No. 6
No. 6 is a Japanese novel series written by Atsuko Asano and published by Kodansha in nine volumes between October 2003 and June 2011. A manga adaptation drawn by Hinoki Kino was serialized in Kodansha's Aria magazine from January 2011 to November 2013. An 11-episode anime television series adaptation produced by Bones, was broadcast on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block from July to September 2011.
Plot
The story takes place in a dystopian city known as No.6. Shion, a boy raised in an elite and privileged environment, gives shelter to another boy, who only gives his name as "Nezumi" on Shion's twelfth birthday. What Shion soon discovers is how drastically life will change after meeting with the mysterious Nezumi, with whom he had shared one unforgettable, stormy night.Characters
;Shion;Nezumi
;Dogkeeper
;Safu
;Karan
;Rikiga
Development
The concept of No.6 was inspired by the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Atsuko Asano watched the attack on television, causing her to ponder the nature of conflicts between an individual and the state, and wrote No.6 based around those themes. She has also described being influenced by the manga Banana Fish; highlighting the action elements, love between boys, and the relationship between a country and an individual as examples.Media
Novels
The No.6 novel series by Atsuko Asano was released in nine volumes by Kodansha between October 10, 2003, and June 14, 2011. A special volume called No.6 Beyond, which features stories from the lives of the characters before or after the main story, was published on November 22, 2012. Kodansha published nine volumes from October 13, 2006, to July 15, 2014.A sequel novel series, No.6 Reunited, debuted with its first volume, published by Kodansha on May 28, 2025. The sequel picks up the story two years after the events from the ending of No.6.
Manga
A manga adaptation, illustrated by Hinoki Kino, was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Aria from January 28, 2011, to November 28, 2013. Kodansha collected its chapters in nine volumes, released between June 7, 2011, and March 7, 2014.Kodansha USA licensed the series in North America, and released the nine volume between July 16, 2013, and October 21, 2014.