Review: 86--EIGHTY-SIX, Vol. 1 (light novel) by Asato Asato

What would a war with no humans look like? Depends on how you define “human.”

If something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is too good to be true. The Republic of San Magnolia has been locked in a war for nine years with the mechanical Legion – drones that fought for the destroyed Giadan Empire. In order to counteract this threat the Alba, the majority race in San Magnolia, created their own drones: the Juggernauts. They did this after they banished the Colorata, races who were non-Alba (that is, they didn’t have the silver hair or eyes of the Alba race) to the 86^th Sector as traitors to the Republic. But don’t worry, everything is fine….

Only one young woman, promoted to Major despite her tender age, knows the propaganda is a lie. The Juggernauts are not drones. They are spider-type mechs designed to be piloted by the Colorata of the 86^th Sector who are known only as “processors” or, more colloquially, the 86.

The Story

Major Vladilena “Lena” Milize is a Handler, a member of the Republic military who commands the Juggernauts in battle against the Legion. Her position is only one reason why she knows that the mechs are piloted by teens about her own age or younger. These pilots are known by numbers or, more infrequently, by earned names. For an Eighty-Six to be a “Name-Bearer,” that is, someone with a call sign, means he or she has lived and fought well enough to survive where most other Eighty-Six fall.

Reassigned to the handle the Spearhead Squadron, an elite unit of Name-Bearers, Lena makes contact with their leader, who bears the “Personal Name” of Undertaker. Also known as the Reaper among the other 86, his real name is Shinei “Shin” Nouzen, and he is the captain of the squadron. Shin and the rest of the squadron tolerate Lena’s nightly calls to talk to them, but they know something she does not: no Eighty-Six ever survives the battlefield. They either die in the 86^th Sector or fighting the Legion. Her words and kindnesses make her feel better but ultimately mean nothing.

This matter comes to a head when Lena learns she has bought into some of the propaganda – specifically the part that says the 86 can earn their citizenship back by fighting in the war. In fact, they cannot, which means all her pretty promises of victory and attempts at kindness have been nothing but patronizing, empty words.

Ashamed of her earlier behavior, Lena starts trying to be a better person as a result of this revelation, surprising all of Spearhead. But none are more surprised than Shin, who turns out to have a very personal connection to Lena. When she was much younger, Lena’s father took her to view the battlefield. He was killed but she survived thanks to the help of a young man named Shourei “Rei” Nouzen: Shin’s older brother, who died sometime later.

But that does not mean he is at rest. The Legion are more than drones and many ghosts haunt the battlefield. One in particular holds sway in the eastern front…

...and he and Shin have a date with destiny.

The Characters

All of the characters are well-drawn; the book could easily be used to teach character writing in schools, as the skill Asato employs in presenting her protagonists and antagonists is superb. Lena shines as a naive, kind young woman who has to learn to put her money where her mouth is the hard way. Meanwhile, Shin’s curt coldness hides a little boy’s heart frozen in pain, with his mind on the very brink of insanity as a result. The rest of Spearhead Squadron come through as highly individualized characters, but many do not survive this massacre masquerading as a war.

Other Alba who lack Lena’s drive also receive vivid characterization, though much of it is far less flattering than the heroine’s, for obvious reasons. Her determinedly despairing “uncle,” a friend of her father’s, makes a particularly poignant impact as he tries to lure her to his position of hopelessness. It makes him all the more memorable, albeit not in a positive way.

The World

The world is bleak, given the setting is a corrupt republic sending millions of people to their death just based on their skin color. Alba citizens can pretend the war is far away as long as the 86 are fighting and dying but the truth is that their nation is already dead. The bright front they put on hides a death’s head and only a few are willing to admit that inside the safe zones. It gets bleaker still when the Legion’s deadly secret is revealed, making this one of the scarier dystopias written in recent memory.

Yet even with all that, there is hope. Faint hope, perhaps, but it is there. The finale of the book hints at the hope only explored later in the series.

Politics

No politics are present that do not relate to the story.

Content Warning

Beheading, death, dismemberment, brain scans being taken from the dead or dying, sexual exploitation, slavery, organ harvesting, and human experimentation are just some of the gruesome things discussed in this book. There are also moments such as peeking in at the girls while they’re bathing or contacting a guy while he is in the shower, though these are far more lighthearted than the rest of the novel and help break up the otherwise bleak tone. It is not for little children, and you may have to talk to your teen before, after, or while they read the light novel.

Who is it for?

Anyone who likes dystopias and wants a realistic one to chew on will want this book, while those looking at the next generation of human warfare will find value in it as well. Romance lovers who enjoyed The Hunger Games will find this light novel will scratch the same itch, though in a far different manner than Collins’ trilogy did. Those who like anime or who watched the 86 – Eighty-Six anime will want to give it a try, too. History buffs will find the book hits the spot, and if one wants a novel to start conversations about true history with their teen or college age child, 86 – Eighty-Six should do the trick. Readers of horror will definitely want to get their hands on this book, as it has plenty of horror to spare!

Why buy it?

It is a good story with a happy ending after all the trauma and horror. The love story at the center keeps things from getting too dark and the series is thought-provoking while being entertaining. Why not buy it and give it a read?