The anime world is a truly vast space, filled with hundreds of different series that incorporate every genre imaginable. A-1 Pictures is a well-known animation studio that began producing anime in 2006, and it is best known for animating the Sword Art Online light novel series. The studio has produced a variety of series since then, including 86 Eighty-Six, a series that debuted in April 2021.
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The anime focuses on the Republic of San Magnolia and the Empire of Giad, who have been at war for nine years. The Empire had the upper hand for a long time because of their mechs, but things changed when San Magnolia developed their own robots called Juggernaughts. These Juggernaughts are piloted by members of the Colorata minority, who are considered to be subhuman. 86 Eighty-Six was a success, and there are quite a few other anime that fans of the series may also enjoy.
Updated on March 30, 2025, by Mark Sammut: At this point, 86 returning for a new cour is starting to feel unlikely, despite the original two-part season being well-received. Fortunately, fans can always check out some anime like 86 Eighty-Six.
21 KanColle
Both Anime Deal With Young Characters Who Are Expected To Die For The Cause
KanColle: Kantai Collection
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- January 8, 2015
- Japanese Title
- Kantai Collection: KanColle
- Studio
- Diomedéa and ENGI
- Number of Episodes
- 20
- Based On
- Game by Kadokawa Games
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Primarily known for its mobile game in Japan, KanColle has received two anime seasons and a movie, all of which are a mixed bag. For the uninitiated, this series revolves around, well, military ship girls, who go on missions to defend Earth from an alien invasion. Despite the fantasy element, many of the operations and battles are inspired by history, specifically the Second World War. As such, there is a constant sense of impending tragedy, particularly in the second season.
Honestly, KanColle is not an especially great show. Season 1 blends cute girls doing boat things with fairly intense action, but the mix is not perfect and results in a fairly uneven cour. Season 2 is far more focused and depressing, with the story revolving around a group of girls who are sent on a suicide mission. This season is far more in line with 86 Eighty-Six's tone, although it never reaches the heights of that show.
20 Pumpkin Scissors
Both Anime Tell Character-Driven War Stories
Pumpkin Scissors
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 3, 2006
- Studio
- Gonzo, AIC
- Number of Episodes
- 24
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Ryotaro Iwanaga
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Do not be put off by the bizarre title, Pumpkin Scissors is an underappreciated anime that is set after the end of a devastating war. The title references the army's relief unit, who take on cases that vary considerably in scope and type.
Led by the idealistic Alice, the unit primarily focuses on personal missions to help the many, many people trying to start over after the war, although the anime gradually expands its scope. While not featuring mecha or emphasizing child soldiers like 86 Eighty-Six, Pumpkin Scissors shines a light on PTSD, through a soldier who saw hell and took part in creating it during the war.
19 Gungrave
Both Series Feature Deep Stories & Characters
Gungrave
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2003 - 2004
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Based On
- Video Game (Gungrave)
- Number of Episodes
- 26
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu
Gungrave and 86 Eighty-Six are very different in terms of setting and genre, but they both tell surprisingly deep stories with well-written and fleshed-out characters. Gungrave delves into the supernatural, but at its core, it is a story about organized crime.
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The series revolves around Brandon Heat, a small-time criminal who was betrayed and killed by his best friend. He is resurrected 13 years later by a doctor, and he is tasked with destroying his former friend's crime syndicate. Gungrave has plenty of action, and it makes great use of flashbacks.
18 Coppelion
In Both Anime, Teenagers Are Used To Carry Out Dangerous Missions
Coppelion
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2013 - 2013
- Studio
- GoHands
- Number of Episodes
- 13
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator(s)
- Tomonori Inoue
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu
Coppelion takes place in the year 2036, and Tokyo is now a ghost town because of a nuclear meltdown that occurred two decades earlier. When the government received a distress signal from the city, they sent a group of teenage girls to rescue some soldiers that entered Tokyo.
These girls were genetically engineered to resist radiation, and they have other special skills. 86 Eighty-Six definitely has more action than Coppelion, but fans of the series will be able to notice a few similarities. Just like in 86 Eighty-Six, the young characters in Coppelion are forced to go on very dangerous missions, and the characters interact well with one another. Coppelion also has a unique and gritty animation style.
17 No.6
Both Anime Have Young Characters Who Deal With Drak & Complex Issues
No. 6
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 8, 2011
- Studio
- Bones
- Based On
- Novel
- Creator
- Atsuko Asano
- Number of Episodes
- 11
No.6 is a short yet interesting anime that is set in a dystopian world. Shion lives in an ideal city referred to as No.6, and he has an elite and privileged lifestyle. One night, he meets a boy named Nezumi and shelters him from the rain, but Nezumi leaves the next morning. A few years later, Nezumi saves Shion after he is falsely accused of murder.
