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One rare, peaceful day in the West Block -- Shion, who chose to remain in No. 6 after its destruction -- Nezumi, who wanders like the wind. And finally, the secret of Shion's father. Vivid fragments are cut out from the lives of each, instilling spirit back into the story whose end was a sore parting for many.

210 pages, Paperback

First published November 22, 2012

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634 people want to read

About the author

Atsuko Asano

186 books199 followers
Japanese profile: あさのあつこ

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5 stars
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3 stars
43 (11%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for Norah Una Sumner.
880 reviews518 followers
September 17, 2019
"I told you before - you're hopelessly easy to read, and yet also hopelessly hard to understand."

This literally saved me. I LOVED seeing Shion's days after everything that happened and seeing Karan interact with Rikiga and my baby Inukashi. It warmed my heart even though it's obvious (to me and Karan) that Shion is still very troubled and haunted by the past. I'm glad we got to see some scenes that we didn't see in the main series and I loved seeing the development of friendship between Inukashi and Nezumi/Shion. My children.
"We'll protect you with everything we've got.

It wasn't a lie."

Nezumi's part tho. SHOOK.
Profile Image for Asami.
307 reviews
July 9, 2016
I loved Beyond. It was beautiful.
Profile Image for Yuleidy.
27 reviews35 followers
August 26, 2015
Being a huge fan of anime, I watched No.6 because I heard it was a remarkable show. No.6 is about a utopian city, No.6, and the impact it has on two teenagers, Shion and Nezumi. For Shion, the brown-haired, sensitive, caring, elite student, life is painstakingly choreographed. He goes to school every day, studies after school, and talks to his companion and colleague Safu. On a rainy day, Shion opens his window and starts screaming out of nowhere. Little did Shion know that because of that irrational act he would meet Nezumi, the black-haired, wise, skillful convict.

At that time, Nezumi was running for his life from the No.6’s correctional facility guards and when he heard Shion’s screams, he runs to Shion’s house to hide and rest. Shion being a caring guy, takes a misstep, and shelters Nezumi and heals his wounds. When Shion realizes that Nezumi is a fugitive, he helps him escape without a trace. Because of that action, Shion had to leave his affluent neighborhood, Chronos, and live in the suburbs called the Lost Town. Four years later, Shion starts working for the city and one day when he enters his office, he sees his co-worker dead and a wasp coming out of his neck. A few minutes later he gets arrested because he’s alleged of murder and for doubting No.6’s system. When Shion was on his way to the correctional facility, Nezumi rescues him and brings him to the West Block, a place outside of No.6. Not very long after Shion started living with Nezumi, Shion noticed that he was infected by a parasitic wasp that had started tormenting No. 6. He managed to survive on the grounds that Nezumi removed the parasite out of his body in the nick of time; the disease, nonetheless, left perpetual scars and altered his body. Since he survived the full impact of the disease, Shion trusts that he can caution and help heal No.6 of it and in that process discovers horrifying secrets behind the shallow, flawless No.6.

This novel shows readers what I will have to be honest that I mostly read this novel to know more about Shion and Nezumi’s relationship and not the reconstruction of No. 6. What I loved about the last book of the No.6 series is that the readers see different sides of Shion and Nezumi. Nezumi is just so realistically celestial. He is human; thusly he is equipped for both great and terrible things and everything in between. He has done both great and awful things throughout the series. I simply get the feeling that his spirit is untainted, that corruption and desire for power are things that can’t live inside of him.

