Let's talk about #エイティシックス.
First impressions as a non-LN reader: it's terrific. It delivers as a piece of entertainment & as a superbly crafted piece of animation. The art direction is higher quality than I anticipated, meaning A-1 Pictures means business with this show.

So now onto the story. A war-focused dystopian narrative sets the stage for the conflict between the Giad empire (the aggressor) and the San Magnolian republic, which is comprised of 85 districts and uses supposedly ethically responsible drones to fight back.

The reality, we soon find out, is much more grim and ruthless. Turns out the military machine has an effective propaganda campaign in place, relaying calculated reports about a just, clean and victimless war, when in fact actual people are dying. Soldiers from an 86th district...

Our main protagonist, Major Vladinela "Lena" Milizé, knows the truth. This war has casualties. Real people are being used & paying the highest price so that this nation can live in a fabricated state of security. She cannot stand that lie, yet it is her job to contribute to it.

The story paints a picture of a highly advanced nation of European and slavic inspiration, where racial homogeneity seems de rigueur. The dominant ethnic group is comprised of white-haired blue-eyed ppl enjoying a prosperous life, seemingly unaffected by the war raging outside.

Their carefree demeanor contrasts with the preoccupied look Lena carries throughout the episode, drawing us further into the brewing internal unrest she will eventually have to deal with. Her closest friend, Annette, discourages her from confronting that reality, but for how long

On the other side of this idyllic locale, the unnamed 86th district survives a brutal conflict with blood, scorned and segregated from Lena's people. A quick line uttered by General Karlstahl demonstrates what it is to b an 86: "Officially there are no humans on the battlefield".

The episode's director strives to immediately humanize this crew, a ragtag group of kids who know how to laugh & have fun when not warring against this mysterious aggressor. They're shockingly young. Child soldiers, almost. & yet the nation relies on them to die time & again.

The contrast with the other districts is unforgiving, and immediately recalls recent popular dystopian YA stories like the Hunger Games or Divergent. Only here, the issues of fascism & race are preponderant and will no doubt shape the narrative in a majo way, same as during WWII.

Beyond the WWII parallels, the show also confronts us with modern warfare, and the increasing disconnect between the population at home and soldiers in faraway battlefields. The difficult ethics of remote warfare with drones that kill at a distance & therefore make it easier to-

build a narrative of a surgical, righteous war while at the same time convincing the nation that little blood is being spilled. Something western countries (US in particular) know a thing or 2 about. War and propaganda go hand in hand, especially with lasting conflicts.

Lena is assigned 2 the Spearhead unit as their new commanding officer, a position we learn earlier on is as dicey as it gets for sb never meant 2 see real battle. How the virtuous Lena will navigate such a perilous environment & maintain her integrity is what I can't wait to see.

For now though, I am relieved she has real empathy for her new "processors" (as she did in her previsous post). They desperately need sb on their side if they have any shot at survival. It is discouraging to know how little control they have, but with Lena, hope is now possible.