So it finally ended… how long has it been now? About 6 months I think? 86 Season 2 made us wait a long time man… a very long time. But, as I always say, better late than never. And you know what’s funny? I was pretty pissed about having to wait so long for episodes 11 and 12. But my anger melted away the instant I saw episode 11. Episode 12 was good but episode 11 was just something else. It was worth the wait.
So welcome back to another review. This time we are doing a final review for 86 Season 2. I did one before the anime went on the break too but, it is pretty outdated now IMO so please stick with this one. In short, though, the last 2 episodes made me fall in love with the series again because of how well they were paced and directed. As for the long answer, well here it is.
Very mild spoilers ahead. Nothing too substantial; don’t worry.
Plot
86 Season 2 picks up where season 1 left off. It focuses more on Shin’s group. Lena only appears in like a few episodes and here and there in Shin’s flashbacks. The plot pacing is a bit slower than season 1 but, this season was more for character development and this arc is meant as a bridge between the first and the third arcs anyway.
86 Season 2 is driven by a lot of character development. Nothing too important happens in terms of the plot (except a huge event that occurs in the background). That does not mean however that this season is short of plot twists; there are plenty of them. Don’t worry. I appreciate how the series slowed things down to give some closure to Shin’s character. This will become very important moving into the next arc.
Characters
This is where 86 Season 2 really shines. Shin’s character development throughout this season is just insane. He lost his reason to live after season 1 and season 2 sees his search for another reason to live while experiencing all kinds of shit. He is finally brought to his senses by none other than Lena herself. Speaking of, my girl Lena has grown into a complete badass ever since the end of season 1. The difference is immediately noticeable when you see her in the first episode.
As I said though, I really appreciate how things slowed down a bit to provide Shin with some closure and I love how much Lena has grown. And on a side note, Lena’s VA nailed the performance really well; her voice and tone changes are really fitting for Lena.
Animations and Soundtracks
What do I say to this? I was honestly mad at A1 Pictures for all the delays and then watched that scene in episode 11. That scene was so well directed and animated that some random ninjas started chopping onions in my room. I rewatched the anime as a whole and A1 Pictures has done a fantastic job on it. Especially on 86 Season 2 man, they have directed all the flashback and important scenes for Shin so freaking well.
Double thumbs up to A1 Pictures for nailing the animations, soundtrack, and the direction of 86 Season 2. Job well-done guys, it was well worth the wait. Thank you.
Conclusion
Well, here are my final scores for 86 Season 2:
- Plot – 7/10
- Characters – 9/10
- Animations – 9/10
- Soundtracks – 9/10
- Enjoyment – 9/10
- Episode 11 (& Lena) – 10/10
- Overall – 9/10
Well, that is all for now. Let me know what you think in the comments. We are covering a lot of Spring 2022 stuff on our website recently so be sure to check that out if you are interested. With that said, I will take my leave here. Have another test tomorrow, need to study a bit. See ya!
