different than most in that genre. When I had first started watching, I was a little confused in the beginning, but as the story carried on, it began to make more sense. The mystery of the background of the city and the people unravel with each episode. I really was blown away but the events that occurred and many of the twists and turns the plot seemed to take.

Art - 10 - Though, looking rather common in modern art styles, for some reason, the eyes seem to catch...well, your eye. I have to say that that was what really pulled me into the art. The amount of detailed put into one small part really sold me. And when you take all the other bits, it looks just as stunning. Everything shows effort and focus, even though it was a short series, the artists made EVERY episode count with it's beautiful art and style.

Sound - 10 - The music was always soothing or seemed to fit in with the idea of the show, I always found myself listening to both the opening and ending themes, though I often usually skip those when watching anime. The voices were also well done, I can say for both the English and the Japanese. I had watched halfway through the anime in Japanese, stopped for some unknown reason and when I decided to pick the anime up again, I decided to watch it in English this time around. The actors, in both, put a lot of effort into their acting. Though, there were times when I felt that the English lacked a certain emotion, I have to admit that I felt the same way with the Japanese at times. But overall, it turned out rather nicely.

Character - 10 - Now, since most people think this is yaoi, there is bound to be a Seme and Uke character. Turns out that there is neither. Sure, at first it seems that way, but the two main characters, Nezumi (Rat) and Shion, both showcase their own traits that of neither of these categories. The character development, or rather, reveal-ment for Rat, is stunning and really makes you want to know more, of not only the characters but of the backstory of these characters. Many times during the anime, I often questioned some actions the characters did and later on, after these actions were explained, it either left me satisfied or mind-blown by the reasons. Every little turn in this left me wanting to know more.

Enjoyment - 10 - I have to say, that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even though I had watched it for the soul purpose of yaoi, it lacked it with many other animes. But it made up for that disappointment with story and characters. Everything was so drawing, that I couldn't help but be entranced by much of the events that happened. I found myself not caring for the lack of yaoi and just enjoyed the ride of the amazing plot.

Overall, I have to say that this is a fairly good anime and deserves a chance by many. To those who love a good story that can make you laugh and cry, this is highly recommended. And to those few yaoi fans who like maybe a little fluff, this is great for you. It's lovely and very heart-warming, though, be warned, it is also heart-wrenching as well. I have to say, I found myself crying at the end, though, I am a sab for stuff like this too. So my opinion on the cry and sad bits might be over-exaggerated.

This was such a confusing and disappointing anime. The pacing was too fast and at some point the plot kind of lost me. The ending was horrible, nothing really made sense. I think that the only thing that carries this show is its characters. However, some of them are pretty inconsistent and the most annoying one was Nezumi. Also is it just me or Nezumi and Shion's relationship was a bit toxic at the beginning? Like, whenever Nezumi would get angry on something that Shion did, he would start to yell at Shion and occasionally punch him. I think it got better in the last ... 2 episodes and I know this is not supposed to be a romance anime, but still... it's not a very good queer representation in my opinion. Yes, obviously abuse also happens in gay relationships, but Nezumi was never called out for his behavior. So, it can get pass as something normal and "excused" by the way Nezumi is like as a person, which is not okay.
The art was pretty good, but the soundtrack wasn't very suitable.
I think that the first episode and the 10th were the ones that saved this show.
Nevertheless, I don't really recommend it.

No.6. An interesting name for a series; the air of ambiguity to it definitely sparked my interest. The series, a lot like the name, works with a palpable shroud of uncanniness, and it is something, of which, I have enjoyed about No.6.

The series takes place in a modernistic and seemly ideal society with futuristic technology. Protagonist Sion, grows up in the newly built, ideal city of No.6. All citizens wear ID wristbands that holds functionalities like that of cellphone, and the government tracks the movements of all inhabitants. Through-out the series, this "big brother"like world shows it's darker qualities.

Shion, age 12, grew up as a ... privileged young boy, and is among the smartest of his age group, even so to be allowed to live in the elite area of "Cronos"; it is shown he has a bright future ahead of him.This all changes when he gives shelter to a strange boy, Nezumi, who later reveals himself to be an escaping criminal. Despite appearances, Shion clothes, feeds and helps Nezumi; the two have a clear bond. Nezumi vanishes the next day and leaves Shion with the trouble caused by harbouring an enemy of the state; Sion is stripped of his privileges and forced to move.

Four years pass by and we see, a now 16 year-old, Shion as a park worker. He witnesses the mysterious death of his co-worker and is taken in my the Bureau of Security, only to be saved by Nezumi and taken to a post-apocalyptic-like setting known as "Lost Town".

For the most part, the story works well. However, there are definitely moments that leave you scratching your head. The overarching involvement of a mysterious deity is one such instance, but other plot points like the corrupt nature of No.6 manage to balance out the near wackiness.

