By Kei Uekawa and TEDDY. Released in Japan as “Uchinukareta Senjou wa, Soko de Kieteiro” by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Roman Lampert. It’s hard not to think about 86 when reading this new Yen On series, and I do wonder if war-torn teens fighting hopeless battles and getting blown to bits’ is a new light novel trend like villainess otomes. That said, if it’s trying to be another 86 it’s not too bad, getting a majority of the parts right. The main plot itself runs on a plot device I personally dislike, and there some tonal dissonance about a third of the way through, but when the book is being serious it’s very good at ramping up the tension and showing us...

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