List of 86 episodes

86
Season 86
Native name
Japanese	86-エイティシックス-
No. of episodes	24
Release
Original network	Tokyo MX, BS11, GYT, GTV, ytv, CTV
Original release	April 11, 2021 (2021-04-11) – present
Season chronology

86 is an anime series based on the light novel series of the same name written by Asato Asato and illustrated by Shirabii. The series adaptation was announced in a livestream commemorating the first anniversary of Kadokawa's "Kimirano" light novel website on March 15, 2020. It is produced by A-1 Pictures and directed by Toshimasa Ishii, with Toshiya Ōno writing the scripts, Tetsuya Kawakami designing the characters, and Hiroyuki Sawano and Kohta Yamamoto composing the music. The CG will be developed by Shirogumi.

The series was originally scheduled to air in 2020, but it was indefinitely delayed. The series is a split-cour anime, with the first half airing on Tokyo MX and other stations from April 11 to June 20, 2021. On March 28, 2021, Tokyo MX broadcast a special program commemorating the start of the series starring main cast Shōya Chiba and Ikumi Hasegawa, producer Nobuhiro Nakayama and music composer Hiroyuki Sawano. The second half premiered on October 3, 2021. The first opening theme is "3-bun 29-byō" (lit. 3 minutes 29 seconds) by Hitorie, while the first ending theme is "Avid" by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:mizuki and the second theme is "Hands Up to the Sky" by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:Laco. The second opening theme is "Kyōkaisen" (lit. Boundary Line) by Amazarashi, while the third ending theme is "Alchemila" by Regal Lily.

Crunchyroll licensed the series outside of Asia for an English simulcast and simuldub. Muse Communication licensed the series in Southeast Asia and is streaming it on iQIYI and Bilibili.

Episode list

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Storyboarded by	Original air date	Ref.
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1	"Undertaker" Transliteration: "Andāteikā" (Japanese: アンダーテイカー)	Toshimasa Ishii	Toshiya Ōno	Toshimasa Ishii	April 11, 2021 (2021-04-11)
The Republic of San Magnolia has been at war with the Empire of Giad for years. However, thanks to both sides using unmanned drones to fight, the Republic boasts that they are fighting an ethical war since no humans are actually being killed. However, in reality, the Republic's Juggernauts are actually secretly being piloted by humans called 86s, from the Republic's unofficial 86th District. Major Vladilena "Lena" Milizé is a Handler, an officer in charge of commanding 86s in battle, though she has a reputation for treating the 86s as humans. One day, Lena is suddenly appointed to be the Handler for the prestigious Spearhead squadron, made up of the most elite 86 pilots. However, the unit's leader, Shinei "Shin" Nouzen, known as the Undertaker, has a reputation for destroying Handlers, as every Handler that has attempted to command him has either requested transfer, retired or even committed suicide. Meanwhile, on the frontlines, the pilots of Spearhead live life as best they can, while taking personal glee at tormenting every Handler sent to them. However, during one battle, one of them is mortally wounded, and Shin lives up to his name by mercy killing him. Later that night, Lena contacts Spearhead and introduces herself to them.
2	"Spearhead" Transliteration: "Supiaheddo" (Japanese: スピアヘッド)	Kuniyasu Nishina	Toshiya Ōno	Toshimasa Ishii	April 18, 2021 (2021-04-18)
One week after Lena assumes command of Spearhead, one of the Empire's Legions sends an attack wave towards Spearhead's position, forcing them to mobilize and counterattack. Lena witnesses Shin's battle prowess as he single handedly destroys the Legion's most powerful units. Afterwards, Lena attends a history class for Handler recruits where the teacher explains that since it is believed the Empire was wiped out by their own Legions, and the Legions have a set lifetime, it is predicted that the war will end within two years when the Legions automatically shut down. Lena then takes control of the lecture and reveals to the students that during the war, the Republic revoked all citizenship and human rights of the nation's non-Alba population (people who do not have silver hair and eyes) and forced them to pilot their Juggernauts. Since 86s are no longer considered "human", their losses are no longer considered as fatalities. Lena stresses to the students that 86s are human and should be treated as such. While this angers the government monitors, Lena is confident her uncle can protect her. When speaking with her friend Annette, Lena says she has a positive impression of Shin despite his reputation. That night, Lena continues her daily conversations with Spearhead, and the unit begins warming up to her, especially Shin, who is briefly seen smiling for the first time.
