Eighty-Six Season 2: The Chances and Challenges

If you are like me, you are probably curious about 86 Season 2.

I love this mecha military drama series, but unfortunately, there is no official confirmation or release date for the second season yet.

So, what are the chances of seeing more of Eighty-Six? And when could it happen?

I did some research and found some interesting facts about the possibility of 86 anime season 2 in 2024.

Let me tell you what I learned.

First of all, you may already know that 86 is an anime series based on a popular light novel by Asato Asato.

It’s also known as Eiti Shikkusu in Japan or Eighty Six in some places. It’s a mecha drama with some science fiction elements, and the mecha battles are a lot of fun to watch.

The anime follows Vladilena Milizé, a military officer in the San Magnolian military, known more commonly as just Lena.

She is an outspoken activist against the nation’s Colorata minority’s mistreatment and the Republic government’s willful deception of the general public. AI, politics, rebellion, and tragedy, the show has everything.

86 TV Anime Series

86 anime has only one season so far, with 23 episodes.

It aired in Japan in April 2021 and since then, this series has amassed a sizable fan base that is still hoping Eighty-Six will get a Season 2.

But Studio A-1 Pictures, the studio that made it, has not announced any plans for a movie or an OVA, let alone a second season.

I have been following many anime sequels over the years. For example, I have written about: Mieruko-Chan Season 2, and Land of The Lustrous Season 2.

So I know a thing or two about how anime sequels are made and what factors influence them.

In my opinion, what’s fundamentally wrong with all the other articles about new anime seasons is that they never look at the sales or source material.

I will share with you my analysis and predictions, based on the facts about the source material and sales, and my personal opinions.

I’m confident that by the time you finish reading the article, you’ll have a clear understanding of what the chances of Season 2 are.

You’ll know if you should jump to the light novels instead to continue the story and of course, I would love to hear your thoughts and comments as well.

Let’s get started!

Eighty-Six’s Source Material Status For Season 2

86 Source Material For Season 2

For the 86 anime, the source material is light novel.

You might be curious about how many volumes of light novel are out there. Well, let me tell you, there are 13 volumes of this awesome light novel as of 2024.

Plus, maybe you’re worried that Eighty-Six light novel is over.

Well, it’s not. This light novel has been published by Dengeki Bunko since 2017 and it’s still going strong.

Asato Asato, the genius behind Eighty-Six, just released Volume 13 in Japan on January 10, 2024.

And what about Volume 14? Well, there is no official release date yet, but we can expect it to come out sometime in late 2024 or early 2025. 

Now, if you are looking for where to resume 86 after the first season, then you should check out Volume 4 of the light novel. That’s where the anime left off.

Have a look at 86 Light Novel Volume 4 in English.

The first season covered volumes 1 to 3 of the light novel The second season would probably follow volumes 4 to 6.

So, there is no shortage of material for a second season of 86 or even more. The source material is not an issue.

Eighty Six’s Profitability And Sales Figures For Season 2

86 Profitability And Sales Figures

Let’s start with the Blu-ray sales. The second part of 86 sold about 2,600 copies per disk. That’s not bad for 2021, but I was hoping for more.

I mean, this show deserves at least 3,000 copies, right?

Don’t get me wrong, Blu-ray sales are not the only factor that matters for a new season. But they do help.

Now, let’s talk about the light novel sales. 86 Volume 12 sold around 10,000 copies, and 86 Volume 13 sold around 8,800.

That’s pretty low, to be honest. But before you panic, let me tell you something. Light novel sales have been dropping for almost every series in the last few years. It’s not just 86.

Why is that? Well, there are many possible reasons.

Maybe people are reading more online or on their phones, or they are switching to other media like manga or web novels. Maybe they are just losing interest in light novels.

I don’t know for sure, but I do know that 86 is still one of the best light novels out there. How do I know that?

Well, because 86 has 2,000,000 copies in print as of January 10, 2024. That’s right, two million copies.

That puts it in the top 150 most popular light novel series of all time. That’s impressive, considering that 86 only has 13 volumes so far.

But wait, there’s more. 86 also has a lot of merchandise. And I mean a lot.

There are around 20 figurines and models, which is quite a lot for a single season. And there are also more than 500 pieces of merch in total, which is amazing.

Some of the merch is really cute, like this Lena Nendoroid and this Lena figure. But my favorite is this  figure.

But this 86 Juggernaut (Long Range Cannon Type) model. It looks so cool and realistic.

So, what does all this mean? It means that 86 is not a flop. It’s actually a success.

It has made enough money, in my opinion, to get a second season. The merch sales show that there is a lot of demand and love for this series.

Will 86 Have A Season 2?

Willl 86 Have A Season 2

The second season has not been announced as of February 2024.

But don’t lose hope, because there are some signs that it might happen.

First of all, there is plenty of source material left in the light novel.

The anime only covered the first three volumes, and there are 10 more volumes to go. That’s enough for at least two more seasons, if not more.

Second, the series has done well in terms of sales and popularity. The Blu-ray sales were decent, the light novel sales were steady, and the merchandise sales were impressive.

The series also has a lot of fans on social media. The official Twitter account has almost 160,000 followers, which is not bad for a new series.

Third, the series has a strong partner in Crunchyroll. The streaming platform has a huge audience and a lot of influence. They can help promote the series and generate more revenue for it.

Streaming is very important for the success of any anime these days.

So, based on these factors, I think there is a good chance that we will get a second season of 86.

But we will have to be patient, because it might take some time. On average, it takes about two to three years for a two-cour series to get a new season.

That means we might hear some news in late 2024, but we won’t be able to watch it until late 2025 or even 2026.

There are also some risks and challenges that could affect the second season. One of them is the production issues that many anime studios face.

Delays, shortages, and quality problems are common in the anime industry. Another one is the involvement of Aniplex in the production committee.

Aniplex is a big company that has high expectations and standards. They might not be satisfied with the performance of 86, which is not a blockbuster hit.

So, we will have to wait and see what happens in the next year or two.

I hope that 86 will get the second season it deserves, because it is one of the best anime of 2021, in my opinion.

Conclusion

That’s just my opinion, though. Maybe you have a different perspective on this topic. If you do, feel free to share it with me in the comments. I’d love to hear what you think.

And if you have any questions or suggestions for me, don’t hesitate to let me know.

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Fact checked, written, and Published by:

Hello, I’m Jan Varga, the owner and the only writer for this website. I’m from Slovakia, and the nickname I use is MaskaThor. My journey with anime began in 2003 or 2004 when my brother introduced me to Evangelion.

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