86

 A series I heard nothing but positive stuff about, I sat down to watch the first season.

And if the reviews are anything to go by, it's a military sci-fi series with mecha, so yeah, right up my alley as such.

 

The year is 2148, and the world has raging wars. San Magnolia is in the middle of one, and their forces are mainly drones facing the Gidian Empire.  Vladilena is a commander in the San Magnolian forces, who is reassigned to an ace unit.  But it is lead by Undertaker, who seems to drive his handlers even as far as commiting suicide.  Because the drones are only for the media, the mechas have actual pilots inside them.

But she handles things differently, more humane, as she tries to get closer to the Spearhead squad.  But when of their number fall, she is forced to face the truth on how the soldiers know they are seen by the Handlers.  She has issues with how she sees the world compared to the rest, not wanting to use the 86's as just mere cannon fodder.  As she and the unit start slowly getting closer to each other, she finds out she has a connection with Undertaker.  At a young age, Lena was saved from certain dead by his brother.

She learns from Undertaker that the Legion actually harvest the brains of the fallen, in order to operate their machines.  But Shin, the Undertaker's real name, is being haunted by halucinations about his fallen brother.  In the meantime, Lena not only learns that the Spearhead unit is actually an execution squad, made for 86's that become to good to prevent them from ever fulfilling their term of duty, but also how her friend Annete's father came to design the RAID communication device the Handlers use to work with the Processors.  She swears as such to do anything to save them.

During a suicide mission, Shin faces off against his brother, now in a Legion Shepherd machine leading the opposing force.  He manages to overcome him, and finally being able to remember his face.  The survivors push on however, going of radar after a message that they came under attack.  But in turth, they manage to evade most combat, for a moment enjoying a peaceful life.  As they keep advancing, they see things remembring them of their pre-war lives, before battle once again overtakes them, and they seem to fall in battle.  Lena goes to their barracks and learns more about how they thought of her...

A really strong and dramatic series for sure, dealing with the hard reality of minorities being used as cannon fodder in wars.  I'm looking forward to start watching the recently aired second season and how this will continue for sure!

Highly recommended watching!