Tag Archives: 86

Rating: 5 With episode 21 having provided the action climax and episode 22 providing the dramatic climax, all that’s left for episode 23 to do is provide the epilogue. But as with any grand story, a proper epilogue is an absolutely essential element. It may not have the drama or intensity of earlier content, butContinue reading “86 episode 23 (finale)”

Rating: 5 (of 5) 86 is finally back for its final two episodes, after its nearly three-month hiatus. Perhaps partly as an apology for the wait, the series delivers the finest and most emotionally potent episode of its second half. And a lot of that has to do with Lena finally being back in theContinue reading “86 episode 22”

After more than two months off, 86 is finally returning this Saturday (March 12th) and next Saturday (March 19th) for its two-episode finale. So, naturally, that means yet another recap episode precedes it. This time, though, I will begrudge the production team this recap. It does not provide any new content beyond somewhat in-character narrationContinue reading “86 special: Episode 21.5”

Rating: 5 (of 5) Episodes 22 and 23 may be delayed until March, but that still leaves one more episode to deliver within the confines of the Fall 2021 season, and it’s one hell of an episode to watch play out. By the cliffhanger ending, nearly every major character’s fate is in question, leaving anContinue reading “86 episode 21”

Rating: 4.5 (of 5) After yet another week off, 86 is back to remind us once again why it is, at worst, one of the year’s best series. And it does so despite dodging the one opportunity it had for an action scene by only showing the aftermath. Avoiding animating the skirmish was not aContinue reading “86 episode 20”

Rating: 3.5 After watching this episode completely twice, I cannot help but wonder if it might have looked a bit different if the series had not run into production issues big enough to necessitate two off weeks out of the previous three. It makes more animation conservation moves than normal, plays atypically vague on itsContinue reading “86 episode 19”

Rating: 4.5 Throughout its run, 86 has occasionally stretched its narrative a bit to end episodes on certain dramatic beats. For the most part, the series has successfully pulled that off because of the skillful way that it has staged these scenes and the seamless addition of new content. In the case of this episode,Continue reading “86 episode 18”

From what I understand, the production team for 86 originally planned to have a break week in December. November 13’s break wasn’t originally planned and is instead the result of production delays. This isn’t too surprising after last week’s episode; minor signs of that could be seen in episode 16, as a handful of closeContinue reading “86 Visual Commentary Special Episode”

Rating: 5 (of 5) Last episode was the action powerhouse that anime-only viewers were probably hoping for and novel readers were anticipating ever since this season began, but this episode may be even more loaded in thematic and storytelling senses. Hence it carries a power all its own and could be remembered for different reasonsContinue reading “86 episode 17”

Rating: 5 (of 5) Ever since midway through last season, the series has been foreshadowing the coming of a large-scale offensive. Shin warned Lena about it, and in the year or so since the 86 left the Republic, Lena has been preparing for it. The Federacy also knew it was coming, but not how big.Continue reading “86 episode 16”