Within the world of animation, there are stories that went almost unnoticed in their time, but that for many are like jewels from a lost treasure. The anime No. 6 is one of those little gems; its story, which combines science fiction, action, dystopian, philosophical, and emotional tints, holds a deeply human story about connection, pain, and loss.
The series, based on the light novel by Atsuko Asano and with an animated adaptation from 2011, revolves around Shion, a young man raised in the utopian and oppressive city of No.6, and Nezumi, a fugitive marked by tragedy who carries with him a story of hatred, memory, and resistance.
Telling and understanding the story of the anime No. 6
The anime is set in a seemingly perfect futuristic city (No. 6). The story follows Shion, a privileged young man who one day decides to help an injured fugitive named Nezumi. From this encounter, Shion begins to question the reality of his way of life, which triggers direct consequences on his privileges and over time he begins to discover the dark secrets that the city hides.
Following a series of strange events, he is dragged into a fight bigger than himself, which once again unites his path with Nezumi’s.
Spoiler Alert!
At this point, I recommend you have watched the anime if the brief description in the intro has interested you, but if you still continue reading, it will only serve to help you enjoy the story more if you decide to watch it in the future.
The government of No.6 maintained a facade of a utopian city, but in reality, it was an authoritarian regime that strictly controlled the population through surveillance, information manipulation, and repression.
Their main objective was to preserve the perfect order of the city, even if that meant secretly experimenting on humans, for which they had developed a kind of “bio-weapon” (which seems to work with a human host) that would use mind control to eliminate those who questioned the system, including the people who lived in the areas surrounding the city, Nezumi’s home, so both protagonists embark on one last mission to stop the use of this weapon.
Final mission and farewell that left many with a bitter taste
In this mission, things get complicated, so, at the moment of the escape and final confrontation, Shion is shot and apparently dies in Nezumi’s arms. However, thanks to the “bio-weapon” they have deactivated (I suggest watching the anime to fully understand this part) Shion manages to survive. Seeing that their plan has worked, Shion and Nezumi admire the world they have saved, and although Nezumi is injured, it doesn’t seem to be mortal, so he approaches Shion, kisses him, says goodbye, and leaves.
Speculations and theories from the fans
By not saying anything else, nor making a final promise, fans have speculated that the ending is more tragic than what is perceived in the anime, the most popular [theory] is the one that affirms that Nezumi died that day, perhaps during the confrontations or right after Shion died. What we see after Shion’s apparent death is not a miracle, but a hallucination or final vision, an emotional and spiritual construction caused by the trauma of the loss.
This theory is not far-fetched if we analyze the atmosphere of the final scenes. The lighting becomes almost unreal, dreamlike. The way Nezumi reappears, serene and with no trace of serious injuries, speaking sweetly and calmly, does not match his previous attitude, marked by fear and rage. Furthermore, no one but Shion sees Nezumi after he was injured.
His farewell is symbolically perfect: a silent kiss, a promise that they will meet again someday, and then his figure disappearing into the shadows.
This ending is more convincing to fans, because even though Shion does survive by a miracle, the truth is that it seems illogical that Nezumi would have left without the boy for whom he sacrificed his own existence. The story of these characters is framed by their own emotional vulnerability, their prejudices, and the guilt of their past mistakes.
My feeling about the anime
It is an anime that portrays the blossoming of the most beautiful human feelings in the midst of chaos and cruelty. Although the anime’s ending and the theoretical one leave a bitter aftertaste, they are also a reminder that feelings go beyond time and distance.
Category : Drama, action, and romance.
Opinion : An anime that shows us what it might be like if we were the protagonists in a world where they control you, keep you under surveillance, and threaten you for everything. Full of important choices, one of them: Would we save the person we love or the world?.
Currently in 2025 there is a continuation in the manga
The volume is No.6: Reunion Volume 1, published on May 28, 2025, although it does not directly answer the big question left by the original ending about that doubt of a possible death, it does introduce signs that point to that answer possibly coming later.
The story is set two years later, with Shion rebuilding the city and clinging to the memory of Nezumi, still with hope alive, while rumors begin to circulate about a “mysterious mouse” near No.6. It is not a definitive resolution, but it is a clear indication that the author, Atsuko Asano, has plans to pick up that thread again.
This volume is already available in stores like CDJapan or Amazon Japan, ideal for those who don’t want to wait any longer to dive back into this universe.