Light Novel Series '86' Gets TV Anime Adaptation [Update 3/22]

A television anime adaptation of Asato Asato's sci-fi action light novel series 86 (Eighty Six) was announced during a livestream event commemorating the first year anniversary of Kadokawa's light novel recommendation website Kimirano on Sunday.

Synopsis
The Republic of San Magnolia.

For a long time, this country has been besieged by its neighbor, the Giadian Empire, which created a series of unmanned drones called the Legion. After years of painstaking research, the Republic finally developed autonomous drones of their own, turning the one-sided struggle into a war without casualties—or at least, that's what the government claims.

In truth, there is no such thing as a bloodless war. Beyond the fortified walls protecting the eighty-five Republic territories lies the "nonexistent" Eighty-Sixth Sector. The young men and women of this forsaken land are branded the Eighty-Six and, stripped of their humanity, pilot the "unmanned" weapons into battle...

Shinn directs the actions of a detachment of young Eighty-Sixers while on the battlefield. Lena is a "handler" who commands the detachment from the remote rear with the help of special communication.

The farewell story of the severe and sad struggle of these two begins! (Source: MU, Yen Press; edited)

Dengeki Bunko began printing the military-themed novel series in February 2017. The beginning section of each volume and side stories are serialized in Dengeki Bunko Magazine. The imprint also publishes the side stories on the Kakuyomu website.

Shirabi (Musaigen no Phantom World, Ryuuou no Oshigoto!) is drawing the illustrations, with I-IV (Aldnoah.Zero, Re:Creators) credited for mechanical design. Kadokawa shipped the seventh volume on September 10 last year, with the eighth volume scheduled for release in May. 86 has a cumulative 750,000 copies of its volumes in circulation.

A manga adaptation by Motoki Yoshihara has been serialized in Young Gangan since February 2018. Square Enix published the second compiled volume last year on September 10. Suzume Somemiya is launching a new manga adaptation titled Gakuen 86 (Academy 86) in Monthly Comic Alive magazine.

Yen Press licensed the light novel in English in July 2018 and published the third volume on November 19. The fourth volume is scheduled for a March 31 release. The novel has also been localized in Mandarin by Kadokawa Taiwan and in Korean by Yeongsang Chulpan Media.

86 won the Grand Prize at the 23rd Dengeki Novel Awards in 2016 and placed second and fifth in the 2018 and 2019 editions of Takarajimasha's Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! Rankings, respectively.

Novel special site: http://dengekitaisho.jp/special/23/eighty-six/

Source: Dengeki Online


Update March 22
Main staff, cast, the first key visual (pictured), and an announcement promo for the television anime were revealed at the Aniplex 48-Hour TV livestream event on Sunday. The company simultaneously opened an official website. The television anime will air in 2020.

Shouya Chiba (Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e (TV)) is playing the male lead Shinei Nouzen. Ikumi Hasegawa (shi ga Budoukan Ittekuretara Shinu) is voicing the female lead Vladilena Mirizé.

Staff
Director: Toshimasa Ishii (Nanatsu no Taizai, Boku dake ga Inai Machi episode director)
Series Composition: Toshiya Oono (Houseki no Kuni (TV), Yakusoku no Neverland)
Character Design: Tetsuya Kawakami (Gakusen Toshi Asterisk, Demi-chan wa Kataritai)
Studio: A-1 Pictures

Announcement

Note: This video is region-locked; click here for an alternative link.

Official site: https://anime-86.com/
Official Twitter: @anime_eightysix

Source: PR Times

86 on MAL