High production values are definitely characteristic of Bones works and No.6 is no doubt part and parsel of the Bones experience. Backgrounds are very well done and animation manages to be fluid all around. I love the character design for Nezumi (Ponytails are edgy!), and for the most part, Shion, but the pink scar-ish thing seems like they are just trying to give continuity and justify the reason he got his awesome white hair.

Hmmmm...the sound. While I love the opening for the series, a lot like the artwork, some of the backing tracks to scenes don't quite fit and feel out of place; this proves to distract from the overall impact of certain scenes. Some of the pieces are definitely done well and enjoyable; I am listening to "Spell" (the opening) as I write :D.

The characters of Shion and Nezumi work well together. Both portray aspects of the other as well, this is something that other Anime tends to slip up on, that the characters all fit a set archetype and deviate little. Nezumi is a level-headed, frank and cynical person and Shion is innocent, naive but determined, this is putting it a little bluntly. The friendship that they bear is seemly unrequited, of course in saying this, they could be described as your typical odd couple; this is merely on the surface as the extent of their loyalty and similarities shines through even Nezumi cold words on society. It is a strange relationship, but it works and proves to be an interesting "selling point" of the series. And yes, there is a homosexual vibe to the whole ordeal, but it is so insignificant that it really doesn't even warrant this mention.

I enjoyed No.6, the ending is a definite sucker punch, surprising and not in a good way, but even given that it is still something that warrants a look-in.

“Ignorance is Bliss.” Many agree with such a term, many go against it, and many qualify it. This anime, “No. 6” is one of those animes that really gets you thinking about it. Is living in eternal bliss without knowing what goes on under the surface the best way to live? What about rebelling against the gov’t and risking your own life to save the ignorant minds of others? Would you want to be the righteous villain, or the guilty hero? Destroy or be destroyed? Survive, or die? Evil or Good? Black or White? No. 6 is really that type of anime that begs these ... questions. One doesn’t just pick one or the other, would you risk finding a grey area and destroy yourself while trying to get there? The main characters, while also developing their friendship and supposed deeper relationship, face this conflict both within themselves and in their environment. Now, this anime hasn’t gotten noticeable ratings, which I completely understand, but then again find hard to believe. This anime definitely has its flaws, but it still develops well around a nicely developed plot. Many find this anime by noticing its very familiar elements that are seen in popular animes around the world.

Let’s start with the plot, which I gave a solid 7. This anime takes place in a supposed “utopia” district known as “No. 6,” the name creatively given for it being the 6th city in the walls of human habitat that was created after [Insert spoiler Here.] The story focuses on an intelligent boy named Shion who was born in No. 6 and had all of his privileges stripped from him after he saved the life of an escaped boy named Nezumi, or Rat. Years later, Shion grows up to become a park manager in No. 6 and starts questioning the reality and legitimate nature of the city, only to be arrested for suggested suspicion of betrayal; and who rescues him? Nezumi, after 4 years. They go on to live in the western District outside the Walls of No. 6 which is where all of the rejects run away to and is considered to be one of the most dangerous places to reside. This all occurs while Nezumi and Shion begin to understand each other and develop a strong friendship and hinted relationship that is thought to be deeper than that. The plot is definitely a good idea on paper even though the “dystopian society” and “totalitarian” genre is getting more and more popular every single year as anime continues to spread across America, and with only 11 episodes, they managed to fit it all in while adding the finer details. The best points of this plot were definitely the added contrasting elements. While the mood of the anime was supposed to be hopeless, depressing, and scary; the fact that Nezumi and Shion manage to find hope and have their friendship shine through really added to the plot. Also, the fluff in the anime, including the suggestive “romance” scenes b/w the two main protagonists, wasn’t too overwhelming and it respected the fact that the anime was still a shounen. The problems with the plot seemed to focus around the fact that the anime was only 11 episodes long. If it was 12, or 13, like most, I think all of the holes in the plot would’ve been resolved peacefully. I mean, I never found out the secret behind the bees, and the goals of the antagonists. I don’t know if it was just me, but it was just too obvious to ignore. The plot was obviously rushed and that definitely took away from the plot, adding the fact that a lot was changed around compared to the manga. It took away the plot's potential even though it was such a good idea.

While talking about the art, I might as well start off with the character designs. I’d say they were creative, but I can’t let go of the fact that Nezumi and Shion look so much like Allen and Kanda from D. Gray Man. Shion even has a pink scar in the same place Allen does. It’s too obvious to let go. Other than that, though; I really admire the fact that each character is created with a specific personality in mind, and that personality was personified into the perfect figure. Shion is supposed to be this naïve, innocent and pure, intelligent boy; so he was given white hair for purity, big eyes to represent his child like demeanor and good intentions, and dressed in comfortable, loose clothing to represent his comfortable and gentle character. Nezumi, on the other hand, was designed to be the exact opposite of that, given dark hair, sharp eyes, an d a dangerous smirk to represent his nickname as a “demon,” (Given by Inukashi.) Normally in a shounen, I look for the beauty in action scenes, which there weren’t very much of, unfortunately; but the setting and development of the anime as a whole along with the symbolism of the colors really fit the anime’s character and added to contrast. They tried really hard to make “No. 6” as pretty as possible in order to highlight the contradiction later on that accuses the city of being a living hell in its core. Overall, you can tell the art was looked at really well and carefully done. So for that, it gets a 9.

