86 (novel series)

86 (Eighty-Six) is a Japanese science fiction light novel series written by Asato Asato and illustrated by Shirabi, with mechanical designs by I-IV. It is published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. The series began publication in February 2017 and has spawned multiple manga adaptations and an anime television series adaptation produced by A-1 Pictures.

The story is set in the Republic of San Magnolia, a nation ostensibly at war with the Giadian Empire, which has unleashed an army of unmanned combat drones known as the Legion. The Republic, in response, fields their own unmanned drones. However, hidden from the public, the "unmanned drones" of the Republic are actually piloted by the Eighty-Six, a group of discriminated individuals who are stripped of their human rights and forced to fight on the front lines. The Eighty-Sixth Sector, the titular area, doesn't officially exist, as the Republic claims to have a war fought entirely by machines.

The series follows the perspective of Vladilena "Lena" Milizé, a Handler who commands the Eighty-Six units from the safety of the Republic's territory, and Shinei "Shin" Nouzen, the captain of the Spearhead Squadron, an elite group of Eighty-Six soldiers. The narrative explores themes of war, discrimination, dehumanization, and the meaning of humanity. It often focuses on the psychological impact of war on young soldiers forced to fight in brutal conditions. The world-building includes detailed descriptions of the technology used in the war, as well as the political and social structures of both the Republic and the Empire.