The novel 86: Eighty-Six written by Asato Asato and illustrated by Shirabi will enter its final arc with the publication of its 14th volume. Previously Asato had revealed that the story would end with 13 volumes, but later revealed that the story would continue with a few more volumes.
86: Eighty-Six began to be published by Dengeki Bunko in April 2017 with illustrations by Shirabi (The Ryuo’s Work is Never Done!, Myriad Colors Phantom World) and mechanical design of I-IV (Aldnoah.Zero, Re:CREATORS).
The novel already has a manga adaptation by Motoki Yoshihara in Square Enix’s Young Gangan magazine and got a new manga called Gakuen 86 (Academy 86) in Kadokawa’s Monthly Comic Alive by Suzume Somemiya.
In April 2021, an anime series adaptation premiered with animation by the studio A-1 Pictures (Sword Art Online, Magi), directed by Toshimasa Ishii (direction of episodes of Space Brothers, ERASED, Occultic;Nine), the script is Toshiya Ono (The Promised Neverland, Land of the Lustrous, Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga) and the character design is by Tetsuya Kawakami (Interviews with Monster Girls, Robot Girls Z, The Asterisk War: The Academy City on the Water).
86 won the grand prize at the 23rd Dengeki Novel Prize in 2016 and took 2nd place in the 2018 edition of Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (This Light Novel Is Amazing!) In 2019 it came in 5th place.
The Republic of San Magnolia was attacked by its neighbors, the Empire. Out of the 85 districts of the Republic, there is the “non-existent 86th district”, where young men and women continue to fight. Sheen directs the actions of young people, while Lena is a “healer” who commands a detachment from a remote rear. The story of these two’s tragic fight begins!