It can be fun checking out a new anime with little to no context. I hadn’t done that for a while and so thought I would try it with Kaiju No. 8. Fortunately, this was one of the cases where I was highly rewarded for the gamble!
Kaiju No. 8 takes us to a Japan where Kaiju randomly appear and cause devastation to be taken down by a special force called the Japanese Anti-Kaiju Defense Force, or JAKDF. The show starts with a successful destruction of a Kaiju, where we meet our hero Kafka Hibino. Kafka isn’t your classic hero in a monster series, as after trying to become a member of the JAKDF, he has instead become part of the cleanup crew. He helps dispose of the bodies of the Kaiju, which in turn helps the scientists learn more about the Kaiju.
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One day a new guy starts a temp job before he attempts the course to become a JAKDF member. The two quickly build a bond, and Kafka decides to try again. After an incident, they find themselves in a hospital, where a parasite appears and gets inside Kafka, turning him into a human-sized Kaiju. Kafka learns to disguise himself in his human form and continues to have a crack at joining the JAKDF. Unfortunately the powered suit the team uses powers up based on the wearer’s aptitudes for it, and he has an almost 0% aptitude. Being grossly underpowered, he faces failing the exam, but his knowledge of the Kaiju and working as a real team player get him a lifeline, and he gets his chance to fight as a soldier.
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One of the biggest things I noted when watching this series was how fast-paced it is. As much as I love anime, it sure can dawdle at times. What they bang out in a few episodes could have easily been the “Turns into a Kaiju Arc,” followed by the “Training Arc,” then the arc where they fight the first big threat. Instead, the series blasts through all of this, and in 12 episodes we have all of the above, some major fights, Kafka learning to use his abilities, accidentally showing it to a few people, facing challenges, and so much more. In some ways, I could have done with a bit more time to see some development, but on the other hand, I enjoyed banging out the series in a few evenings.
The series is beautifully animated, with some incredible scenes in the fights. The voice acting is consistently solid, and the story, while it can be tropey, does create some intriguing moments and has created a super interesting world to learn about.
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This edition is really slick with a beautiful hard cardboard case that comes in a cool plastic slip over the top. Inside the case is of course the Blu-ray, case, an awesome artbook with awesome interview content to read, some fantastic aert cards, an acryclic standee and a really cool small metal art card. It’s the kind of edition that this show deserves!
