About “86: Eighty Six” in a few words:

86: Eighty Six is a popular anime series that takes place in a dystopian world where the country of San Magnolia is divided into two groups – the ruling Alba and the oppressed 86. The 86 are forced to pilot unmanned drones to fight the war against neighboring countries, and are treated as disposable tools by the Alba. The story follows the experiences of a group of 86 who call themselves Spearhead Squadron, and their interactions with a young Alba strategist named Lena. As Lena learns more about the realities of the war and the 86, she begins to question the beliefs of her own society.

Meet the characters from 86: Eighty Six

Shinei Nozen

Okay, Shin is that impossibly calm leader who somehow holds a ragtag team together by sheer presence — quiet, haunted, and deadly focused. He looks like he never blinks but then bursts into these weird small smiles that make you forget he’s probably planning three moves ahead. Deeply loyal and scarred, he carries the weight of everyone’s survival like it’s a heavy coat he refuses to take off, which is both heroic and kind of exhausting to watch. Also, random detail: he likes to hum under his breath sometimes, which feels totally out of character but also somehow perfect.

Vladilena Mirize

Lena is the idealistic handler who refuses to act like a faceless officer — she’s warm, blunt in the best possible way, and shockingly stubborn about doing the right thing. She has this habit of smiling at terrible news and then getting inexplicably fierce, like a storm in sensible shoes. Compassionate but politically savvy (yes, she can be naive sometimes — don’t tell her I said that), she’s the kind of person who writes long letters and then edits them twice because she cares too much. Also she has a weirdly specific tea preference that she mentions at the worst possible moments.

Anju Ema

Anju is pure fire and sunshine with a spine of iron — loud, laughable in the best way, and terrifying on the battlefield when she gets that grin. She’s the heart of the group, always propping people up even while she’s elbow-deep in repairs or cooking something questionable; I swear she can fix a machine and a person both. She loves Shin in a way that’s messy and stubborn and somehow practical (like, she will literally scold you for crying and then make you soup). Little quirk: she swears like a sailor but makes flower crowns on the weekends.

Daiya Iruma

Daiya gives off professional big-bro energy — calm, observant, and annoyingly competent, the kind of person you want on your flank in a firefight and also in your group chat. He’s steady, with a dry sense of humor that sneaks up and mugs you for attention, and he’s weirdly fond of terrible romance novels, which is deliciously off-brand. Plays the realist but his loyalty is quiet and total, which when revealed is the gooey center nobody expected. And yes, he probably secretly keeps a tiny notebook of bad puns — don’t ask how I know.

Henrietta Penrose

Henrietta is elegant and icy at first glance but actually kind of a complicated softie underneath the lace and posture. Think aristocratic tactician who can make a cutting political decision and then immediately apologize for being blunt — she’s diplomatic chaos. She loves classical music (maybe plays piano? maybe hums badly — one of the two) and has this delightfully odd habit of collecting foreign teacups like trophies. Also, she can stab you with a smile, which is both terrifying and glamorous.

Jerome Karlestar

Jerome is loud, unapologetic, and wears bravado like armor — the archetypal veteran who tells terrible jokes and somehow makes them charming. He’s a blast of confidence in the group: boisterous, tactical in a rough-hewn way, and suspiciously sentimental about trivial things (old boots, the first mission map, you name it). He’ll roast you mercilessly but also be the first to jump into danger, which makes him ridiculously lovable. Oh, and he quotes bad poetry when tipsy, and I will never forget it.

Kaye Tanya

Kaye is sharp, efficient, and a little dry — the kind of person who will tell you the odds and make you respect her calculations, even as she rolls her eyes at morale speeches. She’s stoic but not unfeeling; it’s just that feelings are organized in labeled boxes and put on a shelf. Underneath the clipped exterior she’s oddly tender (and slightly chaotic in her sock drawer), which sneaks out in very small, perfectly-timed gestures. Also refuses to be patronized and will cut through nonsense like a hot knife through bureaucracy.

Kurena Kukumira

Kurena feels like a mystery you want to unfold slowly — reserved, precise, with a quiet intensity that makes people accidentally overshare around her. She’s observant, skilled, possibly underappreciated, and somehow both practical and whimsical (carries a tiny charm that clashes with her severity). Occasionally she’ll make a joke that’s so deadpan you’ll laugh three days later and wonder why it took you so long. And yes, she has an oddly inconsistent bedtime routine, which is somehow endearing.

Mikuri Kairou

Mikuri is upbeat, curious, and full of nervous energy — the kind of person who pokes things to see what happens and then apologizes profusely when it explodes. He’s clever in a scatterbrained way, brilliant with tech or maps or whatever weird thing the team needs this week, and has a heart massive enough to power the entire operation. Tends to talk fast when excited and then trip over his own feet, metaphorically and sometimes literally. Quirky detail: he collects old stamps for reasons he can’t quite explain.

Raiden Shuga

Raiden is the hotheaded ace who’s all speed and swagger, thrill-seeker energy with a surprisingly deep moral compass when the chips are down. He lives for daring moves and the applause that follows but also flips instantly to being protective and ridiculously dependable around anyone he trusts. Loud laugh, loud jacket, and an even louder devotion to his squad — he’s chaotic but in a way that makes sense. Also, inexplicably fond of cheesy action movie one-liners; yes, really.

Rekka Rin

Rekka is quiet, sharp, and disciplined — the stoic type who will you tell you the truth and then patch you up without drama. She’s efficient in combat, has a strange fondness for rules (which she’ll break if it saves someone), and possesses a surprisingly soft interior that appears in the oddest moments. She collects small certifications and badges like trophies and gets irrationally proud of them, which is adorable. Also, she hums old marching songs while working, which I did not expect but absolutely love.