JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – 86: EIGHTY-SIX – PART II – MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS

86: Eighty-Six (Part 2)

Genre: War, Mecha, Romance

Studio: A-1 Pictures

IT’S ABOUT TIME!!! JERK!

Yep. It is about time.

Although I haven’t properly watched the first part, like I should, I have watched from episode 12 to 14, and some parts of today’s episode, and I think I have an idea of which are my impressions of 86: Eighty-six. Don’t get me wrong. I have watched some of the episodes of Part 1, but I did in a very messy way, so I have to rewatch them properly, and them make a proper review about it.

Nonetheless, I think I will agree in what many fans think is one of the best anime of 2021, and simply a worthy product from our beloved A-1 Pictures. But, most importantly…

How to say NO to two of the waifus of 2021.

Lena and Henrietta

But first, I have to assk you the typical questions:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy. Well, partially, because I am right now with a big headache, and I should be in bed, but I decided to write this review now, and then, go to bed. Hopefully I will be fine by tomorrow. Ok Henrietta?

She looks so excited!!

Anyway. Let’s go.

PREMISE

Based on the light novel series, written by Asato Asato, and illustrated by Shirabii, 86: Eighty-six (Part 2) adapts the second volume of the light novel.

After the events of episode 11 of the anime, the remaining members of the Spearhead Squadron, Shin, Raiden, Kureha, Theo and Anju arrived to the territory of the Federal Republic of Giad, where they meet with Ernst Zimmermann, their prime minister, who grants them citizenship, equal rights and a home; they also encounter Frederica Rosenfert, a young girl who is cared by Zimmermann. At the beginning, all of them seem to enjoy the civilian, peaceful life, however, none of them can forget the sacrifices of the rest of the Squadron, so they decide to go back to the battlefield, this time as officers of Giad, discovering that Frederica is Augusta Fredrich Adel-Adler, the last Empress of Giad, and that her blood grants the power of psychometry.

All of them depart for the battle, afterwards.

Meanwhile, in San Magnolia, Vladilena «Lena» Milizé is demoted from major to captain, but she still the best Handler of the 86 district, this time with an agent called Cyclops.

The first episode of Part II was released on October 3rd. This second cour has as opening, Boundary Line (or Kyokaisen for its Japanese words), performed by Amazarashi, while the new ending is called Alchemia, by Regal Lily.

STORY

Alright. I started saying the obvious. I really loved 86: Eighty-Six, Part II, and as of November 7, 2021, as much as as I have enjoyed Part I. I do not think it is possible to say, until now, which is be better, but I loved both equally.

86; Eighty-Six Part II has a lot of cool elements, but first I will start with the easy ones, you know, the ones that will not force me to write whole paragraphs. First and foremost, the animation – it is beautiful, but that does not surprise me, because we are talking about A-1 Pictures, who, after all the amazing curriculum that they have, we cannot expect any less from them, or from Cloverworks, especially 2021.

• 

• 

Both HoriMiya and Wonder Egg Priority are proof of that talent indeed.

Let’s not forget the character design, although this is more the merit of both the writer and the illustrator.

The soundtrack is beautiful too, well, one of the composers is Hiroyuki Sawano, from Seven Deadly Sins (also from A-1 Pictures until Wrath of the Gods). Also the designs of Legion and the rest of Mecha are fantastic.

Now let’s go deep into the other well-done stuff. This still represents my feelings.

The story has a good introduction. I mean, from the moment Shin and company arrived to the Federal Republic of Giad, the episodes shows solid backstory about the country, the military, the society, the characters, and how its citizens support the freedom of the Eighty-Six, and the immediate differences between Ernst’s humanitarian personality and Frederica’s childish antics, making a powerful contrast with San Magnolia. And then, the next episode, the feelings and inner conflict of the Spearhead are explored, taking its time to make both solid and convincing.

Not just a good rhythm, I would say a special care of which elements contribute to the development of story and characters.

