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No. 6, Volume 5 (2014)

by Atsuko Asano(Favorite Author)

4.53 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

161262359X (ISBN13: 9781612623597)

languge

English

genre

Science Fiction

publisher

Kodansha Comics

series

No. 6: The Manga

review 1: (slightly spoilerish for this volume if you haven't read the description, and also an entirely irrelevant review but ssh)Ah, the Manhunt! Fun for the whole family! But not before we get Nezumi proving his stamina to Shion by asking him for a dance. Because that was obviously the only way to show that off, thank you, Nezumi. The mice really appreciated it too by the looks of it. (I'm once again sorry for calling him Nezumi by the way, it's too ingrained in my brain at this point. It's Rat in the translation. Which makes perfect sense, it's just that my brain does an auto-replacement.)So, yeah. The Manhunt and the Correctional Facility. This is where No. 6 shows its real face in more than just words, and though the art is relatively clean, it's still painful to read. (There'... mores still blood, so be warned if you're easily triggered by that.) We also get small glimpses of what is happening to Safu, which no, no no no NO NOPE. I just. No. (On a translating note, it looks like Rou just became the Elder, which is basically what Rou means indeed. I was just wondering because unlike with Nezumi and Inukashi, his name is written in kanji instead of katakana. I'm gonna assume this means Sasori will indeed become Scorpion when we learn his name in the next volume. I didn't in fact learn Sasori means scorpion until I went to translate the guide, but there we go. Learning Japanese vocabulary with No. 6 one creepy word at the time!)Finally, as a bonus, we get a short story that had to be cut from the main manga to the artist's regret, in which Shion remembers cleaning the books in the underground room and finding the first aid kit from when they were twelve. (Complete with flashback with little Nezumi looking prettier than he did in the actual chapter, because these are Shion's memories so of course. I mean, likely also art evolving, but also that, let's be honest here.) There's also a couple of extra pages with Inukashi, which is always nice, and that little four-panel comic where Nezumi becomes distracted by Shion's reading to the mice and tunes in, which is quite possibly my favourite extra so yay~ (man, with all the cute side stories thrown in, you'd almost forget how horrifying the main story can get.)
review 2: I have been waiting on this manga for months, so I had big expectations for this, and I was not disappointed! Once again, I am amazed by the way Hinoki Kino took this story and drew it in a way even better than I imagined in my head. Every panel, every reaction, every expression is handled so perfectly that I just have to marvel at the talent.This is the arc where things really start to heat up. All of Nezumi and Shion's work is about to pay off as their plan finally begins, but Shion is not prepared for what it entails. Both Shion and readers are shocked by the complete and utter horror that takes place and the cruelty humans are capable of. However, there's another catch that is unexpected but so deliciously wicked and raw that I get this electrified feeling every time I think about it.SPOILERSEverything I love about No. 6 is represented in this volume. First, there is the dance scene. When Nezumi wakes from his sudden fainting spell, Shion is frantic with worry and asks silly questions to check Nezumi for brain damage. Nezumi, annoyed with his concern, suddenly sweeps him in his arms and teaches him to dance. When Shion is out of breath from the activity, Nezumi proves his point that Shion shouldn't worry about him because he is physically stronger. The whole display was drawn beautifully, and such an intimate scene was a nice break from the intense angst as of late.Still, the scene takes an entirely different turn when Shion touches Nezumi's neck before Nezumi can move and makes a speech about how he's only concerned for his own sake, saying he doesn't know what he'd do if he lost Nezumi. That night, Nezumi can't get over how easily Shion hit a pressure point and how his eyes suddenly seemed dead. The image conflicts with the optimistic, naive Shion he thought he knew, and he wonders if he knows Shion at all.Then everything goes to hell (somewhat literally) when the Man Hunt begins, and Nezumi and Shion are taken to the Correctional Facility. Nezumi knew what to expect, but Shion is shocked by the harsh cruelty around him, and he depends on his love for Nezumi to keep him human.Now this is where things get interesting with Shion's character. Originally, I thought Shion would be that classic innocent character who's naivety is both charming and annoying. Though I still loved Shion, I never particularly liked those characters just because they aren't very realistic. Everyone has some form of darkness inside them. However, Atsuko Asano apparently agrees, and I admire her greatly.Even while Shion seems innocent, there is a darkness inside him, and Nezumi sees and fears it. Shion's devotion to Nezumi is coupled with the resolve to do literally anything for him, even kill a man. Shion does try to do the right thing, but he goes about it in a flawed way. Shion's character development is starting to show, and I can't wait to see how Kino handles later scenes.Of course, Nezumi isn't perfect. I roleplay him, so I've tried to study his character in depth, and he is like Shion in some ways. They both have their own views, but each view is both reasonable and flawed. That's what I love most about No. 6. These are two characters with two very different philosophies, and I'm still not sure who is right.I can't wait for April! less

Download links for: No. 6, Volume 5

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