[Reading Record -71] NO.6 (#1, #2)

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. —From Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5—

The future ideal city, 'NO.6'.
The eerie deaths caused by parasitic wasps that occurred there, and the concealment of information.
In contrast to the clean, meticulously managed ideal city, there is the 'West Block,' which exists like a dumping ground...

The protagonists are Shion and Nezumi, who survive in the devastated West Block.
Shion is a boy with innocent curiosity who fell from the elite track. Nezumi is a realist who has lived since birth in a world ruled by violence and chaos.

This work, 'NO.6,' is a monumental near-future youth sci-fi that delicately and intensely depicts the bond between the souls of two boys. However, quotes from Shakespeare are scattered throughout the work, and the scene descriptions are somewhat lyrical. The subtitles also contain poetic intentions.

The author, Atsuko Asano, is a children's literature writer from Okayama Prefecture.
She won the Noma Award for Juvenile Literature for her masterpiece 'Battery.' No one surpasses her when it comes to depicting intricate psychological descriptions and the passionate conflicts of boys.

This work is a chronicle of the struggle of boys who escape from the prison of 'stagnation' and seek true freedom. It is a story where Shion, raised in a greenhouse, meets Nezumi, leading to the destruction of their previous values and their growth into adults.

This is a 9-volume series.
However, unfortunately, only up to volume 2 is available on Audible.

Since I am the type who listens to novels on Audible, I think I will wait patiently for the sequels to be released.

Reference Links

・Amazon 'NO.6' Complete 9-Volume Omnibus Edition Work Introduction Page
・Audible 'NO.6' #1 Work Introduction Page
・Audible 'NO.6' #2 Work Introduction Page
・Kodansha Cocreco Atsuko Asano Author Page
* Anime 'NO.6' Official Website