This is my first anime review, and it’s going to be on No. 6. The reason for this is because I’ve just finished watching it, and man, I’m so glad I’ve picked this anime. It was beautiful. Not in the sense that the anime is beautiful, but that the story was so good and that I got so hooked. I fell in love with the characters, especially Nezumi (Rat) and Shion, and really care for them and their relationship. Yes, there is a bit of Shounen Ai here, and that’s what makes it so good, especially with their odd friendship/relationship.
Shoin (voiced by Yuki Kaji who is one of my top favourite voice actors), is the main protagonist of the story. He is an intelligent, idealist sixteen years old boy (twelve years old at the beginning of the story) who lived in his elite home with his mother in Chronos town of No. 6. Though he seemed fine with what went on around him, underneath though, he knew something wasn’t right about their perfect world. Personally, I think he was frustrated with his mundane life. To me it shows when he was screaming outside in the storm at the beginning of the story. This was followed by him meeting Nezumi who was wounded. Being a kind boy, Shoin helped, nursed, and fed Nezume for the night, and this later on led to him being stripped of his elite status because he had helped a fugitive.
Nezume (voiced by Yoshimasa Hosoya), on the other hand, I simply love his character. He’s rough around the edge, tough, had a dark past and a super bad ass attitude. What’s not to like about him? He’s street smart, could look after himself at tough times, and even risks his own life to save Shion. Though this rather contradicts the character that he showed to the world, and that is of him not giving a shit about someone’s life and only had his heart set on destroying No. 6.
No. 6 is a dystopia/utopia type anime which I love. It first shows you a utopia society where everything that exists is beautiful and peaceful and the people living there are healthy and happy. Underneath, however, lays darkness full of corruption and killing. Later as the story progressed, we see this dystopian world when Shoin was saved by Nezume and was taken out to the West Block of No. 6 which was a slum where people were suffering. Later nearer to the end, we see the slum being eradicated (both destroying the place and killing countless people), and later, when both Shion and Nezume got themselves captured (on purpose so that they could infiltrate the Correction Facility), we see the mountain of people who simply got dumped underground to die.
Yes, there is a happy ending when No. 6 was partially destroyed (sorry for the spoiler). Though I would have loved it eve more if Nezume didn’t have to leave Shion. But then again Shion did say that they’d meet again (sigh in relief).
So I personally will give this anime a thumb up because it is that good. Hey, if it keeps me up until late at night watching, then it is good. Most of the time bad anime doesn’t get past my five minutes mark.
Alex
Alexia Praks 