No.6

No.6 is a captivating anime and I can honestly say that after having just watched it twice through. But then again, everyone has different tastes and this just may not be your cup of tea. Even so, it couldn’t hurt to try a sip, could it?

NOTE: For my sake, I’m writing Nezumi, as Nezumi, and not “Rat” like in the subs, and Shion instead of Sion, like the MAL character page.

Story – 8/10. No.6 is a utopia, there is no poverty, there are no conflicts, there are no problems. You will live happily and peacefully within these safe walls, and you will wear this ... lovely bracelet that is your identity. Oh, and one last thing: if you doubt us, we won’t hesitate to eliminate you. Ignorance really is bliss.

On his 12th birthday, Shion hides and helps an injured Nezumi, a VC. This leads to being stripped of his rights to live in Cronos and qualification to enter the Special Course. There’s a time skip, and suddenly it’s four years later and instead of studying ecology, Shion’s a park worker. After witnessing two people strangely die, he’s taken away by the Bureau of Safety. At that point, he’s rescued by Nezumi and whisked away to the Western District to discover the truth about No.6.

No.6 is listed as Sci-fi and Action, but there are also elements of Fantasy and Shounen-ai. Yes, shounen-ai. I’m not sure if I view it as a good thing, or bad. I mean, I’m a fan of yaoi/shounen-ai, so that probably contributes largely to the fact I enjoyed it, but I know there are a ton of people who aren’t comfortable with it.

If you’re a fan of shounen-ai, you will enjoy this. Well, to be honest, I’m not sure it would be able to appeal to any other audience beside BL fans...

Aside from the homosexual content, No.6 starts off with an intriguing plot – and I won’t lie, I’m a total sucker for utopia/dystopia stories. But like a lot of people, I thought this had a lot of potential to be something amazing, but it never did reach what it could have; whether it’s because of the length of the anime, or because it got side-tracked by shounen-ai fan service, I’m not sure. I kind of feel like a lot of loose ends weren’t dealt with.

Art – 7.25/10. The art... isn’t one of No.6’s stronger points. While it isn’t terrible, it isn’t amazing. The characters are sometimes really awkwardly drawn/animated, such as Shion’s scar or his blushing. But the background and scenery are amazing, and the OP was done beautifully. Especially the last thirty seconds.

Sound – 9/10. I won’t lie; I strongly disliked the OP at first. I thought it was really strange sounding and the singer’s voice was abnormally high... but as the episodes went on, I’ve grown to like them quite a bit. I found myself watching and listening to it on replay. Anyways, it suited the feel of No.6 perfectly. And ohmygosh, the ED. EDs are something I skip over all the time. Not this one. I couldn’t. This one I liked right away. It felt incredibly sad, almost like nostalgia. As cheesy as this sounds, my heart clenches when I hear it. Background music was very subtle, but added wonderfully to the overall feel.

The voice actors also did a pretty good job. Nezumi’s singing was nice... though, it took a bit of time getting used to little Shion’s and little Nezumi’s deep voices...

Character – 8/10. I cried. I got so emotionally attached, that tears came pouring out when Nezumi began singing in the last episode, despite how confused I was.

In the beginning you’re introduced to 12-year-old Nezumi. Running around from authorities in what seems to be a sewage system, panting, with blood trickling down his arm. He meets a dead end, where steel bars are closing off on an opening, preventing chances of escape. Then you’re introduced to 12-year-old Shion. Right away their lives are contrasted. Shion’s sitting at his desk in the middle of Safu’s presentation; there hasn’t been any real hardships he’s been through in life since being ranked as having highest intelligence.

Shion is naive, innocent, kind, and for the most part, ignorant like many other No.6 citizens. Nezumi is sharp-tongued, gives of an arrogant vibe, and is artsy. Yes, their personalities have been done before, but I don’t think you’ll get bored of them... Shion and Nezumi are actually quite likable. As the anime progresses, you see moments of complete contradiction to their personalities which I found quite interesting. Shion has a darker, more aggressive side that comes out when it comes to Nezumi, and Nezumi definitely has a soft spot when it comes to Shion. This might make them seem out of character at times, but I think that’s the point. They bring out entirely new sides of each other.

As for the other supporting characters: Karan, Inukashi, Rikiga, even Yoming, – they’re pretty okay. You know general information about their life and their past, but not in great detail. They’re not exactly incredibly developed characters either, but the anime was only 11 episodes long.

The only one I found kind of strange was Elyurias/Safu. I didn’t really understand her presence or character...

Enjoyment – 10/10. I enjoyed this 10/10 easily, even the second time going through. I grinned and I worried, I eagerly clicked each episode and got frustrated over waiting for the next one. With this anime, I watched it each episode from beginning to end, OP to ED. Stating it simply: I loved watching it [and rewatching it.] The last episode did confuse me a bit, but I’m seriously longing for more.

Overall – Each category is weighted differently for me, and of course, there are always miscellaneous factors. I consider Story to account for 25% of the overall ranking of animes, Art 10%, Sound 10%, Character 25%, and Enjoyment 30%.

