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怪獣8号 [Kaijū 8-gō] #1
怪獣8号 1 [Kaijū 8-gō 1]
怪癁発生率が世屈指の日本。この国は鍧容赦なく怪癁が日常を侵していた。かつて防衛隊員を目指していたが鍧今は怪癁専門清掃業で働く日比野カフカ。ある日カフカは鍧謎の生物に傝って鍧身体が怪癁婊鍧怪癁討伐を担熆日本防衛隊か洏コードネーム「怪癁8号」と呼ばれる檱在になる。
204 pages, Paperback
First published December 4, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,300 reviews
September 19, 2020
This is different! *An adult shounen protagonist*
June 17, 2022
No wonder this brand-new shonen, Kaijuu no. 8, is drawing everyone's attention nowadays. This can, without a doubt, become the next big thing.
Kicking it off, it is already a huge challenge to make their protagonist a man in his 30s, yet it succeeds in its ambition. The story follows said unhappy man known as Kafka Hibino who suddenly obtains powers to become a Kaijuu, making him the perfect defender against the monstrous creatures emerging around the world.
Artistically, it is very reminiscent of My Hero Academia, while also containing a hint of One-Punch Man and Bleach.
Kicking it off, it is already a huge challenge to make their protagonist a man in his 30s, yet it succeeds in its ambition. The story follows said unhappy man known as Kafka Hibino who suddenly obtains powers to become a Kaijuu, making him the perfect defender against the monstrous creatures emerging around the world.
Artistically, it is very reminiscent of My Hero Academia, while also containing a hint of One-Punch Man and Bleach.
March 10, 2022
The exciting life of a Defense Force Captain, taking down kaiju on the reg and keeping the world safe - that’s definitely not Kafka Hibino’s lot. He’s part of the crew who go in post-kaiju kill to clean up the mess left behind! After getting stuck on intestine duty two days in a row and finding out the age range has been upped due to the declining Japanese birth rate, 32 year old Kafka decides to try for the Defense Force one more time - and then he gets turned into a kaiju himself! Protagonists in mangas sure can’t catch breaks eh…
There’s a lot of stuff here that’s either derivative or predictable and yet Naoya Matsumoto does just enough new things, with some skill, to make the first volume of Kaiju No. 8 a pretty decent beginning for this new action/comedy manga series.
The concept is essentially the Japanese version of Marvel’s Damage Control, the team that goes in to clean up after the superheroes/villains have their city-smashing fights. The story beats are familiar: despite being powerless (prior to the kaiju transformation) Kafka shows what a noble hero he is by putting himself between a new recruit and a kaiju; Kafka and Captain Ashiro used to be childhood friends but now she’s a superstar kaiju hunter and he’s a cleaner - she’s the obvious love interest (who’s also of course incongruously single); and Kafka’s always gotta be the butt of the joke.
But some of the comedy is genuinely funny too, particularly when he first transforms into a kaiju. There’s a wink towards monster design which is always “smooth down there” so when he urgently has to pee, it unexpectedly comes out of his nips! I liked that the story jumped ahead three months after he got kaiju powers so we didn’t have to see him tediously learning his new power set and instead got straight into the meat of the story.
Kafka and Reno Ichikawa, a younger chap who’s the only other person who knows his kaiju secret, have great chemistry as a comedic duo. Kikoru Shinomiya, the teenage wunderkind, has a bit of cliched backstory though - classic overachiever trying to please a cold and authoritarian parent - and the Mina bathroom scene was gratuitous; it just reminds you that Shonen Jump’s main audience is still mostly teen boys.
As much as I could guess the story’s progression as it was happening, it took enough left turns to keep me engaged, and the first book ends on a strong cliffhanger that makes me want to pick up the next one. A fairly original manga with a good mix of action and comedy, Kaiju No. 8 won’t blow your hair back but it’s a fine beginning for this amusing new series.
There’s a lot of stuff here that’s either derivative or predictable and yet Naoya Matsumoto does just enough new things, with some skill, to make the first volume of Kaiju No. 8 a pretty decent beginning for this new action/comedy manga series.
The concept is essentially the Japanese version of Marvel’s Damage Control, the team that goes in to clean up after the superheroes/villains have their city-smashing fights. The story beats are familiar: despite being powerless (prior to the kaiju transformation) Kafka shows what a noble hero he is by putting himself between a new recruit and a kaiju; Kafka and Captain Ashiro used to be childhood friends but now she’s a superstar kaiju hunter and he’s a cleaner - she’s the obvious love interest (who’s also of course incongruously single); and Kafka’s always gotta be the butt of the joke.
