No.6

Not gonna lie, this manga is doing me a little cognitive dissonance moment. You see, I have quite enjoyed the novel. The manga however, not so much. What made me not enjoy the manga so much despite liking the source material? When reading a novel, a lot can actually depend on the reader’s imagination. The manga however is obviously a more direct approach – unsurprisingly, as a visual medium. It chooses which parts to accent, what to focus on and how to portray a world. So instead of a gritty world with serious vibe more akin to western dystopia works that existed in my imagination whichmostly ignored the BL subtext of the story, the manga does the opposite. There’s no futuristic city, the drawings don’t portray anything unique, just a very generic town setting with a slum problem. There is hardly anything indicating a dystopian vibe in the arstyle. The characters themselves too are mainly designed as bishounen characters as the BL now undoubtedly takes a main role in the storytelling. The disaster is portrayed as more of a way to get the pairing together rather than that being a byproduct of an emergency situation. Emergency and stakes are another big problem in this adaptation. They are mostly gone. The pacing is terrible and the manga doesn’t seem to be sure if it wants to be have a serious story or goofy situations. This is unlike the juxtaposition of cuteness and seriousness in works like for example Girls' Last Tour. I don’t sense author intent in No. 6, just tone-deafness. Those downgrades combined make No. 6 manga nothing more than very average young adult dystopian storyline, just with non-heterosexual main pairing. Or maybe the novel wasn’t that good in the first place and it’s just the fact that I have read it almost a decade ago that could solve the mystery of me no longer enjoying the story that much. But for confirming that I’d have to reread it, and I’ll pass for that. Anyway, to summarize - if the boys love elements were your favourite parts of the novel, your experience with the manga adaptations will likely be the exact opposite of mine, so go ahead and pick this up. And if you’re unfamiliar with the novel, set your expectations on a YA literature level.

No.6 follows two boys from opposite ends of the socioeconomic ladder as they try to reveal the secrets behind a so-called utopia. Although it's only 35 chapters long, I'm giving it a 10 because it's incredibly well-done despite its length. Read below for the full review. - - - - - Storyline: 9 To some extent, No.6 is just another dystopian story--perfect society with a dark secret, disillusioned citizens, etc.--but the inner workings of its dystopia are both unique and unexpected. Its plot is well-developed and easy to follow. The only reason why I don't give a perfect score for this category is because some moments within themanga feel a bit rushed. - - - - - Characters: 10 (Mild spoilers below.) The backstories and personalities are well-crafted, and everyone who is introduced has a role within the story. Character development is executed well. The issues that the protagonists face, as well as the personality changes they undergo, are believable and never left unexplained. I also have to give props to this series for being one of the few I've read that aren't exclusively BL, but portray a same-sex couple as realistically as they would a heterosexual couple. (Note: No.6 is not a yaoi manga. It does, however, have shounen-ai elements.) It doesn't dole out fanservice. Nezumi and Shion's relationship isn't established to pander to BL fans; it's there to represent a legitimate bond between two characters--one that develops over time, and through mutual understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses. There's no masculine or feminine binary, no "husband" or "wife" imposed upon Nezumi and Shion. They're just two characters that happen to fall in love. - - - - - Art: 10 No issues here. No.6 is beautifully illustrated and skillfully paneled. As well, the character designs are memorable and unique without being over-the-top. - - - - - Enjoyment: 10 All the factors mentioned above culminate in a series that's difficult to stop reading once you start. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good action/adventure/sci-fi manga.

No. 6 may be overlooked but after getting a glimpse of its world, you can say it’s worth your time. I can’t say the story is unique but it is well written and delivered that the flow is, without a doubt, fluid. The manga has its share of gore, thrill, and sometimes humor and every mood was well-balanced to the convenience of its reader. The only problem is that the plot isn’t shown in a particular light whereas it appears mysterious or suspenseful. You may be thinking, ‘does that mean I can easily tell what’s going to happen next?’ and, somehow, yes but not exactly.You may be able to guess a portion of it but No. 6 has its own way of telling the story. Simply put, the story was very good! Shion and Nezumi, being the main characters, were amazingly portrayed. For some reason, the personalities of these characters didn’t appear to be clichéd. The track of development of the characters weren’t predictable and you can easily have second thoughts from time to time. Shion and Nezumi developed in a good way that I found their actions and thoughts based on their experiences were convincing and even natural. However, I wasn’t able to feel a strong connection with the characters because there were still gaps in between – there wasn’t enough depth in their personalities. To point out, it looked like the story didn’t really have a main antagonist that stand out among the challenges faced by our main cast. I have to commend the artists for their brilliant work with the illustrations! The graphics seemed sharp and detailed, not to mention it looks very clean even with all the action going on. The frequent and well placed appearances of artistic touches such as unique speech balloons, expressions and emphasizers were all appealing but most importantly, the totality of the art did really good in extending the story – giving us a better perspective of it. Being the first manga I’ve completed, I am very satisfied that I chose a good one. I enjoyed all the thrills the manga had to offer that I wasn’t expecting to find myself unaware of my surroundings for moments – seriously, it wasn’t likely for me to lose focus that the person beside me had already called my name three times (two would have been acceptable). In the end, No.6 isn’t one of your mangas worth missing!

The human emotions are a very sensitive thing to begin with, but what if you had grown up not knowing of the negative emotions? A place where there is no crime, and everything is perfect? Welcome to no. 6, a 'Utopian' town where everything seems to be perfect. STORY: 9/10 The story follows the journey of two boys, Nezumi and Shion, along with many others. It is a story that can at first be hard to fall into (for some, at least), but as you continue reading, it's almost impossible to stop yourself from being interested. There are a wide variety of emotions in this manga,which is a big part of the story itself. If there were no emotions, this story wouldn't have gotten far. From character growth to plot direction, this manga is strong in its story and overall has a very good one to it. ART: 9/10 There's nothing much to say about the art except for the fact that it's truly pleasing to the eye. It was amazing on its use of body language, facial expression, and more. Someone could read this manga without any dialogue, and still possibly make a story out of just what they see. CHARACTER: 10/10 One of the most important parts of a show (not including story), is its characters. No matter what you watch, it is hard to go through a show or manga without having any character development or importance. In no. 6, the characters were what this story was almost entirely based around. Shion's growth as a person, and the relationships between everyone showed its own uniqueness. Nezumi and Shion are two very loveable characters that you can't help but love - as well as (most of) the other characters. Enjoyment: 10/10 If we're going to go personal with enjoyment, no. 6 was something that I fell in love with and grew deep connection to. From the characters to even the town(s) it is placed in - I almost felt as if I were there. It was a manga that could make you laugh, smile, and cry at the same time. It is a story that I will keep in my heart for a long time. I am personally happy have discovered this manga. Overall, I give it a 9(.4) out of 10. ----------------------- This was my first review, so I apologize for any errors here and there. Besides, I wrote it a bit tired. But, I felt the need to write a review for this manga simply because of my enjoyment, and how it managed to go far above my expectations from what I was expecting. I can proudly say that this manga is one of my favorites.