The Human Psychology of the “Battlefield” Revealed by “86 -Eighty Six-” — A Masterpiece of the Soul Beyond the Pros and Cons of Sci-Fi Settings

Based on the light novel by Asato Asato, “86 -Eighty Six-“ is a highly acclaimed Sci-Fi action war drama adapted into an anime in 2021. The story is set in a world locked in an endless war against the “Legion,” fully autonomous unmanned weapons developed by the Giadian Empire. The Republic of San Magnolia claimed to have no casualties by employing “unmanned” drones for defense. However, in reality, boys and girls isolated in the “86th District” (the Eighty-Six)—located outside the Republic’s 85 districts—were forced to pilot the “manned” weapons known as “Juggernauts” and fight to the death. They are treated as less than human, called by the derogatory name “Eighty-Six,” denied even their own names.

The appeal of this series lies in its deep portrayal of the cruelty of discrimination and war, as well as the struggle and bonds of these young people trying to live as “humans” even in extreme conditions. The story of Shin and Lena, who connect heart-to-heart across the battlefield via radio communication to aim for the future together, is a moving masterpiece that resonates deeply with viewers.

The Spearhead Squadron: The First Defense Squadron of the First Theater of the Eastern Front. Composed of young “Eighty-Six” boys and girls who were “expelled” from the Republic of San Magnolia, they threw themselves into a grueling battle against the “Legion,” the unmanned weapons deployed by the Giadian Empire.

As their numbers dwindled one by one, the Spearhead Squadron was assigned a “Special Reconnaissance Mission.” Success rate: 0%. Mission duration: Indefinite. It was effectively a death sentence from their homeland. Yet, the five remaining members—leader Shinei Nouzen, Raiden Shuga, Theoto Rikka, Anju Emma, and Kurena Kukumila—chose to keep moving forward and keep fighting. Not because they sought hope or a future. But because the “battlefield” had become the only place they belonged. Ironically, that wish would be granted in a new land they unknowingly stepped into.

“The sci-fi setting is sloppy.” I occasionally hear such criticism regarding this work. However, as a veteran columnist and an anime enthusiast, let me dare to say: “So what?”

What do we seek in fiction? Is it a simulation based on strict physical calculations? Is it a textbook tracing real-world geopolitics? No, it is not. What we seek in the world of “lies (fiction)” called animation is the “essence” and “psychology” of human beings, which can be depicted precisely because it is liberated from the constraints of reality.

The work I am introducing today, 86 -Eighty Six-, boasts a level of perfection that stands out among recent anime works in that single point. No matter how consistent the setting is, if the emotions of the humans living there are broken, the story is dead. Conversely, if the psychology of the characters has overwhelming credibility and the story is filled with heat like magma, as in this work, minor roughness in the setting is nothing more than a trivial issue.

Just as I encountered Steins;Gate when I was 14 and had my outlook on life shaken. This 86 -Eighty Six- also resonates deeply with the timing of the viewer’s life and has the power to become “the one work destined to be watched right now.” This time, let’s unravel why this work is so beautiful and shakes our hearts, even though it deals with heavy themes such as discrimination, massacre, and AI weapons.

The story is set in the Republic of San Magnolia, which is exposed to the invasion of unmanned weapons “Legion” from a neighboring country. Superficially, it is said to be a clean war between unmanned machines, but the reality is a hellscape where boys and girls called “86 (Eighty-Six),” who were forcibly interned due to racial discrimination, are driven to their deaths in manned piloting machines.

Some people say this setting is a “rip-off of a certain famous robot anime (the one with Lelouch),” but I think that is nonsense. Plots such as “rebellion of the oppressed” and “tragic fate” are universal themes that have been repeated to death since the time of Shakespeare. What is important is not “what it resembles,” but “what was depicted using that setting and how it was cooked.” Human culture deepens by repeating inheritance and reconstruction.

Although the genre of this work is classified as “War/Battle/Robot,” you might be let down if you expect a tactical war chronicle. What is here is not cold tactics, but a muddy craving for “life.” The story, to put it extremely, progresses by “characters dying.” The only one who has a clear mission to clear is the heroine Lena (Vladilena Milizé), who commands from inside the wall, and for the boys on the front line, “surviving tomorrow” is everything. That is why more screen time is devoted to their daily conversations and casual interactions than to battle scenes. It drives a stake into the viewer’s heart, emphasizing that they are not symbols called “86” or livestock, but humans with body warmth.

This composition is very skillful. Without realizing it, we are made to empathize with them, and at the moment they scatter, we taste a heartbreaking sense of loss beyond sympathy or pity. It is quite dark, and there are many depressing developments. However, like The Price of Smiles (Egao no Daika), there is a tragic beauty here of “being reckless wishing for peace.”