Another element that I loved is to see Shin, Raiden, Anju, Theo and Kureha finally being treated with dignity.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Yes. I know that all return to the battlefield afterwards, but those minutes of the Spearhead Squadron living normal lives and treated as human beings are really heartwarming, especially after all the abuse, prejudice and loss they suffered thanks to San Magnolia. And let’s not forget the cuteness of Frederica and Shin together.

• 

• 

Also I give credit to Episode 13, from this sequence.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

From Raiden to Shin, all of them are backwards, and enjoying the daily life at Giad.

And this scene is very important, because it reflects the inner conflict the Spearhead Squadron is facing right now, because despite having freedom, the very thing all of them fought for, none of them can forget their fallen comrades, or where do they come from.

More importantly, from the arrival to Giad until the basic training as officers, there is a natural pacing throughout the episodes, allowing the viewer to relate with our main characters even more.

Because of that rhythm, and the beautiful world-building, you enjoy the action and the realism of war better (especially if you watch Part I).

Finally, we got the social commentary from Part I, profound and interesting to say the least. There is some violence, but it belongs to the context, and the feeling that, perhaps… I mean, perhaps. Part II will be darker.

Like I said, if you enjoy Part I, you will enjoy Part II.

CHARACTERS

By the time we reach Part II, we are already familiar with the characters. We know who is Shin, who is Anju, who is Kureha, who is Raiden, who is Theo, who is Lena and who is Annette; but since we saw how they behave in a civilian context, we see another part of their personalities, for a few minutes, but that’s good enough. Also the voice acting, at least in Japanese, is really good, you can tell that the actors already know their characters and how they will react.

But, I want to an honorable mention to…

For her voice, of course. Yes! Anju is a BEAUTY!!! Her code is the Snow Witch for a reason. But I love her more because she is voiced by one of the greatest seiyuu of history.

SAORI HAYAMI

Hail to you!!! Seiyuu Princess.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

I love your precious contribution to anime…

…that sadly, includes that filthy, treacherous «b&*ch», Rachel, from Tower of God.

Furthermore, we can agree that there a lot of memorable female characters from 86: Eighty-Six, a lot to choose for my Top Waifu list for 2021. Until then, all I can saw is…

And finally, we cannot forget the true star of the show. And not Lena, I am afraid…

I mean Frederica. She is a girl, and like I said, she does a lot of childish antics throughout Part II, but not to be point of being obnoxious… AND I LOVE HER.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Seriously. she is truly the perfect mascot. (And no. This isn’t me, that’s her position on the Nordlicht Squadron, according to myanimelist.com)

And… Let’s indulge ourselves with another gallery of her childish enthusiasm.

• 

• 

• 

ARRIBA FREDERICA! I will be very nice with you!!!

CONCLUSION

Indeed, 86: Eighty-Six Part II is as entertaining and solid as Part I. I already said what I needed to say, but if you enjoy Part I, you will definitely enjoy Part II.

Someday, I will review Part I, but even then, I have something very clear.

86: Eighty-Six is one of the best anime of 2021.

I know it is only Part II, but it is something. Hopefully Henrietta will be happy. Right Henrietta?

Oh. Ok.. Would you do some fanservice with Lena for me?

DROP DEAD!! SHUT UP AND GO GET MY MONEY!!!

JAINITUOS FILM REVIEWS – XMen: Dark Phoenix (Disappointing and forgettable)

«This is the way the world ends, not with a bang, but a whimper.»

T. S. Eliot

Hey Guys.

First and foremost, I want to apologise for not writing in almost three weeks, I have been very diligent, and recently I went back to film school, so there is a lot I need to take care of. But now, I have returned from that and I just saw one of the first movies of the summer blockbusters season of 2019.

And that movie is…

«X:MEN – DARK PHOENIX»

Yeah. I am well aware that the movie is officially called Dark Phoenix, but I prefer to include «X-men» in the title, so it will remind me how fantastic the original storyline is, and how precious and significant is for the comics in general.

Which is, sadly, more than what I can say about this movie.

Now, on to the review.

