Despite all the delays for 86 -Eighty Six- season 2, the finale managed to make waves among the anime community. The final two episodes managed to attain some of the most upvoted Reddit threads within the /r/anime community.
With so much hype surrounding the popular show, it begs the question 'Should I watch 86'. Here are a few reasons why viewers should give this incredible show a shot, and what separates it from other titles available right now.
What is 86?
86 -Eighty-Six- is a tragic story set in San Magolia, a nation that has relegated the inhabitants of district 86 to fight the 'Legion'. A group of autonomous robots that aim to wipe out humanity. Even though the 86 are the reason San Magolia still stands, the nation treats them as subhuman. They don't even count their deaths as casualties on the battlefield.
The series focuses on Lena, an officer of San Magolia who is disgusted by her nation's treatment of the 86 and seeks to reform the system from the inside out. Put in charge of the unit 'Spearhead', Lena attempt to humanize them and gets to know each person. However, the battlefield is grim, and very few make it out alive.
Conversely, the 2nd season follows the surviving 'Spearhead' squadron. Despite being offered refuge from the war, the remaining members choose to return to the battlefield. There, they meet the toughest for yet, responsible for an astronomical number of tragedies.
Reason 1: Smooth CG Animation
CG animation is an extremely controversial topic among anime fans. Infamous shows such as Berserk (2016) and Ex-Arm demonstrate CG at its worst. Others believe that hand-drawn animation is superior to CG animation. While that may be true to some extent, CG animation saves time and effort so a shows animators can focus on other key scenes.
86 -Eighty Six- decides to take a full CG route for all the mechs, which includes all the mech fights. While this may make some viewers hesitant, the CG mechs blend seamlessly into the hand-drawn backgrounds and have incredibly smooth animation. As a result, because CG is much easier to animate, the Mech fights are extremely fluid and dynamic.
Reason 2: Compelling Story & Characters
86 -Eighty Six- not only boasts some action-packed fights, but it also has a great story. The struggle to fight off the onslaught of an autonomous army adds a ton of tension to the story. Most of all, there are a ton of twists and turns that keep the plot fresh and exciting.
86 -Eighty Six- also features many enthralling characters. Lena’s attempt to dismantle her nation’s inhumane treatment of the 86 is admirable and is easy to root for her. However, some of her privileges still show, but we see her develop and move away from that over time.
On the flip side, we are shown the war from the point of view of Spearhead, Lena’s unit. The many slice-of-life moments we get to show how close their squad is, and the familial bond they share. It makes it all the more tragic when we see the brutal death that awaits them on the battlefield.
Reason 3: Amazing Directing
At last, the most compelling reason in favor of watching 86 -Eighty Six- is the outstanding directing. Oftentimes, the directing of an anime goes unnoticed. Unlike live-action shows, anime doesn’t have a camera, but the scenes and angles are calculated the same as in a regular movie.
86 -Eighty Six- is both Toshimasa Ishii and Ryou Andou’s first work. Despite this, the anime community has recognized these two as masterclass directors. The camera shots in 86 -Eighty Six- not only capture the emotions of each character but also bring in a ton of symbolism. A stand-out moment was the beautiful use of screen ratios in the second season to convey the emotions behind the main character Shin.
It should also be noted that the use of both ED songs are used to cap off the episode on different emotional notes, switching between the up-bead Hands up to the sky and the menacing Avid. While certainly not original, it does add a lot to the final scene of an episode, leaving the viewer wanting more from the next episode.
Not only were the shots incredibly moving, but the pacing was on point. The first season of 86 -Eight Six-adapts a single novel, which runs the risk of being drawn out. Yet the show never feels like it’s dragged on, keeping the viewer engaged at all times. A big reason for this is how the show emphasizes the emotional moments while shortening the filler in between.
Above all, the anime original content blew viewers away. Following the remaining survivors on their final journey, the shots capture the tranquil nature, contrasting the hell that they previously lived in. At the end of the episode, a camera reel goes through the memories that the former squad Spearhead experienced. It was an incredibly emotional moment that brought most viewers to tears.