So, then:
[80% x 0.25] + [72.5% x 0.10] + [90% x 0.10] + [80% x 0.25] + [100% x 0.30] = 86.25%

Round it up, and that’s how No.6 gets a 9/10 from me... and my first review on MAL. ^_______^

Had so much potential but was wasted. When I saw the first episode I fell in love with the characters and became very interested in the story. I was so glad this wasn't one of those animes where you had to watch up until episode 4 or 5 before something good happens. It started right out with some action and character development.

Watching the next batch of episodes had me hooked because there was so many things going on with Shion and Nezumi, both apart and together, plus the background of No. 6 and how it got the way it is. The horrible acts committed by ... them et al. I thought I was in for a good treat. And on top of it all, the two male characters were falling in love, not just some boy love teasers some animes throw out to bait Yaoi fans into watching. I've always wanted to watch an action anime where the male leads fall for each other but it isn't a drama or romance show. Mirage of Blaze is the only other anime I can think of that was action and yaoi. So I was on cloud nine.

However, somewhere along the way the show lost focus and had no idea what it was going to do with the characters or the No.6 city itself. It begins to trip and falter and just does not know how to pick itself up. The characters essentially become cardboard cut outs and just placed in scenes and seem to not really do anything.

For example, Shion and Nezumi seem to have conflict about their viewpoints on how No. 6 should be handled with people dying. Nezumi wishes to destroy the city while Shion wants to save the people. Yet neither character does anything about it. Then the writers tried to focus on the female character (I forgot her name) the girl who was in love with Shion. But they have no idea what to even do with her by this point, it's just her walking around thinking about Shion, then when she decides to do something she gets taken.

So I'm thinking, fine, I guess this will cause Shion to act and maybe cause some tension between he and Nezumi. And they do act by going to save her. Meanwhile, the story takes a whole new focus on these forest people and alluding to the girl and Nezumi having a connection. But this goes NO WHERE!

The connection between Shion's mother being one of the creators of No.6 goes NO WHERE
The Radical group who wants to take down No. 6 from the inside, goes NO WHERE
Finding out why or how No.6 turned out the way it did, goes NO WHERE

I tried to figure out what was happening here with this show that started out so good and the only thing I got is that the show lacked a human villain. When you have a city or institution as the villain, having a personification of the city would help. After all who is behind the city? Who is the one giving the orders for these terrible acts to take place? Sure Nezumi and Shion are fighting against the city, but who is the one they have to beat? Who does the radical group have to go after to free themselves of No.6?

No one??

So yeah, the writers try to solve this glaring issue by making the girl who loves Shion into a magical forest goddess that they have to beat. *eye roll*
Then at the ending when everything seems so bleak the girl transforms into a large magical bee and destroys the city walls with bee tornado for Shion because having him do it himself would take more episodes than they were willing to write. She also grants instant life with her LGBT rainbow powers then float away with her magical bees.

Yes an action Scifi post apocalyptic anime transforms into a fantasy magical anime at the end.
*headache*

By this time I am just watching for Shion and Nezumi's love story. But I'm given NOTHING but a second kiss on the lips and the characters deciding to part ways for unexplained reasons. Honestly, I would had been better off just watching the first episode and just using my own imagination to come up with what happens.

Seemed to be lacking in reviews, so decided for me to write my own.
Firstly, although only four episodes in, there are some definite Shonen Ai hints. We still have some more episodes to go before it is confirmed, but it is most definitely on the cards. So do not watch if you aren't into that kind of thing. If not, do try this, it makes for interesting character (and comical) interaction and relationship. (Sometimes even married couple like)

Now onto the main story, set in the near future in a Dystopia. (Google is your friend) Which follows Sion and Nezumi(Rat)'s story that investigates the mysteries of ... an area inside the Dystopia called NO.6. I will not go into the story too much, as I will just be repeating the synopsis already on here and on the other reviews. Though I will say that it is worth it to bare with the slow-ish episodes- It will undoubtedly pick up.

The art is pretty, like all bones series, the opening is pretty to look at. At first I hated the song choice, but it has started to grow on me, although I wouldn't listen to it actively on on Ipod. The ending I find much better and was perfect for the mood in the last scene of episode 4 and I have a feeling it will be used at some point again in the same way. Background music is good and used appropriately. Nothing special, but adds to the scene.

The contrast between the two characters is clear from the start and the opening does a great job at portraying this. Well done Bones! The relationship between the two characters and the plot both seem to be of equal importance. What I like best is the realisticness of the two main characters, especially Nezumi's. This is rare and I find it quite refreshing. Although Sion's character can come across as irritating at points. A third notable character is Safu, Sion's female best friend, who you could say is his heterosexual love interest who is in love with him. Who I don't personally take to nor does she contribute much to the series thus so far. Interested to see if this changes.

