Kaiju No. 8 is running pretty hard. We are now three episodes deep, and we’re now getting into the meat and potatoes of this first arc. So far, I’m enjoying Kaiju No. 8 a lot.
Where “The Man Who Became a Kaiju” and “The Kaiju Who Defeats Kaiju” manage to stuff a lot into a comparatively small amount of time, things slow down a lot. We’re given a rather in-depth look into the testing process to become a part of the Defense Force, including the GX 4552 kaiju combat suit. This monitors everything including vitals. Of course, Kafka has underperformed in every single aspect. And what was Kafka’s unleashed combat power? 0%.
This is a unique take on the test-taking trope that’s been taking over a lot of anime. As “Revenge Match” went through the practical test, I was thinking that this gave Kafka an out so he could overperform on a metric that isn’t necessarily monitored or measured. Lo and behold, I ended up correct.
While the test was going on, Kafka realized that it isn’t just combat that is being measured. Kafka and Remo figure out it’s more about a complete assessment of field tactics over just offense. Towards the end of the episode, there is a display of growth that Kafka shows, giving a glimpse into what to expect going forward. Kafka is injured heavily, with several irregularities due to broken bones and organ damage. The episode closes with Kafka finally drawing out some of the power of the combat suit. He’s now at .01%.
I think the strengths of Kaiju No. 8 lie in the unique takes on the tropes seen heavily in other anime. I’ve seen tests in shows like My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, and even Demon Slayer. And this is the best take on the tropes. The main character isn’t some murder machine who’s at the top of their game. Kafka’s only strength is an ability that he can’t use, or he dies because of where he is. Kafka is among the most useless in pure civilian combat situations. However, he has a brain and uses it very well. He cannot fight using his kaiju powers. So he’s at an immense handicap without taking his age into account.
I’ve stated this before, Kaiju No. 8 is doing a lot to make me interested. I’m holding off until the end of this season to start reading the manga because I want to be surprised with what happens. The pacing continues to be masterful, showcasing an ability to be able to slow down and get into the minutia of the testing process. This juxtaposition to the first two episodes where it’s going faster is fantastic and shows the mangaka who wrote the story knows what they’re doing.
Kaiju No. 8 is a fantastic show and I will keep saying this until the show isn’t anymore. This is the definition of “blockbuster anime,” and will be a top-tier anime going forward. So far, I’m ready to say this is a must-see anime everyone needs to watch. Screw Demon Slayer. Watch this instead.