On the other hand, Shion becomes part of the reconstruction committee and we see how different he is now. His development and cunning in this novel says a lot about how smart he is but then regardless he discovers he needs to fall back on craftiness to get a decent finished result. I feel so sorrowful that he must be like this in order to reach his specific end goal, to improve this destroyed city for everybody to live peacefully. Shion was left alone to endure the obligation of two almost unfeasible assignments; to reconstruct a creature of a city into a passive one fitting his principles and for his personality to stay the same while never fleeing from his obligations. I don’t know how citizens of No.6 expect him to do this. I am not astonished he is beginning to see things in high contrast; considering anything that doesn’t fit his goals an impediment and disposing of them by any means. He’s most likely getting frantic notwithstanding the difficulties he’s confronting and is panicked of not having the capacity to satisfy his undertaking. This novel gives more understanding into the characters. Before reading this, I had dependably felt that the reason Nezumi dreaded Shion was on the grounds that he was a threat to his beliefs: No.6 and everything inside of it are insidious, however now I think there is more to it, he was mindful of Shion’s abilities furthermore realized that he was inclined to corruption.

Read more at: http://fullofbooks.com/no-6-beyond/
Profile Image for o.
466 reviews
November 26, 2014
Damn. Damn. DAMN. Why was this not included in the main storyline? Clears up so much! Holy shit, Shion's dad, though.

This novel gives a much more satisfying conclusion to the series than the true "ending", by far.
Profile Image for Shun.
51 reviews
July 28, 2024
Un volume qui finalise joliment la série. Entre passages du quotidien de Shion et Nezumi dans le bloc ouest qu’on n’a pas pu voir dans le texte principal, un jour ensemble dans l’après-bataille, et un coup d’œil dans leur vie chacun de son côté, on rentre encore un peu plus dans la psychologie des deux protagonistes. Les chapitres écrits du point de vue de Nezumi sont d’autant plus précieux qu’ils sont rares dans les neuf tomes de la série.




[SPOILER]

La conclusion reste à la fois amère et pleine d’espoir, et je pense que c’est très bien comme ça. NO.6 ne pouvait pas avoir de véritable happy ending. Shion doit porter le poids du renouveau d’une société viciée tout en ayant perdu la compagnie de la seule personne avec qui il se sentait réellement lui-même et grâce à qui il a pu comprendre le monde, pendant que Nezumi cherche sa place après avoir réalisé son unique rêve, toujours troublé par le souvenir et le futur de Shion, ce garçon si difficile à cerner… L’explosion d’une société et son renouveau, ainsi que la relation de Shion et Nezumi qui s’est enchevêtrée dedans, sont bien trop complexes pour pour se conclure sur un « tout est bien qui finit bien ». Malgré ses quelques défauts, l’histoire de Shion, Nezumi et NO.6 est magnifiquement menée. Cela doit bien faire dix que je l’ai découverte, mais je ne cesse d’y revenir. Ces deux personnages resteront probablement longtemps parmi ceux que je trouve les mieux écrits. J’espère que les romans seront à nouveau édités en France un jour, et cette fois jusqu’au bout ! Ils méritent de trouver leur public. Peut-être que la sortie du manga et la publication croissante de light novels donneront envie à une maison d’édition de s’en charger ?
Profile Image for Radwa.
Author 1 book2,309 followers
June 10, 2024
The first 2 chapters weren't really "beyond", but glimpses from between the events, and the last 2 chapters are the beyond ones, and they made me sadder about the way this series is ending, it's not a really hopeful ending, and it's sad on both sides.
244 reviews
May 14, 2020
I've always loved that work, before knowing about the manga, nor the light novel.
Japanese science fictional utopian literature is something else that has its own flavor and beauty.

This volume goes beyond the story in general after it took its place during the 9th volumes, and it follows the after life of the characters and the heroes of this work. It was such a shock to know more about Inukashi's past, and it was a bit confusing to know what happened exactly to No.6 and its political situation after the walls have been destroyed.

Yet it gives us another phycological and emotional dimension to the heroes that we can't see or touch during the anime or the manga. Shion' warmth and emotional intelligence that has been represented during the novel is a way less annoying and frustrating and much better repercented and his warmth shows that it's coming within his own moral and values and that's pretty much an infp ' core.

