86 EIGHTY SIX 1x22 Shin - GROUP REACTION!!! 

I was SO MAD about shin not opening the hatch in this scene, but in retrospect it makes sense. Shin's beat up, bloody, and was just crying his eyes out, so it's not the state that he'd like her to see him in for their first meeting lol. I love how Shin has been called a "monster" and "emotionless" and always seems like an adult, but only around lena does he act like stubborn teenager with a crush. Frederica's comment of "you're such a boy" really hits different for me when thinking about that

For me personally this episode cemented 86 as one of the greatest anime i have ever seen

The black Shin, is the inner thoughts of his PTSD and Survivors Guilt. The thoughts about that why he is the only one to survive and everyone else dies around him. Wondering that he should die anyway and have no one remember him. The word “remember,” always comes up or even “I won’t forget.” Lena doesn’t know what Shin looks like even though Lena has the photo of the entire Spearhead Squadron, but she doesn’t know the faces, only the voices from the devices (PARA-RAID). When Lena activates the Device on her neck and it connects not just Cyclops, it also connects to Shin. When hearing her voice and finally realizing who it was, Shin was surprised and happy inside that she is alive. When Lena said, “You survived and made it here, I think that’s something you should be more proud of.” Shin finally cries not the cries of sadness, but the tears of acknowledgment of him being alive, and that he deserves to live. That is what Shin wants, The acknowledgment to survive and to live that’s all he has been wanting the acknowledgment of being alive, and he has the right to survive. Every time episode 22 comes up I cry every single time when Lena talks to the pilot (even though we know Shin, but she doesn’t know) The music you’re hearing is called “ Voices of the Chord,” by Hiroyuki Sawano. The one part when she says proud of the one part of the song connects like it just hits you with a bunch of emotions. That piece of music always makes me cry when hearing it in Episode 22!

Fun fact Cyclops juggernaut is painted black insted of the usual bone white because its a night raid model , it has extra sensors and a shotgun instrd of the typical cannon making it better in close combat

If anyone wondering how raiden survived a direct blast from the morpho; he put his juggernaut on autopilot so wasn't in it when it got hit

4:10 up until Lena showed up it was his hallucination, you can see there are no remains of that Ameise. LN explains it better. NGL i was so triggered back then when i watched this ep, they co*kblocked the reunion.

I believe this red flower field is the place where Shin and others crossed right after Shin fought his brother in episode 9 while Lena was running outside.

This show is TOO fuckin good, I can't wait for ep 23, because these two episodes have SUCH GOOD DIRECTION in these episodes. The whole usage of the black aspect ration bars is some of the best visual storytelling I've seen, it acting as a visual rep of his inner self, the one that is scared of the warm feelings that he could hold, because every time he's opened up that part of him, hes been hurt, but still wanting that, the fear of being left behind once more, in a world that doesnt care for him, but it wont work anymore, as he is in pain as he reaches out for that black bar, the role of the Reaper in his brother's tag. And that its LENA, who is the one who steps through those notions inside the blackbars, stepping over them as if it were nothing, because SHE, is the only one who has never left his side, shes the only one who geniunely posed the idea of a future for him, beyond his role as a soldier, as the Undertaker, as The Reaper, but just as Shinei Nouzen, and that its ok for him to be that. The confirmation that she is Vladilena Milizé physically stripping most of those fears away, hes still scared, still is holding onto that fear, that she forgot who he was, but the showing of the photo and message they left for her, and as well as her praise for him being alive, strips those notions away, as he is now free from that pain, the bars disappearing, his brothers tag falling down, he is born a new, because she never forgot about him, and wanted him by her side. and we see this reinforced by the fact NO ONE left Shin behind, and that they never dreamed of doing so, they all fought to the end, they all survived, and now they can reunite with Lena, when she catches up to them, and keep her promise to the survivors of Spearhead Squadron, with new found purpose, Shin actively cuts himself OUT of the coffin, and reaches out to his new purpose in life, Vladilena Milizé. This show is so perfect in nearly every way, it never fails to make me cry, feel anxious, happy, all of the emotions, the attention to detail, the narrative parallels, all of it. I havent even mentioned the genius of the background and environment design, with the Red Spider Lilies and Eintagsfliege. Nor the musical direction, and it only gets better. This just hits like very few shows can, and theres always so much to break down. I look forward to your ep 23 reaction!

Shin couldn't see Lena because the screen was glitching and split. He could see her shape, not face. Good to see you guys cried as much as I did. The 2 last episodes are the ones that cemented this anime as one of the best I ever watched.

Can't wait for the last oneeeeee

The author tortured us by making us wait for their meeting but most light novels drag things out for an ungodly amount of time.