Premiering earlier in 2021, the anime adaptation of the hit light novel series 86-Eighty-Six was a resounding success. This has made it one of the most popular military mecha anime in a while, with even the venerable Gundam franchise having not been this mainstream outside Japan in a while. The first part of 86-Eighty-Six Season 1 concluded this summer, but a continuation is soon to air in the coming months.
The second "season" of 86-Eighty-Six will pick up from the first's cliffhanger ending, continuing to adapt the franchise's light novel source material. Here's what we know about how the story will move forward as well as when it will release.
The Story of 86-Eighty-Six, So Far
Adapting the light novels by Asato Asato and Shirabii, 86-Eighty-Six is set in the Republic of San Magnolia, which has for a long while been at war with Empire of Giad. While Giad is armed with the gigantic robots known as Legion, San Magnolia has responded with their own mechs called Juggernauts. Believed by the public to be merely drones, these are actually piloted by the 86.
The 86 are a strikeforce made up by the Colorata minority in Magnolia, who are mistreated and deemed unworthy of official names. Major Vladilena Milize, or Lena, one of the few activists sympathetic to the 86, becomes the handler of the Spearhead Squadron, comprised entirely of 86 who were eventually given names. She befriends them and their squad leader Shin, with the group eventually discovering the war is not what they believed.
There are 10 light novels so far, and there's no word of them ending anytime soon. The first part of the 86-Eighty-Six anime only adapted most of Volume 1, leaving a wealth of source material to draw from.
Is There an 86-Eighty-Six, Part 2 Trailer?
A teaser trailer for 86-Eighty-Six Season 2 was released recently, giving a look at how things will change compared to the cliffhanger the first part ended on. Details on the second season are still somewhat vague in terms of plot, with the trailer only hinting at new developments. It features Lena walking about the Republic of Magnolia, looking physically more hardened and quite changed since viewers last saw her.
86-Eighty-Six, Part 2 Production News
Season 1 of 86-Eighty-Six was meant to come out back in 2020, but effects of the global pandemic saw it indefinitely delayed for a while. Before its eventual April 2021 premiere date, it was revealed the season would be split into two parts. It's handled by the studio A-1 Pictures, with the Crunchyroll streaming service handling the simulcast dub.
The series is directed by Toshimasa Ishii, while Toshiya Ono, who wrote both seasons of The Promised Neverland, is handling the writing for 86-Eighty-Six as well. The music is composed by Hiroyuki Sawano and Kohta Yamamoto, and all are expected to return, along with the voice cast, for Season 2.
Thankfully for viewers, seeing where 86-Eighty-Six picks up and takes its central surviving characters won't take too much longer, as part 2 -- which has now been officially re-dubbed as a Season 2 -- will premiere in Japan in October 2021. Though there is no official release date for the West just yet, it appears fans have only a matter of weeks to wait until they can return to the Republic of San Magnolia.