Summary
Kaiju No. 8follows the story of a man named Kafka Hibino, a middle-aged member of theKaiju Cleaning Companywith dwindling aspirations of becoming an officer for the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force. After failing to pass the second stage of the application process a number of times, Kafka gave up on the idea of making it into the Defense Force and tried to ignore the emptiness inside of him. Becoming an officer was important to him, but second only to a promise he made to his childhood friend, Mina Ashiro, which was to join her side as an officer with the Defense Force. The only problem is that Mina became an appraised captain of the Defense Force’s Third Division.
Mangaka Naoya Matsumoto paints a beautiful picture inKaiju No. 8of an unremarkable man with a fire inside that far exceeds his physical limits. As the age limit rises for the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force applications, due to a lack of young citizens registering, Kafka sees this as his one and only opportunity to finally make it into the Defense Force and live up to his promise. The issue at hand before he can make it to the second stage is that he is harboring a secret that could lead to his demise — Kafka is Kaiju No. 8, following the accidental swallowing of a parasite. There is just one goal in his mind, and it’s to reach the side of his childhood friend, no matter the cost.
How Do Kafka And Mina Know Each Other?
A Childhood Bond Following Kaiju Attacks
Growing up in the same neighborhood, Mina and Kafka quickly became friends at an early age. Though it’s not explained just how close they were prior to the Kaiju incident that devastated their town, they become close during their reflection on what they lost.Kaiju No. 8manages to slip in a perfect example of how different Mina and Kafka are in this situation, as Mina cries over the loss of her cat while Kafka is enraged he’ll never be able to complete his video game. Despite his shallowness during the moment, Kafka takes Mina’s hand into his own and promises to avenge her cat by taking out all the Kaijus.
Together, Mina and Kafka make a promise to each other that they will grow up to become officers inthe Anti-Kaiju Third Defense. Forming a bit of a rivalry, the two make a pact and claim they will become the cooler of the two officers during their training. As the past continues to showcase their friendship, Mina and Kafka begin their studies into everything relating to Kaijus — what their core is, how to isolate weak points, and the different classes of Kaiju. From this point, Kafka expresses a protectiveness over Mina, stating that he will become as strong as he possibly can in order to protect Mina, which draws out a laugh from Mina due to the anime-like trope.
Don’t worry! Whenever you get scared… I’ll always be right by your side!
As funny as she may find it, the thought of fighting Kaiju much larger than her puts fear into her heart. As the two continue to study and learn more about Kaiju, the audience is led to believe that Mina will have a more difficult time overcoming her concerns, while Kafka could be a stand-out officer with the potential of a captain some day. Although the contrast between the two is made clear as they reach adulthood, the result couldn’t be any further from the truth. One indeed does become the captain of the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force’s Third Division, but the other struggles to become an officer.
Kafka and Mina: A Tale Of Two Opposites
How Kafka and Mina Evolved Differently
Mina eventually does reach the summit of the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force, becoming the captain of the Third Division with a combat power rating of 96%, the highest of her division and second among all members of the Defense Force. Kafka, on the other hand, fails to become an officer despite many attempts, settling for a job with the Kaiju Cleaning Company, a team of dedicated cleaners tasked with cutting down Kaiju remains for future use. With his dreams dashed, not only did Kafka taste defeat in his quest to become a cooler officer than Mina, he also failed to live up to his promise to be by her side.
This changes when Kafka earns the power of a Kaiju after accidentally swallowing a parasitic entity at the hospital. Becoming the threat known as Kaiju No. 8, Kafka’s secret is eventually revealed after he makes the decision to save the Third Division after a Yoju bomb nearly wiped out the entire base. Much likeEren Yeager inAttack on Titan, Kafka’s determination to defeat all Kaiju leads to him becoming one himself, forcing him to use his newfound power to defeat other Kaiju while keeping his comrades safe. Despite being both an officer of the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force and a Kaiju himself, Kafka continues to struggle with his role in the squad.
By the conclusion of season one ofKaiju No. 8, Kafka is released and learns that he will continue to serve the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force while using his Kaiju powers to assist his division with their missions. Harnessing the power of a Kaiju without turning parts intoa Numbers weapon, General Shinomiya has a hunch that Kafka and his Kaiju powers could be the answer to defeating the continuous Kaiju roaming the Earth. Whether Kafka can reach the side of Mina and fight alongside her in the Third Division hangs in the balance. Kafka is as determined as ever to prove to the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force that he is human, or die trying.
Kaiju No. 8
Production I.G’s Kaiju No. 8 is a Spring 2024 anime based on Naoya Matsumoto’s Shonen Jump+ manga. Set in an alternate version of Japan, the story follows the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force as they try to protect the nation from monster attacks.
