Does anyone else feel like this season was a lot worse than season 1

drooliv said:
i disagree.

i think what makes 86 truly shine is their cast of characters, especially the main duo.

while that doesn't excuse for a lack of a cohesive story, (which i agree that the story got worse) i just think you're focusing on the wrong thing.

ItsLeviOsa said:
I agree. S1 was fantastic, where S2 was just ok imo. I felt like the quality of the story went down and turned into a basic shounen with basic villans.

Cudlyyy said:
I don't understand how I am focusing on the wrong thing here the sudden shift in story just doesn't do it  for me

BitChilly said:
I disagree with this, part 2 has a different focus compared to part 1. Part 2 is more focused on our characters, namely Shin as he struggles to find a purpose to continue fighting.

The Special Recon Mission they took in the end was an act by the Republic to kill off the remaining veterans but it didn't, they survived because they were rescued by the Federacy (More details are shown in volume 2). The part where you mention the random army, they enlisted into the Officers program because the group didn't feel satisfied living in peace inside the Federacy and chose to enlist due to their pride being what is left for them.
Also worldbuilding, showing that there's other countries beyond the Republic. It sets the stage for future volumes in the LN as the war progresses and develops for both the Legion and Humanity.

This is just my personal opinion though, you can disagree or agree with whatever I said.

Cudlyyy said:
I understand to me it just didn't make sense how they almost died then all of a sudden are fine and they go to fight for a new army. I know this move is a set up for future volumes but those future don't really need to happen since the end of part 1 would've been a good conclusion to the light novel and or anime. Just my opinion on it.

ItsLeviOsa said:
I agree. S1 was fantastic, where S2 was just ok imo. I felt like the quality of the story went down and turned into a basic shounen with basic villans.

Cudlyyy said:
So I recently finished 86 and I am just wondering if I am the only one who isn't a big fan of season 2. Like to me season 2 really just came out of nowhere they were supposed to die then they are suddenly fighting for a random army. If the show was an anime original I feel like it should've ended after season 1.

This is just my opinion I am hoping to see other peoples opinion on this

Moriarty1940 said:
I agree

and

Disagree with you

I liked season 2 from season 1 because it wasn't so overly dramatic and had more hope and some light comedy vibes. And of course happy ending.

But I can't stand it the fact that Lena appears so little in this season.

Hardly appears in 3-4 episodes. The whole season is so focused on the 5 remaining characters it's nerve wracking, we wanted it more to show her God Damnit.

Hitagi__Furude said:
I think Major Kita's absence is much more of the reason why some people rated this season lower than the 1st!!!

It actually explores the world outside San Magnolia which this show kinda lacks worldbuilding at that point of the story!!!

Not to mention,

It helps the Survey Corps character developments on how they transition to normal citizens & how it affects their motivations & the things they want to do when theyre out of the battlefield!!!

& it also improves their interactions on normal people!!!

Its a really good change of pace for their character to develop!!!

I get why they are supposed to die but at the time the LN was new,

It was actually so popular that it made it to the Kono Light Novel Sugoi charts so..

ItsLeviOsa said:
I agree. S1 was fantastic, where S2 was just ok imo. I felt like the quality of the story went down and turned into a basic shounen with basic villans.

RobertsahDHDA said:
This take always confuses me. Season 1 was generic mecha war show bro. I did not give a single shit to anyone who died until the last episode because they actually took the time to develop the characters a bit near the middle.

And season 2 took that shit and RAN with it. So much characterization, so much world building (holy shit, the empire being the only survivors was a lie all along?! the legion are actually sentient?!? holy shit, all out fucking war from like 4 fronts...), and just much better action scenes really.

Honestly think its just coomers being coomers cus the biggest difference between the 2 seasons was little Lena screentime, and it really really feels like thats the main argument. Ya'll need boobs in your anime all the time to pay attention or something.

ZaddyShaxx said:
I really enjoyed the second cour. However, I do feel as though it was weaker than the first. Missing out on Shin and Lena’s interactions hurt the cour but did make for a more emotional finale. I found the pacing to be slower in the earlier part of the cour (Eps 13-15) but it did pick up story wise as it went on. And Rei was a far more compelling villain and character than Kiriya was. I was torn up by Rei’s death but didn’t feel a thing when Kiriya was put down.

Overall I found them to be rather similar in quality but the first cour had a far more compelling antagonist.

(If it’s any consolation, volumes 2 and 3 which were adapted in the second cour are considered to be the weakest in the series since the author wrote the reunion in Ep 23 as an epilogue to Volume 1 which was originally a standalone story. Its success garnered sequels but she was cornered in to the ending. It’s all uphill from here.)

AkatsukiNoMaika said:

I'm reading the light novels, and without spoiling anything, it's because part 2 is kinda an introduction to what's coming after. It's far from being over. The goal of the story is still to get rid of the Legion.

So I get why you feel that way, but if ever they adapt the rest, you'll understand why.

Cudlyyy said:
First are you saying that 86 was supposed to end at episode 11 but it was too popular so it continued.