Well, Well, Well! Here we are. Suppose you have been a fan of Pacific Rim, Godzilla, and Attack on Titan. Then you must have known the currently airing action thriller monster anime Kaiju No 8. Why wouldn’t you? I mean, every fan is talking about it either way whether praising the anime for its Kaiju or mimicking the shonen trope of the weak hero getting the strongest power or armor.
In my opinion or short, it’s a great anime to watch if you love the above-mentioned anime or movie. Then it’s a must-watch for you. Obviously, there are flaws and imperfections but the blend of light humor with action-paced fights involving Gun fights and Katana fights.
Well, let me justify the reasons for you and why Kaiju No 8 Anime is worth watching. So here is My Kaiju No 8 Anime review first season while discussing each episode.
Table of Contents
So What is Kaiju No 8 Anime & It’s Plot?
Kaiju No 8 Anime is a sci-fi action comedy anime, directed by Shigeyuki Miya who gave the storyboard for Vinland Saga season 2 and Bleach, and Tomomi Kamiya who provided the storyboard for Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man.
The Plot of Kaiju No 8 Anime follows our protagonist Kafka Hibino who aspires to join the Japan Defence Force to eliminate Kaijus. Kafka must become a cool defense officer as promised to his childhood friend Mina. Mina has surpassed him as the Captain of the Third Division but Kafka is now working with the cleaning side and clears the aftermath of war. When a new part-timer Ichikawa reignites the dream of the Defence Force. Kafka clears the exam but one incident awaits him to become the Kaiju No.8
| Genre | Action, Sci-fi, Comedy, Drama |
| Aired | Apr 13, 2024 to Jun 29, 2024 |
| Episodes | 12 |
| Average Duration | 23 minutes per episode |
| Studios | Production I. G |
| Broadcast Timings | Saturdays @ 23:00 hrs (JST) |
Where Can I watch Kaiju No.8?
You can watch Kaiju’s No.8 anime on Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Aniplus TV online with a paid subscription.
How Many Kaijus are there?
Let me start by answering the types of Kaijus. First comes the Yoju types, the low-level kaiju generally seem to be the mobs. Then comes Honju types which are basically the leader of the Yoju. Then comes the “IDENTIFIED KAIJU” like Kaiju No.8 and Kaiju No.9.
These identified Kaijus are a total of 15 in number starting from Kaiju No.1 to Kaiju No.15. While Kaijun No.9 remains the antagonist of the anime and Kaiju No.8 is the protagonist.
So, After reading 100+ chapters of its manga and watching all the episodes of anime I think the slight humor blends perfectly with the narration. The tone of the story isn’t extraordinary that you haven’t seen before. The hero becomes what he vowed to kill (Seems like heard that one before, Oh Boy isn’t it Attack on Titan’s Plot). The Plot and concept aren’t any fresh or remarking that awes anyone. The pretty standard plot didn’t fancy me with kaiju concepts. But what did I Like? We will come to that in animation and action sequences.
Fans Ratings
No matter what my opinions are, it’s also important to look out for the fan’s ratings from all over the world. Kaiju No.8 anime has impressed a lot of fans with its first impression and got 58, 291 users voted for 8.21 rating in MAL (My Anime List) Score.
Kaiju No.8 Anime also received a whooping score of 8.4 out of 10 IMDB ratings and each episode with a rating of 9.0 above.
And it got a 74% score on Rotten Tomatoes from the audience. So the overall ratings conclude people are loving it and enjoying it as well.
Related: Megumi Vs Yuji – Is Megumi Stronger Than Yuji In Jujutsu Kaisen?
Action Sequences and Animation Styles
Action sequences and animation are the two sides of a coin. I fell in love with the action sequences and animation. The varieties of Kaijus and their anatomy awed me. So Far in season 1, the fight between the vice-captain of Third Division Soshiro Hoshina, and Kaiju No.10 remains one of the epic scenes in the anime.
The Katana Fight of Hoshina and his mastery of close combat skills in episode 9 is just a sight to watch. The Slicing of Kaiju No. 10 is so satisfying.
In the beginning, the introduction to Kaiju invading the landscapes of Japan has been created with CG. That didn’t appeal to me in any way.
The Animation is handled by Production I.G known for their work in Ghost in the Shell and Psycho-pass, also came up with the fluid animation this time but sometimes the overuse of slow motion is a total turn-off for me.
I found they kept the art style true to its manga and on top of that the detailed Kaiju designs promise some high-octane action sequences and deliver it too.
The Special effects had a great impact on the animation which I loved even more.
Characters, Voice Actors and Music
The characters of Kaiju No.8 Anime are a strong point for it. Its unique characters and their developments kept me hooked throughout the series. Mina, the captain reminded me of Mikasa and Hoshina reminded me of Captain Levi with some characteristics.
With their training regime and obstacles, the characters get to grow individually overcoming their past and weakness. The hunger to become the strongest in the Defence Force. The Voice actors played a vital role in bringing out the best emotions and most of it from the characters.
