Toshimasa Ishii’s direction on 86: Eighty Six elevated a war drama with a keen political outlook, but despite his team’s many successes, they always faced an uphill battle because mismanagement from above dealt them an unfair hand. This is the reality even for anime’s most brilliant directors.
A teaser for 86: Eighty Six‘s second cours dropped today, so let’s look back at this surprisingly daring show—a stunning showcase of a beginner director’s vision, technical skill, and confidence to stick to his unique style all the way through, except for one brilliant interlude.
86: Eighty Six packs a fairly compelling war story with a surprisingly nuanced political message. And this is how its team is streamlining it and amplifying its impact, with direction that emphasizes perspective and tonal shifts to make you viscerally feel the inequality.
It’s time for more After the Rain coverage, as studio WIT’s mellow yet often poignant character piece keeps being one of this season’s highlights. The production as a whole is worth examining, but it’s the vision of the directors and the sweet surprises in that field that we’ll focus on this time.