So I have been watching this anime called Kaiju No. 8 , and seriously, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did, So at first,I wasn't really feeling the name, Another monster-fighting anime?” But this one came with it's own flavor, and I am not even going to lie, I really like the storyline, it is giving something different from the usual “young hero with big dreams” vibe, this one starts with a man who is 32 and low key tired of life.
The main guy's name is Kafka Hibino. (Yeah, weird name, I know.) but this guy has been dreaming of joining the Defense Force since he was younger, you know ,fighting monsters and saving lives, but life did not really smile at him early on, Instead of fighting kaiju like he wanted, he ended up working as a cleaner, the one that comes after the battles to help clean the monster guts and debris, Imagine dreaming of being Spider-Man and ending up as the janitor in his building,that’s how sad it was.
But then one day, as anime luck would have it, Kafka got infected by one mysterious kaiju worm-like thing , and boom, his life changed just like that, The man started transforming into a monster himself, Like full-blown kaiju form with crazy strength and all, That is how he became Kaiju No. 8, and now he is living a double life, human on one side, monster on the other.
What I really love about this anime is that it does not just give action and cool fights ,it also talks about dreams, pressure, and growing up, most anime you see nowadays are centered around teenagers who want to save the world, but this one is like a reminder that even if you are in your 30s, you can still go after what you want , even if you are covered in monster skin while doing it.
The fights, They did not come to play at all, the animation is clean, and the action scenes are fast-pace ,not those ones that drag like you are watching a snail fight Plus, the military squad people are really strong too, I especially like Mina Ashiro, Kafka’s childhood friend and crush, She is now one of the top kaiju killers in the Defense Force, and anytime she shows up on screen, you just know trouble is about to end.
Another thing is the humor, Kafka is funny in that tired adult kind of way,like someone that has seen life and is just trying to survive but still manages to crack you up, there is this kind of realness to his character that makes you root for him, and the way he is hiding his monster identity while trying to get into the Defense Force? Omo, the tension.
The only problem is that the episodes are not long enough , you know how you are just getting into the vibe, and boom, episode ends ,But I guess that's how you know the anime is good.
So yeah, if you are really into anime that is action packed,that has emotional depth, and will still gives you laugh out loud moments, Kaiju No. 8 is the one to check out, and especially if you are an adult that still has dreams you have not given up on,I feel this anime might just be speaking your language.
I have only gotten up to the latest episode, waiting for the next season, but so far it’s giving what it is supposed to give, Let me know if you have seen it and what you think, Or if you haven’t, just go check it out already, It is on Crunchyroll, Moviebox and everywhere people watch anime.
I will have to rate this anime 4/5 .
First Image Is Designed Using Canva, Others are from Imdb
