Kaiju No. 8 (Volume 13) – I’ll Handle Things Here!
Kaiju No. 9 has revealed his true intentions and they spell disaster for the whole of Japan. Kafka is determined to get there and save Mina, but Daikaiju are literally dropping from the sky and targeting survivors. What will he do?
Kaiju No. 8 (Volume 13) – I’ll Handle Things Here!
What happened?
Kaiju No. 9 intended to absorb Mina in the same way he took Director Shinomiya. It wanted to take her power and destroy everyone’s will to fight. The plan appeared to have taken every eventuality into account. Kafka was the only thing that could fight back against Kaiju No. 9 but there was no way he could get there in time. The Daikaiju were attacking survivors and attempting to breach the bunkers. As easy as it was for Kafka to defeat them, he couldn’t do that and get to Mina in time!
Mina fought back against Kaiju No. 9 as it tried to break her mind. It revealed the Director Shinomiya had been the same, but no one ever escapes. Meanwhile, Kafka was struggling to accept that he couldn’t do everything. The remaining officers were begging him to save Mina. They told him that they were replaceable, but she was the beacon of hope for all of Japan. Then, the air around him froze, making his decision much simpler. Reno had arrived with Weapons No. 6, the most powerful of all the Named Kaiju. He destroyed the Daikaiju creating a path for Kafka to make it to Mina.
Even then, Kafka doubted himself. However, he soon realised that he had been trying to fight the Kaiju on his own. He hadn’t given his team enough credit. They were all powerful in their own ways. He turned away from Reno and told him that he was going to save Mina, and that he was leaving everything else to him. Reno smiled as Kafka raced into the distance. His life had taught him not to believe in heroes. His family was killed by a Kaiju, his friends met the same end. Then, when he had completely given up, he met Kafka, who changed his entire world view. There was no doubt in Reno’s mind that Kafka would save Mina, too!
What did you think?
This was epic. I’ve enjoyed every moment in this series so far, and I have no doubt that my opinion will continue to the end (which is sadly only three volumes away.) Kafka has been plagued by doubts throughout the story. He started out thinking that he would never make it into the Kaiju Defence Force. He never stopped trying, but he had all but given up until Reno gave him the push to try again. Even so, once he gained the powers of Kaiju No. 8, he continued to suffer. Now, however, his worries were for his friends.
Being slightly older than the rest of the recruits, he no doubt felt like a father figure, and that made him all the more determined to not let anything happen to them. That doubt caused him to struggle to transform. Of course, there was the worry that he would lose control and eventually hurt the people he was trying to save, but it wasn’t until he started to accept that his friends didn’t need him to save them at every sign of danger. They were strong and more than capable.
I love that Reno came in and turned the battle, emphasizing the changes in his power levels. Of course, he looked up to Kafka like a father, his hero who showed him that they still existed. So, when Kafka finally accepted the situation and left Reno to handle things there, it filled Reno with pride. For the longest time, I’ve loved the family dynamic of the team of rookies, but I always looked at Kafka like that wild uncle figure, but I am now absolutely certain that he is the father figure and the team are all his kids. That leaves me a little concerned for the future, as I can see Kafka sacrificing himself to save everyone in the end. Either way, I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
Series Information
| English Title | Kaiju No. 8 |
| Japanese Title | Kaijuu 8-gou |
| Genres | Action, Adult Cast, Military, Monsters, Science Fiction |
| Demographic | Shounen |
Manga
| Author | Naoya Matsumoto | |
| Artist | Naoya Matsumoto | |
| Volumes | 16 | Chapters |
| 1 | I Found You | 1-7 |
| 2 | Fight by Her Side | 8-17 |
| 3 | Welcome to the Defense Force | 18-26 |
| 4 | Looks Like This Game is a Draw | 27-35 |
| 5 | I Expect Results! | 36-43 |
| 6 | An Incredible Next Generation! | 44-51 |
| 7 | The Start of the Kaiju Era! | 52-59 |
| 8 | I’ll Teach Ya How to Fight! | 60-66 |
| 9 | Harbingers of the Cataclysm! | 67-73 |
| 10 | The Second Wave! | 74-81 |
| 11 | I Don’t Want to Die… | 82-89 |
| 12 | Let’s Do What We Love! | 90-97 |
| 13 | I’ll Handle Things Here! | 98-104 |
Anime
| Season | Season One |
| Released | Spring 2024 |
| Animation Studios | Production I.G |
| Episodes | 12 |
