[Aniplex]No. 6

[KLevin26]

Trailer 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2ig6nNs4xU)
Trailer 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5cYj2pJubE&feature=related)
Official Site (http://www.no-6.jp/#/main/)
ANN Entry (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=12399)

In Atsuko Asano (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=68933)'s novels that inspired (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-01-07/atsuko-asano-no-6-novel-gets-noitamina-tv-anime-by-bones) the anime, the story is set in "No. 6," a future model city in 2013. Raised as a top-ranking elite since the age of 2, a boy named Shion (voiced by Yuuki Kaji (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=58051)) lives in an exclusive area in No. 6. On the night of his 12th birthday, he rescues a boy who calls himself "Nezumi" (Yoshimasa Hosoya (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=53773)) Nezumi ran away from the city's Special Security Area. From that moment on, Shion's life is changed forever.

Note
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[ibby]

I'm really looking foward to this anime, so far it's already on my lisence wishlist. Will likely have ago at doing impressions on a weekly basis if no body else wants to discuss and share their thoughts.

[ibby]

A interesting introducturary episode where Shion meets Nezumi. Good to see that blood is back this season. The world of No.6 is interesting to say the least, and I wonder where the series will go. Also good to see a Bones show that I actually like after Star Driver and Gosick.

[nakimushi]

Hmm, yet another allegorical dystopia on noitaminA? They seem to be caught in a rut: this makes 3 seasons in a row. I hope I like this one better than the last two (Fractale was OK, but was a bit disappointing, however I didn't like C much at all).

I like the look of No. 6 much more than C, so that's a good start. The setup of this episode was somewhat interesting, and I guess it was just a prelude to a story several years later starting next episode.

[xyz]

This one I like. It's probably will be the only one I'll be following this season. Story looks promising.

[HitokiriShadow]

That.... was actually pretty interesting.

Safu was cute, but it doesn't look like she's going to be playing a major role. Despite the show looking like its going to be pretty male-focused and definitely aiming for the fujoshi crowd.... I'm actually looking forward to the next episode and seeing where this goes.

One thing I really liked is how this show excelled at doing something that so, so many sci-fi/fantasy anime botch so badly: informing the viewer about the setting in a natural way. See Freezing for a prime example of how NOT to do it. There were a lot of things here they didn't spell out to the viewer, you just have to extrapolate from the dialogue. Like Safu's comment after she kisses Shion. That says a lot without beating the viewer over the head with narration or expository dialogue. You got a little bit of that towards the end when Nezumi/Rat asks Shion about how the city was formed, but that was about it, and it was still done fairly naturally.

[Sly05]

Well that was a lot of time setting up a BL pairing. It's hard to get an idea of what to expect from this as the episode only introduced hints of an overall plot. Sweater-chan was promising, though (as Hitokiri says above) this episode made me doubt she will have a big role. I haven't seen much promotional images for this, but I assume we're in for a time skip soon assuming Shion and Nezumi are the two adult characters in the ED.

[nakimushi]

Well, I guess now we have a pretty idea why Shion's hair is white in the OP.

So I'm wondering if Shion's mother is just remembering how to make cherry pies because all the food they used to eat before Shion's "demotion" was made by machines, or if something happened to her since after the incident (like "re-education") that caused her to forget?

Nezumi coming to his rescue was completely expected, but the actual rescue sequence was pretty good.

[ibby]

Thought this episode was interesting, especially the dialague between Shion and Safu early on in this episode. At least Safu is honest abour her feelings for Shion. I thought that the action sequence in this episode was interesting, as it been a while for me seeing a vehicle geting sliced up.

[Sly05]

I enjoyed this more than the first episode as we got a bit more in the way of plot. Some of the methods that were used to show what happened since the first episode were a bit lazy though. Would he really have not told his best friend anything about why he suddenly couldn't go into the gifted track?

Safu is certainly... direct in expressing her feelings for Shion. Safu demands sperm! Right now! Too bad for her that this series is really pushing the BL angle. Nezumi apparently even watches Shion when he's changing.

[Fencedude]

That was...ok? I guess?

Didn't really grab me, and the setting isn't exactly breaking new boundaries.

Hmm, I thought Safu was Taketatsu Ayana, but she's actually a pretty new seiyuu, Yasuno Kiyono (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=99806)

[Fencedude]

Dystopian Dystopia is Dystopian.

