Kara Dennison
March 21, 2023 
Production I.G is working away on its anime adaptation of Kaiju No. 8, and we can’t wait! Of course, we’ll have to… we still have a bit of time before it reaches our screen. But as we follow along with the manga and the production news, the hype is real. Naoya Matsumoto’s shonen action series has some seriously unique twists and turns, and watching them in full motion is going to be a treat.
But there are multiple reasons we’re looking forward to seeing this come to life. Here are just a handful. How about you? Are you looking forward to Kafka Hibino’s starring turn?
An Endearing Protagonist
Seriously. Just look at that face. How can you not love Kaiju No. 8?
Okay, let us explain. Kafka (one of the most on-the-nose names we’ve seen in a while) is really going through it. As a kid, he watched his town get destroyed by kaiju. He dreamed of joining up and fighting them. But he couldn’t pass the rigorous test in time. And at 32, he was too old to try again. So now he mops up after the big heroes (including his childhood friend) as a giant monster janitor. Then, things get weird. But that weirdness gives him the chance he’d been looking for. And we get to see just how big Kafka’s heart really is.
Even More Compelling Characters
Kafka may be the star of Kaiju No. 8, but he’s not the only interesting character in the series by a long shot. There are lots of other people doing their absolute most in this monster-filled world. There’s Mina, Kafka’s aforementioned childhood friend and a star kaiju killer. Coworker Leno Ichikawa helps reignite Kafka’s fighting spirit alongside his own.
For our money, though, we can’t wait to see what “strongest rookie” Kikoru Shinomiya looks like in anime form. This young go-getter has a lot of expectations piled on her, but also a lot of legitimate firepower on her side. Anime-onlies will get to see the task force grow soon!
Monsters by Khara
Okay, so, it’s not just about Kaiju No. 8 as we know it. It’s also what’s about to be added to it that has us hyped. Because while Production I.G is animating it, Studio Khara is handling the actual kaiju. You know. Hideaki Anno’s studio. Hideaki Anno, the guy who made Evangelion and is now living his best life making Godzilla and Ultraman movies. Is there any better studio for giant monster designs?
With all these pieces put together, the series is sure to be a monster-sized hit. What are you most looking forward to?
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