3	"I Don't Want to Die" Transliteration: "Shinitakunai" (Japanese: 死にたくない)	Ryō Andō	Toshiya Ōno	Ryō Andō	April 25, 2021 (2021-04-25)
Lena continues her conversations with Spearhead, though some of the members have mixed opinions of her. Kureha has a deep resentment, due to the fact that she is jealous at how close Lena seems to be with Shin, as well as her anger at Alba in general due to her parents having been executed by them. Kaie, meanwhile, has become fascinated with Lena, having learned that not all 86 are good and not all Alba are bad. Meanwhile, Lena works to secure a more accurate map of the battlefield to assist Spearhead. Kaie then asks Lena why she cares so much about 86s and Spearhead, and Lena reveals that while she was on the battlefield, her life was saved by an 86 pilot which made her realize that they are all human. However, Kaie warns Lena not to get too attached to them and recommends she transfer out, otherwise her idealism will come back to haunt her. In the next battle, Lena uses her new maps to help Spearhead set up in superior positions. However, despite the battle being a success, Kaie is apparently killed when her Juggernaut gets bogged down in a marsh and destroyed by an enemy unit. Lena apologizes to Spearhead for Kaie's death and blames herself for not spotting the marsh sooner. This causes one of the pilots, Theoto, to go off on a rant against Lena accusing her of merely pretending to care about 86s while she stays safe in luxury behind the frontlines and is ignorant of how they truly feel about their situation, and finally points out how Lena hasn't bothered to learn any of their real names, instead referring to them only by callsign. Upon hearing all this, Lena begins to suffer an emotional breakdown.
4	"Real Name" Transliteration: "Hontō no Namae o" (Japanese: 本当の名前を)	Ryō Andō	Toshiya Ōno	Ayako Kōno	May 2, 2021 (2021-05-02)
Theoto is chastised by the rest of Spearhead for his rant. Even though they don't disagree with what he has said, they do find issue with how he said it, and they're now convinced Lena will transfer out. Meanwhile, Lena is left to reflect on idealism, especially after talking with her uncle and Annette and realizing how she is still subconsciously prejudiced against the 86s. She privately calls Shin to apologize with how she's acted, and asks him to give her the real names of the Spearhead members. Shin further explains that in his original unit, it was a custom for the longest surviving member to preserve the names and memories of the members killed in action, so they will not be forgotten. Shin has carried this responsibility with him to Spearhead, and has collected 561 names to date. Shin then connects Lena to the rest of Spearhead, where she apologizes to them for making assumptions about them and asks them to tell her their real names, and tells them her name in return. While Spearhead ultimately accepts Lena's apology and accepts her as their Handler, they remind Lena that as long as she commands them while safe behind the Republic's walls, they will never view her as a true equal to them. Later that night, Lena calls Shin again, realizing that he never told her his name. When Shin tells Lena his name, she then asks if he knows a man named Shourei Nouzen, and Shin reveals that Shourei is his brother.
5	"I'm With You" Transliteration: "Watashi mo Issho ni" (Japanese: 私も一緒に)	Satsuki Takahashi	Kurasumi Sunayama	Satsuki Takahashi	May 9, 2021 (2021-05-09)
Lena tells Shin how Shourei saved her life in a Legion ambush that killed her father, and how he was kind and compassionate and wanted nothing more than to go back home to see Shin again. She also learns that the Nouzen family immigrated to the Republic from the Empire before the war, and possibly lived in the capital of District 1. Just then, Shin warns Lena of a Legion offensive, despite the fact that she hasn't received any notifications from command. Shin also warns Lena to cut her Para-RAID link with him due to the presence of "Black Sheep" in the Legion, but Lena insists on staying connected. However, during the battle, Lena begins to hear voices of people in distress, including Kaie's last words, and goes into shock. Though traumatized by the experience, Lena works up the courage to contact Shin again, and he explains due to a near death experience, he can hear the "voices of the dead" from the Legions, which is how he can predict their movements. Furthermore, the Legions' programming is based on how a human brain works. Because of this, the Legions have been able to copy the brains of the people they have killed on the battlefield, imprinting their victims' last thoughts into their programming and creating "Black Sheep" and "Shepherd" models that have far superior performance and intelligence. The Legion is in fact far larger and more intelligent than the Republic realizes, and has already evolved a method to exceed their original lifespans, meaning the Republic's defeat is inevitable. Hearing all this, Lena resolves to work with Shin to destroy the Legion "Shepherd" commanders within one year to end the war for good. Later that night, it is revealed that Shin bears a scar on his neck from a time where Shourei attempted to strangle him.