While in other hand of that, Nezumi's untrusting and suspespous's nature is pretty in handy with his past and with his traumas, and repercenting him in any different way than what he already is, or even if Asano let him to get influenced by Shion's nature, that pretty much will ruin his whole authentic, Risk taker, istp's attitude.

I dislike it when people consider No.6 as a bl work even if the writer already have a bl works. My point is that even the bromance friendship in this work has been through lots of difficulties and challenges than the average bl things. Asano has respected and well built that characters when she shows the uncertain amount of uncertainty that goes between the two main heroes while interacting with each other, or within the heroes' inner thoughts already, and that was beautifully repercented when Nezumi said:

"He could feel Shion’s warmth. He felt like this warmth was all he needed to get him through the frigid winter days.
What am I thinking? That’s absurd. Those who could not live by themselves, those who could not stand up to fate on their own, simply did not survive. It was how things worked in the West Block.
I don’t need any warmth."


That's pretty much the confusion between the external attachment that Nezumi has found himself drag into it, and his unwillingness to coaprate with what goes against his independent nature, but he ended up looking forward, without dwelling much on his regrets, yet he still faithful on the people he adored.
Profile Image for Atenea.
66 reviews
March 17, 2014
La verdad, después del final ha No. 6 no iba a dar ningún 5 a nada que no mostrara el reencuentro entre Nezumi y Shion, pero aún así esta recopilación de historias cortas me ha encantado; aunque lo del padre de Shion me ha dejado un regusto amargo en la boca...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Laury Plum.
67 reviews25 followers
May 9, 2015
No era lo que quería.
Me ha gustado.
Pero me duele.
Profile Image for Clau.
270 reviews8 followers
December 30, 2016
I feel weird now that I had finished No. 6.
These novels will always be in my heart, they're perfect! And I hope some day Nezumi and Shion will reunite again.
194 reviews14 followers
March 24, 2016
気になることが残っても9巻より相当に満足できる「最後の話」になります。その上シリーズの後だけではなく、人物の過去も現れて面白かったです。
Profile Image for Irene.
26 reviews8 followers
March 6, 2021
No sé cómo puntuar esta novela porque me ha gustado pero me ha dejado casi tan triste como el final del anime (y es mucho decir). No era para nada lo que esperaba, y qué rabia me da. Aún así me ha gustado sobre todo las partes de Shion, las del pasado me han parecido muy dulces y las del presente me han ayudado a concluir mejor esta historia para poder avanzar.



2021. Nadie me pidió que leyera esto, pero aquí estamos. Sufriendo.
Profile Image for Jahi.
434 reviews72 followers
November 7, 2023
¡Una vez más No.6 dejándome sin estabilidad emocional! Tengo el corazón roto con estas historias porque ahora sí debo despedirme de personajes que tanto amo, que tanto me marcaron y que no tuvieron un final que tanto he querido. Sigo esperando por ti, segunda temporada

No.6 Beyond contiene cuatro relatos que te emocionan, te hacen reír y te lastiman. Vemos un poco de Inukashi, de Karan y, obviamente, de mis lindos Nezumi y Shion. Me encantó ver un poco más de lo que piensan ellos, de su pasado y la vida que tienen luego de la caída de No.6.

⠀⠀⠀⠀ "No importa cuantas veces regrese a esa noche, volvería a hacer lo mismo. Abriría la puerta y te esperaría."

Si hay algo que quiero y espero más que nada es el reencuentro de ambos. Es que... están separados y siguen pensando en el otro, es inevitable porque cada uno afectó en gran manera la vida contraria y aquí se ve muchísimo eso.

⠀⠀⠀⠀ "Nezumi, ¿por qué no vienes a casa? ¿Por qué no estás a mi lado? Solo quiero mirar tus ojos y ver que soy yo, que continuo siendo quien soy. Esos ojos son mi única ancla. Nezumi, deseo verte."



