86: Eighty Six “Will You Remember Me?” Review

86: Eighty Six “Will You Remember Me?” is the seventh episode of the 86 anime. Continuing on with the festival that was hinted at in episode 6 Lena and the others decide to hold their own festival. And Lena finally learns the truth of 86.

Plot

Being encouraged by the military leader to make an appearance at the festival Lena decides to go. Not before she’s shown making plans for 86 to have fireworks sent to them though. So they can have their own festival. During civilian life we see what being with the 86 is doing to Lena mentally, whilst everyone is going about their day and living the life of luxury she’s having PTSD-like triggers. She can now imagine every painful thing that’s happened to her now friends and it’s weighing on her. Still, she refuses to give up on them.

Anju and Kurena have a chat in the showers, discussing whether they should tell Lena the secret of the 86. They finally decide that they should and wait until they have a quiet day. That quiet day comes and they finally reveal what was hinted at all along. 86 are not there to fight at all. They’re just sent there to die on the front lines with the 5 years of service being a lie. The Republic know. They planned it. They’d never let those who aren’t Alba into the country.

Lena’s reaction is very minimal. She’s shocked and can’t say much. I expect to hear more about how she really feels about it all next episode and I hope she starts to realise just how deep this all goes.

Review

This was a great episode despite the fact that it basically just confirmed what most already guessed or even knew. The build up to it was extraordinary by also taking into account the other episodes it becomes clear why certain characters were the way they were.

The scene with Lena in the city where the shots deliberately show normal things, like a boy falling over and being taken care of by his mother and a man cutting into premium steak. Whilst having the voice Lena’s talking to go into the grizzly details of what they’ve had to witness as 86. That scene will live with me for a while. It left no room for grey areas or arguments, Lena will never understand as long as she stays in that bubble. She can empathise but never understand. How long until she gets sick of being surrounded by lies and leaves the bubble? Only time will tell but it seems to be building up to it.

I am on tenterhooks until episode 8!