But some of the comedy is genuinely funny too, particularly when he first transforms into a kaiju. There’s a wink towards monster design which is always “smooth down there” so when he urgently has to pee, it unexpectedly comes out of his nips! I liked that the story jumped ahead three months after he got kaiju powers so we didn’t have to see him tediously learning his new power set and instead got straight into the meat of the story.
Kafka and Reno Ichikawa, a younger chap who’s the only other person who knows his kaiju secret, have great chemistry as a comedic duo. Kikoru Shinomiya, the teenage wunderkind, has a bit of cliched backstory though - classic overachiever trying to please a cold and authoritarian parent - and the Mina bathroom scene was gratuitous; it just reminds you that Shonen Jump’s main audience is still mostly teen boys.
As much as I could guess the story’s progression as it was happening, it took enough left turns to keep me engaged, and the first book ends on a strong cliffhanger that makes me want to pick up the next one. A fairly original manga with a good mix of action and comedy, Kaiju No. 8 won’t blow your hair back but it’s a fine beginning for this amusing new series.
April 8, 2025
So this is the first manga I’ve ever read and what a great start it was! I really don’t have much to add cause I loved all of this book, it was way funnier than I was expecting it to be as well.
Onto the next!
Onto the next!
June 18, 2022
I don't read a lot of manga, but I thought this one was pretty well done. It's about a washed up guy in his thirties who dreams of being in the Defense Force fighting kaiju. Instead he's part of Japan's version of Damage Control, dismembering dead kaiju. He becomes a human size kaiju due to circumstances that aren't well explained yet with only his young friend aware. When they increase the age of recruits for the Defense Force, he and his buddy both try out.
The art's good. There's plenty of action. At times, the humor gets too goofy, but it's something I can look past.
The art's good. There's plenty of action. At times, the humor gets too goofy, but it's something I can look past.
June 10, 2024
Oh my friends….
I think I have found my new obsession. Dont ask me why it took me so long to get here, just know that I’ve found my way and I’m never looking back.
I think I have found my new obsession. Dont ask me why it took me so long to get here, just know that I’ve found my way and I’m never looking back.
July 13, 2024
MY BROTHER GAVE ME THIS AS A BIRTHDAY PRESENT, OMF, I'M SOBBING. ?
SHUT UP. I'M SOOOOOO HOOKED WITH THIS MANGA! i'm devouring it!
SHUT UP. I'M SOOOOOO HOOKED WITH THIS MANGA! i'm devouring it!
October 1, 2020
that one time kafka pissed from his nips as a kaiju had me rolling. this is hilarious.
August 5, 2024
did not expect to have as much fun as i did
November 13, 2021
I in no way expected to enjoy this as much as I did. Kaiju No. 8 is a delightful mix of humor and serious post-apocalyptic science fiction, taking place in a world where kaiju have become a major threat to humanity. And not your friendly Gamora or Godzilla-style kaiju; these suckers are entirely monstrous in appearance and utterly deadly. To combat them, Japan has a special branch of the defense forces dedicated to them, and our hero Kafka...is not one of them. He'd like to be, but he keeps failing the test, and now he's on the other end of the business, literally: he's a crime scene cleaner for kaiju attacks, getting rid of the bodies and cleaning the area. Since he dreamed of being a defense force fighter and his childhood sweetheart Mina IS one, he's not all that keen on his life. What could be worse?
Oh, never ask that, because the answer is "have a tiny kaiju fly down your throat and turn you into a human-sized kaiju like the world's least awesome mecha combination sequence." Yes, every time you think you've hit rock bottom, someone tosses down a stick of dynamite...but maybe Kafka can figure out a way to make this work in his favor...?
Oh, never ask that, because the answer is "have a tiny kaiju fly down your throat and turn you into a human-sized kaiju like the world's least awesome mecha combination sequence." Yes, every time you think you've hit rock bottom, someone tosses down a stick of dynamite...but maybe Kafka can figure out a way to make this work in his favor...?
January 15, 2022
Ooh, this little action adventure serial really pushes my buttons the way a good superhero comic does. The hero is a screw-up with his heart in the right place and a secret that gives him a new shot at achieving the dream he abandoned years before: hunting and destroying the giant kaiju monsters that tore a swath of destruction through his childhood. He has a goofy but devoted sidekick, a childhood friend who has left him in her dust as she climbed the ranks to become captain of a unit of kaiju fighters, and a fun rival in the testing program to join the Japan Defense Force.
