WARNING: The following contains spoilers for 86-Eighty-Six Episode 10, “Thank You,” now streaming on Crunchyroll.
In the wake of seemingly endless war, terror and inhumane treatment of its titular characters, 86-Eighty-Six provides a welcome breather with Episode 10. Though it's mostly adventure rather than action, this episode fills in some key gaps that are missing from the corresponding light novel.
While the source material fast-forwards straight from one major event to the next, the anime takes its time to show Shin and the others' peaceful days traveling through some largely unoccupied Legion territory. This allows viewers a deeper look into Shin and Raiden's brother-like relationship, as well as their Robot companion Fido's contribution to the team via an emotional montage of his stored-away memories. But of course, it's not 86-Eighty-Six without some tragedy attached.
As Shin, Raiden, Kurena, Anju and Theo travel through lush fields, go fishing and swimming in a peaceful river and explore long-vacant cities, the feeling of genuine freedom and joy starts to envelop them. They reminisce on their fallen comrades as well as their left-behind commander Lena while enjoying the simpler things in life. Kurena wants to bathe with the boys, especially Shin, while Raiden ponders their future and the possibility of finding a city with human survivors, untainted by the Legion. Now that they can at least conceivably think about it, what do they want to do with their lives?
Shin gives Raiden the same answer he once gave Lena: he hasn't even thought about it. For now at least, there's no need to as they're all just enjoying living in the moment. There's no one else around them – no incorrigible Alba and the murderous Legion mechas are a safe distance away, so it's just them and mother nature. Though he still hears the Legion's voices in his head, Shin is far more content here than at any point previously in 86-Eighty-Six. He bursts out laughing with Fido, jokes about Raiden's paternal nature, and takes in the sights and sounds of the new areas they find.
Episode 10 also gives significant screen time to Fido, the Spearhead Squadron's robot companion who befriended Shin years ago and has always aided the 86, providing extra resources and communicating with the soldiers when necessary. He talks to Shin and the others with beeps and boops in an R2-D2-like manner, and somehow Shin always seems to know what he's saying.
It's revealed that Fido has a memory bank containing happy recollections of his time with each of his friends, many of which are shown in the anime through an emotional montage. We see how Shin first met him, damaged after a heavy battle before being restored like new. From then on, he and the other 86 secretly confided in Fido. He sees Kurena burst with joy when Shin touches her back, Anju is shown crying by herself after Daiya's death, and Fido delights some soldiers by picking out the best-tasting food from a new shipment. Fido may be a robot, but like R2-D2, he's a true friend and hero with his own emotions.
However, this is still 86-Eighty-Six, so even a breather episode has to include a tragic event. It's not clear what happened or where exactly he is, but Episode 10's final scene shows Fido in a field, now all alone, surrounded by fire. Shin and the others are nowhere to be found. Fido, seemingly crying after recalling the happy memories that have summed up his delightful existence, explodes. This series just can't help but bring its viewers to tears.
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