Sound-wise, I gave “No. 6” a 9, as well. All of the tracks were very beautiful, especially the OST. As you may know, the anime has a very sad nature behind it, along with a hidden sliver of hope; the composers of the music for this anime paid very much attention to this detail and the result was perfection in the OST. The ending, I thought, was very beautiful. Much better than the opening, anyways, which seems to be the only flaw I can find in the music. I can’t help but pull my hair out at the opening, which sounds like a child that just had throat surgery. It didn’t fit the anime and just didn’t do anything but cause annoyance. It’s a shame considering the first thing one hears when they open a new anime IS the opening.

Let me first point out that this anime had the perfect amount of characters. There weren’t too many or too little. Also, the main protagonists of “No. 6” were a couple of the best developed and most likeable characters I’ve ever seen in anime. Their interactions, if you ask me, made up most of the best moments in the anime. Their arguments, which were hiding their secret admiration for each other, were genius additions. A lot of hate has been given to Shion in particular, after reading some forum discussions, for being too clingy and dependent on his partner, Nezumi. I find this to be quite legitimate, though; mainly for the reason of character development and added contrast. Nezumi wanted to break away from Shion in fear of becoming weaker; Shion wanted to get closer to Nezumi in order to become stronger. Shion is sometimes useless, but, if necessary, he can do a complete 180 and will even murder somebody when someone insults Nezumi. There is only one character that conflicts me regarding her purpose, and that was Safu. I mean, yeah, he [Insert Spoiler here], but I just found her completely useless and as extra baggage that caused a lot of struggle character-wise.

Overall, I enjoyed this anime a lot. It may seem cliché, but I’m a sucker for subtle romance hints, yaoi or not. Also, my most favorite animes in the world are tearjerkers, like K, and FMA: Brotherhood, and D. Gray Man, etc. This anime definitely adds to that list. The ending brought tears to my eyes and if this was a score based off of pure enjoyment, I would give this anime a 10. Unfortunately, because of plot holes and obvious rushing in the plot due to major compression, I had to give the overall score a 9.

This is one of the few anime that have made my cry just because it's ended. One of my only major complaints is that this series isn't longer.

The story is very interesting, and actually pretty realistic in a sense. The future very well could be like this, so it gets you thinking.

The first episode really drew me in. It was magical, in a sense. While I was a bit disappointed that the rest of the series is different (meaning, not so "magical"), I can still call this a great anime.

Let's start with the bad things first. This, of course, is just my opinion, so you ... may find what I choose to be "wrong."
Anyway, this anime consists of a lot of dialogue. Now, the dialogue was fine and very informative, but a little more action would have been nice.
I thought the pace was great, but a lot more have could have happened. Even though this series is only 11 episodes long, not very much seemed to happen. Still, I can't call this a boring anime.
While there was some nice character development between the two main characters, we didn't get to really focus in on the others. Sure, every "important" character gets decent screen time, but we don't see much development with those characters. This, too, isn't a huge issue either, though.

Now let's move on to the good things!
To me, this isn't a boring anime because of the thought-provoking plot and the development of the two main characters. Shion and Nezumi are very different, and so it starts to become a bit predictable that they will argue about pretty much everything. Still, it's hard not to love these characters and see how they bounce off of each other.
While there are some shonen-ai like scenes, there isn't a romance. Some might disagree with me, however. Even if you don't like shonen-ai, you shouldn't give up on this anime. Shion's and Nezumi's "moments" are short and not all that romantic. Eh, you'll have to decide for yourself.
The soundtrack was pretty amazing. I, at first, didn't really like the opening theme, but it really grew on me. The ending theme is beautiful. The music used during the anime can be very powerful and is used pretty much perfectly.

The art is pretty nice. I really have no complaints here, although there are a couple of times in the anime where the artists seem to get lazy. However, it doesn't happen much and can be easily overlooked. There are also times where the art is truly beautiful, too.

The animation is give-and-take. There are some great action sequences, though most of the anime consists of the characters sitting around or standing still. This isn't bad, but you don't have a lot of movement. The animation is very smooth and nice, though, especially in the first and last episodes.

I really enjoyed this anime and loved watching it. Some of the scenes are just so powerful. While I guess there is nothing too amazing about this anime, it provoked a lot of emotion from me, and I love it. I recommend this to anyone who is looking for a good and thought-provoking story.

A masterpiece of sci-fi. An intelligent bromance. A suspenseful dystopian story. Or so it could have been.