There's humor and heroism galore, drama and cheese. An instant favorite. I can't wait for the next volume.
There's humor and heroism galore, drama and cheese. An instant favorite. I can't wait for the next volume.
May 9, 2025
SOOO FUNNNN??
September 6, 2021
8/10 stars
A 32-year-old pot-bellied, washed-out sweeper of monster remnants who at a prompting of a younger colleague decides to pursue his dreams and become a kaiju fighter - only to become a kaiju himself after a monstrous dragonfly barges into his mouth? Count me in!
Careful, though: this one's addictive.
In a way it seems nothing new: we've seen those monsters, and the fights, in plenty of other shonen. But making a 32-year-old guy the protagonist works very well here: all the traditional tropes of shonen, such as mysterious endowment of superpowers (My Hero Academia, I'm looking at you!) to an otherwise unprepossessing person (yup, One-Punch Man, now I'm looking at you) and making them the pivotal element of a grand good-vs-evil conflict (there are too many such mangas to look at them all at the same time, I've got only one pair of eyes) are given a new treatment, with lots of tongue-in-cheek twists and general fun, accompanied by some cool body horror elements. Certainly, various monstrous body parts are depicted with relish.
The art's clear and precise, and while it could be more dynamic, it conveys the story well enough. Looking forward to the next volume!
A 32-year-old pot-bellied, washed-out sweeper of monster remnants who at a prompting of a younger colleague decides to pursue his dreams and become a kaiju fighter - only to become a kaiju himself after a monstrous dragonfly barges into his mouth? Count me in!
Careful, though: this one's addictive.
In a way it seems nothing new: we've seen those monsters, and the fights, in plenty of other shonen. But making a 32-year-old guy the protagonist works very well here: all the traditional tropes of shonen, such as mysterious endowment of superpowers (My Hero Academia, I'm looking at you!) to an otherwise unprepossessing person (yup, One-Punch Man, now I'm looking at you) and making them the pivotal element of a grand good-vs-evil conflict (there are too many such mangas to look at them all at the same time, I've got only one pair of eyes) are given a new treatment, with lots of tongue-in-cheek twists and general fun, accompanied by some cool body horror elements. Certainly, various monstrous body parts are depicted with relish.
The art's clear and precise, and while it could be more dynamic, it conveys the story well enough. Looking forward to the next volume!
December 21, 2021
This was pretty fun though not blown away.
So basically what we have here is Kaiju who attack cities are exterminated by a special force in Japan. However we follow the guy who has to cleanup after the Kaiju, cut up their pieces, and get rid of them. Good times. Through this though we have plenty of world building and character growth, topped off with some great action moments leading into the second half which presents the guy on the cover in a interesting twist.
For a newer manga this is a lot of fun and I'm eager to see where volume 2 goes. But I wasn't blown away by the plot or characters. But this is normal when I start series. Excited for volume 2 still. A 3 out of 5.
So basically what we have here is Kaiju who attack cities are exterminated by a special force in Japan. However we follow the guy who has to cleanup after the Kaiju, cut up their pieces, and get rid of them. Good times. Through this though we have plenty of world building and character growth, topped off with some great action moments leading into the second half which presents the guy on the cover in a interesting twist.
For a newer manga this is a lot of fun and I'm eager to see where volume 2 goes. But I wasn't blown away by the plot or characters. But this is normal when I start series. Excited for volume 2 still. A 3 out of 5.
June 5, 2023
A pretty generic start to this series. I feel like I could rattle off a handful of characters or plot elements from other manga that are really similar to Kaiju no. 8, most of them being executed more interestingly.
I didn’t hate this first volume, though nothing really peaked my interest aside from the protagonist. I’m a little curious to see more from Kafka, since I’ve never read about a protagonist in their thirties in a shonen manga. His fighting spirit and general himbo vibe are the only thing I’m tempted to continue for.
I didn’t hate this first volume, though nothing really peaked my interest aside from the protagonist. I’m a little curious to see more from Kafka, since I’ve never read about a protagonist in their thirties in a shonen manga. His fighting spirit and general himbo vibe are the only thing I’m tempted to continue for.