Anyway, decent episode, Safu is hilariously unromantic, and Sion is completely gay for Nezumi.

[something]

Episode 1:

- In about a minute past the OP, and so far this is quite interesting. Rather like Safu already, but since this show is clearly headed for an early time skip, and a disaster of some sort is on the way, and she likes Sion, and Sion is clearly destined for the other dude... there is no less than a 98% chance she'll be dead within 15 minutes.
- He just received a purple sweater from an old lady on his birthday. Isn't that, like, the stereotypical worst gift ever?
- Okay that kiss further guarantees she's toast.

- You're a weird kid, Sion.
- Boy meets Boy.
- God damn the CR audio is really high for some reason. Normally I'm within one bar of max for a CR episode. For this I'm down at just 2 bars and it's still too loud at times. It also feels a bit muffled. Feels like it wasn't encoded right or something. Have encountered this with CR before, but it's been a while.
- And jeeze, bleeding boy's voice sounds way too mature for a 12 year old. Well, I'm assuming he's about the same age.
- Contrasts him with Shion well enough though.

Decent episode. And huh, how did Safa not die? And nothing disastrous happen during the typhoon? Shocking! But man, that's a really long next ep preview.

[something]

Hmm, yet another allegorical dystopia on noitaminA? They seem to be caught in a rut: this makes 3 seasons in a row. I hope I like this one better than the last two (Fractale was OK, but was a bit disappointing, however I didn't like C much at all).
Yeah, Fractale was not at all what it could have been, and I ended up dropping C. Their partner shows, though (highly emotional dramas taking place in present-day Japan) are amazing. AnoHana and Hourou Musuko are my #2 and #3 shows of 2011 so far, and Usagi Drop looks like it's going to be a spectacular followup, so I'm pretty satisfied with their lineups.

This show could be good, though there are quite a lot of ways it could fall apart. I think its fate will be decided early on, within the first few episodes, and it'll all come down to pacing. Only 11 episodes for a story like this is a bit dodgy. They'll need to jump into plot ASAP without feeling rushed. That can be a trick.

[something]

Episode 2:

- So, stripped of his status (as the preview told us) and all that, he's now driving animal-shaped robots around picking up trash. Sucks tp be you!
- Oh and there's a dead guy.

- Twilight House and Lost Town. They sure make certain you know your place in society, don't they?
- Safu might not die now, mostly because I think she's about to be written out of the plot anyway.

- HAHAHAHAAH WHAT. Now that's a way to proposition, Safu. But you don't realize what kind of show you're in, do you? Also, while the kiss scene made me think this is just a society where everyone is ignorant about sex (until such time as they report to government mandated procreation centers or something), this makes me wonder if it's not just Safu being really fucking weird and scientific about everything.
- Hooray for stock SFX. Every car, truck and van makes the same "horn under the doppler effect" noise.

- I wonder if this little girl is voiced by anyone I know... Morohoshi Sumire, nah. She did do Kurara in Kuragehime but I only watched a couple eps of that. Oh and she's only 12.

- ...Nezumi really does use a pet rat. >_>
- "Have you ever seen me naked?" ...lol.
- Man that was some silly sounding music just now, up until they escape from the sewers.

Still interesting enough. Not going to be a favorite or anything, but it's watchable.

[nakimushi]

Yeah, Fractale was not at all what it could have been, and I ended up dropping C. Their partner shows, though (highly emotional dramas taking place in present-day Japan) are amazing. AnoHana and Hourou Musuko are my #2 and #3 shows of 2011 so far, and Usagi Drop looks like it's going to be a spectacular followup, so I'm pretty satisfied with their lineups.

I completely agree on Hourou Musuko and Usagi Drop, and I'm blind importing AnoHana. So there has been one very high quality show for for these three seasons. I haven't liked both shows in a season though since Shiki and Kuragehime, both of which I imported.


This show could be good, though there are quite a lot of ways it could fall apart. I think its fate will be decided early on, within the first few episodes, and it'll all come down to pacing. Only 11 episodes for a story like this is a bit dodgy. They'll need to jump into plot ASAP without feeling rushed. That can be a trick.

