Contents
- Introduction
- Story
- Visuals
- Audio
- Characters
- Personal Enjoyment
- Overall Score
Introduction
Kaiju No. 8 is a 2024 anime based on the manga of the same title by Naoya Matsumoto. In case anyone is unaware, kaiju is a Japanese word that refers to giant monsters. The word literally means “strange beast.” The best example of a kaiju is Godzilla, since almost everyone is familiar with him. Kaiju has become almost like its own genre in entertainment. In movies and TV, kaiju usually fight each other and/or attack human civilization, causing mass destruction.
In the world of Kaiju No. 8., kaiju are real threats that manifest in cities and have to be destroyed by teams of humans on the self-defense force. In this setting, Hibino Kafka is a sweeper, or someone who helps clean up the dead bodies of kaiju after they are defeated. He wanted to join the self-defense force as a soldier, but could never make the cut. Now 30 years old, Kafka is about to undergo a mysterious change that will allow him to transform into a kaiju at will. Kaiju No. 8 is story of Hibino Kafka.
Now, if you’re a literature buff, you will know that Kafka’s name is a reference. In 1915, Franz Kafka published a novella called The Metamorphosis. Long story short, it involves a man turning into a monster. That’s why “Kafka” is a good fit for a character who can turn into a kaiju. While transforming into a monster isn’t typically a good thing, Hibino Kafka also undergoes the metamorphosis of positive character development, becoming more hopeful and determined as the story progresses.
Story
Score: 7/10
The story category was good overall. At first, I wasn’t sure I would like it due to the lack of originality in the concept. I’ve seen many different versions of this story already – one where a man becomes a monster but uses it to fight other monsters. It’s an overused idea. However, I ended up liking the story in execution.
I also wondered at first if this show was trying to be like another Attack on Titan. The premises are similar. However, this anime also succeeded in making itself very distinct from AOT. While AOT is extremely dark and thought-provoking, Kaiju No. 8 has a charming simplicity and wholesome spirit. It also has a lot more abdundant humor. Both darkly philosophical and light-hearted are valid flavors of entertainment that I enjoy at different times.
One of the story strengths of Kaiju No. 8 is that it appeals to adults as well as young people who just want to see a kaiju knock over some buildings. The reason it appeals to adults is that the story is focused on a mostly adult cast and told from the point of view of someone who is 30 years old. If you thought all anime heroes were fifteen, think again.
In addition to wide appeal, the story has other strengths too. The pacing was excellent. It never felt too rushed or too crazy. The stakes were high enough to be exciting at all the right points. Furthermore, there are interesting and positive themes that speak through the story. These include resilience, hope, and teamwork. The world-building hasn’t been great yet, but I’m excited by every piece of history we get. I’m dying to know where kaiju come from. Clearly, the story of Kaiju No. 8 is quite compelling.
Visuals
Score: 9/10
Production I.G. was the studio responsible for animating Kaiju No. 8. I’ve heard mixed takes on the visuals of this anime, but almost everyone agrees that it looks good. However, some were thrown off by the art style and might not consider the visuals amazing like I do. Personally, I think the art and animation are magnificent. I love the cartoonish humor and expressive faces. Also, I won’t hide the fact that I’m biased in that I adore Production I.G.
The colors and lighting are always on point. There are small details I appreciate, like how the civilians in episode 1 were drawn in 2D instead of using uncanny 3D models like most modern anime. I love the designs for the enemy kaiju and for our star in particular when he’s in his monster form. The character designs are memorable and the action sequences generally look awesome. In summary, I think 9/10 is warranted for this category.
Audio
Score: 10/10
The audio is even better than the visuals. The instrumental music was composed by Yuta Bandoh. For someone with only a tiny track record of experience in anime music, Bandoh did an amazing job with the soundtrack. I don’t know how to explain the style of music, but it involves deep, fast beats and occasional vocals. One of my favorite pieces is “Fortitude 9.8.” Definitely listen to some Yuta Bandoh tracks when you have time. They’re super interesting and often inspiring!
