You can tell that this is a great animation... I mean, the title already tells you what you're getting... There are giant monsters, people fighting giant monsters, explosions everywhere and a guy who somehow becomes one of the monsters himself but after watching it, I can honestly say this anime is much more than just "humans fighting monsters."..
So... Kafka Hibino, always dreamed of joining the Defense Force and fighting Kaiju alongside his childhood friend Mina Ashiro but Life didn't exactly go according to plan.... Kafka gives up on that dream and ends up working for a company that cleans up the disgusting remains left behind after Kaiju attacks and honestly, that part made me like Kafka immediately...
He's not the usual young anime protagonist who's already destined to become the strongest person alive..
He's way older.
He's tired.
He's failed before and he's basically watching someone he once promised to stand beside become everything he wanted to be...
Things get crazy when Kafka encounters a mysterious small Kaiju and ends up gaining the ability to transform into a powerful monster himself...
So now the guy who wanted to join the Defense Force is literally becoming the thing the Defense Force is supposed to kill and that's where the anime becomes really interesting...
Kafka has this massive power, but he isn't suddenly some arrogant character who thinks he's better than everyone. He's still the same goofy, slightly ridiculous guy underneath it all and That's probably my favorite thing about him..
He's funny.
He's sometimes scared.
He makes mistakes but when things get serious, he genuinely wants to protect people and I think that's what makes it easy to root for him...
The other characters are also really good..
Reno Ichikawa becomes one of Kafka's closest friends, and their relationship is one of the things that keeps the show grounded. Reno is younger, more serious and extremely determined, but he also looks up to Kafka in his own way..
Then there's Kikoru Shinomiya, who starts off looking like the typical arrogant genius character but slowly becomes much more interesting and I can't forget Soshiro Hoshina... This guy is just cool.... Every time Hoshina gets into a fight, I know I'm about to enjoy myself..
The action is probably where Kaiju No. 8 really shines..
The animation is seriously good, especially when the Kaiju battles start getting crazy... The fights have weight to them, and the combination of hand-to-hand combat, weapons and giant monsters makes the battles feel exciting without becoming completely confusing.
The music also adds a lot to those moments...
There were several times I found myself getting way mo.re excited than I expected and then there are the emotional moments.
This anime can actually hit you when you aren't expecting it.
Kafka's story isn't just about becoming stronger, It's about getting another chance at a dream you thought you had already lost and honestly, I think that's one of the reasons I connected with him... Kafka is basically that person who finally decides, "You know what? Maybe I'm not too old to try again." And That message really worked for me...
The story isn't completely original... as an anime lover, You can definitely see influences from other shonen anime and monster stories but I don't think originality is always about creating something nobody has ever seen before.
Season 2 continues the story with Kafka facing greater scrutiny from the Defense Force while new threats emerge, including the increasingly dangerous Kaiju No. 9...
For me, though, the biggest reason I'd recommend this anime is Kafka himself..
He's basically a grown man who messed up, gave up on his dream and then got another chance and watching him slowly find his confidence again is honestly more satisfying than watching him beat monsters..
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Thank you for reading and commenting. Until next time 馃拹
Rating: 95/100
