User reviews

What an emotional ride that was. It might as well have been series finale. A bit sad at the end really with a flicker of hope for the squad.

I do admit that this anime could have been better. There was a difference between the climax and beginning. The ending was sharper whiles the early and midway episodes were too slow. The first half of the anime relied too much on emotional scenes and shock value which became repetitive without advancing the story any further. However, the show managed to turn tables around in the second half by having a faster pace and unpredictable storyline. The ending calls for more. The first season might have started slowly but it shows potential.

If you ever been alone in your journey through life , felt that you had no-one to share your griefs or someone to turn to, then you will propably relate to this series. Losing someone close to you leaves a mark and you carry that burden along. You might lose hope in people and even lose your reason to fight . But i promise you someday you will find people worth fighting for.

The anime is awesome in every level. Animation, visuals , soundtrack . You are in for a treat! An emotional ride in a mysterious world that will certainly amaze you.

Honestly, if not for the later half pacing and the inclusion of the princess, bringing with it weird tonal changes and an arc that felt pretty unneeded, this was absolutely perfect. Which is wild, because how many anime's are there about children being sent to war in mechs now? Like a billion?

This sets it apart by being explicitly about racism and othering and much more realistic, generally. There is some paranormal stuff in the peripheral, but most of what makes it work is plain good writing. The characters, the themes, and the structure of the episodes are almost impeccable. The emotional payoff feels earned, rather than manipulated, and there is a really nuanced portrayal of the character' arcs.

Like I said, delete the annoying kid and it's 10/10.

This anime is very underrated!!!! As soon as i finished the anime, i switched reading the novel. I hope they will continue animating this series!!

ANDD ANIMATIONS WERE EPIC!! For the first time in my life, i liked the CGI... it was really good. At one point, i was just admiring the animations.. They didnt add the romance part to the anime, but if you watch this anime i really do recommend the novel!!!!!

Other than these, I liked all the characters! They were created really good. The only reason why i gave 9 instead of 10 is the thing that female MC didnt get any screen time in nearly 9 episodes. It wasnt boring but it would have been better if we could see her more.

OVERALL IF YOU HAVE FREE TIME, THIS IS A MUST WATCH!!!!!

Such an amazing experience it was! After recommendation from a friend I decided to watch it. I not consider myself big anime fan but I watched a titles like Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood or some new ones and enjoyed them very much. This one is different story. Technical aspects like animation, cinematography, editing and music are top notch (really enjoyed songs and how they used them in the show, Avid is my favorite one). The thing that made a difference for me is how they executed whole story and world building. I really appreciated that they decided to focus so much on characters and their feelings and development. I also love that slow pacing of the show. Many scenes where so memorable and well executed. Overall this one is one of my favorite anime I watched. You don't need to be anime or si-fi fan to enjoy it. Story has so many layers and universal themes that in my opinion it can be enjoyed by everyone. Just give it a try.

"86" is a stunning anime series that expertly blends elements of action, drama, and science fiction to create a gripping and thought-provoking narrative. The show's storyline follows the lives of the "86," a group of individuals who are forced to fight in a war against an enemy nation, despite being ostracized and discriminated against by their own country.

One of the most notable aspects of "86" is its deep and complex characters. The series takes the time to develop each of its main characters, providing viewers with a greater understanding of their motivations and desires. From the stoic and determined protagonist Shin to the fiery and passionate Lena, the characters in "86" feel like real people with real emotions, making it easy to become invested in their journeys.

Another strength of "86" is its animation and sound design. The battles in the show are expertly choreographed and visually stunning, with vibrant colors and fluid movements that draw the viewer in. The soundtrack is also top-notch, featuring a mix of orchestral and electronic music that heightens the tension and drama of each scene.

Overall, "86" is a must-watch anime for anyone who enjoys action-packed sci-fi stories with well-developed characters and stunning visuals. With its engaging storyline, captivating characters, and top-notch production values, "86" is an excellent anime that is sure to leave a lasting impression on viewers.

Top-of-the-line plot.

No random mumbo jumbo.

Such good visuals.

Beautifully designed character relationships.

Such good portrayal of two sides of one coin.

Does not fail to show reality.

Absolutely GOAT-ed soundtracks.

Breath-taking ending. Yes, it's that good.

It's a shame that it's this much underrated. Seriously, it has everything. If I could rate some of the episodes 11/10, believe me I would have. Here's a fair warning: if you do watch it, you'll end up feeling empty. Why? Because you'll start missing it the moment it ends. Good thing is some of the soundtracks are likely to stay with you for a long time. So are some of the characters, and their quotes, and their memories!