April 25, 2022
A series that has all the makings of being the next big shonen (if it isn't already, I am a little behind ?). It's predictable as the genre can be, except for the fact that the protagonist isn't a teenager this time around, but a full grown man. However, predictable doesn't mean bad. In fact, this is does almost everything right. Action and comedy focused, it's a cracking start to what promises to be a long and exciting journey.
June 21, 2023
Deadly monsters known as Kaiju attack Japan regularly enough to the point that, not only has a special task force been created to deal with them, but a special cleanup crew has been created to deal with the aftermath. Kafka Hibino doesn't enjoy cleanup, particularly intestinal duty. But, after failing the Defense Force exam, it's the closest he seems able to get to his childhood dream of joining the Force. But then an unexpected event leaves him with the ability to transform into a Kaiju, and he decides to try once more to achieve his boyhood ambition …
Yes, there are elements that will remind long-time fans of other series. The Hero With the Powers of A Bad Guy Who Uses Them for Good is right out of Chainsaw Man (and others. I'm just naming the first ones that spring to mind, not trying to list them all.) The Giant Creatures With Big Teeth Causing Destruction and Eating People is right out of Attack On Titan. Heck, even the Hero Who Starts Out On Cleanup Duty has been done in Planetes.
But Naoya Matsumoto manages to put his own spin on everything, making it feel fresh and exciting. He can switch from goofy humor to taut, gripping drama at the drop of a hat. We've got a nice cast of characters being assembled here, with the promise of some fine adventures to come. This title lives up to the hype. Recommended!
Yes, there are elements that will remind long-time fans of other series. The Hero With the Powers of A Bad Guy Who Uses Them for Good is right out of Chainsaw Man (and others. I'm just naming the first ones that spring to mind, not trying to list them all.) The Giant Creatures With Big Teeth Causing Destruction and Eating People is right out of Attack On Titan. Heck, even the Hero Who Starts Out On Cleanup Duty has been done in Planetes.
But Naoya Matsumoto manages to put his own spin on everything, making it feel fresh and exciting. He can switch from goofy humor to taut, gripping drama at the drop of a hat. We've got a nice cast of characters being assembled here, with the promise of some fine adventures to come. This title lives up to the hype. Recommended!
May 20, 2021
Uhhhhh….this SLAPPED. I’m definitely continuing.
August 14, 2022
I was so surprised at seeing a 32 year old protagonist but I loved it. The ending was a cliffhanger so I literally bought vol2 online as soon as I finished.
May 24, 2023
Well somebody has to clean up all that blood and guts from dead monsters..
And one of those somebody's is Kafka.
At 37....he is considered an old man!!! Too old to be working for the Japanese Defence Force alongside his ultra cool childhood companion and possible future love interest.
However when the unthinkable happens..
And the Defence Force entry exams are coming up...
Well..why not?
And one of those somebody's is Kafka.
At 37....he is considered an old man!!! Too old to be working for the Japanese Defence Force alongside his ultra cool childhood companion and possible future love interest.
However when the unthinkable happens..
And the Defence Force entry exams are coming up...
Well..why not?
January 17, 2021
This reminded me so much of Boku No Hero Academia, One Punch Man and Devilman Crybaby. This has great potential. I can't wait to read more.
December 20, 2021
LOVED THIS!! I thoroughly enjoyed the story, characters and art! I loved the comedy and action in this volume. I’m so excited to get the next one!!
September 19, 2022
4.5/5 ?
July 14, 2022
Kaiju No. 8 serves as a reminder of why I don't often read manga. Expectation: Godzilla or Pacific Rim. Reality: A guy who cleans up after kaiju battles gets turned into a human-size kaiju and hilarity ensues.
It's too high concept and too silly for me. There's a bit of plot, as the guy tries to become a kaiju hunter even though he has limited abilities outside his kaiju form. But there's zero depth and a scene where the kaiju-man pees from his nipples. The art is fine - I'm sure manga fans will eat this up. I'll pass.
It's too high concept and too silly for me. There's a bit of plot, as the guy tries to become a kaiju hunter even though he has limited abilities outside his kaiju form. But there's zero depth and a scene where the kaiju-man pees from his nipples. The art is fine - I'm sure manga fans will eat this up. I'll pass.
