86 Season 2

Episode 16

Last week, I wrote in my review, “My guess is that the episode we'll be raving about in the future is Episode 16.” I don't think I've ever made a more accurate prediction.

Much like the 86ers themselves, 86 is at its best when the battle gets tight. Shinei has been foreshadowing a massive assault for a while now, but now they finally have the chance to take dramatic action. It makes sense why Episode 15 felt so slow now—the staff clearly wanted to be able to fit this entire battle into one episode from start to finish. Episode 16's structure is tight and deftly builds tension through its runtime. The Legion are attacking, but everyone's still asleep. Then comes Shin to wake up his crew and dramatically wake up the rest of the army at gunpoint. By the time the Federacy has acknowledged the threat, Nordlicht Squadron is already prepped and ready for battle.

It's incredibly engaging to watch, and really drives home the idea that the members of this team are the only ones that are truly equipped to fight this battle. Like any good zombie story, a safe haven is only fleeting, and now the 86ers have to put their lives at risk all over again. It's not too sad though – we get to see the return of Shirogumi's stunningly-executed 3D action, excellent storyboards from Ryo Ando, and yet another bombastic track from Hiroyuki Sawano.

After last week's spiel about Frederica's knight Kiri, we're now getting an idea of the threat he poses. While watching Shin through her psychic vision, her first reaction wasn't, “He's fighting really scarily”, but rather “He's just like Kiri.” Shin's brother was threatening on an emotional level, but the show seems to be implying that we're about to meet a foe that can actually meet Shin in terms of pure combat prowess. He's only made more threatening through the dramatic cliffhanger after the credits (make sure not to miss those!)

Meanwhile, we revisit Lena at her darkest hour. San Magnolia's always felt a bit pathetic, but never more so than now. It's unclear whether they recognize the threat of the Legion or whether they even care. The zombie movie trope of a naive safe haven is once again brought to mind, and San Magnolia's fate seems pretty clear. But Lena is at her best when she has to take drastic action, and it's exciting to watch her take charge. It's going to be fun watching her shout down her superiors as she finally invites the 86 into their walls.

Honestly, if I wasn't reviewing this, I'd be bingeing it. Seven days is too long a wait.

Rating:

86 Season 2 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.