86 EIGHTY-SIX Part 2

86 EIGHTY-SIX Part 2 is the second half of the military science fiction anime 86 EIGHTY-SIX. It began on October 3, 2021, and finished on March 19, 2022. The final episodes were held back for a few months because of production problems. Studio A-1 Pictures made the anime, with Toshimasa Ishii as director. The music is by Hiroyuki Sawano and Kohta Yamamoto. The story comes from a light novel series by Asato Asato, with art by Shirabii and mecha designs by I-IV. The first novel won the Grand Prize at the 23rd Dengeki Novel Prize.

To understand Part 2, it helps to know the setup. The Republic of San Magnolia has been at war with robot drones called the Legion for nine years. The Republic says its war machines, called Juggernauts, have no pilots. That is a lie. They are driven by the 86, people from minority groups who were stripped of their rights and treated as less than human. In Part 1, a young officer named Vladilena "Lena" Milize guided a unit of 86 called Spearhead from far away by radio. She slowly learned the ugly truth about her country. Spearhead was led by Shinei "Shin" Nouzen, a quiet boy with a strange gift: he can hear the voices of the Legion.

Part 2 follows Shin and the last members of Spearhead after they part ways with Lena. They are Raiden Shuga, Theoto Rikka, Anju Emma, and Kurena Kukumila. Pushed deep into enemy land, they are rescued by the Federacy of Giad. This is a new nation that rose up after the old Giad Empire fell. Its leader, Ernst Zimmerman, takes the young people into his care and gives them a chance at a normal and safe life.

But peace feels strange to people who have known only war. Before long, the 86 decide to join the Federacy's army. They go back to the front because fighting is the only life they understand, and because they want to choose their own path. They are joined by Frederica Rosenfort, a small girl who acts proud and grown-up. She has a rare power that lets her see the past and present of people she knows. She becomes an important part of the group.

The show is about war, unfair treatment, and what it means to be human. It asks what a soldier lives for when the fighting ends. It also shows how hard it is to heal from years of pain. Lena's story continues in the Republic, so the season moves between two sides. The battles are tense and use 3D computer animation for the machines, while the quiet moments focus on grief and friendship.

Critics praised the series for being thoughtful and serious. IGN named it one of the best anime of 2021, and it was nominated in five categories at the 6th Crunchyroll Anime Awards, including Anime of the Year. One encyclopedia of science fiction called it a strong mix of thoughtful and action-packed military story.