The sci-fi anime adaptation of Asato Asato’s 86 light novel series has officially returned to Crunchyroll, having been quietly restored to the platform last Friday.
©2020 安里アサト/KADOKAWA/Project-86
The series was previously missing from the streaming catalog, having been quietly removed sometime between April 7 and May 23 of this year, as noted by historical web archives. Its temporary disappearance was part of an unannounced removal of several titles by Crunchyroll earlier in the year.
Originally premiering in April 2021, the 86 anime broadcast across two split cours, with the second half airing in October 2021. Crunchyroll originally simulcasted the series during its Japanese broadcast and also produced an English dub.
For those looking to dive into the source material, Yen Press releases the light novels in English and outlines the narrative:
The Republic of San Magnolia has been attacked by its neighbor, the Empire. Outside the 85 districts of the Republic there is the “non-existent 86th district,” where young men and women continue to fight. Sheen directs the actions of young suicide bombers, while Lena is a “curator” who commands a detachment from a remote rear. The story of the tragic struggle between these two begins!
Author Asato Asato launched the series under Kadokawa‘s Dengeki Bunko label in April 2017, featuring illustrations by Shirabi and mechanical designs by I-IV. After revealing in January 2024 that the story was heading toward its final arc titled “District 86,” Kadokawa published the 14th volume in September 2025.
Source: Crunchyroll
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