September 4, 2022
Kaiju No. 8 vol.1
This manga follows Hibino Kafka, who works at the Kaiju Cleaning Company, which cleans up after the Defense Force kills Kaiju. Hibino wants to join the Defense Force, but after failing multiple times he gave up. One day, a new recruit comes in the Cleaning department, named Ichikawa Reno. Ichikawa also wants to join the Defense Force. At first, him and Hibino don't get along at all, but they are forced to work together and after Hibino saves Ichikawa from a Kaiju, they start getting closer. The same day, at the hospital, Hibino gets transformed into a Kaiju, because of a weird creature that crawled inside his mouth. He and Ichikawa get out of the hospital, because if they saw him like that they'd have to kill him, but they return to their job when they realise that Hibino has the ability to turn back and forth between his normal appearance and his Kaiju one. Together they apply for the Defense Force and go to the physical exams. There Hibino realises that his 32 years of age make this really hard and that his competition is even harder, especially a girl named Kikoru Shinomiya.
This was much better than I expected! I don't know almost anything about Kaiju, I haven't even seen any Godzilla films, but I enjoyed this a lot. The basic idea of a guy who wants to join the Defense Force, who kills Kaiju, while he also turns into one, is very interesting. Also, I love the protagonist. Hibino is very interesting and well written. First of all, I like the fact that unlike most manga protagonists, he's not a teen. Instead, he's a 32 year old, which works perfectly, since it gives him even more motivation and problems. After the age of 33, he won't be able to apply for a position at the Defense Force, so this is his last chance to fulfill his dream. This is a powerful motivation, but it's not the only one he has. His sister is something like a general in the Defense Force and he wants to join, in order to prove to her that he can be as good at this, if not even better. Furthermore, I really enjoy his dynamic with Ichikawa. They have great chemistry and they are very fun together. Ichikawa is also very well written, but we certainly need to get more into his character in later volumes. Another great character is Kikoru. Her story is very interesting and her personality in the present is very well explained by how her father raised her. I certainly want to see more of her in the next volumes. We also still have a lot to learn about how and why Hibino turned into a Kaiju and what his powers are. That's something that'll certainly be explored in later volumes of the series. Moreover, something else that I really liked in this manga is the world building. It's really great and it works perfectly. It kinda reminds me of the world in Chainsaw Man, in many ways, which is very good, since Chainsaw Man is probably my favorite manga so far.
The artwork in this manga is gorgeous. It's not extremely detailed, but it looks incredible all the time. The fight scenes are beautiful, the facial expressions of the characters are great in both comedic and serious moments and the use of shadows is amazing. Also, the designs of the various Kaiju are very unique and always interesting.
Overall, this was an amazing introduction to the manga, with a lot of action, comedy and high stakes.
10/10
This manga follows Hibino Kafka, who works at the Kaiju Cleaning Company, which cleans up after the Defense Force kills Kaiju. Hibino wants to join the Defense Force, but after failing multiple times he gave up. One day, a new recruit comes in the Cleaning department, named Ichikawa Reno. Ichikawa also wants to join the Defense Force. At first, him and Hibino don't get along at all, but they are forced to work together and after Hibino saves Ichikawa from a Kaiju, they start getting closer. The same day, at the hospital, Hibino gets transformed into a Kaiju, because of a weird creature that crawled inside his mouth. He and Ichikawa get out of the hospital, because if they saw him like that they'd have to kill him, but they return to their job when they realise that Hibino has the ability to turn back and forth between his normal appearance and his Kaiju one. Together they apply for the Defense Force and go to the physical exams. There Hibino realises that his 32 years of age make this really hard and that his competition is even harder, especially a girl named Kikoru Shinomiya.
This was much better than I expected! I don't know almost anything about Kaiju, I haven't even seen any Godzilla films, but I enjoyed this a lot. The basic idea of a guy who wants to join the Defense Force, who kills Kaiju, while he also turns into one, is very interesting. Also, I love the protagonist. Hibino is very interesting and well written. First of all, I like the fact that unlike most manga protagonists, he's not a teen. Instead, he's a 32 year old, which works perfectly, since it gives him even more motivation and problems. After the age of 33, he won't be able to apply for a position at the Defense Force, so this is his last chance to fulfill his dream. This is a powerful motivation, but it's not the only one he has. His sister is something like a general in the Defense Force and he wants to join, in order to prove to her that he can be as good at this, if not even better. Furthermore, I really enjoy his dynamic with Ichikawa. They have great chemistry and they are very fun together. Ichikawa is also very well written, but we certainly need to get more into his character in later volumes. Another great character is Kikoru. Her story is very interesting and her personality in the present is very well explained by how her father raised her. I certainly want to see more of her in the next volumes. We also still have a lot to learn about how and why Hibino turned into a Kaiju and what his powers are. That's something that'll certainly be explored in later volumes of the series. Moreover, something else that I really liked in this manga is the world building. It's really great and it works perfectly. It kinda reminds me of the world in Chainsaw Man, in many ways, which is very good, since Chainsaw Man is probably my favorite manga so far.
