Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Malteser
Is it worth watching an entire season just for the last 2 episodes to be good?
No.
Consider Part 1 the ending. Go do something else.
As well as the last scene is, and as anticipated as the reveal was, I do not consider it worth watching the whole show just for it. Maybe somebody could make an abridged version that leaves out the boss fight arc, and that'll make it better to watch and less dragged out. We don't learn much more about the characters, and they stop becoming interesting as soon as the focus is turned away from the survival aspect.
Read at the sourceTheMining
This is the first time I've ever been compelled to write a review. And that is because I must say:
86 Part 2 rips apart everything made part 1 so incredible.
Story: 3/10
The plot is predictable and uninteresting. The writing is cliché and had me rolling my eyes. The action was boring and the stakes feel low. I cannot express how much of a downgrade the story was from part 1.
Art/Music: 8/10 Mostly on-par with part 1, which is to say the OST and Art are incredible.
That said, the compelling OST and art direction doesn't hit the same as part 1 thanks to the lackluster storytelling.
Characters: 2/10
The main cast (with the exception of a couple specific characters) were illogical, unrealistic, lacking in personality, and had questionable motivations. It's genuinely fascinating that p…
Read at the sourceKaiserFGO
This review covers both cours (Part. 1 & 2) and has some spoilers!!
It’s been a while since I reviewed something but if there’s an anime that I thought it was the right one to write again, that anime is “86 - Eighty Six -“.
I didn’t know a thing about the Light Novel other than its praise (won the “23rd Dengeki Novel Awards”) and eventually the synopsis, so while I had no idea what I was getting into, I still had some hype mainly due to Toshimasa Ishii’s solo directorial debut.
Story (8.5/10)
86 takes place in a future world threatened by autonomous drones known as the “Legion”. Those soulless mechas were created by the Empire of Giad as they declared war on all neighboring countries, 9 years before the story starts.
One of those countries, the Republic of San Magnolia, home to the si…
Read at the sourcehoang000147
The best Light Novel adaptation in history. And it is still an understatement for this adaptation. A true masterpiece.
Taken the source from the Light Novel, 86, which already won the grand prize of Dengeki Novel Prize, the anime production team has completed a wonderful job. Not only do they adapt all the content of the novels (the first 3 volumes), but they also add original moments to the anime, and not just once but many times. The novel on its own is already a masterpiece of the medium, this anime takes it further beyond.
While other LN adaptations usually got the treatment of 3-4 volumes of the light novel for 11-13 episodes, 86 got a whole 11 episodes for its first volume, which is the first time in the industry, and another 12 episodes for the second and third volumes. They adapt…
Read at the sourcePaper_Goat
"They called it pride. At the time, pride was all they knew." ― Frederica Rosenfort, Recollections of the Battlefield
I don't typically write reviews on this sight, but seeing as this is one of the only anime I consider to be a "10/10", I feel that it would be right to write one for this.
(This review is being written for the second part, and as such may contain spoilers for the first cour)
Story: 10
Following the events of the first arc, Shin and the rest of the Spearhead Squadron find themself in a foreign land, the Federacy of Giad, the nation that overtook the Empire. Having found their way to a new world, they're faced with the choice of finding a new purpose in life beyond the horrific battlefield -- however. for the Eighty-Six, such a thing isn't so easy. This second arc speeds…
Read at the sourcejunowasp
To be honest, I was afraid that we were in for a big letdown similar to some other recent anime that have experienced the same issues as 86 Part 2 had. However, 86 Part 2 is a pleasant deviation from the norm because of how they went beyond expectations despite the repeated delays and production issues. They delivered on soundtrack, story, and the art was similar to the quality that you would see in a major theater production. With that being said, It's clear that A-1 Pictures put lots of care into this and treated the show with the highest respect, and they chose not to take the easy way out and take short cuts which goes a long way. Take in this work of art, and enjoy the experience.
Read at the sourcemythical_k
Spoiler Warning:
There were many things I realized throughout my time watching this second half of this series, so I want to give Eighty-Six a re-review, this time going into better detail. This series is a masterpiece, everything about it was phenomenal, from the storytelling to the animation and music, and I regret not acknowledging the little details. I now understand that this is more than just a simple mecha anime. This anime adaptation had so many intense yet realistic moments, and the aspects that relate to reality are perfect in terms of story direction. Although the number of delays during this second half was ridiculous, the wait was worth it. For now, here's how I felt throughout my time watching Eighty-Six.
