English Dub Review: 86 EIGHTY-SIX: “It’s Too Late”

Overview: Shin (Billy Kametz), Emma (Maureen Price), Kurena (Erica Mendez), Raiden (Jonah Scott) and Theoto (Casey Mongillo) do their best to adapt to a new relaxing way of life. 

Our Take: Spearhead has been through the ringer and then some. All they have known is war and have little to no basis of what it’s like to live as a civilian due to their upbringing in the 86. It is how each of them adjust to this drastic more peaceful lifestyle change with their own personal tastes like Kurena’s shopping, Theoto’s drawing and Emma’s cooking classes, Raiden’s moving job and Shin’s bookstore perusing but still coming to the unanimous conclusion they all come to in the end that fortifies their strength as a team but also as individuals. 

There is a sense of aimlessness that is established that they are all stricken with, despite their luxury arrangements, showing just how ingrained the battlefield truly is in them, with the only thing exciting being anything having to do with the Federacy’s military. That especially goes for Shinei in how that is seemingly all he can think about with the effects of war having also taken a toll on his social skills with that, not to mention Emma’s analysis of him, spotlighting his dogged devotion to being a soldier, killing his brother and nothing else. 

Shin, Emma, Kurena, Raiden and Theoto’s decision to go back to the battlefield out of moral duty to not only those that have lost their lives before but to end the war as a whole is in line with their motivations in living by their own ideals and is an empowering moment for the group finally being free to choose their fate and especially when that choice is war once again when, like Ernst said, they’ve more than earned their spoils. With that being said, there’s also more to life than just war, so it’s also well founded in how they must think about their life after the conflict ends as well. 

What else is addressed is the giant elephant in the room that is Frederica. Despite her physical characteristics that resemble a little girl and her adolescent immature attitude to pair with it, she is shown to be an emotionally mature person with some well written scenes showcasing that in how she deeply understands the 86’s right to choose their own path and the hypocrite Ernst would deny them that freedom similarly to the San Magnolia. Revealed to be the empress of Giad and former leader of the legion, the 86’s hatred is firmly aimed towards the Republic but her honesty shows yet another strong characteristic of the little spitfire. Frederica asking for Shinei’s help with her knight, similar to what he did for his brother, makes for a great inspiring last moment before our young soldiers foray into the fight once again.