The artwork in this manga is gorgeous. It's not extremely detailed, but it looks incredible all the time. The fight scenes are beautiful, the facial expressions of the characters are great in both comedic and serious moments and the use of shadows is amazing. Also, the designs of the various Kaiju are very unique and always interesting.
Overall, this was an amazing introduction to the manga, with a lot of action, comedy and high stakes.
10/10
June 17, 2022
Hulk but with Kaiju -sorta
Kaiju are running rampant all across the city. To prevent this, the Kaiju task force was formed. Kafka’s dream is to join this task force. But when that doesn’t pan out, he joins the cleaning force instead. But he has always wanted to give it another shot.
When he meets Leno he decides to give his dream another shot. BUT THEN… He eats a Kaiju bug. ?
And that’s when he turns into a kaiju! So from then on he can turn into a kaiju when whenever he wants (just like the hulk). Kafka thinks his dream of being in the task force is over but then he decided to do the test anyways with the occasional help from his kaiju abilities.
Anyways… I really liked this. I thought the characters were all fun and the premise is good too. I haven’t read attack on Titian, BUT from what I’ve heard it’s sorta similar. (Sorry if I’m wrong) It can get a little goofy at times. For example: When Kafka is in his Kaiju form he has to piss. Kinda weird if you ask me.
I recommend!
Kaiju are running rampant all across the city. To prevent this, the Kaiju task force was formed. Kafka’s dream is to join this task force. But when that doesn’t pan out, he joins the cleaning force instead. But he has always wanted to give it another shot.
When he meets Leno he decides to give his dream another shot. BUT THEN… He eats a Kaiju bug. ?
And that’s when he turns into a kaiju! So from then on he can turn into a kaiju when whenever he wants (just like the hulk). Kafka thinks his dream of being in the task force is over but then he decided to do the test anyways with the occasional help from his kaiju abilities.
Anyways… I really liked this. I thought the characters were all fun and the premise is good too. I haven’t read attack on Titian, BUT from what I’ve heard it’s sorta similar. (Sorry if I’m wrong) It can get a little goofy at times. For example: When Kafka is in his Kaiju form he has to piss. Kinda weird if you ask me.
I recommend!
December 5, 2021
Interesting start to what looks like a bloody fish out of water redemption action dramedy. With monsters! Crisp art, an engaging main character, side characters who look like they at least have the potential to be a little more than archetypes, and some interesting world building around Kaijus. Looks like it will be fun if a little tropey in plot.
**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 11, 2021
Un très bon premier tome qui laisse envisager une suite encore plus folle !
October 24, 2022
Una historia genérica salvo por la edad del protagonista, con un dibujo normalito, pero con varios golpes de risa. La capitana, el hecho de que habrás más capitanes y ese kaiju parlante del final me hacen querer seguir con la serie.
December 12, 2021
Kaiju are invading Japan (because Japan) and when the Japanese Defense Force dispatches them, well, somebody has to clean up the mess. Enter Kafka, who dreams of fighting alongside his childhood friend Mina while mopping up. But when an accident causes Kafka to undergo a metamorphosis, making the cut in the next round is the least of his worries…
I divide my shonen into two categories, basically, fun and not-fun. Not fun is typically self-serious and involves a lot of women-as-trophies I can do without. There are exceptions, but that’s generally how it goes.
The more infrequent ‘fun’ ones are ones like, well, this. They take themselves exactly as seriously as they should when they should and have an absurd amount of gags flying about when they aren’t. This book runs the gamut of dire situations to gut-busting slapstick and it handles all the tonal changes very well.
The premise of cleaning up after kaiju battles and the danger inherent to it is so much fun that I would have read an entire workplace comedy based on that. Seriously, I want to see them trying to get all the Mothra pollen off everything and the silly string from that spider? Nightmare fuel.
Instead we get to see Kafka being good at his job and being egged on by his straight man, the much younger Ichikawa, as the two basically take one another under their wings to try and realize the collective dream of joining the JDF. Ichikawa comes off as a real butt, but he ends up being a great addition to the cast very early on.