Shion witnessed his coworker rapidly age and die because of a parasitic wasp that the government wished to keep secret. As the boys attempt to uncover the truth, they keep finding more and more death. No.6 may not have intense mech combat like 86 Eighty-Six, but both series feature young protagonists who have to deal with dark and complex institutions. Fans of 86 Eighty-Six will likely enjoy Shion and Nezumi's development as well.
16 God Eater
Both Series Tell Unique Stories Centered Around Conflict
God Eater
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2015 - 2016
- Studio
- Ufotable
- Number of Episodes
- 13
- Based On
- Game
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
God Eater is a post-apocalyptic series set in 2071, and it follows a group of soldiers trying to keep humanity alive. These soldiers are called God Eaters, and their job is to kill monsters known as Aragami. These monsters managed to wipe out most of humanity because conventional weapons could not harm them.
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The God Eaters wield powerful weapons called God Arcs - which are basically Aragami with man-made cores. God Arcs are usually either melee or ranged, but some can switch between canon and blade form. Both series tell unique stories centered around conflict, and the battles with the Aragami get really intense.
15 Gurren Lagann
Both Series Have Fun Mech Combat
Gurren Lagann
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2007 - 2007
WHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
- Studio
- Gainax
- Number of Episodes
- 27
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu
Gurren Lagann premiered in 2007, and it still holds up because of its unique animation style. It is set in the future when Earth is ruled by the Spiral King, who has forced mankind to live underground. It follows several characters, including Simon, a digger who is looked down upon by his peers; Kamina, who wishes to live on the surface; and Yoko Litner, a surface-dwelling resistance fighter.
Gurren Lagann features a unique mech that continuously evolves after each fight. It eventually becomes bigger than an entire galaxy, and it goes on to fight the Antispiral - a being who can destroy entire universes. Unlike 86 Eighty-Six, the action in Gurren Lagann is more cartoonish, but it is still fun to watch.
14 Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury
Both Feature Teenagers Fighting In Mechs & Thought-Provoking Stories
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2022 - 2023-00-00
- Japanese Title
- Kidou Senshi Gundam: Suisei no Majo
- Studio
- Sunrise
- Number of Episodes
- 25
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
The Witch from Mercury is the latest installment of the long-running Gundam franchise, and it is the first to feature a female protagonist. In this timeline, a conflict split humanity into Earthians and Spacians, and there is massive economic inequality between both sides. Suletta Mercury attends Asticassia School of Technology. It is run by the Benerit Group - a megacorporation filled with political corruption.
Gundams are banned because they kill their pilots, but this does not stop Aerial from becoming a prized mobile suit. Like 86 Eighty-Six, the series features teenagers fighting in mechs, and its story is thought-provoking because it deals with life and the dangers of uncontrolled, emerging technology and capitalism.
13 Valkyria Chronicles
Both Anime Deal With Military Units & They Balance Comedy With Action & Drama
Valkyria Chronicles
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2009 - 2009-00-00
- Network
- MBS, Tokyo MX, Chiba TV, tvk
- Directors
- Yoshitaka Makino
- Japanese Title
- Senjou no Valkyria
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Number of Episodes
- 26
- Based On
- Game by Capcom
Valkyria Chronicles is a tactical military-themed role-playing game that Sega first released in 2008, and it has spawned a number of sequels. A 26-episode anime adaptation was released in 2009, and it focuses on Welkin, the son of a war hero who joins a militia group with other Gallian citizens. Their goal is to protect their country from an invading Empire .
Unlike 86 Eighty-Six, Valkyria Chronicles does not delve into Sci-fi, but they both focus on the lives of a single military unit during the all-out war. Like 86, viewers get to see characters live, laugh, and die on the front lines, and both series do a good job of balancing comedy, drama, and action.
12 Deca-Dence
Both Anime Have Similar Themes & Plot Twists
Deca-Dence
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 8, 2020
- Studio
- NUT
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu
Attack on Titan may have a number of disturbing scenes, but it has helped to inspire a few series, including Deca-Dence. This Sci-fi action series is 12 episodes long, and it is set more than 400 years in the future, at a time when severe air pollution and monster attacks have wiped out about 90% of humanity.
The anime takes place in the Deca-dence, a moving fortress city that separates its citizens into two categories. The Tankers stay inside and maintain the fortress, while the Gears venture outside and deal with Gadoll attacks. Natsume is a Tanker who recently lost her father in a Gadoll attack, and she wishes to become a Gear to help protect the remnants of humanity. Both series share similar dark themes, and they have decent plot twists.