6	"Through to the End" Transliteration: "Saigo Made" (Japanese: 最後まで)	Kuniyasu Nishina	Toshiya Ōno	Kuniyasu Nishina	May 16, 2021 (2021-05-16)
Four years in the past, a young Shin searches through an old battlefield before finding Shourei's headless corpse. In the present the Legion begins rapidly evolving its tactics to counter Spearhead's ambushes, and Spearhead suffers two casualties, Daiya and Lecca, in their latest battle. Shin is forced to mercy kill Daiya to prevent the Legion from harvesting his brain. It's revealed that Shin is focused on finding Shourei's missing head, and that Shourei attempted to strangle him in the past in a fit of rage, blaming him for the deaths of their parents. Lena celebrates her birthday with Annette and asks her what would happen to anybody with an abnormal reaction to Para-RAID, and Annette explains that an 86 would be dissected for study while a Handler would undergo an examination before being transferred. She then petitions her uncle to provide additional military support to Spearhead and replacements for their losses, but he refuses, instead ordering her and Spearhead to attack a Legion base under construction. Shin agrees to carry out the mission, knowing it is likely a trap. Lena tells Shin more about her memories of Shourei, and quickly comes to realize that she has feelings for Shin.
7	"Will You Remember Me?" Transliteration: "Wasurenai de Itekuremasu ka?" (Japanese: 忘れないでいてくれますか？)	Tomohiko Itō	Chiaki Nagai	Tomohiko Itō	May 23, 2021 (2021-05-23)
With the Revolution Festival coming soon, Lena arranges to have a crate of fireworks smuggled to Spearhead. She also continues to advocate for supplies and reinforcements to be sent to Spearhead, and her uncle finally appears to agree. As a new supply shipment is sent to Spearhead, Anju and Kurena privately talk about Daiya's death and how it has affected Anju, and also wonder if they should tell Lena about Spearhead's secret, which even Shin and Raiden do not have the heart to tell her. During the Festival, Lena is forced to attend a party while Spearhead celebrates with the smuggled fireworks. Later, Spearhead prepares for their planned attack on the Legion base, but they are suddenly ambushed by ultra long range artillery fire that inflicts heavy losses, forcing Spearhead to retreat and leaving only a handful of Spearhead members alive. As Lena promises to secure more reinforcements, Shin decides to tell her the truth about Spearhead; it is a suicide unit meant to kill off every 86 who reaches near the end of their term to ensure they can never return to the Republic. Spearhead will only be replenished when every current member is dead. Lena then asks why they still fight if their death is certain, and Raiden explains they all want to keep their pride by going down fighting rather than simply accepting death. Meanwhile, in another sector, a new type of Legion unit completely obliterates a Juggernaut squadron.
8	"Let's Go" Transliteration: "Ikō" (Japanese: 行こう)	Takashi Yasui	Kurasumi Sunayama	Jong Heo	May 30, 2021 (2021-05-30)
After retreating back to base, Shin reveals to Raiden that he heard Shourei's voice among the Legion, and he is eager to confront him one final time. Meanwhile, Lena studies Spearhead's history and discovers that numerous previous iterations of the unit had been sent on "special reconnaissance missions" to guarantee their destruction. She goes to Annette to ask for help, which only makes Annette furious as Lena's idealism only reminds her of how she allowed her neighbors, who were friends and 86s, to be taken away by the government. She reveals that their para-RAID technology was developed by performing human experimentation on 86s, and her own father committed suicide from the guilt. Lena and Annette have a falling out and Lena goes to her uncle next to protest Spearhead's upcoming "special reconnaissance mission". However, he explains that the complete extermination of the 86s is necessary, because if the truth of their treatment were ever to get out, the Republic would immediately become a pariah state among foreign nations. Unable to do anything, Lena can only bid Shin farewell. Shin informs Lena that once he destroys Shourei, who is now a Shepherd, that will cause enough confusion among the Legion that she will have a chance to escape the country. On the day of the mission, the last remaining members of Spearhead: Shin, Raiden, Theoto, Kurena, and Anju, clean out their base and head out. Meanwhile, Shourei moves out to intercept them, eager to assimilate Shin into the Legion in a warped desire to protect him.
