Original subtitles

Hello, Handler One.

This is Spearhead Squadron's combat commander.

Call sign, Undertaker.

We've been informed that we'd have a new Handler.

We look forward to working with you.

That's great to hear.

It's a pleasure to meet you, Undertaker.

Thank you.

Kon kon taro sui to dayo tsuranai mirai, mirai

Hey there.

Hey.

This new one seems pretty dangerous.

The new handler?

Did you forget already?

Shen! Shen ain't no then.

You did it again, you son of a bitch.

Old man Aldrick's about to go off again.

Did what?

You know damn well what!

Why are you so determined to smash up your machine on every damn mission?

I keep telling you they have weak legs, so don't push them!

Sorry. Sorry doesn't get us spare parts.

Your machine's grounded till the next batch arrives.

I'm certain that Fido brought Cujo's machine back.

Yeah, I guess we could probably salvage some spare parts from that juggernaut.

But are you okay with that? Using parts from a machine a comrade died in?

Stupid question.

I got it, Undertaker.

In a way, Kujo was lucky to die in a unit that had you.

And so were the other processors.

The ones that you take with you.

By the way, I heard we got ourselves a new handler.

What are they like?

Fine.

Fine?

Listen, you.

She thinks just to say hello.

She said she wants to maintain good lines of communication.

She'll be calling every day.

Rare for a Republic soldier.

She's actually a halfway decent person.

With a big heart like that, she must live a pretty hard life. Poor thing.

There we go.

Got yourself a big haul today.

And that means a party tonight.

You good to go, Fido?

No, this isn't bullying, by the way.

Which means no telling Shin. Got it?

Is that a yes or a no?

You guys who are out on a walk, can you hear me? What's going on, Theo?

Weather reports changed.

Rain's coming.

I can talk, Rika.

Jammers, too.

radar list for this one.

When will they arrive?

In about two hours, I'm told.

Got it. Heading back.

No shepherds this time, it seems.

They'll try and overwhelm you.

We only got sheep then, so it's a duck hunt.

Good. Everybody's here.

Send hut!

I look... Explain the situation.

There's one form close by and another linking up with it from the rear, likely

supplying the first.

We'll attack as soon as that's done.

We'll ambush them mid -route at point 304.

Establish a kill zone on Main Street.

That's where we'll eliminate most of the enemy forces.

Handler 1 to all units. The enemy appears to be approaching.

Deploy to point 208 and intercept them.

This is Undertaker to Handler 1.

Deerhead's already deployed.

We plan to intercept early and are standing by at point 304.

They Undertaker.

Here they come.

The Legion's really out in force today.

At least they're mostly a Miza.

Being easy to destroy doesn't make them any less obnoxious.

Growls, too?

What a pain.

I guess we have to take this seriously.

These guys are the worst.

A lupus main gun is twice as powerful as ours.

It can kill you fast.

Okay.

Let's do this.

Fire. Third platoon,

withdraw to the southeast and keep your current targets close.

Fifth platoon.

Maintain position.

When an enemy platoon enters the kill zone, coordinate fire and wipe them out.

Black Dog confirming.

Snow Witch, you're going to want to reload while you've got the chance.

Snow Witch confirming.

Thank you for the reminder.

Laughing Fox, ditto.

Just don't shoot me again, okay, Black Dog?

All units cease fire. Scatter!

Hansler One to all units.

Water's estimated position.

Three potential locations. Confirm and take them out. Gunslinger, four units on

a roof heading 030, distance 1200.

Roger. Morning.

Handler One, directional laser -based data transmission can reveal our unit's

location to the enemy.

Please limit yourself to verbal communication in battle.

Forgive me.

There are more observers inbound. If you would, keep me informed of their

location.

Undertaker. Duck hunt, right?

Just enjoy yourself.

There are definitely more Luvas than we expected.

Our restricted vision makes them more dangerous, too.

We should start whittling down their numbers.

You make it sound so easy.

I'll handle the Luva.

You take command and deal with the others.

Yeah, roger that.

Just try not to piss off old man Aldrich again.

Handler One to all units. That's Scorpion artillery fire.

You need to stay mobile.

I'm sending their spotters estimated positions.

Three potential locations.

Confirm and take them out.

Handler One, directional laser -based data transmissions can reveal our unit's

location to the enemy.

Please limit yourself to verbal communication in battle.

Forgive me.

There are more observers inbound. If you would, keep me informed of their

location.

Right.

Back in Stellar Year 2139, nine years ago now, our Republic of San Magnolia

thrust into war by our neighboring aggressors, the Empire of Geod. This was

initial invasion of the Legion, Geod's autonomous combat machines that still

attack us. The truth of the matter is, Geod was wiped out four years ago,

annihilated by its own out -of -control Legion.

Given that all Legion have an operating time of 50 ,000 hours, approximately six

years, the last of the Legion will shut down in about two years.

Therefore, you fledgling soldiers will only see two years of combat before the

war comes to an end. But during that time, we hope you'll do your best to

fulfill your duties.

It shouldn't be too hard. After all, the Republic's juggernauts... Our

autonomous units are vastly superior to the Legion.

Not one single fatality has occurred since their introduction in 21... That's

not true. People have died.

Today we have a real handler who serves as a juggernaut commander and control

officer. This is Vladilena Milize. She wants to speak to you.