I think the 11 episode format might be too restrictive to do this sort of show really well. The pacing has to be absolutely perfect: there is no margin for error. Even still, I do not think it allows a enough time to establish the world, make us care about the characters, set up the story, and still have a satisfying conclusion to a "big" plot like Fractale and C tried to do. I thought Fractale did a much better overall than C did though.

Obviously, shows based on ongoing manga also frequently fail to have satisfying endings, since the stories they are based on have not really ended. However, (perhaps unfairly) I have a higher standard for endings of anime original series, since their stories were written specifically for the show.

Anyway, I'll have to see how this one plays out.

[something]

I completely agree on Hourou Musuko and Usagi Drop, and I'm blind importing AnoHana. So there has been one very high quality show for for these three seasons. I haven't liked both shows in a season though since Shiki and Kuragehime, both of which I imported.
Huh yeah, oddly enough, ever since they started pairing shows in Spring 2010, I haven't liked both a lot at the same time even once yet. Sometimes I watched both but one was just leaps and bounds over the other.

Saraiya Goyou - loved | Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei - dropped
Moyashimon' (live-action) - didn't watch | Shiki cour 1 - kinda liked
Kuragehime - dropped | Shiki cour 2 - didn't watch
Fractale - okay but disappointing | Hourou Musuko - loved and imported
[C] - dropped | AnoHana - loved and imported
Usagi Drop - loved ep 1 | No.6 - watchable so far

I guess Fractale/Hourou is the closest it's gotten, maybe this season will be about the same.

[Edit: Actually, somewhat amusingly, noitaminA has never aired two shows in a row I finished and really liked, even when they did one at a time. Goind through the list chronologically it's... Y N N N Y N Y ? Y N Y N Y N Y N N Y. The ? is Mononoke, which I thought was pretty good from what I saw, but never finished. Most of the Ns are shows I wasn't motivated enough to watch so I don't dislike them so much as haven't tried them.]

However, (perhaps unfairly) I have a higher standard for endings of anime original series, since their stories were written specifically for the show.
Well, original anime don't have any "read/play the manga/novel/game" crutch to fall back on, so I agree, a good ending is even more important for them. [Edit: though, yeah, meant to look that up... No.6 isnt anime original, as EB notes.]

Anyway, won't talk about ep 2 in the ep 1 subthread, but No.6 is at least making sure to keep moving. That's a good first step.

[nakimushi]

Episode 2:

- HAHAHAHAAH WHAT. Now that's a way to proposition, Safu. But you don't realize what kind of show you're in, do you? Also, while the kiss scene made me think this is just a society where everyone is ignorant about sex (until such time as they report to government mandated procreation centers or something), this makes me wonder if it's not just Safu being really fucking weird and scientific about everything.


I personally thought it was the latter. Safu and Sion both seemed to be portrayed as a little "odd". Probably as a clue that something is not exactly right with their world.

They are both apparently supposed to be super geniuses, but Safu's ultra precise way of thinking seems to combine with her frequently intense personality, resulting in verbal oddities like that one.

Sion's genius appears to be hidden behind a bemused/detached demeanor and does not awkwardly intrude into his personal conversations. However, not surprisingly, his inherent curiosity/inquisitiveness does end up causing problems for him in a society based on secrets.

[EmperorBrandon]

Obviously, shows based on ongoing manga also frequently fail to have a satisfying ending, since the stories they are based on have not really ended. However, (perhaps unfairly) I have a higher standard for endings of
anime original series, since their stories were written specifically for the show.

Anyway, I'll have to see how this one plays out.

Not sure if you were referring to only Fractale and [C] or not, but No. 6 is not anime original and based on a novel series. Looking it up, it's a (just recently) finished 9-volume series.

[nakimushi]

Obviously, shows based on ongoing manga also frequently fail to have a satisfying ending, since the stories they are based on have not really ended. However, (perhaps unfairly) I have a higher standard for endings of anime original series, since their stories were written specifically for the show.

Anyway, I'll have to see how this one plays out.

Not sure if you were referring to only Fractale and [C] or not, but No. 6 is not anime original and based on a novel series. Looking it up, it's a (just recently) finished 9-volume series.

I was primarily referring to Fractale and C, but I did carelessly mention No. 6 in the same thought, since I was unaware that it was based on a novel series (even though it is clearly mentioned in the root post). :sweat: So thanks for pointing that out.

