86: Eighty Six “Shin” Review
86: Eighty Six “Shin” is the twenty-second episode of the eighty six anime. Following the massive and decisive battle between Shin and Kiriya in episode 21. This episode takes a well needed step back and breath before dumping the biggest thing all fans have been waiting for: Shin and Lena meeting. However, things aren’t quite as everyone would want, their meet is interrupted and Lena spends the whole time talking to Shin without knowing it’s him and with the assumption that everyone else is dead.
Handler One
Shin goes through the motions to begin with and the episode clearly plays with the idea of scaring the audience into thinking he’ll finally die. With this being the penultimate episode it’s not exactly out of the realms of possibility. However Shin wakes up and the show pulls the rug from beneath everyone by making it look like Frederica approaching him when it’s revealed to be Lena. The most fantastically directed dialogue happens between the two with them not knowing who the other is until Lena reveals her name. Once again the episode plays with our emotions by making it look like Shin will open his pod and reveal himself but they’re attacked by Legion.
Lena stays in character the whole time and immediately takes responsibility for fighting off the new Legion and pleading with the injured Shin to come with her where he can be protected. It seems this entire episode should change it’s name to “gonna break your heart and stomp on it.” By revealing that we’ve all been mourning the rest of the 86 crew for no reason. Raiden, Anju, Kurena and Theo are all absolutely fine and end up having way too much fun making fun of Shin and his clear love for Lena. Hell even Grethe get’s in on the teasing.
This was an amazing episode made even better by how well the pacing was handled. The small amounts of humour and fun are sorely needed in such an emotion packed episode. The animation is absolutely stunning and the call backs to previous episodes in order to show how everyone has changed so much as people is extraordinary. Not a single line is wasted. The long wait for Eighty Six was so so worth it.
