Forum - View topic

EP. REVIEW: 86

(This is the only time I've ever asked to cover a seasonal anime for ANN weekly reviews).

Episode 2 has pulled away from some of my earlier concerns.

I had the exact opposite impression, though Episode 2 was quite enjoyable. The lecture that Lena gives was the exact kind of Light Novel info dump I was hoping wouldn't happen, and the entire scene felt less like Lena expressing her views and more like the Author making sure the audience knows this background.

I had the exact opposite impression, though Episode 2 was quite enjoyable. The lecture that Lena gives was the exact kind of Light Novel info dump I was hoping wouldn't happen, and the entire scene felt less like Lena expressing her views and more like the Author making sure the audience knows this background.

Further, I have A LOT of questions about the logistics of the show that I'm not super confident the show will explain. Why doesn't the 86 rebel or just leave? They're apparently autonomous and from episode 1 the Military seems to be a cushy office job with day drinking in the other 85 districts. Are there literally no other countries in the world that would take them in or they could persuade to intervene?

Why are they so sure the war will end in 2 years? The info is "The Empire appears to have been destroyed so all the robots will stop after their life expectancy of 6 years" but is there any evidence of that? Maybe the Empire just stopped communicating. Maybe the robots have developed autonomous factories. It seems like a very big thing to just hand wave.

Why is Lena literally the only person to question the 86's status? I realize propaganda and mob mentality can sway a populous, but so far literally only Lena has shown any sympathy and that seems... unrealistic? Considering these internment camps apparently started only 9 years ago the majority of people alive would have known and probably had some connections with the people who are now the 86. And since Lena is so adamant about her beliefs, what made her that way? Was there some formative moment for her or is she just the only one with a conscious?

Further, I have A LOT of questions about the logistics of the show that I'm not super confident the show will explain. Why doesn't the 86 rebel or just leave? They're apparently autonomous and from episode 1 the Military seems to be a cushy office job with day drinking in the other 85 districts. Are there literally no other countries in the world that would take them in or they could persuade to intervene?

Why are they so sure the war will end in 2 years? The info is "The Empire appears to have been destroyed so all the robots will stop after their life expectancy of 6 years" but is there any evidence of that? Maybe the Empire just stopped communicating. Maybe the robots have developed autonomous factories. It seems like a very big thing to just hand wave.

Why is Lena literally the only person to question the 86's status? I realize propaganda and mob mentality can sway a populous, but so far literally only Lena has shown any sympathy and that seems... unrealistic? Considering these internment camps apparently started only 9 years ago the majority of people alive would have known and probably had some connections with the people who are now the 86. And since Lena is so adamant about her beliefs, what made her that way? Was there some formative moment for her or is she just the only one with a conscious?

That's actually an anime-original scene used to summarize some information doled out more piecemeal in the novel.

As you should see eventually, there are other Alba who are sympathetic to the 86s, but most of the populace of San Magnolia has clearly bought into government propaganda. If the government played onto existing, deep-seeded distrust of minorities (who are also immigrants, BTW), being able to foster this kind of attitude even in only a few years' time is hardly unrealistic; you only need look at Nazi Germany for a real-world parallel. (And yes, the author implies in the first novel's Afterword that the parallel is intentional.) Add on that the populace was desperate for a scapegoat when the military situation during the initial invasion turned south and you have a very ugly recipe for persecution.

They're still very much dependent on the 85 districts as much of their materials and supplies are still manufactured in facilities there. Synthetic food rations are manufactured at their external depots, but the power facilities are also all located within the walled 85 districts.

spoiler[ The military leadership has long range artillery, and while supposedly defensive in nature, it's used more as a gun to hold the 86 as hostages and will be used to suppress revolts if they were to happen.

Since the start of the conflict they have been cut off from all neighboring countries and are surrounded on all sides by Legion forces. With no way of communications and no way to scout beyond their current frontlines, it is unknown if any other countries even still exist beyond their own. ] ]

Yes, the parallel's aren't exactly subtle. I'm aware that the series is referencing Nazi Germany. But even in Germany there were dissidents and people who were coerced to join the party but weren't ardent supporters of their ideas. Everybody so far seems to truly believe in the inferiority of the 86, and the Republic doesn't exactly seem like an Autocracy crushing dissent. A simple "I have an Uncle in high places" shouldn't have gotten Lena off the hook for that speech if it was a Nazi like police state.

This show reminds me a lot of Code Geass: Akito the Exiled.

I suppose imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, since it sure doesn't seem like a coincidence.

All the same, they'll likely have a lot more time to develop the story since the LNs are ongoing.

Electric Wooloo wrote:

Yes, the parallel's aren't exactly subtle. I'm aware that the series is referencing Nazi Germany. But even in Germany there were dissidents and people who were coerced to join the party but weren't ardent supporters of their ideas. Everybody so far seems to truly believe in the inferiority of the 86, and the Republic doesn't exactly seem like an Autocracy crushing dissent. A simple "I have an Uncle in high places" shouldn't have gotten Lena off the hook for that speech if it was a Nazi like police state.

That's the one major aspect of the show's setting that I'm questioning the most so far; how much of a secret are the 86's? From what the show establishes up until that point, you'd think that a high ranking official like here pulling such a stunt would be grounds to have her at the very least discharged from service if not far worse, but instead it's basically treated as just a small offense that she could easily weasel her way out of consequence for. If the government really wants to keep the fact that the 86 are human a secret then I'd expect for the punishment to be far harsher.

(And that's not even getting into the fact that the 86th district is apparently only 9 years old, so how, even with propaganda, the majority of people seems to not know/remember the existence of non-Alba humans in such a short time is anyone's guess...I swear, if it's brainwashing I-)

This is very disappointing to be honest. Boiling it down to a post apocalypse ethno-state with no other Civilizations simplifies the narrative, but really limits the world building.