Still, if the novel series is complete, the story should be as well. So an unsatisfying ending can only be blamed on the original source or the adaptation (11 episodes might not be enough to actually do the source justice - which gets back to my original point that I think that trying to tell a complete/satisfying "topple a dystopia" story, is extremely difficult to accomplish in just 11 episodes).

Although, it is silly for me to continue to speculate about the potential quality of the ending after only 2 episodes have aired. :sweat:

[nakimushi]

This is staying interesting at least.

The odd couple pairing is working so far as well. It definitely kept Sion from spending an entire episode moping about the people he left behind. Yet Nezumi went to the trouble to contact Sion's mother for him after telling him to forget about everyone he left behind.

Although, that sort of made Nezumi's "if you continue to care about the people in the city you will be my enemy" line ring just a bit hollow. Well, that and his caressing of Sion's face. :sweat:

[something]

Episode 3:

- Time for shirtless theater.
- Ew, icky cutting noises. And this is how Sion gets those weird pink marks.
- And there's the while hair.
- I get why Nezumi likes the idea of everyone in No.6 dying in an epidemic, but he's pretty naive to think it'll stop there. And, y'know, Sion's mother is still in there.
- Well he's sure not going to make this easy for Sion. Even trying to save the city from total indiscriminate massacre isn't allowed.

[nakimushi]

Hmm, I don't think I've ever seen grabbing an indirect kiss via a prostitute before. :sweat:

The subtext is definitely not so subtle in this show.

I had mistakenly thought that the dog-keeper was a girl. The only thing that sort of bothers me is, what could he be feeding all those large dogs? Hopefully he doesn't farm them out to the "clean-up crew". That would be an unpleasant thought.

The city outside the wall was actually more thriving than I expected it to be. It is almost like they needed the flies, broken windows and occasional corpse just to try and keep it from being almost too normal a place. :)

Well, at least we got to see Shion's mother be relieved that he was still alive, and it looks like Safu appears again next episode, although in another location.

[Fencedude]

Oh man, the scene where Nezumi was caressing Sion's face.

Anyway, the events here would have been more of a surprise without, you know, the OP and ED spoiling it, but whatever.

I can't wait to find out why No.6 is so amazingly horrible.

[Fencedude]

Ergh. There was some decent character development, but I felt there was a lot of wasted time, and I really hate that in noitaminA shows, since time is so precious in them.

Sion flipping out was odd, he showed a surprising amount of strength.

Dogkeeper confronting Nezumi was just dumb. Why bother?

And of course, no answers.

[something]

Episode 4:

- Poor mom.
- Um... I get that they're depicting this as a "rough and tumble" place, but I don't care where you are, when a large man starts firing a shotgun in a narrow, crowded street, other people are going to duck out of the way!
- Great, now slum hookers are coming on to Sion.
- "He belongs to me." Haha.

- HEH. Nezumi the hooker!
- Uh wow, chill Sion. Nezumi can take care of himself. But then he can't stand the idea of anyone else having his Nezumi.
- Now for dog washing.
- And man, that was a dick move, insulting dog boy's, uh, "mom".
- Almost costs him too.

Not a bad episode.

[nakimushi]

So it seems like the bees don't hibernate after all. Actually, I'm wondering if the translation should be referring to them as wasps. The Japanese 蜂 ハチ (hachi) is primarily used to refer to bees, but it is also used for wasps in compound words. Parasitic wasps actually lay their eggs inside other organisms (or into other organism's eggs). Parasitic bees on the other hand just lay their eggs next to another hive's eggs, or kill the queen and take over the hive.

Well, now more people know about their existence anyway.

The wind blowing/song singing that affected both Nezumi and Safu was interesting. That it happened to Safu while looking at a stained glass depiction of bees/wasps and to Nezumi when he realized Shion was watching him was also interesting. Even more interesting was that somehow it allowed Safu to seemingly learn of Nezumi's existence and that Shion knew him.

After becoming impatient with Shion's math quiz method of diagnosis, Nezumi proves that he's healthy by waltzing with Shion. :sweat:

[bear]

So they're bringing Safu back into the story. Wondered when and how they were going to do that.


After becoming impatient with Shion's math quiz method of diagnosis, Nezumi proves that he's healthy by waltzing with Shion. :sweat:
Nezumi's reaction to Shion's touching his throat was interesting. I expected it to be more of an emotional reaction, but instead he dwelled on the fact that Sion was able to get inside his guard and reach a pressure point before he could react. Rationalization or is Sion more than he seems?