Enjoyment is pretty high surprisingly. It is unlike most series you will come across and although I don't see it becoming the next smash-hit anime. It is a unique anime which is different from all the mainstream animes you have seen cloned many time. And the Shonen Ai subcontext adds to the story in a way that most Anime shy away from. Good for you, no.9! I will be watching to see how the series progresses. And so should you. Now, go watch! :)!

The story of no. 6 is set in a post apocalyptic earth, where humans are divided into 6 cities, and the one that is focused on is number 6, hence the title. So far, so good right? We have a story that occurs outside of a high school for once. Throw a few dystopian elements in, and it immediately looks like something worth watching. Not to mention, no. 6 is animated by studio Bones, the people behind FMA: Brotherhood. So why do I not enjoy this nearly as much as similar animes?

Let"s take a closer look.

Story: 7/10

Just a fair warning, this is not an anime ... for people who cannot stand shounen ai. Not that it's a vital piece to the story or anything, but there are still some moments that might turn you off if you don't enjoy that kind of romance.

So here's the story. Sion, our protagonist, was a young, promising student. On the night of his 12th birthday, he met a fleeing fugitive, Nezumi. Despite knowing that he would be punished by the law, hid and helped him escape. Four years later, after witnessing a strange event at work, he was taken away by the police and was rescued by Nezumi and the two of them ran to the outside world that the walls of no. 6 was trying to hide from its inhabitants.
After putting so much of drama in the opening episodes of the show, you would think that the creators would then try to maintain the audience's attention right? Wrong. The remainder of No.6 is then used to explain side characters that you would never care about, raises conflicts that would just disappear not to ever return. Maybe it's because of how short this series is, but that does not cover up for the fact that there are many episodes that just waste time building up to a good development, and then completely forgets about it next week. I've find myself wanting to drop no. 6 because of that. It is not until near the end of the show when things are finally explained and the plot moves on. However, by the time that happens, we're already on the last few episodes and there's no room left to truly establish a good motive or villain.

Art: 8/10

Although the character design is not very outstanding, Studio Bones does do a very good job of animating No. 6. The few actions scenes are worth watching and they do make the show a lot more enjoyable. Of course, this is not FMA, but it is fun looking at Nezumi beating the crap out of some random grunt.

Sound: 5/10

Music is perhaps No. 6 worst aspect. The op and ed are fine, and I rather enjoyed them, but the BGM is bad to say the least and some tracks just simply fails to deliver a good moment. That is not very annoying in through out most of the anime since nothing really happens, but when things really heat up later on, don't expect shivers to run down your spine because of the epic music.

Character: 8/10

As I mentions before, the side characters of this show are not very interesting. Although No.6 does try to give the audience something to relate to them, there's not very much to grasp onto as they are only given a few minutes of back story at best before being thrown into the plot device closet again. Where the show really shines is the interaction between Nezumi and Sion and that's what made me stick around. I'm not going to reveal a lot of it here since I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I'm going to say that through their interactions, they grow a lot together and character development is always very appreciated in my book.

Enjoyment: 7/10

This show was recommended to me by a friend who was praising it a lot, and I could see why. Does that mean I enjoy it as much as she did? Unfortunately no. Despite having potential, No. 6 just falls short of many other brethren of the same genre, and the music did not help a lot either.

Overall: 7/10

If you don't watch a lot of anime in the scifi or dystopia genre, you might find No.6 a refreshing deviation from your typical high school anime. It has a decent plot, and overall solid leads. However, if you're the type that could talk about Ergo Proxy, Psycho Pass, etc. for days on end, this title might be a bit lack luster for you. Despite that however, No. 6 does manage to pull itself through in the end. Is it an anime that you must watch before you kick the bucket? No. But is it a good way to spend a boring Saturday afternoon? Yes.

All right, I realize I've only seen one episode, but it isn't often that I get this excited about an anime. One episode and I'm completely taken in by it. I'm incredibly interested in this world that has been created and in the two boys, Shion and Nezumi.

The art is lovely and my initial impression is the same that I had for Eden of the East. It just has that feel to it.

Anyway, only one episode in, I don't know much about the story or where it's going, but it looks promising. Extremely promising. I think ... this is the anime to watch this season.

Let's just start this off by saying: wow. Honestly.. just wow. I've seen 10 episodes, so I know what I'm talking about.

Story:
The story itself is okay. The thought behind it is intriguing, but the way they've told it, the way they've progressed.. it's just absolutely horrible. "best security ever" is all they discuss for 3 episodes long, and when they finally infiltrate, they are all able to walk by freely. A hallway with 30 people in, someone asks you something, you punch them in the stomach, and then are able to get away without someone noticing? Yeah. Okay.

Art and sound:
The art is ... okay. A bit dodgy at some points, but overall okay. The sound is great as well.

Characters:
Wow. Okay, here we go. The characters are inconsistent. Inconsistent to the point where you just want to tear your eyeballs out of frustration.