Unfortunately, it's waterlogged with confusing and improbable assumptions, and the thing it does best is the angst. But having two teen boys bicker like a bitter middle-aged couple gets tiring after a while. I have a sneaking suspicion that the writer (of either the original novel, or of the anime script) is a 16-year-old who thinks bromance angst is the coolest thing, and added some random sci-fi and fantasy and a few tropes to make it look cool, because that's just…….cool. Who cares ... if it makes any sense.

We start off in a utopian society, known as "Number 6." Our main character, Sion, is just a young kid, but is on the fast-track for a great future. But then he smashes that when he decides to tend the wounds of a boy named Nezumi, who stumbles into his house one night. Nezumi is an escaped convict. But Sion, in the goodness of his heart, treats him anyway. (The amazingly smart kid "knows the theory" of stitching wounds, fortunately.) As punishment, Sion and his mother are kicked out of the smarty-pants district, and into the area of No. 6 that is for common people. And now they both have to work for a living.

Then comes the insect infestation! A few people start to suddenly age, drop dead, and have bee-like insects crawl out of their age spots. Yuck. This happens to Sion's co-worker. And since everyone in this story assumes the obvious, Sion is arrested for murder. But, lucky him, Nezumi comes to the rescue of our damsel (er, lad) in distress and takes him to the land outside of No. 6, which is a giant garbage dump, and which lots of people call home. Including Nezumi. Sion wants to go back to No. 6 and help find a cure for the carnivorous bees. But Nezumi doesn't want him to. Because he hates No. 6.

That's about as far as the plot makes sense.

I know animes often don't explain everything. Many of the "art house" series make it a point to be vague. But this one isn't trying to be artistic. Rather, it seems like someone tried to follow a template for success.

Lots of stories try to do that. Like a harem anime has certain kinds of characters (the loli, the little sister, the peppy girl, the nerdy girl, the lusty girl, the tsundere girl, etc.) and certain kinds of situations (a visit to the beach, guy tripping and landing on top of a girl with a hand on her……you-know-what).

This one tries to do something like that too.

Having two main characters who are polar opposites is cool? Let's do that.
Having them argue, wrestle, shove each other around, and kiss a couple times will excite a certain segment of fangirls? Let's do that.
Tragic past? Check.
Leader of an underground resistance movement? Check.
Terrible plague/infestation that the main character nobly wishes to remedy? Check.
Kidnapped childhood friend? Check.
Mysterious goddess-spirit of nature? Check.
Grand climactic ending? Check.
Partner in misery? Check.
Bad guys in suits? Check.
Evil laboratory? Check.
Noble death? Check.
White hair? Check.
Body scars? Check.
Blood? Check.
Action? Check.
Animals? Check.

Now, none of these things are bad. If you know how to use them; if they work together to make a cohesive, compelling story. But here they don't. They're all tossed together like a salad, and even if you liked the original ingredients, somehow they don't taste good together.

Like I said before, it seems immature.

Notice I gave this a rating of 7, which is still fairly high. The OP and animation are nice. The sci-fi slightly-in-the-future setting is interesting, and the characters are generally non-stereotypical. It feels unusual. Dystopian series seem mostly reserved for mature audiences, and girl-appealing sci-fis are not common. It's OK for a light weekend splurge if you don't know what else to watch, and you want to see if you are the one who will finally crack the puzzle of this anime. And maybe there is a good solution and resolution, and it can be understood by the brilliant. I will give it the benefit of the doubt. Like with Moby Dick, rumor has it there are people who "get it."

But I think the people who will still love the series by the time they get to the end will be hardcore yaoi fangirls. Because yaoi animes are scarce, and they have to take what they can get. (No, this isn't a yaoi, but certain scenes will make them say it's close enough.) Oh, it starts out good. Nice animation, interesting setting. It had all the makings of an interesting story. But it doesn't maintain it. It just keeps throwing things at you, trying to convince you that it's intelligent and cool.

It keeps adding more and more things to thicken the plot. And I kept waiting for them to pan out or be explained. Finally, I got to the last episode, and figured everything would finally be explained. But the most it did was throw even more confusing stuff at me.

Sorry folks, that's not cool.

I had a feeling when I first spotted this anime that it'd be interesting, boy was I right.

A city where everything is provided and you have no need to do anything for yourself. The ideal city No.6, sounds too good to be true doesn't it? Well of course it is and Shion figures that out first hand when he meets Nezumi a fugitive who manages escaped from a reformatory. From that day on his life is turned upside down. He learns that No.6 isn't as ideal and perfect as it once seemed. They say ignorance is bliss although Shion doesn't seem content to ... stay that way.

I think the storyline itself is amazing. I have a hard time comparing it to anything I've ever watched before and because of that I don't know what to expect. I've only seen five episodes but if the storyline continues on as it is and manages to come to a conclusive ending without cutting it short it will be a masterpiece. This is not your every day, run off the mill, cliche anime we have here. Nope, this is an extraordinary piece of work. With every episode I watch I get even more absorbed into the show wondering what's going to happen next.