Once these two finally get together in light of a kaiju attack that showcases their individual skills, it’s a lot of fun. There is, smartly, so much comedy in this series that even if half of it is tired, the other half that land are actually really good and the quantity is more than enough to make it work. You’re a better person than me if you don’t at least crack a smile during the urination gag.
I especially enjoyed Hoshino, who administers the JDF entrance exam, being an absolute jerk about Kafka and Ichikawa, to the extent he wants to admit them for comedy purposes. The author’s note about why the JDF outfits look like they do made my day as well - I appreciate the honesty.
And when Kafka turns into a cockro… uh, kaiju of his very own, we get some really well done action sequences out of it that are nice and easy to follow and really well done. Plus they mine his transformation to death for an endless stream of good comedy beats and Ichikawa is perfect as the other half in the duo.
The art here is gorgeous - it handles action and comedy with a very deft hand and knows just how gory is gory enough. Much like the writing it has an impeccable sense of balance for these things and some of the huge spreads are wonderful.
Some things work better than others - the hotshot 16-year-old girl getting hosed because of circumstances treats her better than I would have thought (Kafka comes through with an affirmation she really needs when she needs it), though her dad being cut and pasted out of Bad Manga Dad Monthly is far less exciting.
And I’m having a serious problem with that tiger. Like, it’s entire existence absolutely baffles me. It should not be that domestic - did Sigfried & Roy teach us nothing!? All that aside, this is a strong start to a series and I am more than happy to increase my comparatively small shonen reading pile by one to see where it’s headed.
3.5 stars - we’ll round up because this one is pretty great and I have expectations for it that, more than usual, I am hoping it will meet. It’s a really well realized beginning for a style that’s not always my jam.
I divide my shonen into two categories, basically, fun and not-fun. Not fun is typically self-serious and involves a lot of women-as-trophies I can do without. There are exceptions, but that’s generally how it goes.
The more infrequent ‘fun’ ones are ones like, well, this. They take themselves exactly as seriously as they should when they should and have an absurd amount of gags flying about when they aren’t. This book runs the gamut of dire situations to gut-busting slapstick and it handles all the tonal changes very well.
The premise of cleaning up after kaiju battles and the danger inherent to it is so much fun that I would have read an entire workplace comedy based on that. Seriously, I want to see them trying to get all the Mothra pollen off everything and the silly string from that spider? Nightmare fuel.
Instead we get to see Kafka being good at his job and being egged on by his straight man, the much younger Ichikawa, as the two basically take one another under their wings to try and realize the collective dream of joining the JDF. Ichikawa comes off as a real butt, but he ends up being a great addition to the cast very early on.
Once these two finally get together in light of a kaiju attack that showcases their individual skills, it’s a lot of fun. There is, smartly, so much comedy in this series that even if half of it is tired, the other half that land are actually really good and the quantity is more than enough to make it work. You’re a better person than me if you don’t at least crack a smile during the urination gag.
I especially enjoyed Hoshino, who administers the JDF entrance exam, being an absolute jerk about Kafka and Ichikawa, to the extent he wants to admit them for comedy purposes. The author’s note about why the JDF outfits look like they do made my day as well - I appreciate the honesty.
And when Kafka turns into a cockro… uh, kaiju of his very own, we get some really well done action sequences out of it that are nice and easy to follow and really well done. Plus they mine his transformation to death for an endless stream of good comedy beats and Ichikawa is perfect as the other half in the duo.
The art here is gorgeous - it handles action and comedy with a very deft hand and knows just how gory is gory enough. Much like the writing it has an impeccable sense of balance for these things and some of the huge spreads are wonderful.
Some things work better than others - the hotshot 16-year-old girl getting hosed because of circumstances treats her better than I would have thought (Kafka comes through with an affirmation she really needs when she needs it), though her dad being cut and pasted out of Bad Manga Dad Monthly is far less exciting.
And I’m having a serious problem with that tiger. Like, it’s entire existence absolutely baffles me. It should not be that domestic - did Sigfried & Roy teach us nothing!? All that aside, this is a strong start to a series and I am more than happy to increase my comparatively small shonen reading pile by one to see where it’s headed.
3.5 stars - we’ll round up because this one is pretty great and I have expectations for it that, more than usual, I am hoping it will meet. It’s a really well realized beginning for a style that’s not always my jam.
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