IS THIS HOW A FRANCHISE SHOULD END?

Literally, I just came back from the cinema after watching Dark Phoenix, and I could choose any other movie; we have interesting features (Godzilla; King of the Monsters, MIB International, Aladdin, Detective Pikachu, Secret Life of Pets II, etc.), however, since people keep talking bad about Dark Phoenix, some calling it the worst movie of the world, I decided to give money and see it by myself.

And personally… it makes me sad. This was a very disappointing way to end the X-Men film series, and the fact that next year we will see New Mutants (that’s the name of the movie) is irrelevant. This movie could have been better. Could have been bigger. It could have done what Avengers: Endgame did to the MCU’s Infinity Saga!

BUT IT DIDN’T!!!! THEY SCREWED UP BADLY!!!

But why am I exactly saying this? I think I can start by mentioning one of the biggest problems of Dark Phoenix, and that is…

THE SCRIPT

Let’s not forget that this movie was written… And directed… by Simon Kinberg, famous for writing the script of X-Men: The Last Stand, which was a really wretched and undeserving way to finish the storyline of X-Men and X2: Xmen United; and the reboot of Fantastic Four, from which I would say that is a disaster, and left deep wounds to the Fantastic Four what might take years to heal. And all of that is still an understatement. Furthermore, Dark Phoenix is his directorial debut, so I was very sceptic about everything.

But… what is exactly the plot? Set in 1992, almost ten years after X-men: Apocalypse, the X-men travel to space to save the space mission Endeavour from a strange phenomenon, with Jean Grey, played by Sophie Turner, making the greatest part. They succeed, but soon, Jean discovers that her powers have become bigger and more unstable, taking a toll on her and forcing her fellow X-men to do whatever it takes to save her.

Or at least… I think so.

The movie nails it in the part of Jean getting possessed by the Phoenix, and showing the consequences on both her powers and her identity; but it fails in developing the rest of the premise in a solid way. In other words, after the introduction, the rest of the movie is just Jean going from one location to the other, whining about herself and wandering what to do, sacrificing character development and story. There is nothing interesting in the setting, or unique in the production design; the only thing closest to «original» in the scenic design is:

(SPOILER ALERT – THE ISLAND IN GENOSHA WHERE MAGNETO IS LIVING)

Yet that set is boring.

In addition, you do not feel that the X-Men are really affected by the transformation of Jean Grey into Dark Phoenix. Yeah, Cyclops, played by Tye Sheridan, is suffering for Jean, but that is mostly due to the amazing job and effort that Sheridan himself puts in his performance, not for the script. But neither Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee), nor Storm (Alexandra Shipp) have enough screen time to indicate any real distress from facing the Phoenix; making their characters fall flat, which is a shame, because the actors do their best with their characters.

Speaking of bad character development, this might be the most disappointing appearance of Quicksilver, played by Evan Peters, who barely contributes to anything. After Jean unleashes The Phoenix…  SPOILERS ALERT, SADLY… Quicksilver becomes incapacitated, never to be seen again until the very end. 

This is bad in two aspects. the first one is that in both X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse, Quicksilver has an amazing sequence that showcases how awesome his powers are; and in these two movies, there were so well-directed that they count on the best moments of the X-Men Film Series. Here, Quicksilver is useless, to the point that removing him from the final footage will not affect the movie at all.

With all due respect to Evan Peters.

Also, I will not spoil how Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) «finishes» her arc, but if you decide to watch the movie in theatres, you will be disappointed. Also. Did you guys see her makeup? I don’t think is that good. Compared to all the previous movies, the makeup of Mystique is pretty terrible.

Anyway.

The second aspect is that it evidences how underwhelming and uninteresting the plot is. By getting Quicksilver back, Dark Phoenix could make an impressive, timeless climax, just like Avengers: Endgame did. But no. Instead, the action sequences are boring and generic, not half as impressive as in any of the previous X-Men movies, including The Last Stand. Not as bad as in X-men Origins: Wolverine, but still pretty bad.

