The first half of 86 was outstanding. The plot remained in constant motion and seamlessly integrated the exposition about the world's loreinto the narrative. It excelled in characterizing the characters by presenting them in the contrasts of their daily lives, both for Lena (during her missions as a Handler vs. her conversations with Annette) and the 86ers (their roles in battle vs. their time in the quarters). This not only showcased them in all their facets but also convincingly demonstrated the impact of war on people and how they tried to retain their humanity despite it all. While the setting and conflict were fictional, the series managed to shape the overarching story as an allegory to our own world, particularly evident in the theme of racism. Ample space was given to both perspectives, those affected by racism and those living as beneficiaries in a racist system, desperate to change it. The eighth episode, featuring a dialogue between Lena and her uncle about how much an individual can do to break a broken system, could simultaneously serve as a representative dialectic for our own society. This, coupled with the identification with the ideals of the characters engaging in the conversation, stands out as one of the best explorations of this theme I've seen in fictional works.

Both Lena and the 86ers are incredibly fascinating characters, and their deep humanity is what makes them so relatable and authentic for me. Lena grew up in a racist system but managed, in the Platonic sense, to escape it and follow her drive for humanity. The 86ers, despite all humiliations and systematic discriminations, refrain from harboring a blanket hatred for the Albas. The parallel structure, witnessing Lena desperately trying to fight against the system and make a difference, while Shin and the other 86ers also desperately fight against the system to survive, quickly led me to identify with the characters and immerse myself in the entire plot development. This, along with absolutely fantastic exposition that vividly portrayed character feelings and relationships through camera angles, expressions, and character positioning, an extremely atmospheric background music used to enhance scenes, and a fascinatingly creative way of narrating the story from the perspective of certain characters, made the series stand out. Particularly noteworthy is the episode entirely from Fido's retrospective as it falls on the battlefield.

While the fantastic directorial work continues in the second part, the plot stumbles a bit more. It starts strong by contrasting life in the Republic and the Federation. The Federation is, in its basic form, comparable to a free, democratic rule of law modeled after European ideals. While everything is not perfect in our world, the sharp contrast made me aware of what it means to live in a free and peaceful country with laws protecting everyone's rights and a population that has largely internalized this. Therefore, the episodes during the peaceful Christmas season (apt, as I watched it during the Christmas days) emotionally moved me. However, afterward, the plot loses momentum, especially as external hurdles are dismantled. The 86ers are only hindered by their inner drive to return to the battlefield, and unlike in the first part, none of their confrontations seem existentially threatening. They never truly face serious danger due to their combat experience and are not forced into actions by the Federation. What carries this part is the parallelization between Shin and Frederica, who has similar experiences to Shin with her brother and thus builds a connection with him. However, it feels like the relationship between them was not as visually organic as in the first case but relied more on extensive dialogues, which, while possibly closer to the source material, struggled to maintain the spectacular adaptation of the first part into an audiovisual medium.

The ending, however, balances this. The parallel journeys between Shin and Lena, culminating in the moment where both realize how much they have shaped each other and healed deep blockades and wounds within them, were heartwarming and stunning in terms of directorial work. Also, witnessing the relationship between Frederica and Shin turn into a sibling-like one, where they found a very casual way of interacting, was a beautiful conclusion to their shared journey. Although I felt that some episodes were a bit on the weaker side, both the beginning and the end of the second part were still strong enough to carry it.

When it comes to war films and series, 86 is an excellent example of how to handle the topic with the necessary dignity and care while building characters that, through their different positions, showcase the universal suffering caused by war. Explaining the plot through the characters and their development during the war itself was a brilliant decision, turning it into a valuable, multiperspective, anthropologically and psychologically appealing masterpiece.