Kaiju No. 8 vol. 1 by Naoya Matsumoto

Reviewed by Makenna J.
Grade: 9

Naoya Matsumoto’s Kaiju No. 8 is an exciting action manga that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat along with some pleasantly surprising comedy! The first volume grabbed my attention right away and I wanted to find the second volume immediately after I finished it. The characters are written very well and I immediately became attached to them. The reader is able to relate to them right off the bat and I really want to know more about them; I’m very interested in their backgrounds and motivation. Along with compelling characters, the story itself is intriguing as well. Someone could argue that the plot follows a very common formula, but I found it very unique and fascinating!

 Thirty-two-year-old Kafka Hibino wants to clean up kaiju, monsters that threaten the citizens’ lives in Japan, ever since he was little. But somehow, he ended up literally cleaning them up! The Defense Force kills them while he’s stuck cleaning up the dead kaiju on the streets. He gave up on his dream of being a part of the Defense Force alongside his childhood friend, Mina Ashiro, a long time ago because he could never pass the entrance exam. Then one day, Reno Ichikawa, a kid who wants to join the Defense Force, joins Kafka’s cleanup team and sparks his dream of killing kaiju alongside Mina again. But suddenly, while they’re working, a kaiju attacks them and puts them both in the hospital. While they’re recovering, Kafka transforms into a kaiju! On the run and with the help of Ichikawa, Kafka takes the entrance exam one last time to be a part of the Defense Force with Mina as his motivation.

 Some plot points in this manga are a little too . . . convenient. Kafka can switch between being a kaiju and a human, but the author never really explains why or how. Although, I don’t mind it too much because I know the author will explain it in later volumes. I really appreciate the refreshing plot of Kafka not being the best out of everyone taking the exam and only having one last chance to fulfill his dream before he’s too old. There was a surprising amount of comedy in this manga, mainly coming from Kafka and Ichikawa’s friendship, and I really enjoyed it. Volume one left on a cliffhanger which made me really want to continue reading! Naoya Matsumoto not only wrote, but also illustrated an amazing series with deep characters, an intriguing plot, and stunning artwork which I find to be very impressive!

I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who’s a fan of action and comedy. I loved volume one, and I’m sure many other people will as well! I’m looking forward to reading more of Naoya Mastumoto’s works!