86 Eighty-Six light novel unveiled the cover for volume 12, drawn by illustrator Shirabi. The volume is set to release on February 10, 2023. Kadokawa’s Dengeki Bunko is publishing the series.
The light novel by Asato Asato, with illustrations by Shirabi began serialization in 2017. Manga adaptations also exist, but none are currently ongoing. Yen Press licensed the light novel in English and describes the plot as:
A War Without Casualties
The Republic of San Magnolia has long been under attack from the neighboring Giadian Empire’s army of unmanned drones known as the Legion. After years of painstaking research, the Republic finally developed autonomous drones of their own, turning the one-sided struggle into a war without casualties-or at least, that’s what the government claims.
In truth, there is no such thing as a bloodless war. Beyond the fortified walls protecting the eighty-five Republic territories lies the “nonexistent” Eighty-Sixth Sector. The young men and women of this forsaken land are branded the Eighty-Six and, stripped of their humanity, pilot the “unmanned” weapons into battle…
An anime adaptation by A-1 Pictured aired throughout 2021. It was a split cour broadcast, with the first one airing in the Spring anime season, and the second one following in the Fall. However, due to production issues, the final two episodes of the season were pushed to March 2022.
Source: Amazon, Shirabi’s Post
© Asato Asato, Shirabi / KADOKAWA