Creative Staff
Original Story: Asato Asato
Art: Motoki Yoshihara
Character Design: Shirabii
Translation/Adaptation: Roman Lempert
Lettering: Brandon Bovia
What They Say
Overwhelmed by the screams of the dead echoing from the distant battlefield, Lena is confronted with the dark truth of the Legion—as well as the impending doom approaching the Republic of San Magnolia. One by one, the members of Spearhead squadron fall, leaving behind nothing but memories and scrap metal. Is there anything Lena can do for Shin and the others from deep within the walls of the Republic? Or does she have no choice but to simply watch as they’re sent to their deaths?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Lena is finally being snapped from her naivety to the harsh truths of the world. She has been a great character to see this world through. She commands the Spearhead squadron but that isn’t enough for her to get a sense of what war is. War is a complicated thing to understand but it leaves the survivors broken until there is no recovery. Lena has had the luxury of being sheltered from her office while the 86 are on the battlefield. She wants to do the right thing but she doesn’t know what the right thing is due to her uprisings. She has spunk and wants to do what is right. But it comes with the cost that she has been sheltered with a silver spoon. Her heart is in the right place but that isn’t enough for the world to change.
The bandaid between the harshness of how the 86 are treated is ripped too fast for all to see. The 86 have known their fate all along. They don’t have any reasons to be fighting but still keep going on. They hold no illusions that tomorrow will be better. Heck, they witness their friends dying one by one. If this isn’t tragic enough, one of their own, Shin, has to make sure that they are dead, sometimes by his deeds. They have been set up to die by the very society they are tasked with protecting. This knowledge is only hidden from Lena causing her torment that she can do little about.
These scenarios lay out a wonderful contrast between Lena and Shin. That contrast can only be seen as you attempt to walk a mile in their shoes. Lena is a great person to be peaking into this world. But you can’t get a clear picture as she has an idealist point of view of how the world can be. You can only get a real sense of the world as Shin takes center stage. It ain’t going to be a pleasant sight to witness. Dreams come at a great cost if you want them to have any chance of becoming a reality.
In Summary:
86 comes out swinging on all sides with this harsh volume. There is no happy tomorrow as pain and misery take center stage. It drives down the point as much as possible how harsh this world and really any world can be for those of lower status. This can also apply to those who don’t conform to society’s standards.
Content Grade: B
Art Grade: C
Packaging Grade: B
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: Older Teen
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: October 10. 2022
MSRP: $13.00 US/ $17.00 CAN
This review was done with a review copy provided by the publisher. We are grateful for their continued support.
