86 - Episode 13 Review - Shin and His Friends Want to Go Back to War

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

Continuing from 86 Episode 12, Shin’s group is getting adjusted to their lives in the Federacy. They are now civilians living normal lives, not soldiers. It was strange to see them being treated so kindly by their fellow Federacy citizens and doing mundane things like shopping, baking class, and moving furniture as a job. But I was happy for them.

Unfortunately, by the end of the episode, we learn this peaceful life ends after just one month of giving it a try.

Frederica sees an adult girl act cute on TV to get what she wants, and she learns to do the same with her new adopted older male siblings.

Shin spends his time in a library and meets a guy his age and his shy younger sister. His name is Eugene Rantz and her name is Nina.

While out with Shin, Frederica sees a plush bear that she wants. She tries to act cute at first. She gets nervous when it doesn’t seem to work, but Shin gives in.

Shin, Raiden, Anju, Kurena, and Theo all seem to be fitting in to their new lives. Ernst sees that they’re making friends. So he’s relieved. But in truth, they’re not comfortable. They can’t accept this peace. They feel a mix of survivor’s guilt and incompleteness.

Shin even has a dream speaking with their fallen comrade, Kaie. She asks that Shin do his job as the Reaper. And free their “ghosts” from Legion.

Shin runs into Eugene again at the library and learns that Eugene is interested in military stuff. He’s actually planning on joining the military. To protect his country, which would protect his little sibling. Sound familiar? Oh, and he wears glasses like Shourei…

Anju and Theo meet up, and they chat about how they no longer have implants to keep in touch. How cell phones suck as the new alternative. And how Shin probably kept surviving because he was motivated by the voices he hears. To free his brother’s ghost.

Later on, Frederica uses the cute routine on Raiden to get him to make lunch. It works… as a comic relief.

Everyone comes home on Holy Birth night (pretty much their version of Christmas). And Kurena finally says out loud what they’ve all been feeling. They’re done with this peaceful break. It’s time to get back to the battlefield.

I’m like Ernst. I wish they didn’t choose that. I wish they’d live long happy lives for the sake of the ones they lost along the way. But that’s not how they see it.

Anyways, to get back to war, they must go through Federacy training first to become Special Officers. 

And Frederica, who has confessed to being Augusta Frederica Adel-Adler, the last Empress of Giad, will join them. She has the power to see the past and present of the people she meets. And wants Shin’s help freeing the ghost of her knight.

Image source: Amazon