86 -Eighty-Six- is an anime series in the mecha and military science fiction genre with many romantic elements. The anime, which first met with the audience in 2021, was adapted from Asato Asato’s famous light novel of the same name. Toshimasa Ishii sits in the director’s chair, and the anime was adapted by A-1 Pictures, which we know from beloved animes such as Black Butler and Kaguya-sama: Love is War. The anime deals with the struggle of the Republic of San Magnolia and the Giadian Empire against each other in the framework of science fiction. Originally broadcast on many local channels such as Tokyo MX, BS11, GYT, GTV, ytv, and CTV between April 11, 2021, and June 20, 2021, the anime also appeared for the last time for the first season on June 27 with its special episode. It is also licensed by Crunchyroll and gained viewers worldwide thanks to this. Now, fans of the anime are looking forward to a second season.
What is the plotline of the anime?
After years of domination on the battlefield by the drones of the Giadian Empire, the Republic of San Magnolia, through patient and meticulous research, has finally succeeded in developing its own autonomous drones. The republican government claims the war is no longer one-sided but a bloodless struggle between technologically advanced societies and armies of drones and machines.
On the other hand, the government’s propaganda aims to cover up the dark reality of the autonomous units. In the Republic of San Magnolia, the racist government of Alba long persecuted the Colorata minority. They are referred to as the 86s and are rumored to be forced to pilot unmanned drones in a terrible war against the Giadian Empire. When Major Vladilena “Lena” Mirizé leads an elite unit of 86 veterans, she learns of their oppression and sympathizes with them.
Faced with years of propaganda-defying truth, Lena’s frustration about the greatness of the Republic is swift, and her life changes dramatically. Unfortunately, being an Alban means it will be difficult for Lena to find the support of the Colorata minority. Even if she manages to win the oppressed hearts, how will Lena stop the persecution of the racist Alba government?
Will there be a second season of 86 (Eighty-Six)?
The first season of the anime was aired in two parts. The 11-episode first part of the first season, consisting of 23 episodes in total, was broadcast between April 11, 2021 – June 20, 2021, and the second part was broadcast between October 3, 2021 – March 19, 2022. Although some sources or streaming platforms titled the second part of 86 as a new season, the first 23 episodes were ordered together and the season was already split. Therefore, the audience did not wait for many years for a second part of the 86 anime.
However, this wait may be longer for the 2nd season because there is no renewal yet. As of September 4, 2022, at the time of writing, Studio A-1 Pictures, light novel publisher ASCII Media Works, or any anime-related company has yet to renew the anime for a second season. Although there is no official statement about the second season of anime 86, it is possible to make some predictions about whether the anime will have a new season. The light novel source material availability, popularity, reviews, and financial issues such as disc sales and exclusive distributors determine whether the anime will have a new season. So, under these main factors, does it look like anime can have a new season? Let’s see together.
Light novel
The light novel, the original of the series, is written by Asato Asato and illustrated by Shirabii. The series, which ASCII Media Works has published since February 10, 2017, has reached 11 volumes today and has not made a final yet. The 12th volume of the series will be published on November 10, 2022. A short part of the light novel was only adapted for the anime’s first season, and there is plenty of stock material for the new seasons. The 23 episodes aired in the anime’s first season only cover the first 3 volumes of the light novel series. We can say that The Republic of San Magnolia Arc and The Empire of Giad Arc have been adapted.
It’s always good that light novels or manga that animes are adapted from are ongoing to be published. Because the advertising work for the ongoing series continues at full speed. Since a new anime season will increase manga and light novel popularity and sales, we can say that this situation increases the possibility of a second season as well.
Popularity
Popularity is the most important thing for an anime. When we look at the Twitter account of the anime, we see that 138k people follow. We can say that it is really good for an anime. In a simple comparison, How Not to Summon a Demon Lord is followed by 45k people, and its new season has been released recently. Eighty-six ranks 333th in Myanimelist’s popularity rankings, and we are sure this ranking will increase in the coming months.
Even though it’s considered a tradition now, anime still sells BluRay and DVDs. With the increasing trend towards online streaming platforms, disc sales have dropped considerably in recent years. However, disc sales figures are still good data since it is a financial income and to compare with other anime that released disc sales in the same period. The 1st and 2nd part’s disc sales were made in two different seasons. Both parts’ sales figures are similar. When we look at the general average, we see that it sold 2091 units on volumes’ average. Although this sales figure is acceptable considering the decrease in disc sales in recent years, it is still below average.
| 86: Eighty-Six | Vol.1 | 1.754 |
| 86: Eighty-Six | Vol.2 | 1.820 |
| 86: Eighty-Six | Vol.3 | 1.849 |
| 86: Eighty-Six | Vol.4 | 2.186 |
| 86: Eighty-Six Part 2 | Vol.1 | 1.968 |
| 86: Eighty-Six Part 2 | Vol.2 | 1.906 |
| 86: Eighty-Six Part 2 | Vol.3 | 1.929 |
| 86: Eighty-Six Part 2 | Vol.4 | 3.312 |
The anime is currently not licensed by a major exclusive distributor (like Netflix, or Amazon) and has no side products (Smartphone games, live-action movies).
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When is the 86 -Eighty Six- Season 2?
A second season of the anime has not yet been renewed. However, as a result of the speculation we made above, we are quite hopeful for a new season. The ongoing light novel series has enough source material to adapt and there is enough popularity. However, there was no apparent success in disc sales, and the anime doesn’t have a major exclusive distributor yet such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon. Although we have some concerns, the thought that popularity will bring a new season is heavier. When we consider the renewal and production time for a new season, we can say that the 2nd season can be broadcast in 2023 – 2024. But for now, it’s just speculation. Stay tuned for official information.