There is more to Shin than his cold exterior, the writer will have us know.
It’s an unusual writing move to revisit an established character and give them more depth. But that is exactly what 86 Eighty Six is doing with its second season. If the first season was the Lena season, then I consider the second season to be the Shin season. I admire the writer’s ability to employ the same trick twice and make it seem natural. The trick employed is writing compelling narrative while focusing primarily on one character in the story.
Eighty Six has the ability to narratively flow within its own story. The writer doesn’t neglect to progress the story while keeping the focus on one primary character. While this is primarily how most stories are written, few writers can capture the depth of the emotional distress surrounding the characters without breaking either the logic or immersion within their own story.
The writer is tackling very delicate subjects such as racial oppression, war and the psychological horror it produces as a by-product.
It’s difficult to contain the outrage those scenarios produce while writing, while being objective about how most of the world would respond to those inputs. Lena is special because she recognizes the sins of the Republic while actively attempting to correct them. The rest of her country is either riding the high of entitlement or is too overwhelmed with normal life to care what happens to others wrongfully forced to die.
Shin is special because he seems unable to die (plot armor) despite wishing for that outcome. How many others has he mercifully put to rest but he can’t rest. When asked by Frederica, the mascot of his company, if he is doing ok all Shin can say is yes. It’s an obvious lie. Shin is suffering more than words can say, but when a character reaches a certain point of suffering everything becomes fine. Losing the ability to feel or care is the greatest injustice inflicted on Shin.
I am enjoying the writing of Asato Asato.
Comment below to share your thoughts and reactions!
86 – Eighty Six – Shin’s Decision to Fight
Fortress William 
I find Frederica extremely annoying, and after she was sexualized in Episode 4, my distaste for her character only grew. There was no reason for the author to have a loli be a part of the story except for him choosing for that to be the case, probably because he needed for there to be a waifu character aside from Lena, and I find that to be quite detracting to this second cour of 86.
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That is interesting you perceived Frederica in that way. I thought she was a great companion to Shin, who is an emotionally closed off character. Her introduction into the story has opened a window into Shin, because of all the characters in the story Shin is open to exploring ideas and thoughts that we would otherwise not get explored. While Frederica often acts and behaves like a child, there are times that Frederica is asking questions (on behalf of the author) that are difficult questions, questions that don’t have immediate answers. Shin only entertains these kinds of questions when dealing with Frederica. If other characters had asked them I am confident Shin wouldn’t respond at all or shrug off the question.
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