Just a glance and you can tell that the artwork is visually stunning. I definitely have to applaud BONES for all the detail used here. They have truly great graphics. As for the sound the opening song was alright, I wasn't that impressed with it. I think the ending was better and it fits well with the anime.

Right from the start we got some great character development. Here we have this mysterious fugitive Nezumi who hates No.6 and seems to know something about it that nobody else does. He's rude, straightforward, anti sociable and yet seems to be a fairly decent person. Then we have Shion, hes kind, has a strong sense of justice, understands people, and just like Nezumi he seems to be surrounded by mystery. You wouldn't think so but just when you think you've got Shion all figured out they do something to change that later in the story.

I am thoroughly enjoying this anime and it has the best potential I've seen in awhile. No.6 may just become one of my favorites. Overall I'd give this anime a 9/10. The only problem I have is the music, it isn't awful but it isn't outstanding ether. Those of you who don't like yaoi don't worry, this isn't yaoi if anything Shion and Nezumi have more of a sibling relationship. So I definitely recommend No.6.

No.6 was part of the first batch of anime I had acquired together with Noir, Kill la Kill, Attack on Titan and Another and was one that stayed unwatched for the longest but after watching it I realised waiting for this long was a grave mistake. Rarely do I come across something that manages to touch me as deeply as No.6 managed to, in its short runtime of eleven episodes.

The story takes place in the future after wars have ravaged most of the earth’s surface and now people live in a few city-states which are built on the only habitable pieces of land left. We ... are introduced to Shion a gifted young boy who one night provides refuge for Nezumi, a boy about his age, who is on the run from the authorities. He saves Nezumi’s life and four years later when Shion is accused of conspiring against the state and is being disposed off, Nezumi helps him escape. Together they flee to outside the city limit where apparently people still live in the desolate environment.

First off the site states that No.6 is a sci-fi and action anime and I have to say I could not disagree more with the later as there is little to no action during its runtime. The driving force behind No.6 are the characters and the relationships between them especially the relationship between Shion and Nezumi. Depth of the characters is amazing especially considering the extremely shortness of the anime. We can see one of the best portrayals of a society that is under complete surveillance, the most interesting thing is that most people are completely fine with the control as it allows for a leisurely life. The ending has to be one of the best I have seen in a while, the build-up in the final few episodes and the catharsis that comes in the end is just so well done and filled with emotion that I cried like a little bitch for the first time while watching anime. Well to sum it up the storytelling in No.6 is great.

Our two main characters are great as well, they might lack a bit of backstory explanation especially in Nezumi’s case as his motives are not explained well enough, but I have to say they are still amazingly well developed. The relationship between Nezumi and Shion has to be the highlight of the anime and is in my honest opinion one of the best I have ever seen in an anime. The way they first meet, and later form deep emotional bonds even though they have strictly different life views, with Nezumi’s complete pessimism, lack of belief in humanity and the desire to destroy, while Shion wants change to come on the backs of the people in whom he believes are able to force the change. We have some other important characters that all bring something to the table and actually manage too help the story advance as well as deepen the bond between our two main characters.

The art was a bit disappointing as the whole thing looked a bit dull, but there were the occasional moments of complete beauty. The soundtrack on the other side was unbelievable, the background music choices were perfect and the moments where Nezumi sings were exceptional. The opening and ending were fantastic and fit the anime perfectly. The opening song “Spell” by the band “Lama” sounds just otherworldly with some of the best this amazing instrumental introduction followed by some almost ethereal singing intertwined with great instrumental backing. The ending itself is also very close to perfect, with its soft vocals over some peaceful piano later evolving into this unbelievable uplifting song that manages to bring up the feelings felt throughout the anime. The end of the anime is where this all comes together to form one of the most stunning displays I have ever seen.

Overall No.6 has to be one of the best anime have seen in quite a while and while there were a few minor problems I am still able to give it a very high score of 9. I am currently seriously considering tracking down the light novels an giving them a try. I do recommend this anime to everyone and I urge you to see it if you haven't already, as it is really fantastic.
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This anime is the one in a million anime, that is so good, I'm actually feeling physically violent waiting for the next episode to come out. It's not a matter of need and want, I absolutely MUST watch the next episode or I'm going to die. That's how much I love this anime. It's funny really, I didn't even mean to watch this anime either, and I most definitely didn't think I was going to like it. Well It's probably one of my favorite anime's now, and it's not even finished yet! God it's killing me how much I want to watch the next episode, ... and there's STILL ANOTHER EPISODE AFTER THAT ONE!

What can I say about No.6? The story line is amazing about pretty much how Shion this guy helped a felon named Nezumi which means Rat (yes I'm serious that's his name) when he was 12 and got in some trouble and then years later the secrets of No.6 (the city he lives in) are pretty much revealed to him as well as he gets banished from No.6 and lives in the outskirts of the city with Nezumi the felon he saved. Then pretty much he wants to save No.6 from these parasite bees at the same time that he wants reunite with his mother, save his friend from the correctional facility, AND break down the wall of No.6 so there's no barriers and everyone's the same.