9	"Goodbye" Transliteration: "Sayonara" (Japanese: さよなら)	Ryūta Kawahara	Chiaki Nagai	Kengo Matsumoto Tomohiko Itō	June 6, 2021 (2021-06-06)
While Spearhead engages the main Legion forces, Shin heads directly for Shourei to battle him one on one. However, Shourei's Shepherd unit proves to be too well armored and advanced for Shin to take on alone, and he is knocked unconscious when his Juggernaut is hit. Meanwhile, Lena approaches Annette again, revealing that she has figured out that Shin and Shourei were the neighbors Annette abandoned. Feeling guilty, Annette agrees to hack the Republic's artillery system to give Lena control of it, and she provides much needed artillery support, destroying the Legion forces and disabling Shourei long enough for Shin to regain consciousness and destroy him. Regaining his sanity, Shourei apologizes to Shin before his machine explodes. With Shourei and the Legion forces in the area destroyed, Spearhead decides to continue pressing forward beyond the Republic's borders to find their freedom. Realizing Spearhead are leaving without her, Lena has no choice but to watch as Spearhead travels out of range of the Para-RAID system and disappear.
10	"Thank You" Transliteration: "Arigatō" (Japanese: ありがとう)	Satsuki Takahashi	Toshiya Ōno	Hirotaka Mori	June 13, 2021 (2021-06-13)
Now free from the Republic's control, Spearhead travel deeper into old Empire territory, avoiding Legion patrols until reach a river their Juggernauts cannot cross alone. With their progress stopped, Spearhead are able to take the opportunity to rest and relax and explore a nearby abandoned Imperial town, and they note that Shin seems far more relaxed and easygoing now that he has set Shourei free and been able to confide with Lena about his troubles. The next day, Shin returns to the town to confront a damaged Black Sheep that he was able to hear, and mercy kills it by destroying its core. Afterwards, he tells the rest of Spearhead that he intends to find a foreign nation the Legion hasn't been able to conquer where they can live in peace. Two weeks later, Spearhead's robot companion Fido recalls its memories of being found by Shin and living with Spearhead before it is destroyed in an explosion.
11	"Here We Go" Transliteration: "Iku yo" (Japanese: 行くよ)	Ryō Andō	Kurasumi Sunayama	Ryō Andō	June 20, 2021 (2021-06-20)
After a skirmish with the Legion, all but one of Spearhead's Juggernauts are disabled and Fido too crippled to move, forcing Spearhead to leave it behind. In addition, most of their supplies were destroyed, leaving them with limited prospects of traveling any further. With no choice, Spearhead continue on to another abandoned Imperial town, where they spend the night in a school and briefly roleplay being students again. The next day, Shin take the last remaining Juggernaut to intercept the Legion, intending to use himself as a decoy for the rest of Spearhead to escape. However, Shin's friends follow him into battle, and all of them are seemingly killed while Shin hears the voice of another Shepherd. Meanwhile, Lena arrives at Spearhead's base as the replacement Spearhead is transferred in. She explores the base and finds a note left behind by Spearhead expressing their final farewells to her, as well as a request to adopt the kitten they had been keeping as a pet. Inspired by Spearhead's words, Lena resolves to keep fighting and moving forward. Elsewhere, Shin appears to have a dying dream of being reunited with Shourei in the afterlife, leaving his headless body behind.