First off, I'd like to show my respect to the incredible director, To…
Read at the sourceIce0105
With the sheer amount of support 86 received in the first season, I was sure that this would be an upgrade. I was surprised by the improvements but was also afraid of how the delays would affect the work of the show. Considering my hype for the show was at an all-time high coming into the season, I was disappointed at the breaks and thought the show would not return the same. But I do believe A-1 Pictures was able to finish off this season strong and give us a good ending to this adaptation of the series.
Story: 8/10
We see significant detail in continuing the hate for the republic but are also introduced to the new factions in 86. With this, we are introduced to a place where the 86 are able to live simpler lives and enjoy living. However, they still come with their consequences for kee…
Read at the sourceAnthony08282
What can I really say I absolutely love Eighty Six. The story, the characters, the music, the animation. Basically absolutely everything about it. I am reading the light novel currently and I am on novel 10. The team behind the anime has adapted everything beyond expectations its amazing. If you haven't watched Eighty Six yet I highly suggest giving it a shot. Ultimately in my opinion Eighty Six is a masterpiece, it drives home a variety of deep messages ranging from more personal traits or attitudes you may share with a character, to messages concerning humanity and life. Every single part of this story is great. Even the Legion without saying any spoilers is such an intricate concept that leaves a lot to be said. For those who are anime only the story only gets progressively more amazing…
Read at the sourceHumaira_a_weeb
86, omg this anime. it is a masterpiece! I love the ending. I like how the magnolia federation came out of its racial differences. ( its a start ). and how the story grew from mere teenagers getting forced to fight so that they could live to better humans who founded a reason to live, and enjoy life. i loved seeing the rich girl, overcoming the society and the wrongs of it …. and making the world a better place for all the humans, how she used HER power for a better cause, rather than the rest of her colleagues. 86 really shows us the reality of life. of how you are gonna get casted out if you are different. i love that they pointed out racism in the series, actually it was the plot of part 1 ig. the part 1 of the series was 10/10 for me, same goes for part 2 10/10. like the animation, art…
Read at the sourcegrr_mal
There was a big gap during the airing of this show right before the final two episodes. As I write this now, the last two episodes are fresh in my mind while everything else is washed away despite the recap episode that also just came. So my review and rating is much more strongly affected by the last two episodes than by the prior ones. I know this is a bit "unobjective" but I'm not going to try to correct for it in any way. I expect a lot of other reviewers will be in a similar situation right now. To the people that wonder if they should watch this later on: you might want to look for some reviews from people that binged it after airing than relying on the reviews of the "early birds".
Now for the actual review.
There is a lot you can dislike in this anime if you decide you want to get…
Read at the sourceBabyGirl06301
Mild spoilers ahead.
I'll say: the ending of this season was a ten out of ten. I don't think I could have asked for a better culmination of everything these characters have been working toward. The payoff for all the build-up was amazingly done. I do wish we could have seen a more equal distribution of the POVs, though. I know it was likely a narrative choice to stay with Shin and know how his world worked, but that angle wasn't always as compelling as I would have liked it to be.
I do think the new relationships that grew throughout this season did a lot for Shin's character and served to bring him to a satisfying place by the end of the season. His character arc was the most interesting. However, the magic of the first season was a bit lost on me for the seismic shift that happened wit…
Read at the sourceMrSourPickles
The continuation of the 86 franchise can be described by one word:
Beautiful.
Although the story of 86 may be lacking in some areas, its amazing characterizations and visual presentation continue through to the second half of 86 becoming better throughout the show.
The story of discrimination and racism is not one I find to be that interesting. They often feel bland and shallow. Naturally, this hurt the story of 86 in the first installment as it really didn’t do anything to change my grievances with these types of stories. However, this recurring theme was better done in this installment as the Republic did not play as big of a role. Of course, this theme is still present in the Giad Federacy, but it isn’t being constantly shoved down my throat as much. I Still have my problems with it…
Read at the sourcewilliamse
The visuals, the movement, the sound and the final song in the final episode are all great. Scene of Shin visiting Eugene's grave, going to the memorial.
The scene where Lena meets the Spearhead team first time, when she cries and smiles, everything is smooth and fluid, along with the song LilaS.
Fido flash back the survivors: Raiden - Wereworlf, Theo - Laughing Fox, Anju - Snow Witch, Kurena - Gunslinger, Shin - Undertaker and the black cat Kitty that the Spearhead and Lena team took care of.