[nakimushi]

So they're bringing Safu back into the story. Wondered when and how they were going to do that.


After becoming impatient with Shion's math quiz method of diagnosis, Nezumi proves that he's healthy by waltzing with Shion. :sweat:
Nezumi's reaction to Shion's touching his throat was interesting. I expected it to be more of an emotional reaction, but instead he dwelled on the fact that Sion was able to get inside his guard and reach a pressure point before he could react. Rationalization or is Sion more than he seems?

I would say a bit of both. Nezumi always seems to display two feelings though whenever Shion is involved. For example, when he saw Shion at the theater, he was was at first angry then absolutely thrilled that Shion came to see him. Then soon after that, the wind and the song started.

[something]

Episode 5:

- And another bee death.

- Safuuuu~
- Heh!, Safu needs to be in a raging fanservice show. Simply because I want her to walk in on all kinds of erotic situations and act with utter calm like it's nothing unexpected at all.

- HAHAHAH! I should have known. Nezumi plays women's roles at the theater.
- So, uh, Nezumi and Safu hear a voice singing in their heads at the same time?

- lol what? "Yaay everyone you know and love is about to die in grotesque ways! Let's dance!

Decent episode. Yay for more Safu. Too bad I kind of expect her to die.

[EmperorBrandon]

- Heh!, Safu needs to be in a raging fanservice show. Simply because I want her to walk in on all kinds of erotic situations and act with utter calm like it's nothing unexpected at all.

Indeed. I just love her attitude there. :)

[nakimushi]

I had a feeling something like that would happen to Safu once she returned. If she wasn't already under close watch once she landed, I'm sure the attempt to call Sion raised all sorts of red flags.

Interesting though that only in Number 6 are people required to wear the ID bracelets, so the level of totalitarianism isn't as uniform across the numbered cities as I would have thought.

More mixed message posturing from Nezumi over Sion again. I hope that Nezumi doesn't keep that note from Sion for too long: I would prefer to see Safu again before episode 11. :sweat:

[bear]

I had a feeling something like that would happen to Safu once she returned. If she wasn't already under close watch once she landed, I'm sure the attempt to call Sion raised all sorts of red flags.

I wonder what the significance of the missing knitting needle was?

[something]

Episode 6:

- Safu episode! Sadly, that also means it's an episoe where she learned too much... and her odds of surviving keep plummeting, especially since she's not a viable romantic option. Well, not unless this show decides to viciously troll the BL fans.
- And she gets caught already.

Other stuff happened too I think.

[something]

I wonder what the significance of the missing knitting needle was?
I think it was just meant to be a sign to Safu that something was wrong. She knows her grandmother would never leave the needle behind, and so it had to be in her personal belongings. That it wasn't is either a sign that the authorities just chucked it, or that they had no intention of actually giving Safu her grandmother's belongings. It's implied that sweater isn't actually something that belonged to her grandmother, but a fake. That or they washed the hell out of it.

[nakimushi]

Yeah, that was a "goodnight kiss".

I had a feeling that old lady had informed on Safu.

I wonder what kind of "sample" Safu is? I'm guessing genetic, but there was that wind blowing/song phenomenon from episode 5.


So there are only 4 episodes left. Things left to (potentially) accomplish:

1. Rescue Safu.
2. Develop a cure for the parasitic bees.
3. Destroy the wall.
4. Reunite Shion with his mother (which might be accomplished by #3.)


Nezumi's goal of destroying Number 6 seems unlikely to happen.

[something]

Episode 7:

- ...Projector mouse?
- <3 Sion's mom.
- Wait. Sion somehow manages to find Safu's coat from who knows how many months prior in a clothing shop out in the slums? And somehow knows its hers? >_>
- lol Sion. "Enough talking about sex with girls, I'd rather talk about you, Nezumi!"
- HAHAAHAHA, and then he kisses him. Right on the lips! Goodbye subtext.

I really hope Safu lives.

[EmperorBrandon]

I had a feeling something like that would happen to Safu once she returned.

Yeah, I was getting a bad feeling right from the start there. :(

Interesting though that only in Number 6 are people required to wear the ID bracelets, so the level of totalitarianism isn't as uniform across the numbered cities as I would have thought.