Main:

Shion:
He started off as a naive little kid, always seeing the positive side to things. It got a bit creepy when another kid, about his age, grabbed him from behind and pulled a knife to his throat. All he could do was laugh, smile, and not be terrified.
Later on, after the wasp bite, he manages to keep his positive side, even though he's really an unguided missile.

Nezumi:
This guy.. wow. If there'd truly be a Kira, he'd be at the top of the list. Never seen someone deceive so many people, enjoy it, and later on cry about it when alone in bed. Imagine asking someone for help by entering their bedroom doors from the outside, only to put up a knife to the kids throat.
Imagine saying "fuck you", "i wont help you even as you die", "your mom was a stinky old dog", and then later on to say "ill help you always". No sorry's, just this.
He hates Shion, but yet, has developed romantic feelings for him. If I knew this were to be a ecchi series, I'd never have started. This guy goes from killing someone in cold blood, to making sure his clothes don't get dirty, to avoid killing someone at all costs. He makes no sense. None of the characters do though.

Inukashi:
This woman hates everything in the entire world, and yet, loves everything that she owns. "Go fuck yourself and die" seems to be the attitude she has. Going after Nezumi when he's walking alone, accompanied by her dogs, she wants to tear him apart. Even though they're actually good friends. See how it doesn't make sense?

Side:
Rikiga. This guy must have been a pervert, and therefore placed outside of No. 6. There is no other explanation.
Youming. This guy seems like he wants to help, yet, only later shows his real intentions. Raping, killing and misleading the one he wanted to help.
Safu. Good girl. Bit weird to ask for a guy's semen only if the girl's.. what? 14-15?

Overall:

Don't bother watching. It goes to such extremes. From not hurting a fly to shooting someone in the head whilst they are lying on the floor begging for their lives. Note that I'm talking about the same character in both scenarios. I've yet to see more shittier characters than this anime does. If you feel I'm wrong in any way, feel free to contact me. I'd love to spread more hate about this anime.

Good god, please go watch something worthwhile. I will be finishing this, only because I don't like loose ends.

I read some other reviews and found them a bit short sighted in some areas. If you are the type of person that , like many i know, watch anime in the background while doing other things and just look close when things blow up... dont bother with this one. You will miss details and not get the big picture and small subplots and it will seem boring.

Yes not much action in the middle episodes, and yes some characters on a first look might just seem filling. But if you look closer it's not so.
This isn't an action anime. It actually addresses many ... issues about what is is to be human, how we can evolve or not, how we make our own place in the world and most importantly how we deal and interact with others that come into our lives even for just a few minutes...

I also see nothing wrong with the ending, I thought it was magnificent.
And i strongly disagree with the comment that Nezumi and Shion had no effect on the outcome. Quite the contrary, in my interpretation what they did and said in the machine room changed what was going to happen and all episodes (how meaningless they seem to some ) build the interactions and feelings of all the characters in that scene, in that moment.

Okay, so I've just been done watching this anime, and well... I gotta say it was okay. Nothing more actually...
There are as less as two parts of this anime I like. The beginning, and the end. Last time when I reviewed this anime were when I was done watching episode 7, and by then I realized that this anime was lacking of action and interest. between episode 4 an 8 it was very minimal action happening in this anime. The only thing I was excited about by then was when Safu was captured, and after when they started to rescuing her, I was more revealed ... that the excitement finally was back and it actually happened something

The beginning really took up inportant parts like how Sion and Nezumi met, and how they met again years afterwards. Although for me it was kinda confusing to hang on in the first two episodes. Especially if you did it just like I did: Watched the teaserphoto (thet one with Sion and Nezumi), then I was like "Where is the whitehaired guy?" but later on I got things clear to me and could follow the anime.

The ending really made me a bit sad because of the terrible happenings, but later on near the ending it seemed like it really went fine. But still I really wonder why Nezumi suddenly left Sion. Couldn't they be together even though they succeeded with their mission? And then I really wanted to see many after-scenes like when Sion and his mom finally meets which we never see them do.

Summaringly. The beginning and the ending is really great (except about the named parts), but the middle... It was really unnecessary I gotta say. Nezumi and Sion is repeating the same questions to each other, and they never get an answer, which can be pretty irritating. But otherwise, I don't regret watching this anime.

No. 6 is probably one of the most publicised anime of the Summer 2011 season, for this reason only:

The two characters are supposedly gaybones for each other.

No. 6 is a beautifully animated series by Studio Bones, who also gave us Full Metal Alchemist and Soul Eater. It is based on a series of light novels and should be known for its literary allusions and dystopian undertones. However, though the potential for an intelligent sci-fi anime is there, it is never fully realised.

Even in the light novels the plot seems rather dodgy, indecisive on whether it wants to focus on mythology or science as a basis ... for the series. As such it is an awkward blend of both, which is similar in its effectiveness as trying to force two like-poles of a magnet together.