Somehow, the makers of Kaiju No. 8 managed to hire two huge English bands from outside the country for the opening and ending songs. A lot of budget must have gone into getting those bands. The opening song is “Abyss” by YungBlud and the ending song is “Nobody” by One Republic. Both are excellent songs and since the singers are native English speakers, the lyrics aren’t “Engrish.” (Don’t get me wrong – Sometimes “Engrish” in a song can be cool or charming, but it also gets frustrating at times when the pronunciation is just so bad.)
I always comment on the Japanese voice-acting in my anime reviews since I rarely watch any anime in English. The star of the show, Hibino Kafka, is voiced by Masaya Fukunishi. I don’t know him from any other major roles yet, but he made a great first impression on me. Wataru Katou, voice of Reno Ichikawa, is a relatively new young voice in the world of Japanese seiyuu. This was my first time hearing him that I’m aware of, but I liked his voice.
A personal favorite of mine, Kengo Kawanishi, voiced Hoshina. I’ve loved that voice-actor since I first heard him as Gen in Dr. Stone. I already knew he was good at comedy, but it’s good to know he can play more serious characters like Hoshina as well. I also wanted to mention Fairouz Ai, the seiyuu who voiced Kikoru. I know her from when she played Power in Chainsaw Man. Her voice is hard to forget! There was a lot of good voice-acting in Kaiju No. 8 even aside from the main cast, but that’s all I’ll mention for today.
Characters
Score: 8/10
The character category was strong, as Kaiju No. 8 features relatable, likeable characters with surprising depth. Protagonist Hibino Kafka is the epitome of a relatable character for adults in their thirties who feel like they were forced to give up their dreams or who just aren’t where they wanted to be in life. Kafka has a loveable personality with a boyish enthusiasm for life. It’s easy to root for someone like him who works so hard. He goes through a lot of solid character development over these twelve episodes.
All the characters are pretty likeable right off the bat. For example, take Reno Ishikawa, the younger best friend of Kafka. He is extremely cute and also has strong personal ethics, admiring diligence and courage. The only character who wasn’t immediately likeable was Kikoru Shinomiya, but she gets better with time. Also, it’s very realistic that the 16-year-old would still act like a temperamental teenager. She literally is one. Let’s not judge her too harshly for that.
Captain Mina Ashiro and Vice-Captain Soushiro Hoshina were both fascinating. Though Mina is mysterious, you can get an idea of her personality well enough thanks to good character writing. Hoshina is often a goofball, but when push comes to shove, he’s more serious than anyone. Don’t underestimate his observant, clever mind and physical skills. Other supporting characters like Haruichi and Aoi were interesting and well-developed too. To reiterate, the character category was strong for Kaiju No. 8.
Personal Enjoyment
Score: 8/10
There was a lot to enjoy in this anime. One example is the character of Mina Ashiro. I find her interesting, beautiful, and inspiring. Strong female characters are right up my alley. I also appreciate the fact that Mina’s character type – the strong, stoic one that everyone looks up to – is usually given to male characters. It’s always refreshing when the dynamic is switched.
The humor in Kaiju No. 8 is frequent and goofy. I liked it a lot. One of the best examples was when Kafka had to pee as a kaiju but didn’t know how to use his new body. Bizarrely, the pee came out of the creature’s nipples. Embarrassed, Kafka exclaimed that nobody would ever take him as a bride now. That was hilarious.
Some of my enjoyment also came from shipping of the characters. I love shipping Kafka x Reno. I would have given personal enjoyment an even higher score if there were more moments that spoke to me emotionally and if there were more profound discussions and story themes. But this anime was still great – especially the audio and visual components. for example, the fight of Kafka versus Isao Shinomiya looked stunning.
Overall Score
Score: 8.4/10.0 “Great!”
I calculate the overall score by taking the average of the five scores from the categories above. The majority of anime I watch lands somewhere in the 7s range, which is good but not great. Kaiju No. 8, on the other hand, is an example of a strong 8/10 anime. It’s all around an excellent production.
You should watch Kaiju No. 8 if you like monster fights, abundant comic relief, and heartfelt themes like determination and trust in one’s comrades. Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 is scheduled to be released in Summer 2025, so be prepared for more coverage of this series soon. Sayonara until next time!
~Thanks for Reading~
Written by 7Mononoke
