86--EIGHTY-SIX, Vol. 12 (light novel): Holy Blue Bullet (86--Eighty-Six (Light Novel))

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The slaughter continues. After she mows down the last soldier, Miarona thinks of how the Federacy was irresponsible, forcing freedom and equality onto everyone when some didn’t want it and couldn’t handle it. They couldn’t take responsibility for themselves, and this was the result. Vika asks whether she considered that he might think differently now, with his motherland in crisis, and having the key to stop the Legion right before him. Frederica replies that the Idinarohks’ Amethystus wouldn’t be so rash as to make a move before all the conditions were met. This volume around the first quarter really focused on the value of humans, the desire for peace and thinking more about why do humans fight each other all the time, and can't embrace the ideology of peace? How the world has gotten so bad for some people where they've basically just considered the world to be a desolate, cold place where they relinquish being what they want to be and doing what they want to do in life to just be mistreated as sacrifices in the world? Yeah. ...You want to avoid people as much as possible, right? Then you'll need someone who can get you food until you leave the Federacy. And after that, if you're going through Legion territory, you'll need a guide."

Major Vladilena "Lena" Milizé, an Alba noble and military officer in the San Magnolian military, is an outspoken activist against the grave mistreatment of the nation's Colorata minority, and the willful deception of the general public by the Republic government. She is assigned as the Handler of the Spearhead Squadron of the Eastern Front: an elite unit composed entirely of 86 veterans who have earned names. Led by their squad leader, Shinei "The Undertaker" Nouzen, the Spearhead Squadron is infamous among military officials. Its notoriety stems from the state in which its commanding officers are left: Handlers presiding over the squad have descended into insanity and some have gone as far as committing suicide. Lena, an avowed 86 sympathizer, gets to know the Spearhead Squadron in her time as head of the contingent. At the same time, Lena and Shinei learn a dark secret: the Republic and the war with the Empire are not what they seem.

Shin smiles wryly, remembering their fight in the United Kingdom. Lena says that if anything, he should fawn on her more, like when he was having a Lena shortage before."Oh? Should I consider that a promise?" he asks jokingly, like a child planning mischief. Then he suddenly becomes sincere."I don't have enough of you. I want to hurry and see you. I want to be by your side." As I said in my last review, I think Viktor works as an interesting counterbalance to Lena since he can more readily relate to the 86 and advise her on how best to help them. This time around, he finds himself in an advisory role more than anything else and that helps present him as human to the audience and not just this untouchable genius.

I think side story volumes often can feel fluffy or like needless padding, but actually in this case, these stories are all things the series has alluded to before and they fill out questions we readers have had. So they make for a more satisfying read than they otherwise could have. Asato also hints in the afterword that Shin (and presumably 86 itself) will begin to head toward its conclusion beginning in Volume 11, so this feels like a good place to have taken a break from the present day and inserted this collection. Lena notices that he sunk into thought and asks what's wrong, but Shin says he doesn't understand it either and brushes it off. They return to talking about Halloween. Shin tells her about the party they held while Lena was away.Vika is making apple rabbits and he is surprisingly skilled at it. Rito asks Lerche if she can make rabbit apples too, but she says she can't. Vika says it's the same as asking Fido to make one. Fido comes over and tries it. He fails. Lerche pats him in sympathy. The battles themselves were okay although slightly stiff again, and the side characters were pretty forgettable beyond the action but this volume for me was about Lena and Shin, and their characterization as a whole. Not necessarily the most unique and the cliches are there, but I felt like the heart and soul of what this volume tried to present to the audience by Asato Asato, was wonderfully done. Demelza (April 15, 2019). "86: Eighty-Six Volume 1 Review". Anime UK News . Retrieved December 11, 2021. The Republic of San Magnolia has been at war with the Giadian Empire for nine years. Though it initially suffered devastating losses to the Empire's autonomous mechanized Legion, The Republic has since developed its own autonomous units, called Juggernauts, which are directed remotely by a Handler. While on the surface the public believes the war is being fought between machines, in reality, the Juggernauts are being piloted by humans and all of them are the Eighty-Six, the designation given to the racial minority Colorata of The Republic who originally had equal rights as the dominant Alba race but were persecuted and scapegoated by the racist-led Alba government to the point the Colorata were considered not human, not allowed to have names and forced to live in internment camps in the Eighty-Sixth Sector while being forced to fight in the Republic's war with the Empire to restore their family's civic rights. Ballard, Joe (June 28, 2020). "86-Eighty-Six Is a Military Drama Anime Worth the Hype". CBR . Retrieved December 11, 2021.

Martin, Theron (April 19, 2019). "Review: Eighty-Six, novel 1". Anime News Network . Retrieved March 15, 2021. This novel is probably going to be most commonly classified as a military science fiction story, but it should be considered at least as much a horror story. Speaking of writing, something else I appreciated this time around is Viktor’s personality being toned down a bit. In Volume 5 he was presented as an eccentric, someone to be wary of and perhaps even a villain, but this time around he’s mellowed out. It’s not that his attitude has changed but as we’ve spent so much time with him, it’s clear now that Viktor is just as lost as anyone else in this world. Mansfield, Dan (July 7, 2021). "86 EIGHTY-SIX Episodes #09 – 11 Anime Review". The Fandom Post . Retrieved December 11, 2021. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (May 27, 2020). "Gakuen 86 Academy Spinoff Manga of '86' Sci-Fi Novels Launches in June". Anime News Network . Retrieved May 27, 2020. In particular, this book is made up of many emotional and tender moments, which I find author Asato Asato is great at writing. The interactions between the cast are never cheesy or overblown. They say what’s needed in a way befitting real people. It’s not overly emotional but just enough to draw the reader into the scene and make them care. This strength in writing combined with Asato Asato’s ability to write convincing, exciting battles is why I love 86 so much and what propels it above so many other books in the world of light novels.To the extent that I won’t make you hate me.” He doesn’t intend to be so sneaky as to make her hate him, but he doesn’t want her to be wounded further.“Also, that’s the same for you, Anju. You can blame it on me, so be crafty. You have to return too.”

Anju sees Claude returning from his phone call and asks Dustin if he's called his mother yet, she must be worried. He's like "Well, yeah..." but a boy his age doesn't want to be fussed over by his mother much. He thanks Anju for telling him before that he's allowed to be crafty, because that allowed him to get his mother evacuated safely. Anju laughs, then thinks, and averts her gaze.“...You can be crafty for my sake too.” Vika narrows his eyes slightly.“A conscience, huh?…Even if you have one, it will only get in your way.” a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 6, 2021). " '86' Sci-Fi Anime Reveals April 10 Debut, Promo Video, 18 More Cast Members, New Visual, Theme Song Artists". Anime News Network . Retrieved March 6, 2021. Here I've compiled my summaries and translations from the Volume 12 Spoilers thread on the 86 Discord server, with more details that I'd skipped earlier. Obviously, MAJOR SPOILERS FOR VOLUME 12. You have been warned.Shinn is the leader of a squadron of eighty-sixers. Lena is a “handler” who commands the detachment from the remote rear with the help of special communication technology. Mele rages at their enemies, at the Leviathan, and at himself. He had been aware of Noele’s feelings for him, but thought he didn’t deserve her, so he’d pretended not to notice. He regrets not responding to her now. Even though Shin is beginning to see a path forward beside Lena as a friend, as a comrade and maybe even as something more, he can’t forgive himself for the deeds he’s done on the battlefield. Surely someone like him will only taint the pure girl he’s grown close to? Is it truly right for him to desire a future where they can be together?