This is the telling fault line in the foundation of the entire premise, and it is not alone. The stereotypical image of a sci-fi fan, wearing their Star Trek uniform and watching Babylon 5, does not meld well with the idea of romance, let alone boys' love, in general; especially as what romantic interaction there is between the two mains feels wedged in as an afterthought. While the original novels integrated the romance in alongside the development of the plot - making this a case of adaption decay - it is still ultimately these conflicting ideas that weaken the show at its heart. If the series leaned more towards a more mythical slant I believe that what shounen-ai there is would have been melded into the plot a lot more naturally, as historically mythology has never been shy of contraversial pairings between its characters.

The plot itself is rather badly adapted overall: this is one if those shows you have to read up on to understand exactly what has happened. Possibly this is a case of the show being compressed so much, but after reading the summary of the last volume (which I can't recommend enough - http://hiriajuu.livejournal.com/7568.html) it seems that Studio Bones apparently, like many of the characters, had a stroke, and decided to make shit up. Overall the gaps are too great for the average viewer to try and guess what's going on, and the composition of the series feels very inconsistent episode to episode. It just left me with a slightly annoyed feeling afterwards. However, if you're a softcore sci-fi fan or hardcore BL nerd with the imagination to fill in the gaps, perhaps this won't be much of an issue for you.

Whereas the characters themselves are compelling, in theory, (the dreamy boy genius, exiled tsundere with a ponytail, as well as a journalist-turned-pimp and a dogkeeper whose gender you will spend more time pondering than the actual intricacies of the plot), but in practice the characterisation is inconsistent and at sometimes enough to make you wonder if the characters have had strokes. One minute Nezumi and Sion are getting along fine, the next they're arguing, the next they're...dancing?

Though there is the fan emphasis on the shounen-ai elements, if you go into this show on that merit alone, you will be sorely disappointed. Though there are one or two signs of affection between the two male leads, Nezumi and Sion, as a romance it is sorely unfulfilling and as mentioned before, the motivations of the two are unclear at best and agonizingly OOC at worst. The ending, without giving any spoilers, doesn't improve on anything.

But not all is terrible about this show. The voice acting is quite good; notably, Sion's seiyuu does a fantastic job at tormented screams of pain. The other character's voices fit them well and I have no qualms here.

The saving grace of this series is the animation: it is stunningly pretty. The character designs are unique enough, but it is the backgrounds that are truly beautiful. Especially detailed are the iconic buildings, representing the cold, steeled nature of the city itself.

The music used was atmospheric and appropriate for the scene, as were the opening and ending songs, though the ending animation felt rather out-of-place and as the series went on, I began to openly resent its abrupt intrusion into the story. I really enjoyed the croaky vocals of the OP and would probably download it to listen to; the rest, not so much.

Many people will watch this series and, much as I did earlier, pontificate on if, why and how shounen-ai /BL/homosexuality belongs in a sci-fi setting. So it is ironic that No. 6's biggest weakness is the same as science fiction's greatest shortcoming.

No. 6's biggest defect is not the huge gaps in storytelling nor the compression of source material to fit it into five and a half hours of anime - though these are glaring - but the fact that, ultimately, No. 6 feels cold. As cold the metallic buildings and swathes of blue we see in the very first moments of the opening; as cold as the hearts of the people that run the city. Though the characters were smart, cute, at times funny, I felt no emotional connection to them after the show ended. The question is not, 'can sci-fi be gay too?' but 'can sci-fi cultivate a romance, of any orientation? Can sci-fi make me emphathise with the characters even if there is a complicated plot and futuresque setting?'

For No. 6, the answer is no.

I'd love to give that show a good 9+. I really would. Sadly, No.6 is a prefect example of anime screwed up by a bad ending. Last 5 minutes of the show make the overall score drop by one. Still, it's a great, compelling story for those, who love drama with a piece of action.

Story:
Anime follows the story of Sion, who lives in a perfect, utopian society of city called No.6, and Nezumi, who falls the victim of authorities ruling mentioned town. Two boys join forces to discover the truth about about the city, as well as themselves.
As you can see, ... what we deal with is a dystopian society - perfect at first glimpse, but rotten at the core. On the other side we have people living ouside the city - animals spending their lives in the slums. At that point No. 6 breaks typical sci-fi convention - in films like Equilibrium or Book of Eli, those who oppose the system are good, almost bleached out guys. In No.6, it's the choice between being happy, but manipulated, or constantly in danger, but free.
Sion and Nezumi spend their days in the latter part of the world. Surrounded by violence, rape and filth the're getting more and more drawn to each other.

This way we got to the strongest part of the show - character developemet. Both boys are sensitive and inteligent, as a contrast to a harsh world surrounding them. Still, it's not flat. Nezumi, natural-born badass, likes poetry (if you like finding tropes in anime, you'll be in heaven). Sion, a full-heart pacifist and humanist can punch a guy in the face. Besides, Nezumi confronting Sion is a big clash of ideologies. It's really great to watch as they try to explain each other their point of view, and how the other one reacts. Both of them, treir relationship, how certain things slowly change their personality, is a piece of well done, deep character developement.
Not to mention solid, interesting bacground characters.

