Crunchyroll Brings Back Cult-Favorite Anime Following Removal

While the streaming world offers subscribers the opportunity to check out countless television shows and movies, many fans have witnessed a worrying trend across various platforms. Some platforms have had no issue ditching some major entries in their entertainment libraries, with Crunchyroll doing the same for a cult classic that many fans were sad to see go. Due to licensing issues, a series that was routinely compared to the likes of Attack on Titan needed to depart from the anime-focused streaming service. Luckily, said licensing issues have seemingly been resolved, as Crunchyroll has welcomed back A-1 Pictures’ 86 after months away.

Earlier this year, 86 was stricken from Crunchyroll, seemingly due to rights issues surrounding the anime adaptation. First brought to life by A-1 Pictures in 2021, the series netted twenty-three episodes before its first, and only, season came to an end. For those unfamiliar with the premise of this light novel series turned anime, 86 follows the war between the fictional locales known as the Republic of San Magnolia and the Empire of Giad. Rather than focusing on rampaging behemoths and/or mech suits, 86 introduces the concept of “juggernauts,” which are piloted machines that look like a cross between spiders and tanks. If you haven’t checked out this series before, or wish to revisit it on Crunchyroll, you can do so by clicking here.

86 Is No Longer 86’d

So what makes 86 such a fan-favorite even though it only received one season? Much like Attack on Titan and Mobile Suit Gundam, the A-1 Pictures production focuses on the darker traits of humanity, specifically when it comes to humans’ tendency toward war. Harboring elements akin to some of the best anime series in existence, 86 is a story with compelling characterization and shocking reveals that still sees it discussed to this day. Despite the passionate fanbase that has been following the series, the anime adaptation has yet to confirm whether we’ll ever see a season two, even with the source material still telling quite the story.

Since the light novel series kicked off this war-torn story in 2017, creator Asato Asato has continued to release new chapters to this day. This makes the lack of a second season for the anime adaptation all the more curious, considering the first season saw viewers wanting to learn what happened next. Following the light novel’s arrival, not only was 86 given a manga adaptation as well, but various spin-offs have been created to help further flesh out this universe in some rather unique ways. Fingers crossed that 86 will remain on Crunchyroll for quite some time to come, and that any licensing issues won’t see the unique anime adaptation running into any more roadblocks.