What I'm about to tell you is the real history of the Republic.

Nine years ago, after a mere two weeks of facing down the Legion's overwhelming

firepower, the Republic's regular army had been brought to the point of

collapse.

The Republic's government went on to make two decisions.

The first was to relocate all of its citizens into 85 administrative

The other was to pass the Special Wartime Peace Preservation Act.

This law stripped citizenship and all rights from anyone who did not have

hair and eyes like us Alba.

Legally non -human, they would be kept in carefully monitored internment camps

squarely outside of the 85 districts.

And due to that, the legally uninhabited area came to be referred to as the 86th

district. And the people who lived there became known as the 86th.

These people had to build the wall isolating the 86th district.

Building the Grand Muir Fortress came at their expense, too.

And they're the pilots of the Juggernauts.

There's a human being inside every Juggernaut. And yet, because these

these 86, are not human beings, we claim that they're autonomous. And even as I

stand in this classroom speaking to you, they're out there fighting, surrounded

by countless Legion units. The news you see every morning isn't true.

People are dying.

We can lose dozens of lives in a single battle. Yeah, but they're not actually

humans, are they? Just humanoid pigs that fail to evolve.

They are human, and I should know. I fight with them every day. You claim

you fight with them every day, but have you ever been to the battlefield?

I have, just once.

I went to the battlefield, but I didn't fight.

The only ones who risked their lives in battle are the ones we've robbed of

their rights.

The people we now call 86.

You can't do this, Major.

I warned you in advance.

You can't say anything that makes it sound like you've sided with them.

Instructor, what do the five colors of San Magnolia's flag represent?

What do you... Freedom, equality, brotherhood, justice, and nobility.

And those apply only to humans.

The 86 look human, but aren't. I won't allow you to misinform my students.

The 86 are teenage boys and girls, no different than

you or me.

But they don't get the luxuries and comforts that we do.

They're not allowed to share in our innocent joy.

Merely ignoring that fact is unacceptable to me. We may not be able

But if we listen, we can hear the voices of these nameless soldiers.

Though we may stand apart, when night falls, we look up at the same stars.

Wait, you told the new recruits all that?

I did.

So you're definitely in line for some punishment, right?

Don't worry.

Uncle Jerome will simply express to them how firmly I stand behind my beliefs.

That's surprisingly cunning of you.

You're being protected, huh? Be that as it may, the Republic should still repair

their foolish mistake.

Right, right.

So, how was your meeting with the famous Undertaker?

We're communicating regularly. We synchronize with the para -raid nightly.

Nightly? What do you talk about?

Lots of stuff.

Some of it's not related to work or the mission.

Even apart, our hearts are connected.

I told you not to get too attached.

He's a highly capable leader with strong combat instincts, even if he can be a

little bold and reckless.

He is a truly exceptional soldier.

Undertaker isn't the scary man everyone says he is.

I think you might be alone on that one.

Your heart rate's... elevated.

This one, and this one, and this one too.

Pararate, activate.

Synchronization target.

Beer head, processor.

you

So,

what do you think?

.208. That's what the handler lady said, so was she right?

It would have been the ideal deployment point if we'd left at that very moment.

Right? It's such a teacher's pet answer that it makes me want to throw up, but

she is more than just her silver spoon.

Raiden! You're up!

You're coming!

For how long do you think she'll be able to keep up?

Calm down, kitty.

Here you go.

Thank you.

Anju!

Let me help.

If you wouldn't mind.

Uh, yeah.

I'm on it.

I'm passing that on to you, Kate.

So, how's the book?

It's fine.

Whenever I'm stuck thinking about something else, it helps me get my mind

it.

Ah.

Well, thank you for taking so much on.

You're no fun.

All units, may I have a word?

Whoa, think that's a new record. She lasted an entire week.

By all means.

Good work today, Handler One.

Thank you. Same to all of you.

I'm sorry to interrupt while you were having fun.

We were just killing time.

Don't worry about it.

I see.

And why would that be?

I was reading the patrol and combat reports you filed since you were first

placed in the Spearhead Squadron.

And they were all the same.

Why do you concern yourself with what's going on with us on the front lines?

Isn't that a waste of time?

Part of a handler's job is analyzing Legion tactics and formation tendencies.

I fully understand that you don't send them because we don't read them.

That's our fault, so I'm not mad.

But from now on, please... do it properly.

I'll be reading them.

I'm not good at reading and writing.

Well, it's not like we got any schooling when we were growing up in the

internment camps.

I'm sorry. It's not so much not good at. You're just too lazy.

Right, Undertaker?

Undertaker.

Very well.

Send me one for all your missions up to this point as well.

Will footage from the gun camera do?

No. Write them.

So your records are especially valuable.

We can lower attrition across the whole battlefield, including your own unit.

So help me, please.

To be young again.

Oh, I'm actually about the same age as all of you.

How long has it been since you joined the military?

Most of us have been here for about four years.

Undertaker's been fighting here the longest.

It's his fifth year.

So Undertaker's almost done with his term, huh?

Something you want to do when you leave the army and become a Republic citizen

again? Somewhere you want to go or want to see?

I've never thought about it.

Oh, okay.

But you might want to start thinking about it now.

You might come up with something.

I'm sure that would be fun.

You may be right.

I don't want to die.