Art, Sound and Setting

There is not much of "music" in No. 6. Soundtracks played in background are not someting that touch your heart and makes you think "I love that track! Need to hear it more!" but they create the atmosphere nicely. However, I have to mention beautiful elegies sung by several characters. Quality of art in the show is good, there are scenes with bad animation, but sudden drop of quality between highly appealing scenes is something common in recent anime's. The overal look of characters is nice to watch, and bg are rich.
As or the setting, some scenes, like dialouges, ale played flawless, which is great for a series full of it, but other scenes seem to be a little bit too rushed (especially most lyrical ones). I think that is beacuse the series is too short, and director still tried to make it a little bit more metaphisical.

No. 6 was great, touching story to watch. It gets strange at the end, but still I highly reccomend to watch it.

The past few seasons of Noitamina titles seem to have a trend going on: have one title down-to-earth with its storyline offering good quality plotting and characterization within its 11 episode length (Hourou Musuko and Ano Hana) while the other title features a grand-scale plot which while slick in presentation, has too much within its series to properly convey a well laid-out plot that explores its world due to limited episode count (Fractale and C). The Summer 2011 season continues the trend with the grand-scale plot series coming in the form of No. 6. The series appears to be portraying a dystopian society where the ... desirable people within its populace are nurtured and intentionally left in the dark about the true reality of the world around them. Shion finds himself becoming aware of this reality as he interacts with the mysterious rogue known as Nezumi which costs the former his desirable status in the said mentioned society.

The pacing to this series is already looking fairly rushed as time already skips ahead several years following the first episode and the pace in which Shion flees from the city he lived in gives you little breathing room to get any sense of the world within and outside the city Shion had lived in. Thus far, I get the feel this is turning out to be a cookie-cutter dystopian title in the same vain as Fractale yet with a darker and rougher edge to it. Like Fractale and C, the visuals thus far are of great quality with clean details and subdued color shades to convey the dark mood the series gives off. While action hasn't been so prominent thus far, the show does have its moments of fluid animation seen from Nezumi dealing with the Men in Black as he gets Shion out of the city.

With how No. 6 has turned out thus far, I'm not too confident in saying I'll get any anticipation out of seeing what happens next with Shion and Nezumi in this anime if this series is geared only for an 11-episode run limiting the amount of time the series can put into exploring its elements. I'm dropping this series at this point and hope that Noitamina can cut it with this routine of offering one down-to-earth series that works well within its episode count and another that has too much to squeeze into 11 episodes.

No.6 is probably one of my favorite stories of all time. It's so well written and so inspiring that when I started to watch the anime I had such high hopes especially after reading a few of the light novel volumes as well as the manga, however I was a bit disappointed in the outcome. I wouldn't say that the anime was all that bad, it was enjoyable, the Japanese voice actors were absolutely amazing (dubbed version is horrible don't watch that) and that's what really kept me going until the very end and of course the story of Shion and Nezumi. It's very face ... paced and it leaves a lot of be desired in the end. Personally I think it could have been better if they gave it 12 or 13 episodes just to tie some loose ends for people who haven't read the novels or manga, unfortunately we were given an eleven episode rush job. It's not the type of story that needs twenty four episodes but and extra one or two would have made a difference. Aside from that the art work, music, and characters were very well done. I suggest to anyone who wants to watch this or who has watched it already to please please please read the manga or download the light novel's online. You won't be disappointed and you can get a lot more out of that than the anime itself!

This was one of very few anime that I could definitely watch all the episodes in a row and not even feel time passing. And I will definitely watch it again sometime. Despite all the negative reviews, I felt the story flowed so nicely that as soon as the ending song started I frequently caught myself in surprise thinking "what? already?".

Main themes are contrasts, knowledge/ignorance, dreams/reality. Inside the narrative, though, there is a lot of refreshingly progressive turns. There are strong, feisty intelligent girls interested in sex, there are strong emotional relationships regardless of gender and time, there are people in sync with animals, ... and there is clear character development. I was hooked, and I can't wait to read the manga.

I thoroughly enjoyed Psychopass and Guilty Crown before landing on No.6, and I do think it is a good series for any fan of dystopian sci-fi.

One episode is all you need to get you hooked. I've been off this site for a while, but once I watched the first episode of this, II wanted to make sure everyone knew how great it was. I wanted to give it a ten on the spot overall, but rating an entire series on the first episode is stupid.

No. 6 has everything I've been currently looking for in an anime. It has Josei, or it seems, kinda like Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, but on a Skyblue scale.
It has adventure, but not in the "Quest Factor" but more like the "Slice of Life" introductory ... journey into full scale investigation, like Monster.
I'm hoping it's Seinen, it may make or break the show, but Deadman Wonderland has done fabulously, and I would like to see this flourish as well.
Romance is a good one. Or at least romantic tension. It gives me various mixed feelings while watching.
Mystery/Tragedy/Conspiracy are my hooks. They do so much for the plot that all I want to do is skip work and stare at the glowing screen until a new episode airs.