Related: 15 Best Anime About Twins On The Internet
You know it as well, you can’t connect to the characters if the dialogue deliveries don’t work in any way. But in Kaiju No.8 Anime the voice actors nailed it. Here are the details of Characters played by voice actors.
| Characters | Japanese Voice Artist | English Voice Artist |
| Kikoru Shinomiya | Fairouz AI | Abigail Blythe |
| Kafka Hibino/ Kaiju No.8 | Masaya Fukunishi | Nazeeh Tarsha |
| Reno Ichikawa | Wataru Kato | Adam McArthur |
| Mina Ashiro | Asami Seto | Katelyn Barr |
| Kaiju No.9 | Hiroyuki Yoshino | Alejandro Saab |
| Kaiju No.10 | Kenta Miyake | Brent Mukai |
Now, let’s come to the Sound aspect of Kaiju No.8 Anime. The Sound dares to either make it a hit or break it to the bones. The opening theme and ending theme just hit out of the park. Overall the sound does its job beautifully.
Episode Release Dates
| Episode 1 | April 13, 2024 |
| Episode 2 | April 20, 2024 |
| Episode 3 | April 27, 2024 |
| Episode 4 | May 4, 2024 |
| Episode 5 | May 11, 2024 |
| Episode 6 | May 18, 2024 |
| Episode 7 | May 25, 2024 |
| Episode 8 | June 1, 2024 |
| Episode 9 | June 8, 2024 |
| Episode 10 | June 15, 2024 |
| Episode 11 | June 22, 2024 |
| Episode 12 | June 29, 2024 |
Kaiju No.8 Anime Episode Reviews
Episode 1: (IMDB: 8.5 ratings)
Kafka Hibino, an active member of Kaiju Corpse Disposal has buried deep the dream of joining the Defence Force. But the past Memories of childhood friend Mina; Captain of Defense Force leaves him regretting over his actions.
Episode 2 (IMDB: 8.2 ratings)
The unexpected turn of events leads Kafka to become the Kaiju No.8 and to flee the hospital before the Defense Force arrives. But the sudden appearance of Another Kaiju forces him to stay back.
Episode 3 (IMDB: 7.9 Ratings)
Kafka has passed the Defence Force First step examination, it’s time for him to appear for the next step. But will his dream of becoming an officer of the Defense Force become real?
Episode 4 (IMDB: 8.8 Ratings)
On the second step of the Exam Shinomiya and others face an unknown foe. The Unexpected villain seems to overpower the examiners and Kafka reveals his powers to wipe the risk.
Episode 5 (IMDB:7.7 Ratings)
Kafka Hibino managed to pass the Defence Force examination but he isn’t a full pledged officer yet. He has three months under vice-captain Hoshina to prove himself. Kafka works hard to become the dull-pledged officer.
Episode 6 (IMDB: 8.1 Ratings)
The first mission appears at the daybreak and Kaiju continues to threaten a nearby city. Kafka gets to witness the true essential power of the Defense Force and his comrades.
Episode 7 (IMDB: 8.9 Ratings)
Reno Ichikawa and Iharu encounter the humanoid Kaiju No.9 and the deadly battle leads to severe injuries for the newly joined officers. Will the help for Reno and Iharu arrive at the right time or Kafka will save them?
Episode 8 (IMDB: 8.1 Ratings)
Kafka Hibino turns into Kaiju No.8 to save Ichikawa and Iharu without any second thought. The other member of the Defence Force quickly recognizes the presence of Kaiju No.8. Vice-captain Hoshina confronts Kaiju No.8 and attacks. But Kaiju No.8 succeeds in defending himself and manages to flee from the sight.
Episode 9 (IMDB: 9.0 Ratings)
The Defence Force Headquarters is under attack this time. The Powerful Kaiju No. 10 destroyed the Ichikawa base and with the upper hand in the aerial attack. In the absence of Captain Mina will the vice-captain be able to defeat the Kaiju No.10?
Episode 10 (JMDB: 9.4 Ratings)
The debate of revealing his powers again stands before Kafka. Despite Captain Mina destroying the Kaiju No.10, the collateral damage is too much risky. Kafka, being selfless without caring for a second turns into Kaiju No.8 and saves the day. But his true identity is revealed before everyone.
Related: 8 Best Website to Read Attack On Titan Manga Online
Conclusion of Kaiju No 8 Anime Review- Is Kaiju No.8 Anime Worth Watching?
I am 100% positive you should watch it, keeping all the introspective moments aside Kaiju No.8 anime is entertaining anime with shonen trope. But Every Anime can’t be the best from all technical aspects. Kafka Hibino’s innocence will keep you hooked. Kaiju No 8 Author Naoya Matsumoto kept the romantic angle of Kafka and Mina low-key which adds another layer to the anime. Well, You should watch the anime, It’s totally worth watching.
A voracious reader and anime nerd, always geeking about enormous metaphors hidden in Books and Anime. I am also trying to write my first book as well as enjoying sharing experience with an audience.
