In this article, we will discuss the anime series: No. 6. The 2011 anime is set in the post-apocalyptic world where the privileged reside inside the walls, and the poor suffer on the outskirts.
After a devastating world war, humanity tried to create a utopia. But this utopia was only for the elites and the privileged. One of these elites, Shion, lives in a city- No.6. On one night, Shion meets a dangerous boy named Nezumi. Nezumi, a fugitive, had escaped from the correctional facility. Shion wonders why Nezumi, being the same age as him, is a prisoner. Out of curiosity and innocence, Shion shelters Nezumi and indirectly, helps him escape. As a result, Shion and his mother lose their status as elites and are relocated to the poorer outskirts of the city.
A few years later, Nezumi reappears in Shion’s life. As it happens, Shion comes to know that the utopia is like an iceberg that hid its much larger and darker side.
Personal Opinion/ Review of the Anime:
No. 6, the summer 2011 anime series, is based on a nine-part light novel series written by Atsuko Asano. Although the anime has been listed for the above genres, it has a touch of Fantasy and Shounen Ai.
Here’s what we think of No. 6:
The Animation:
The animation of No.6 is pretty decent. The character designs are good. Also, the sceneries of the technological world and that of the ragged reality are great. The credit goes to Studio Bones for giving the animation an enjoyable factor.
The Characters:
Shion, Nezumi, and Safu are the main characters of this series. Shion is intelligent and innocent. Nezumi, on the other hand, is an escaped prisoner who wishes for nothing but the downfall of the dystopia that is No. 6. Safu is a straightforward girl. Although mostly driven by her feelings towards Shion, Safu becomes much more significant by the end of the series.
Inukashi and Rikiga are like the sidekicks of the main trio. Youming and his resistance group could have been explored more. The series’s major plus point is that it does not make a big deal out of its two male protagonists falling in love. The anime normalizes the same-sex relationship of its two protagonists, and that makes No.6 worth watching. No. 6 is mainly an action series and does not solely revolve around this relationship.
The Themes:
The themes of the anime start to contradict themselves in the latter half of the series. Nezumi and Shion infiltrate the correctional facility despite the advanced security of No. 6. The stark difference between the ideologies of Nezumi and Shion leads them to a fight. Despite that, the fight is never resolved. The boys get along with each other just fine as if the dispute never occurred. The introduction of Queen Eriulias and the two boys being able to hear her voice in their head does not sit right with the Sci-Fi tag.
In the end, the anime goes nowhere. A literal magical force demolishes the dystopia. We do not receive a proper epilogue where we’d gain something from the new world. The future of No. 6 and that of Nezumi and Shion’s relationship remains unexplored. So, the ending may leave you somewhere between satisfied and wanting more of it.
In conclusion, No. 6 is a flawed but enjoyable series.