I want to take a second to compliment the art and music combo.

The art in this show is so spectular, especially when you watch in HD like I do. The colors are beautifully vivid, especially the night scene with the typhoon. That was gorgeous. And the music compliments so well. It sets a mellow tone through the whole first episode, so you know that you're gonna have to fasten the straps on your emotional rollercoater car.

All in all, I'm going to be watching this until the end, no messing around with other things. This is a priority and I'm gonna make damn sure to get that freaking watch of Shion's!!!!

Now, there have been a lot of mixed reviews for this anime. However, after just finishing it, I couldn't be any more entertained, in fact i'm rather sad it's ended. For a start, I think the two mains are incredibly likable, and very contrasting. Nezumi, who even though is very serious at times has plenty of other moments that make his character charming and funny. Especially his interactions with the rather naive Sion.
The only character I really didn't like was the girl counterpart, Safu, although, one of her lines earlier into the anime had me laughing my head off.

The plot is also really fantastic, there ... were many times when I was watching this that I became very emotionally; to the point of kicking and shrieking to then cheering and jumping about my room excitedly. Well done story!

The seiyus were also amazing, I found myself falling in love with their voices, especially Nezumi's, which was deliciously sexy. Not to mention his Seiyu also has an drool worthy singing voice too.

The opening song, well when I first heard it, I was turning my nose up at it a little, but after a couple of times of hearing it, it really grew on me!

The art was also lovely, everything extremely well drawn. Yes, the two mains look a lot like Kanda Yuu and Allen Walker from D.Gray-man. Even if they do, I would never see the two mains as ripoffs. Though I would understand if people thought Allen and Sion shared a lot more than just looks, they have very similar motives. However still, I think Sion has got enough going to stand out as an individual character and not an Allen Walker lookalike.

The shounen-ai type theme also that ran along side the story, I thought was an added bonus, but that's just my opinion.

I would recommend this anime, it's been ages since I've actually watched anime in fact.So i'm glad this is the one that's started me going again. As of right now, i'm recommending it to my friends, via fangirl attack.

No. 6 is an interesting dystopian future anime where the world is a curiosity and the characters are what makes the show. The concept of the future in the show is not totally new (beautiful cities with dark secrets and displaced towns on the outside of its walls) but still intriguing.

What makes the show is the main story and the characters. Off the bat, the two main characters show that a complex, turbulent but genuine relationship will form. Other characters introduced in the show are also fascinating with strange dynamics between them. I would have liked to know more about the world of the show. ... Like most future dystopian stories, there are things you want to know that both drive you crazy but also make the world even more fascinating. What No. 6 did right is focus on the story and characters so that you I didn't feel dissatisfied with the mysteries left behind.

The technical quality of the show is good but not the best. The animation was enjoyable but not incredible, same with the sound (though I really like the opening/ending themes). The dub is not the best either, but I still enjoyed it. To me, the character's voices matched pretty well.

Overall, I don't think of No. 6 as a masterpiece but I'd definitely recommend it, especially since it's short and doesn't have filler. And I'm always down for some good shounen-ai!

No.6 is about a dystopian near future, where an apparently perfect city (No.6) hides a dark secret. This idea has been used in many animes, it’s nothing special. However, compared whith others, No.6 is more focused on the story and the main characters.

Nezumi and Shion are the protagonist of No.6. Nezumi is the typical character that was hurt badly and now he can’t trust anyone. In fact, he thinks that trusting someone will make him weak. There comes Shion, the innocent guy that knows nothing about what’s up outside his little world. However, he seems willing to learn about the harsh reality and confront it. ... Apart from the protagonists, there are other interesting characters like Safu, Dogkeeper or Shions mother. Almost all of them experience a changes in their attitude, the character development is considerable in this anime.

It’s obvious that the main characters love each other. They show this with little actions and words rather than with physical contact. But the story doesn’t revolve around their love relationship at all.

The sound is good but not remarkable. If I had to point out something, it would be the OP. When I first listened to it, I thought It was weird, but after a few episodes I found it really catchy.

The animation is mostly average. However, backgrounds are amazing, and I really like how the fighting scenes are animated.

Overall:
Like: dynamic characters, intense end, original story even thought the main idea has been used many times, nice scenery
Dislike: the animation gets awkward sometimes
Favorite Character: Shion/Dogkeeper

Story (%20) – 8 Characters (%20) – 9 Art (%15) – 7.5 Sound (%10) – 7 Enjoyment (%35) – 8

Rating: 8.025

*English isn't my first language, i apologize in advance for my mistakes. Feel free to correct me if you find any*

No.6 is a work of art. an anime that I was hooked onto, watched the whole thing in a day. I was watching till the end, I couldn't stop. if your into sci-fi or something with a bit of shounen ai, but not too much, then i'm sure this anime is going to be one you won't regret watching.