I strongly recommend you watching it :)

This anime is perfect in all levels except for its treatment towards the female lead, Lena

I disagree with people saying that Lena is a Mary Sue. She is among one of the strongest and resilient female leads I have seen in anime as opposed to the cute damsels in distress. I was hooked on the anime from the very start and loved the character development. It is inspiring to see the way she kept trying to make a connection with the 86ers even after being hated by them and how she finds a way to gain their respect and protect them when the whole world said she could not.

That is exactly why it simply baffles me as to why she was given such minimal screen time in the second half of the story. It literally broke my heart. They totally gave up on the two perspective narration that was going on and completely focused on Shin and others. What happened to Lena? How did she handle the battle on her end? What were her achievements? She really deserved better treatment from the screen writers.

Once in a blue moon we come across a strong female lead in anime and they simply give up on her character. The anime is perfect except for the lack of attention given to the development of the female lead.

I finished this anime in just one day it's just amazing I recommend watching it. You will never get tired of watching it. And don't forget also the way the sequence of events is just so amazing.

In a world torn apart by a neverending war against sentient machines humanity is confronted with its own hubris and complacency while those whose blood is spilt are the ones who have the least reason to do so.

86 follows a unit of juvenile frontline fighters and their commanding officer, whose fight against the mechanized "Legion" takes some turns and twists as the lines between friend and foe begin to blur as the story unfolds and they process their individual reasons to fight. The story is presented at a very digestible pace, taking a lot of time to build an immersive world and to develop the characters into relatable individuals. Intriguing in particular is the fact that while the different 'countries' and their respective value system are portrayed in very distinguished ways, the more of their society is explored, the less different they seem. It's hard to pin down what part of this great show contributes to the emotional display and how it manages to connect to the viewer, but one of its most outstanding traits is definitely the soundtrack.

86 offers a lot. War, sci-fi, shonen, drama, romance, tragedy and comedy. And it connects these elements in a unique, touching and immersive way. It is a great show and a definite recommendation.

The anime was a peak. It's very slow-paced and takes some effort to make it past the first episodes but the show is good and the story is really interesting. I am glad I watched it. If you like mecha apocalyptic-based animes this is top tier and way up that list. I didn't want to hit a 600-character mark cause I would have liked to read a short review so I assumed everyone would have liked to receive the same energy. Enjoy the show and as you start to love the characters and grow with them and acknowledge their struggle as 86. The part two is too slow and very boring so you might not want to keep watching.

The Republic of San Magnolia, consisting of 85 districts, battles against the autonomous drones of the Legion. Officially, they conduct their war with their own autonomous drones, leading to a casualty rate of zero, but this is not the truth. Unknown to the uninterested public, San Magnolia has segregated its former citizens of other hair colours into concentration camps of district 86, forcing them to fight at the front lines.

The story follows the idealistic Vladilena 'Lena' Mirize, Major in the San Magnolia military, who becomes the new handler of the Spearhead squadron of the 86. Episodes are typically told in half from Lena's perspective and in half from Spearhead, at least in the first part of the series.

As is obvious from the synopsis, 86 deals with many mature and uncomfortable topics, drawing obvious parallels to Nazi Germany. Even though this is a dystopian series, it is not filled with angst but remains fairly optimistic most of the time.

The greatest strengths of 86 in my opinion lie with the fantastic cinematography and well-thought-out storyboard. The animations flawlessly blend CGI and traditional cel animation together, generating some of the best action scenes I've ever seen in anime. The English dub is of extremely high quality.

Though I absolutely adore this series, I had difficulties emotionally connecting to the characters. Perhaps it is because there are so many of them (at least at the beginning), but other animes with similarly mature topics (like Neon Genesis Evangelion or Puella Magi Madoka Magica) managed to reach me much faster. Nevertheless, the series is captivating and engaging, though it takes perhaps a few episodes.

For me, I was sold by Episode 3; I'd encourage everyone to watch at least that far. Unlike other shows, 86 likes long epilogues to give well-deserved closure; the final two episodes both of the first and the second part are basically epilogues, whereas the respective climaxes occur in episodes 1x9 and 2x10. I personally consider these epilogues the best parts of the series; they're truly amazing!

What I disliked about the series pretty much boils down to just the soundtrack; while the background music is decent enough (though certainly no Shiro Sagisu or Yuki Kajiura), I found neither the OP nor the ED themes particularly convincing. That is, of course, only a very minor part of the show, and 86 truly excells in most other regards.

It's perhaps not a 'must watch' for absolutely everyone (like the abovementioned NGE or PMMM, or perhaps Violet Evergarden), but I do think that 86 is an excellent show for anyone who doesn't shy away from mature topics.

There is, interestingly enough, fairly little gore and absolutely no sexualisation in 86, which I enjoyed quite a lot.