Realmente esta novela es imposible de olvidar y amé que nos dieran un poco de todo aquí porque, sí, aunque uno quiera un final feliz, al menos aquí te dan muchos motivos para emocionarte demasiado. Además de sorpresas que me dejaron muy, pero muy impactada.

⠀⠀⠀⠀ "Con esa calidez a su lado, Nezumi podría sobrevivir al más frío de los inviernos."
Profile Image for Tamara.
284 reviews8 followers
September 28, 2023
While I love the side stories in this book and gave it 5 stars, I do have mixed feelings about it. This is the last No.6 that will be written. Asano said so herself. But at the same time, it feels like it's a setup for more and we'll never get it. Why did you do this to us?? (but also thank you for doing this to us because these are good) If you approach this as a sort of springboard for making up your own ending for everyone, this is 100% worth your time
Profile Image for Laura.
134 reviews7 followers
June 9, 2017
Bueno, llorandísimo con esto. Las partes en que sale el POV de Nezumi me han encantado, me han ayudado a entender un poco mejor que leches le pasa por la cabeza respecto a Shion. Y ay madre el último capítulo. ¿Cómo es esto de que no hay más libros? Yo así no puedo, necesito saber en qué queda todo el asunto de la ciudad y el padre de Shion. A otro con finales abiertos.
Profile Image for Zita  Azlina.
236 reviews21 followers
October 19, 2022
So in conclusion, read this if you:
1. Liked the anime
2. Want something better than the anime
3. Is looking for a sho-ai sci-fi dystopian action mystery thriller au
4. Is a sucker for whatever

full review here (BIG SPOILER WARNING THO)
Profile Image for Andrés Antonius.
129 reviews2 followers
December 20, 2023
A person could never be completely dyed into one colour, no matter the circumstances. He may be dyed temporarily, but he would one day regain his own colour, and would always attempt to live loyal to himself. He would try to draw forth many different colours into this world.

Gracias, Shion.
Profile Image for Odette.
268 reviews14 followers
December 27, 2020
Ok, still being an open ending but we can see a little bit about the number 6 reconstruction and things like Shion's father, baby Shion and Inukashi, Karan, and Nezumi's travel.

NEZUMI PLEASE COME BACK I'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU MY ENTIRE LIFE LIKE SHION DOES.
Profile Image for toria.
141 reviews1 follower
November 28, 2021
this did not fill the insufferable void like i hoped it would. it actually made my pain worse. still good as hell tho
Profile Image for Kiwi.
254 reviews2 followers
March 20, 2023
4.5 simply because i wanted more ;_;
Profile Image for nanahi.
44 reviews
September 14, 2024
me costó un re huevo encontrar todos los capítulos pero valió la pena
Profile Image for Log.
300 reviews13 followers
November 30, 2024
man I want their reunion so bad...
cool snippets/short stories of the story aftermath tho
Profile Image for Nic.
218 reviews2 followers
February 18, 2025
Reunion will come.

😭 I've been crying over these characters for 12 years now and I will never stop 🥹
Profile Image for Laura.
55 reviews
June 25, 2025
menos mal que he leído esto con el primer volumen de la secuela publicado
Profile Image for Isabella Powers.
365 reviews3 followers
July 1, 2025
(e-book) This was the last bit of No. 6 content I had left while waiting for the rest of Reunion to be translated!! I love Beyond so much tho
Profile Image for Letter☆.
34 reviews
July 11, 2025
Apenas lo leo, debería haberlo buscado antes, estuvo muy lindo.
Profile Image for gabbinsu.
6 reviews
December 14, 2025
"Living people are warm. Shion had taught him so. Shion had taught him that living was to feel another's warmth right beside him, and to pass on one's own warmth to another."

read this back in 2021, fresh into my no.6 relapse after rereading the manga and loved it. it broke my heart when i read it then, since it was emphasized how their paths will never cross again. cut to, only logging it in now as i scour to add the reunion into my reading list (THANK GOD). contemplating reading the light novels from the beginning tbh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews

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