English Dub Review: 86 EIGHTY-SIX: “Glad to Be Here”

Overview: Shinei (Billy Kametz) and the 86 reunite with an old friend he long thought had passed away. 

Our Take: Even in Giad, Shinei and the 86 can not seem to catch a break. Even with their amazing escape from their captors, the team’s tragic and traumatizing past in San Magnolia still presents itself as an imprisonment to an extent in how Shinei is, in how alienated he is from other officers. This is all despite his heroic actions that prove to save the lives of another federacy soldier, and that of his friend Eugene. With another fun constant being Shin’s recklessness despite his ironic battle sense that is a defining part of his style and charm. 

The moments of joy Spearhead is able to get often feel all the more satisfying due to their constant struggle with life and death. While Shin was merely being assigned to Lt. Colonel Grethe Wenzel with his trusted family at his side would have been more than enough graciousness, especially in their line of work. However, the added surprise of Fido surviving the legion attack being alive and now stronger than ever before feels like the first silver lining that the gang has been long overdue for. Especially Shin in how much they cared for each other and seeing the moments where he is genuinely happy and not just trying to be. 

Frederica’s role as the victory goddess in the war highlights just how sick and twisted even certain ways of Giad still are, despite their democratic and just society differing heavily from the Republic, in her essentially being a hostage for the squads. The circumstances Giad finds itself in continues to become even more dire when taken into consideration the amount of casualties that outweigh the legion’s, painting their struggle of the being the losing side The one shred of decency in it all is Eugene and Frederica shared grief about Shin’s habits and behavior, making their initial chemistry a cute comedic joy to watch and what could have been a great friendship. Eugene’s brutal death woven in with his tragic regrets for his sister plaguing him. Like previous deaths before his, the show is not afraid to show the real graphic cruelty that comes with war but also, ironically, does not glorify it with subtle cutaways and shots that focus on Eugene’s emotional state before Shin puts him down. Shin has suffered countless friends and comrades dying. This time around though, with Eugene’s death, it makes it a tad more personal in a reminder of what the war with the machines does to Shin and why he moves forward in an exceptional return to the battlefield.