Art, the art's beautiful. The way they gave Shion 2 different looks was amazing. When he lives in No.6 he has brown hair and is pretty normal, and then when he escapes and lives with Nezumi and is saved from being killed by the parasite bee that tries to inhabit him, his hair turns white, his eyes look more red and he gets this pink scar that wraps all around his body. Nezumi, looks really beautiful and mysterious with his glowing eyes and dark hair. The scenery is beautiful, even the disgustingness of the outside of No.6 is really cool looking.

Sound, I love the music in this anime. It's really beautiful and actually kind of painful for me. The opening song "Spell by Lama" just has this air about it that makes me want to cry. It sort of fits Shion, he's this really nice and caring guy who lives in this horrible city/world. The song feels too nice almost to fit the darkness of the anime and that's why it's so perfect. Plus the singing that Nezumi does in the anime as well as how sad the closing song sounds. The sound is very perfect.

Character, I've kind of covered this. There's Shion the main characters that gets into trouble for saving Nezumi when he was 12, and then years later he gets in trouble again once he discovers the parasite bees and Nezumi saves him. Shion is a really caring guy whos nice to everyone and a bit nieve, Nezumi is a mysterious guy with a dark aura about him. He seems like an angry guy, but you can tell he cares about Shion. There's Shion's Mom, who is one of the people who created No.6 which is pretty big and Safu a childhood friend of Shion's, she actually gets taken to the correctional facility and something crazy happens with her. Pretty much all the characters are really cool, and theres way more I didn't mention but they're very important in this anime.

Enjoyment, this anime has addicted me and I'm going through withdrawals with waiting for the next episode. It's soooo entertaining because stuff KEEPS HAPPENING and you just can't keep yourself from watching once you start. I love this anime!!!

My overall score is 10 because I love it that much ;)

the utopian setting is what interested me to this anime.
the story was unique but it still left alot of stuff unanswered.
the music was well... it pretty much sucked .. when the opening came on i just skipped it...
my favorite episodes were the first 2 and the last 2. when i got to the middle of the anime i thought about quitting it but im glad i didnt because the ending was well worth the wait and probably one of the most beautiful endings to an anime ive ever seen before.

"Let there be shining lights in the starless sky" - No. 6 ending (song)

Well, the story takes place in - *rataplan* - No. 6; an ideal and perfect City, without starvation, without wars and everything you need is right there. The only thing: the city is surrounded by walls.

Soon after the start we're introduced to one of the mains; Shion. A curious, naive young Boy who lives in no. 6. One night he lets a strange, injured boy into his house - and this boy is revealed as the second main named Nezumi (Side note: Nezumi is the jap. word for Rat).
Of course is ... Shion interested in Nezumi - who would not if hardly nothing happens in your life and everything seem to be predictable - and that is point where the story starts.

The setting was very nice indeed and gives the show a cool atmosphere. But yet, it takes almost the entire show to get the answer for questions such as "why it was built like this?", "why does Nezumi try to destroy it?", "why..." "what..." "how..." and so on.

Some parts of the story were extremly predictable, whereas others weren't at all; the Kiss for instance.

The animation was alright, but not outstanding. The same for the characters. They were memorable, but not special at all. They were explained, but at times I felt I was missing out something. Perhaps the novels have or give a better explanation. I assume that they would since 9 volumes were published. However, I did like Nezumis style most, followed by Inukashi "Dogkeeper. I think they gave a nice impression of how life could actually look like if you were an outsider.

Another thing what I extremely enjoyed was the attention for details in the background - the leafs moving in the wind, the light behind tiny windows far away - which gave the anime such a great atmosphere.

But, without a doubt, the animes strongest point was the Art/Sound. The sound of rain or wind for instance are very well done and the voices fitted the characters nicely.
The opening and especially the ending theme can be easiely described with one word: awesome! I became a huge fan of the ending theme because of the very nice sound and the beautiful lyrics. But I also liked the sound during the show - there were times when it was bizarre, there were times when it was quite soft - and I found myself paying more attention to the sound than the show. Having said that, I personally think I only keep the anime in my mind because of the sound.

So how shall I rate this anime? After considering all these points I would give the anime 7/10 rather than 6/10, just because of the sound.

No.6 has a very good start but then starts to suffer. I don't know what went wrong but it is a shame. I very much enjoyed this but the story and direction just went downhill. I don't usually check manga but I had to with this one.

Love, sacrifice, mystery, acceptance would be the words if I had to describe this show. Orwell 1984 also comes to mind.

Art style and sounds were just fine. It was cute when it needed to be. Sometimes the animation was janky.