No. 5 did really feel a good bit different, when we saw it with Safu in the previous episode. People there seemed to have Anglo-sounding names as opposed to No. 6 where people have Asian-sounding names. They definitely seem to have their distinct "culture". Wonder if the brainwashing totalitarianism thing is actually somewhat unique to No. 6, or if they all have it to different extents.

[EmperorBrandon]

I had a feeling that old lady had informed on Safu.

Kind old lady of doom...

Good thing Yoming seems to be knowledgeable of these things and helped out Karan just in time.

I wonder what kind of "sample" Safu is? I'm guessing genetic, but there was that wind blowing/song phenomenon from episode 5.

Curious about that, too. I agree there definitely seems like so much ground to cover for only four more episodes. Hopefully it can pull it off well, though.

[EmperorBrandon]

- <3 Sion's mom.

She's awesome, and really quite pretty too. I wonder how old she is? Seems like she might have had Sion at a young age.

[nakimushi]

So we get a few answers about how the current world came to be, but another question was raised: why the heck are those people living in that cave? :sweat:

Yes, the city outside the wall where Sion, Nezumi, Dogkeeper and Rikiga, are living isn't that nice, but it looks better than scuttling about in a dark, damp cave. The only interesting thing about the cave was the way the water glowed, when Nezumi sang Elyruias' song, but the residents of the cave were just freaked out. :)

Then again, the preview seemed to suggest that the city outside the wall, may become even less livable very soon, so maybe the cave dwellers had the right idea after all.

So Nezumi is the last of the forest people: last, because No. 6 slaughtered all the other ones in order to try and obtain Elyruias' power. Except for the full version of her song, which both Nezumi and Safu know, and faint/freak out when they hear it, we didn't learn much about Elyruias.

I wonder if the ruler of the cave could have been Shion's father. At first I thought it might be the person in the picture that was leering at Karan, until I realized later that was only Rikiga, when Nezumi returned it to him.

So the white haired guy in the cave was also a parasitic bee survivor, and for expediency's sake (there's only 3 episodes left after all) probably just gave Shion all the data he needs to figure out how to combat them.

Nezumi also figured that bringing down the correctional facility will bring down No. 6, so that simplifies matters and puts his goals in line with Sion's goal of saving Safu.

Yoming is very interested in, taking advantage of Karan, I mean destroying No. 6 as well. :sweat:

I'm guessing Safu is being used as a sample for No. 6 to somehow harness Elyruias' power, whatever it is.

They've connected enough things that now this has a good chance of having a well paced ending in the final three episodes.

[something]

Episode 8:

- So I guess this dude is important.
- Karan is so pretty~
- Heh just as I was thinking that I couldn't remember what Sion looked like before the change, we get a flashback.
- Nezumi sure memorized that song quickly.
- And infodump.

- Man, Yoming, bad timing. "Here's a picture of my dead wife. Now let's fuck."

Well, since there's no face to the enemy so far to fight against (probably for the best actually) it looks from the preview like Yoming may go nutty enough to be a final boss of sorts.

[nakimushi]

So interesting, I wonder if Sion realized that the Dogkeeper might actually be a girl, or if he realized something else entirely?

Those sonic cannons were pretty cool, they were of course ruthlessly vicious, but the visual effect of them firing was interesting.

Well, that's the most obvious way to get into a prison.

Hmm, that garbage-truck like admission process seemed to be somewhat ridiculously excessive. If you're going to take the trouble of transporting all those people alive, you would think you would make a little more effort to not kill many of them upon arrival by apparently dumping them what seems to be from a pretty substantial height. :sweat:

So it looks like next episode will have the combined power of Nezumi and Sion, as well as Safu/Elyruias wreaking havoc in the correctional facility, while Yoming's group simultaneously does something in the city.

[something]

Episode 9:

- ...Poor Dogkeeper. :sd:
- Wait, he's a what? He really IS a girl? Is that what he's saying? Not sure how Sion would tell by touching his shoulders...
- So, a "cleaning operation" ahead of the holiday. I was kind of wondering why the authorities in No. 6 allowed the slums outside the city to exist. They're so psychotically obsessed with maintaining their little false utopia that it seemed strange to let dissenters hang out right outside the walls.
- Yoming is such a messy character. His mood swings just... don't seem to be handled well.
- And now singing.
- Safu is about to kick some ass. I think.
- Hahaha oh wow, they just dump the people in like garbage. I wonder what they can do to make the No.6 administrators seem even more comically evil. :sd:

Anyway not a bad episode. Two left... should be enough. I wonder if they'd actually kill or Nezumi or Sion. Probably not, but it doesn't seem completely out of the question.