Speaking about dull elements, the alien race, the main antagonists, the D’Bari, and her leader, Vuk, played by Jessica Chastain, make a mixed impression in the movie. On one hand, we know why the D’Bari want to get Phoenix and why they choose Earth, but, on the other, they are so forgettable and bland. And that is not the worst part. In the comics, the ones seeking the Phoenix were the Shi’ar, who are a vastly advanced and powerful empire in the galaxy, almost as superior as the Kree and the Skrull, while the D’Bari was just destroyed by the Phoenix itself. Having said that, and keeping in mind all the complexity and culture from the Shi’ar. Wouldn’t make more sense that the Shi’ar were the antagonists in the movie?

Instead, Vuk and her minions barely have any trace of identity. Come to think of it… SPOILER ALERT… Some of the D’Bari look like early designs of Groot. And sorry for Jessica Chastain; she is a great actress, but as previously mentioned, the script does not allow her to take advantage of her talents.

ACTORS AND SPECIAL EFFECTS, TO THE RESCUE

Okay. I think I have spoken enough about the problems of the movie. Now it is time to evaluate one of the best aspects of Dark Phoenix, the acting. Like in the previous movies since X-Men: First Class, McAvoy, Fassbender, Hoult, and Lawrence all give amazing performances that help us to connect with the characters; and let’s not give too little credit to Shipp, Sheridan, Turner and Smit-McPhee; and I will give my respects to Sophie Turner; as both Jean Grey and Phoenix, she proves to be innocent, yet imposing; fragile, yet determined; scared; yet brave; if you are able to give a convincing character with simply your facial expressions, that means you have a bright future.

Moreover, some of the chemistry between the characters is really good. I really love seeing Jean Grey and Scott Summers together; it almost reminded what a beautiful couple they were in the animated series from the 1990s; and both Turner and Sheridan maintained the charm from the beginning to the end. Speaking of chemistry, the few moments Hoult and Lawrence were together were also wonderful, just like in the previous movies.

Finally, if you enjoyed seeing the interactions between McAvoy and Fassbender before, rest assured you will enjoy them again, especially in the ending.

In the technical department, a strength of the movie is the special effects, which are decent. They might not be the best of the X-Men Film Series, but at least you believe is all part of the movie, and not a cheap CGI work. Another positive point is the soundtrack. Hans Zimmer is in charge once more, and just like he did with Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman, and The Dark Knight Trilogy, the tracks for Dark Phoenix add to the intensity and the tone of the movie.

Absolutely, Dark Phoenix is more form over substance, but you will enjoy the former enough until the credits.

CONCLUSION

I can now conclude that, regarding The Dark Phoenix Saga, Dark Phoenix is a pyrrhic improvement from X-Men: The Last Stand. Why am I calling it like this? Because indeed does a much better job following its source material, but at the cost of the quality of the movie, and unfortunately at the cost of the X-Men Film Series, because this is supposed to be its last instalment. That is why I am being this harsh with Dark Phoenix. One was expecting it to be as epic as Avengers: Endgame, or at least as X-Men: Days of Future Past. But it wasn’t. It’s a slow, uninteresting, generic superhero movie that does not even try, and that will leave a negative impact toward the fans, to the point that it will make us wish that movies like Logan or Days of Future Past were the true ending of the series.

Personally, I am not that excited about New Mutants thanks to Dark Phoenix. Both movies have a lot of issues during production and before release. And if this was the final result of Dark Phoenix, I don’t want to think about New Mutants anymore.

Instead, I will patiently wait for the X-Men to be introduced in the MCU; until then, I will re-watch X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: First Class, The Wolverine and Logan. And for those who disliked Dark Phoenix, don’t worry. Because there is the 90’s cartoon that does a fantastic job adapting the The Dark Phoenix Saga.

Speaking of the cartoon, let me share this quote for you:

«The Phoenix was a mythical bird that was consumed by fire, but always rose again from he ashes. Perhaps that is what Phoenix represents. Hope, which never dies.»