All are great, bringing many different emotions.
I can't cry, it's so choking. this show is worth watching but for my taste can be called masterpiece.
A-1 took great care of this episode. The wait time is well worth it. They have tried a lot, it is very appreciative of the efforts of the artist…
Read at the sourceIAmChunky
86 2nd Cour! Where do I start? Well it's definitely a step up from the first cour, I'll tell you that. I believe this had a faster pacing when you compare the part prior to this one. I didn’t have a problem with it, in fact it had me at the edge of my seat, it managed to condense everything in a digestible way. If you’re watching it as it's airing, there was a continuous delay in schedule which is understandable. However, that's the only bad thing I had to say for the production as there were two recaps, I've heard they were good although I skipped them because of my own reasons.
Schedules aside the production team is not playing around, it's like season 1 but on drugs, the art style is definitely sharper, the animation and CGI is more refined. You definitely see the budget at play, and…
Read at the sourceMcsuper
Many of times, shows that get derailed by production and scheduling issues end up having poor or rushed endings. We’ve seen this with Wonder Egg Priority, and The Promised Neverland Season 2, both of which got massively rushed due to poor production. I’m glad that this second cour of 86 did not fall into that hell, despite the huge delay before the last two episodes. The high quality did not falter throughout, and we as fans can all appreciate such a thing.
My grading criteria: Story: /25 Art: /10 Music: /10 Characters: /20 Enjoyment /15 Thematic Execution /20
STORY: 21.5/25
This takes all the good war themes from Part 1 and expands upon them. This time, there are in fact, scenes outside just simple fighting, as our characters attempt to reintegrate themselves into society. A lot of the…
Read at the sourceSpace_Boyfriend
This review is written by Maximus7680 and Space_Boyfriend.
There was a feeling that grew within us as we watched 86, one of the most beloved shows this season. Having read its premise, we expected a sense of lyricism from the show with a thoughtful narrative and vivid interactions. Suffice to say, we did not receive what we had hoped for since the aforementioned feeling was complete and utter frustration. Instead of fulfilling a promise of realism and struggles in a world of war, we were given something that is not exactly commendable, if we’re talking about the series in the broader strokes.
To briefly brush upon the first cour, 86’s story is about a war between the Republic and the Empire with members of the 86 piloting ‘autonomous’ robots for the Republic against their will. The show…
Read at the sourceLordSozin
86 tells the story of discrimination, human rights, and the moral values that are built on the societal structures that were put in place. 86 as a series is the byproduct of a liberally indoctrinated ideal society. In liberalism, one of the fundamental values it believes in is the rights of human beings and the unquestionable equal treatment of all people. But of course, that is impossible to achieve because discrimination will always be present. 86 demonstrates these aspects clearly through the first cour and a bit more in the second cour.
This is why 86 is very typical. We have seen these types of stories from other entertainment mediums: be it books, live-action TV series, films, and most importantly, history. The series as a whole offers nothing more insightful that goes beyond the u…
Read at the sourceSingleH
Like any show, 86 has a lot of haters, but this is the first time I think I’ve ever disliked a show this much for a reason unique to myself. I may be a better writer than some, and others may be better writers than me, but usually, everything bad anyone has to say about any show is criticism echoed by someone else. However, no one I’ve seen seems to share my biggest single issue with 86. The first time I came into contact with this show was probably the first time you did too. I was just minding my own business, when suddenly the internet was flooded with pictures of the first volume’s cover art. And wow! That cover art sure is pretty. Lena’s gorgeous outfit, the artist’s excellently balanced color contrast. Of course, it does a good job of conveying the intrigue in the story and the setti…
Read at the sourceMarinate1016
For the past 4 years, I have patiently waited and envisioned what the adaptation of volume 2 of 86 would look like. I am so happy that I can confidently say A-1 surpassed my wildest expectations for this adaptation and gave my favourite Light Novel the love it deserves.
In contrast with the action packed first cour of 86, the second cour primarily focuses on interpersonal relationships and the 86’s struggle between a peaceful life in the Giad Federacy or returning to the battlefield. Volume 2 and the second cour explore themes such as the psychological trauma of being a child soldier and the quest to find purpose in life. It’s an interesting departure from the action of the first 12 episodes. This is mainly due to the fact that 86’s first volume was originally intended to be a standalone…
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