The vampire in Tokyo, Attack the giant, Jujutsu Kaisenand many other action anime series follow a similar pattern (you’ll know this one if you’ve seen them) and it works. But too many series lean into this, sometimes failing to handle this concept, and it’s starting to show. Such is the case with the latest spring 2024 anime series Kaiju number 8.
First episode of Kaiju number 8 really captivated me from the beginning to the end of the premiere. This is largely due to the main character Kafka Hibino. In his modern-day version of Earth, kaiju (large monsters such as Godzilla) attack regularly. He is part of the cleanup team that unfortunately does not fight these monsters but instead is the one who cleans up the mess left by the Self-Defense Force team.
As you can imagine, this leads to some gruesome and disgusting sequences as Hibino cleans up his intestines, brain, and other disturbing matters after the Self-Defense Force kills a kaiju. This really intrigued me, because it was so funny and fascinating (or rather, horrifying in some cases). I really like the idea of a show focusing on someone who is essentially a gatekeeper for the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force.
However, it doesn’t stop there. The show’s finale made it clear that this was never going to be what the show was about. Instead, it’s really about high-octane action as the soldiers try to defeat these kaiju. Without revealing too much, it certainly ends up being as ridiculous and unsuccessful as some previous iterations of this idea.
ARRIVE Kaiju number 8 To my credit, the anime is still funny even after the yawn, which gives me some hope. After all, it seems like Hibino will still be the center of the series and still be the same stupid, indecisive guy as before. Additionally, I’m curious to know more about his backstory. The first episode hints at some connection between Hibino and another star, a full-time member of the kaiju resolution team. I’m looking forward to seeing where that goes.
My only concern is how Kaiju number 8 The anime will handle the final plot of the premiere. So many of these series follow the same route of characters dealing with this unfortunate incident and people’s reactions against them. I’ve seen that many times now. It would be best if the series made the plot a natural occurrence and everyone got down to business.
For now, we’ll have to wait and see on that front. At least the animation quality looks promising. This product line has a modern, sturdy design, but it’s not too serious here. The characters are a bit unusual and goofy, which helps set the tone. But animation studio Production IG knows when to show off in action scenes. Even the 3D of the kaiju, which I don’t always love in anime, doesn’t look outstanding or terrible here.
I look forward to seeing more of these Kaiju number 8 anime, but I hope it doesn’t focus too much on the idea of trying to replace great shows that are ending like Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon slayerAnd My Hero Academy. It works best when it leans into its own comedic identity.
Kaiju number 8 currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
