86 -Eighty Six- [Licensed By Yen Press]

Aruseus493

86
86 -eightysix-
86―エイティシックス―

Publisher: Dengeki Bunko (ASCII Media Works)
Author: Asato Asato
Illustrator: Shirabi (Illustrator for Myriad Colors Phantom World, Ryuuou no Oshigoto!, etc.)

Synopsis:

This is a war series. When an Empire declares war, they send out autonomous robots to invade the surrounding countries. They have become known as Legion. The Republic of San Magnolia responded not by coming together as a country, but by stripping the rights of any non-pure-blooded citizen and putting them on the front lines. Those that have lost their basic human rights have been labelled as Eighty Sixers to signify the those outside of the 85 districts that make up the remaining republic. Our first protagonist is Lena, a handler living in the central district whose job is to direct the soldiers beneath her to fight off the waves of Legion. The second protagonist is Shin, a soldier leading the squad beneath Lena that goes by the callsign Undertaker. One is a soldier who has become a legend of his own while the other is a handler that seeks to keep her troops alive at all cost. The story really shows the two sides of their world and does a great job of having a politically dramatic series in the midst of war as Lena has to deal with an unruly squad while learning more about her own country.

Why:

This is an absolutely terrific war series that explores how a country has lost its humanity out of fear of an unbeatable enemy. Lena the first protagonist has to come to terms with how San Magnolia has treated the soldiers that aren't even regarded as war causalities when they die. Especially since her newest squad isn't quite friendly towards their handlers. Shin, the leader of the squad under Lena, has his own drive which keeps him fighting despite being treated poorly. It's an absolutely amazing story of war and humanity. The setting features mech battles, political conflict, and tragedy.

Volume 1 Amazing Cover

The cover for this is one of my favorite for LN series in general because of the composition. We have two contrasting protagonists in which a first glance will show them appearing opposed to each other. Further inspection reveals a lot more though. Shin located on the left is holding his hand as if holding a gun as which is a display of his goal in the story. It's not pointed at Lena though. Lena on the other hand is crying while extending her hand out as if to offer aid, yet it is missing Shin. The protagonists are back to back, yet looking in each others' directions which shows a major difference in perspective. Lena is backed in a clean uniform holding a clipboard with a blue/white background to show off her pure-blood position. Shin is in military fatigues with scars on his face with a red/brown backdrop to show his background of being directly in the war to protect the country that pretends to still be pure.

Overall, I'm absolutely sure this series will earn itself an anime adaptation some day and I'd love for the series to be licensed by J-Novel Club despite the publisher restrictions.

Drone205

This is one that I have been wanting to get ever since I first heard of it, you got my up-vote!

Hyperion

Yes, we need more military/war light novels in English. I've been wanting this one in particular since I saw it on Kono Light Novel ga Sagoi. You have my vote.

DeiLight

How many people here have read it before? I'd be interested to hear some comments.

If I'm allowed to throw in my worthless two cents, I'd say...
It's got its ups and downs and there's just the slightest bit of a pacing quagmire in the middle before the ramp to the climax, I think. Also, the way the discrimination is presented might be a tad heavy-handed, but nevertheless, it's one heck of a solid read. I mean, it wasn't the grand prize winner of the 23rd dengeki novel-writing competition for nothing. In fact, that's why I picked it up in the first place. People say all sorts of things about how novels that win awards are in no way guaranteed to be novels worth reading, and they're right to a certain degree, but if I was going to blindly pick a novel to read, an award-winning one is probably a far safer bet than throwing a dart at a bookshelf in a store. So yeah.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it's certainly -far- grittier than most of JNC's line up. Hell, it's grittier than most of the LN world in general. Perhaps a good change of pace if licensing is possible.

Funny tidbit: the series credits on the cover includes an author, an illustrator, and a mecha designer.

A MECHA DESIGNER.

Aruseus493

@deilight I've read the first volume and posted a discussion on it on /r/LightNovels immediately after. Some scenes were really just full of hype for me as they happened. I'd definitely agree there were some aspects that bothered me about the pacing in how I wanted a bit more content at times, but overall, I loved it.

Vasquez14

I recently came across this a few days ago, and from what I've been able to figure out about it so far it sounds really interesting. The whole contrasting viewpoints of protagonists isn't something you see every day, and these war-time-like stories always get a latch onto my curiosity. It'd be really awesome if J-Novel Club could get licensing for an English release. The author seems to be relatively new to the LN market too, I would definitely like to support them if having an English release would be able to do so.

Aruseus493

Just finished reading volume 2 which has been fan-translated and posted a discussion for it on /r/LightNovels. Fucking hell, it was a great volume. Please Sam, steal Ping's work and license the series. I know there's his curse about all his stuff getting licensed if I remember correctly.

Teh_ping

@aruseus493 ......Seriously?

Also, just for fun https://imgur.com/a/95JmtBP

paulnamida

@teh_ping is this real?? Thanks for your hard work over the years, I really admire you.

Seriously, if Ping actually joins JNC I'd have to start an actual cult ~~what do you mean we're a cult already?~~

Aruseus493

@teh_ping Hi Ping. o/

shrike_al

Wow. There's a legend in our forums. :O

EDCX32

I just finished Vol. 2. THIS IS F%$&ING AWESOME. I am sure it'll get licensed sooner or later; I just hope J-Novel picks it. I know its early but I wish it gets an Anime someday.