Characters Nezumi and Shion save this show for me. I was interested in their stories and how ... they are going to resolve their situation.

Unfortunately it falls short. Reading the manga is the right choice here or at least after you watch this go check the manga ending.

I’ve looked at several reviews and many people have condemned this anime due to the fact that it had stripped all glory from the novel. Although the anime is not the same as the novel and left many things out and they may have toned down the BL, it’s not a horrible anime. The story itself is very….refining you could say, in the sense that both protagonists are very loyal to each other, showing friendship at its full glory. It shows how much it meant to Nezumi that Shion saved him 4 years ago, and how important kindness is. Okay, so I’m rambling a bit ... so back to story. I haven’t watched all the anime in the world or even come close to it, but it has a unique story with an appealing ‘world approaching apocalyptic event’ feel and the art is wonderful. The character development isn’t too bad either. So if you’re one of those people that have seen the trailer and become intrigued, then watch it. Don’t let bad reviews put you off. And if you end up liking it, then awesome. If not, then go write a review about it. You shouldn’t really watch anime based on reviews anyway because many of them can be biased and be based on personal taste. Overall 8/10 :)

This is a great anime, if you stop watching at around episode 7 or 8.

The plot is actually quite great at the start, had me on the edge of my seat wondering what the big secret behind this utopian society was, and the sense of mystery did keep me entertained. But then it seems to lose its way in the latter half of the anime. I was incredibly confused by the ending. I actually did ask myself 'Wait, what? Is that it?' when episode 11 finished, because I kind of believed that the streaming had crashed and I was missing a big chunk of ... the ending.

The characters are so-so. I didn't quite understand the relationship between Nezumi and Shion, and Shion was rather irritating with his 'I'll not think for myself, I'm just gonna follow around this guy with the ponytail, he's ruined my family's life, trusting him is a good idea'. Nezumi seemed like a mysterious character at first, but the more that was revealed about him, the more bored I became. They're bearable, though. Safu, Shion's best friend was actually a breath of fresh air. Forward and knows what she wants. Unlike almost everyone else in this anime.

All in all, towards the end I got pretty tired of the love/hate relationship between Shion and Nezumi, and was extremely disappointed with the ending altogether.

I really liked the storyline in this anime, and how it shows you the characters as kids and then when they're older, also I really loved how interesting it was and how most of the episodes ended at a cliff hanger, making you want to watch more.

I would have enjoyed it much more if it had been longer than eleven episodes, but in the end it turned out okay.

I liked how different the characters where compared to each other, and I enjoyed their different reactions to what was being said.

Overall, I though it was a great anime, and I would love to watch it ... again.

I love this anime. That's about as much as I can say. When I first started watching, I didn't expect much, and I got so much more and then some.

The characters are absolutely beautiful. Each and every one of them, not just Nezumi and Shion, but all of them. They are solid, believable, and they make you empathize and sympathize and drive you crazy with how much you come to love them in just 11 short episodes. The story itself is pretty good – except maybe for the ending, which to me was a bit of a Deus Ex Machina moment, but I can ... forgive everything.

The art is breathtaking. Nezumi is simply beautiful, and the way so many characters are left ambiguous in their sexuality/gender is absolutely great. The music is fantastic, even though the OP does sound a bit weird at first, it grows on you.

I never expected to love this anime so much but it truly is a masterpiece.

Reunion will come.

"You two just date already!" that's all I could think about during the whole eps. Though, in seriousness it's pretty suave, I don't have anything bad to say.

Here's my own understanding throughout the show, I think Shion is a very relatable character, I find that there's a little Shion within us, a Shion who lacks experience outside that big wall (world) and doesn't know much about bad things that happen in life. Shion sees good in people, and if that innocence is put aside by another person who experienced so much pain and lost, everything starts getting messy. Lol, yeah that's it, that's all ... I could squeeze out of my brain. Definitely you should check it out.

By the way opening and ending song is 10/10, amazing!

No. 6 is an anime with some pretty significant flaws, but they don’t really hinder the experience unless you’re looking at it extremely critically or from an artistic point of view. I believe that most fans of sci fi or shounen ai will thoroughly enjoy this regardless of its flaws. Let’s dive in and talk about why!

Story: No. 6 takes place in a post apocalyptic world where all of the remaining citizens have been divided into six city states. The revered No. 6 city state is considered to be the center of the nation and most of the world’s resources go to it. As ... such, it is considered to be a utopia by outsiders for the world’s most elite students were educated there. Our main protagonist, Shion, is an innocent and naive student living in No. 6 with his mother. However, everything changes when he is caught sheltering an escaped prisoner from the nearby correctional facility, Nezumi (literally “rat”). He and his mother are subsequently relocated and Shion is expelled from his studies. Years later, Shion is caught up in a conspiracy and nearly killed before being saved by the very prisoner he cared for all those years ago. Forced into an impromptu friendship with Nezumi, Shion becomes determined to reunite with his mother and expose the secrets behind No. 6.