What is essential in talking about this work is the existence of the heroine, Lena, and the acting of the voice actor, Ms. Ikumi Hasegawa, who played her. Initially, I watched this work completely from Lena’s perspective.

The front line of things is always moving, and the reality can only be understood by those who place themselves there. For example, imagine a construction site. The foreman and the craftsmen sweat together as one, but the site supervisor (general contractor), even if in the same place, has a different role, perspective, and type of sweat. It’s not about who is superior; there is a clear difference in “position” and “how they relate.”

The relationship between Lena and the Spearhead Squadron on the front line is exactly like that. It is natural for the boys to rebel against her, who gives instructions as a “Handler” from the safe rear. However, Lena was desperate. Although she is a talented woman, she is also an immature human being, getting lost, making mistakes, and being swayed by emotions. Still, what makes her noble is that no matter how much hateful talk she received or how much she was abused as a hypocrite, she never cut off communication with them and continued to face them.

Ms. Ikumi Hasegawa’s acting expressed this conflict of “a commander struggling to know the field” painfully realistically. It can be said that the expressive power cultivated in roles such as Mimimi in Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki blossomed here. Because of the sorrowful scream carried in her voice, we could believe in the hope connecting these two severed worlds.

And the biggest factor that makes this work the “highest peak of anime history.” That is “Direction.”

The director is Mr. Toshimasa Ishii, for whom this is his first TV anime direction. Talent exploded that did not seem like a rookie, or rather, talent unbound by preconceived notions precisely because he is a rookie. For example, there was an episode where battle scenes were intentionally cut entirely, and the situation was conveyed only by impact sounds and communication voices. Normally, this method might be called “lazy,” but in this work, it was an extremely effective direction that made viewers relive the “fear of the invisible battlefield” and the “impatience of only being able to wait.” It was more stylish and full of ingenuity that draws you in than any anime I have watched so far.

Produced by A-1 Pictures. The quality of the animation is undeniably wonderful. In particular, the behavior of the mechanics (Juggernauts) possessed a muddiness like hand-drawn animation while being 3D, and it made me harbor an attachment enough to bring tears even to the AI robot “Fido,” which should be an inorganic object. Making us empathize not only with humans but also with machines is the magic of careful animation and direction.

And what determines that worldview is the background music by Mr. Hiroyuki Sawano. Heavy sound that can only be described as “seriously God-tier.” Especially the way it entered the ending was divine. The ED theme “Avid” with lyrics by cAnON and vocals by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:mizuki. The timing when this song plays is too perfect every time, and the goosebumps don’t stop. Also, the OP theme “3 minutes 29 seconds” by Hitorie, Shinoda’s desperate singing perfectly embodied the work’s sense of speed and impatience (it might be a fan’s ego to say I wanted to hear it in wowaka’s voice…).

The skill of the scriptwriter, Mr. Toshiya Ono (Land of the Lustrous, The Promised Neverland, etc.), also shone, and the composition that immersed me gradually and deeply into a worldview with many special terms, even without reading the original novel, was magnificent.

86 -Eighty Six- is by no means a bright story. People die constantly, and the world is cruel. However, that is precisely why “life” shines.

For those who are looking for a superb human drama without being bound by the framework of robot anime, there is no better work than this. I, who had not read the original novel, was betrayed in a good way by my friend’s evaluation of “it wasn’t that great,” and now I can’t wait for the second cour.

“If you want to see a realistic war, you should watch non-fiction.” That is correct. What we see here is a record of the soul, more real than reality.

For those who haven’t watched it yet. It is not too late. Please respond to their call. Surely, it will be an unforgettable work that will be a critical hit for your life as well.

• Shinei Nouzen: Voiced by Shoya Chiba
• Vladilena Milizé: Voiced by Ikumi Hasegawa
• Raiden Shuga: Voiced by Seiichiro Yamashita
• Kurena Kukumila: Voiced by Sayumi Suzushiro
• Anju Emma: Voiced by Saori Hayami

• Original Creator: Asato Asato
• Director: Toshimasa Ishii
• Series Composition: Toshiya Ono
• Character Design: Tetsuya Kawakami
• Mechanical Design: I-IV
• Music: Hiroyuki Sawano, KOHTA YAMAMOTO
• Animation Production: A-1 Pictures

tarumaki

ゲーム制作会社で働いてます。

最新作から過去作まで好きな作品を紹介して、少しでも業界の応援になればと思いつつに書いていこうと思います。 基本的に批判的な意見は書かないようにしています。