Special	"The Poppies Bloom Red on the Battlefield" Transliteration: "Sen'ya ni Akaku Hinageshi no Saku" (Japanese: 戦野に紅く雛罌粟の咲く)	N/A	N/A	N/A	June 27, 2021 (2021-06-27)
Recap of the first eleven episodes.
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12	"Welcome" Transliteration: "Yōkoso" (Japanese: ようこそ)	Ryō Andō	Chiaki Nagai	Toshimasa Ishii	October 3, 2021 (2021-10-03)
Several weeks after Shin and his friends have gone missing, Lena has been demoted from commanding Spearhead and is in charge of conventional 86 unit, led by Cyclops. However, she is still the military's top performing Handler, and she uses her reputation as leverage to secure more resources and benefits for her troops, as well as gain a cadre of officers loyal to her. Meanwhile, Shin wakes up from his dying dream to find him and his friends in the custody of the Federacy of Giad, the successor nation to the Empire of Giad after it was toppled in a rebellion. They are greeted by Ernst Zimerman, the provisional president of the Federacy who reveals that they were rescued from Legion custody and promises they will be treated as guests. After a month of isolation, Ernst grants Shin and his friends Federacy citizenship and allows them to live in his home, where they are introduced to Frederica Rosenfort, a young girl in his care. After a brief introduction and dinner, Shin and his friends decide to go to bed. Ernst begins to wonder whether he's doing the right thing, and it's revealed Frederica is actually the Empress of the former Giad Empire. In his room, Shin is troubled when Ernst returns the tag he had carved in Shourei's memory.
13	"It's Too Late" Transliteration: "Imasara Sonna Koto" (Japanese: 今更そんなこと)	Takaaki Ishiyama	Toshiya Ōno	Kuniyasu Nishina	October 10, 2021 (2021-10-10)
One month after become Federacy citizens, Shin and his friends have been doing their best to adjust to civilian life within the Federacy. They do find that the Federacy is a much better country than the Republic, as they are treated as equals and not discriminated against. However, despite making friends and enjoying the luxuries the Federacy can provide, they cannot shake the feeling that they don't belong there, as their lingering guilt and trauma over their lost comrades leads them to believe they should keep fighting on the battlefield until the end. On the Eve of the Holy Birth, Shin and his friends finally come to the conclusion that they will return to the battlefield, much to Ernst's shock. He tries to convince them otherwise, but Frederica warns him that trying to override their personal decision would make him no different from the Republic. Ernst relents, but only on the condition that they all enroll in the Special Officer's Training School and become officers. Frederica also requests to go with them, revealing her true identity as Augusta Fredrica Adel-Adler, the last Empress of Giad. She also reveals that her royal blood gives her the power to view the past and present of the people she meets, and she saw how Shin defeated and freed Shourei from the Legion. She asks Shin to help her free her knight, Kiriya, who has also been turned into a Legion Shepherd. Shin agrees, and he, his friends, and Frederica depart for officer training.
14	"Glad to Be Here" Transliteration: "Yoroshiku" (Japanese: よろしく)	Satsuki Takahashi	Kurasumi Sunayama	Satsuki Takahashi	October 17, 2021 (2021-10-17)
Thanks to their experience, Shin and his friends manage to pass officer training and are assigned to the Nordlicht Squadron under the command of Lt. Colonel Grethe Wenzel. Grethe takes Shin and his friends to a location recently reclaimed by the Federacy, where they have recovered their wrecked Juggernauts and erected a memorial dedicated to all of the names Shin had gathered. Grethe also reveals that when they recovered Fido's wreckage, they found its core still intact so they built it a new body. Frederica joins the unit as well as their official mascot, and she returns Shin's handgun to him. Shin and Nordlicht soon begin assisting the Federacy forces by piloting the Reginleif mechs, based off of the Juggernaut design. During the fighting, Shin reunites with Eugene, another Federacy officer who he befriended before signing up who joined the army to make a better life for his sister. However, after a Legion attack, Shin comes across a mortally wounded Eugene and is forced to mercy kill him. Afterwards, Shin recieves word that the battle isn't going well and to prepare for yet another Legion attack.
15	"Welcome Back" Transliteration: "Okaerinasai" (Japanese: おかえりなさい)	Unknown	Unknown	TBA	October 24, 2021 (2021-10-24)