the story was a pretty interesting one for sure. but it was a good kind of interesting, the kind that would make you question things. going from a so called normal life, to something completely different. it seems as though it could be one of your typical ... dramas with the twist of holding a wanted fugitive in your home without knowing the consequences. later bringing you to the scenes of action and dystopian surroundings bringing the anime to it's excellence. the ending of the story is going to leave you shocked and screaming for more...well maybe not literally screaming, but you know what I mean.

as for the art, it isn't the best I've seen. I mean for some scenes it's exceptional, but other than that it's kind of amateurish. but don't let that distract you from the story line, anybody could mess up on animation.

the soundtrack was pretty good. it went pretty well with the anime and was just ok in general. and honestly, the opening is my favourite song for the whole anime. even though it starts off absolutely amazing, but then goes into this kind of high pitched squealing we have to pretend is singing. i'm not saying the music is bad, it's just, not so much the kind of music you would see with such a good plot.

as for the characters...Nezumi x Shion.....I ship them, and I bet mst of you who've seen the anime will too. pfft, Safu and Shion, please. but that's not the point. the point is, the background stories fit the characters amazingly. and it seems they could be based on people in real life.

overall, this anime is one you would not regret watching. even if the genres don't make it seem like something you would watch, you should definitely watch anyway. you won't be disappointed.

No.6 makes a valiant effort to cram as many themes as it possibly can in its short duration. It aspires to be a post apocalyptic dystopian adventure, a corrupted-regime-fighting character study with a dash of yaoi and some inexplicably mystical deus ex machina as topping. It all makes as much sense as divining the future from my cat’s furballs.

Story:
Stupidly naive boy is kicked out of an artificial paradise city, lives with a pretty bad-boy in a refugee ghetto. Confusing situations ensue.
The story is all over the place. It spends too much time on things that are proven to be unimportant in the end, it ... uses cheap tricks and gimmicks and leaves behind a plot so ridden with holes it feels like eating Swiss cheese. I kind of wonder, what sort of audience is this aimed at? It has far too little yaoi to appeal to the boys’ love club. It is not nearly science fiction-y enough to appeal to the scifi buffs. It has too little action to classify as a typical shonen.
Frankly, I was bored most of the time. I did exercise my mind by pointing out the logical inconsistencies so that must count for something, like fighting against Alzheimer's in my old age. Also, it does not help that we have a faceless sort of threatening enemy doing largely illogical things like trashing the refugees' slum city, taking prisoners, driving them to prison and then executing them. I mean, why not just kill them then and there? My brain, it hurts.

Characters:
Most anime who fail the story test can still reclaim some viewing enjoyment from well fleshed out characters. Not so here.
Shion is supposed to be the main character but he is so frigging useless I kind of wonder why are all the other characters so enamoured of him. I get it, he is supposed to be the embodiment of kindness and altruism in a jaded society so that he draws others in like a white light. In theory. In practice he is so annoyingly stupid I really wanted to put his head to the meat grinder and feed him to my cat.
Nezumi is the bad boy who rescues him—and the love interest, you should know. For 2/3 of the anime he is the standard “abusive attractive asshole”. Hey, at least he does interesting stuff and he's not stupid—much.
Safu is Shion’s childhood friend and has a crush on him. Hmm, looks like someone didn't get the memo. Safu the beard spends a lot of time mooning over her love that never was and in the end proves to be a plot device.
Of all the other secondary characters—who are all as useful to the plot as a third leg—I mostly liked the Dog Lender. I felt that this character embodied the spirit of the refugee camp and had the most consistent character development.

Animation:
I was going to say that the animation was average but then I realised that recent anime have really spoiled us with attractive graphics. Five years ago this would have been spectacular despite a slight dipping in quality here and there. So, it is quite good without breaking new ground. Especially the characters, they are very fluidly animated.

Music:
The music is a bit jarring at times. There are some ballads and slow tunes that really don't fit the post-apocalyptical scenery. A show like this needs DJ Space Beats and his fluorescent synthesiser.
OP: Beautiful. Lovely animation and lovely, ethereal song.
ED: Slow ballad that failed to move me in any way.

Overview:
Every theme in this anime has been covered by a much better show. If it is yaoi you be wanting, you can find more titillating stuff. If it is post-apocalyptic science-fiction you be wanting there is Ergo Proxy. If it is natural mysticism you be wanting there is Miyazaki. Really, there is no reason for you to watch this.

When I started watching No. 6 I had high hopes for it. The plot seemed interesting, the characters seemed good, and I've always loved a good dystopian story. But as the show continued it just seemed to fall flat. The characters didn't develop well. The story was rushed, especially towards the end. I felt like the Nezumi/Shion pairing they put in the show was poorly done and felt practically forced just to please fangirls. Safu, while being an important character, was hardly in the show at all and all you really learn about her is that she has a thing for Shion. I was ... really disappointed by this anime. It could've been a lot better than it turned out to be with some character growth added and a story that didn't feel so rushed coming together. I felt that they had so much to work with but just didn't. Questions were left unanswered, the characters were a bit lackluster and the ending was rather predictable. Overall, the show ended up being utterly average.