No. 6 has a lot of substantial plot holes that really hinder the believability of the story from a critical point of view. One of my main issues is the lack of foreshadowing. A large amount of information is crammed down our throats with little time to recover, such as the presence of an ancient God named Elyurias (whose origin is never explained) and exactly why the No. 6 government is as strict as it is. There were quite a few head scratching moments, especially near the beginning. The first few episodes were definitely the series weakest, as the main protagonist struggled to find a motive to keep himself (and the show) going. The premise is still intriguing enough to keep most viewers invested, although the significant lack of mystery may turn some off.

Perhaps my biggest problem with this show is the lack of a villain. We know that the entire city and corporation of No. 6 is apparently the main villain. But we never learn anything about the people behind it besides that they want to protect it and make sure it stays a utopia. We never even find out who is giving all of these henchmen their orders. It was pretty unsatisfying when absolutely nothing was revealed about them in the end and they just went down without a problem.


Characters: The characters is where No. 6 really shines. The two main heros of our story are Shion (mentioned above) and Nezumi, who is a rather serious yet sly and crafty individual who is technologically minded. The two mesh very well together and the best moments in the entire show were when it was just the two of them together. Nezumi making wisecracks and Shion getting frustrated really brightened up my pathetic life. And that’s saying something. I don’t want to spoil too much about their relationship, but there is definitely some romantic interest that is explored later in the series.

The side characters were nice too. I liked Inukashi in particular. They’re an orphan who was raised my dogs and as such leads a large pack of them and rents them out as blankets to paying tenants. Their gender is never specified. As a dog lover myself, I loved Inukashi solely because they always had a dog of some sort around them and led to lots of “awww” moments. They weren’t just a comedic character easily, which might be insinuated because of their testy personality. Their fear of dying was greatly enunciated and often a factor in their choices, and I found their breakdown in Episode 10 to be surprisingly emotional for a side character. I really felt for them in that moment. At the end of the day, they are just a child, and don’t deserve to be rented out for prostitution, even if it is a ruse.

All the other characters were fine and none really bothered me too much. None of them are really worth mentioning either, however.


Art/Animation: The art and animation in No. 6 is pretty average. There were some pretty still shots and the action scenes were nicely animated. Particularly in the earlier episodes, there were a lot of badly drawn scenes that just looked…awkward. I’m not an animation connoisseur, so I can’t really go into much more detail than that.


Sound: I don’t really pay attention to BG, so I can’t say much on the topic. It kept me immersed, and that’s about all I can say. The OP was a nice change from the typical j-rock I hear so often nowadays, and I ended up adding it to my Spotify playlist (this is a HUGE HONOR). The ED was fine. The voice acting was stellar, particularly Shion. I could really hear the emotion in his voice when he was screaming for Safu in the final episode. Nezumi was great too, although I felt like his voice was a bit too deep for his character, especially when he was twelve. His singing was awesome though!

In the end, I liked No. 6 quite a lot, but I can’t just ignore all the flaws. The animation is very mediocre, the characters move awkwardly, and the plot has more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese. However, if you’re anything like me, you can look past that and see some wonderfully written characters and relationships, as well as actually wholesome LGBTQ+ representation!

Final Rating: 7/10

The anime had a lot of potential but it was so rushed it just turned out very bad and confusing. Please don't waste your time on this anime unless you're very bored and have nothing to do.

[spoilers ahead] It started off seeming pretty interesting but after two episodes it started slowly going downhill. The plot started to feel rushed and everything seemed to be vaguely explained. The ending was so random and confusing???? Safu morphs into a giant colorful wasp???? Then Shion randomly rises from the dead... it would be more impactful if he would just die right then and there. Karan just gets ... up and abandons a now orphan child to join a crowd of "zombies" walking towards a collapsed wall, and the small girl just smiles and shrugs it off?? If that wasn't weird enough, in the last scene Nezumi and Shion kiss, no words exchanged, and then Nezumi just straight up disappears, leaving Shion with a baby and a dog.

No.6 has a lot of potentials, and after watching 4 episodes, I think 11 episodes won't satisfy me. I want more.

I like the pace of the plot. It has just enough hints in each episodes to make the story mysterious. I don't like shows with excessive symbolism or wacky events all over the place unless it's a parody. No.6 has just the right amount of character interactions along with a reasonably paced progression that makes this one of those watchable shows these days.

As for the characters, they are believable. Rat and Sion are realistic characters. They are not one of those wannabe freaks so ... popular these days. Sion is pretty pathetic, but if you are one of those people who enjoy characters that walk around like a dying ninja turtle or drunken robot, don't bother coming close to this show. Rat is short-tempered and protective. Yes, it's quite stereotypical, but most human beings are like that.

As for the art and sound, they are good, especially in the first episode. Overall it's a nicely paced show with believable characters and settings. I wish it could be longer though, but maybe they can round up the story in 11 episodes.