No.6
Mimi: Out of the three Noitamina sci-fi anime that aired this year, No.6 left the best impression on me. You might recall that I was annoyed to death by perverted Clain and his goofy friends from Fractale, and [C] was also disappointing in the end. Face it, Kimimaro was a bland lead character in the most convoluted plot ever. However, something changed with No.6. I genuinely enjoyed it all the way through and loved the characters enough to miss them. What exactly happened there?
Well, let’s start from the beginning. The main character is a young boy named Shion who lives in a futuristic, dystopian city called “No.6.” He ends up sheltering an injured boy named Nezumi who escaped from the correctional facility, and they quickly develop a bond. However, the authorities respond by kicking Shion out to a place called “Lost Town,” where he works as a park supervisor four years later. Pretty cool so far, right? While he’s on duty, he witnesses the shocking event of his co-worker rapidly growing old and dying from a parasite bee, and the authorities hold him in captivity. Shion and Nezumi’s paths cross once again as Nezumi saves him, and they escape to the ‘real world’, the land outside of No.6. With all that action stuffed into the first two episodes, yeah, you better believe that I was hooked.
Things really start to slow down after that, as it becomes more about Shion and Nezumi spending time together. One reason why Fractale turned me off was because the premise that had so much potential was wasted on developing its annoying characters. I didn’t feel the same way about No.6, though. For one thing, the story isn’t nearly as large or ambitious. It is, quite simply, about discovering the truth behind this so-called “ideal city” that’s right next door, and it accomplishes that. The characters are also a lot of fun to watch. They’re mature with still more room to grow, they have meaningful discussions, and their personalities really break the mold. It didn’t matter if an entire episode focused on them talking in a room; I was simply entertained by them hanging out together and dealing with personal drama.
What might turn some people off though are the boy-love undertones. You can just sense them from episode one. But I’d argue that their relationship is better than any forced, silly one you’ll often find in shounen-ai anime. Shion and Nezumi are a refreshing couple. ^_~ Likewise, it’s pretty fun to see Shion interact with the other characters in the new environment that he must get used to, forming an interesting little circle of friends. If you ask me, this is a character-driven series done right. Admittedly, you would think that there’d be a lot of action in the show, considering that it’s animated by Bones and it’s sci-fi. I can’t say that I will remember No.6 for the action, but when there is action, expect nothing less than what you usually get from Bones!
The finale shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, but the short episode length of the series does rush it once again. It’s just as messed up as the finale for Fractale and [C]. Unlike those, however, I was very entertained by No.6’s emotional finale. What made it so much more enjoyable were the characters and being able to care about them. Besides, who can be frustrated after what Shion and Nezumi do at the end? =^.^=
Liam might also share his opinion about the series, so stay tuned. :3
Mimi’s Score: 8 Meeps out of 10 (Very Good)
Alex’s Score: 8 Meeps out of 10 (Very Good)
Liam’s Score: 8 Meeps out of 10 (Very Good)
Dusk’s Score: 6.5 Meeps out of 10 (Fine)
Doofus’ Score: 6 Meeps out of 10 (Fine)
Meeping Anime 