[nakimushi]

Yeah, I have to repeat what I said in my post last episode. Why would they go through all the trouble of transporting all of those people alive just to kill them like that? :sweat: Also, just leaving the bodies piled up like that doesn't make much sense at all. Perhaps they prefer their soylent to be gamy?

So Nezumi's fears were realized as Shion was born again hard, as they fought to get to Safu. Shion also became increasingly super-competent as they made their way through the complex. Although, that wasn't too surprising, since before he was demoted/reclassified for helping Nezumi as a child, he was apparently one of the top elites. However that shot from across the room was surprisingly dead on, from someone who had (supposedly) never fired a gun before.

Nezumi was able to call back Shion to his old self at the end, and I'm guessing that much of next episode will involve Shion doing the same for Safu. Other than that, exactly what they will do about Number 6 is still up in the air, so I'm looking forward to it.

[something]

Episode 10:

- Hahaha, so they managed to one-up the trash truck dumping. And Sion is saved by Safu's grandmother's knitting needle...
- Suddenly super Sion, soon as they leave the smelly bits.
- We're from section GUTPUNCH
- Ahahahaha, the guards look like mid-level ninja from Naruto in those green suits. Especially this guy right here with the topknot kinda thing.
- I like this Sion better.
- Safu really doesn't look like she needed any help. Also she's probably the final boss now.

No preview this time.

[nakimushi]

That was a pretty good ending. This show was well paced for 11 episodes.

Although, when Sion was shot, I couldn't take it too seriously, considering Safu/Elyruias was pretty much a god by that point, and it seemed unlikely that a bomb would destroy her, and what I suspected would happen did.

Also, with the target audience of this show, I didn't think for one moment that Sion would be end up with Safu. The kiss though, did catch me by surprise.

So the parasitic bees were an experiment to regenerate Elyruias, who actually seemed to be a giant bee (spirit?) herself? I'm still a bit unclear about that though.

I'm happy Karan and Lily both survived, and with the direction Shion was walking, he and Karan were sure to meet up. He probably should have taken his coat though, unless perhaps the diaper had leaked. :)

I guess Nezumi was walking in the opposite direction, trying to be cool, but it is pretty obvious he'll come back to Sion. :)

Yoming has no luck. He finally reveals the great conspiracy, but to an audience of dead people, and ends up dying himself.

I kind of wish that ambiguous moment between Sion and the Dogkeeper in Episode 9 had been explained a bit more though.

The action and destruction sequences of the fall of Number 6 were nicely animated.

[something]

And another show finished up.

Episode 11:

- Time for bees!

- Alright, so No.6 wants Elyurias and needed a sample for it. Ely ain't too fond of them, so she used Safu to manifest and is fucking No.6's shit up now. Reasonable enough explanation I guess.
- Whelp. Bye bye Safu.
- The bees... turn into tornados of light?
- Oh let's shoot Nezumi too. So, like, I figured one of the two (Safu or Nezumi) would die but maybe they'll just kill them both. :sd:
- Or just kill Sion, okay I guess.
- So Nezumi will just die with him?
- Ah, no, magical Safuyurias plot-heals them.
- Karan~! I don't dislike the other characters per se, but she's probably the only one I empathize with anymore.
- And another kiss. It's not a "yay let's get married" ending, but neither of them is dead. And Nezumi's romantic rival got possessed, blown up, and dissolved into sparkles. Plus there's the "We'll meet again" line. So I assume it counts as a fairly satisfying ending for BL fans, given some of the alternatives?

It's kind of hilarious how utterly inconsequential Yoming was. They build up all this crap about how he's going to start a revolution and in the end he amounts for absolutely nothing, both as a character and as a plot thread.

Decent show. Very well paced for everything it had to cover and the short noitaminA cour. Not a favorite, indeed one of the shows I'm least interested in this season of what I plan to finish, but that's more a matter of liking everything else more than this being bad.