JP Nunez
It’s been a long week. After an amazing first episode, I couldn’t wait for the next installment of Kaiju No. 8, and when it finally became available, I made a point to watch it as soon as I got the chance. I was curious to see if the second episode would continue Kafka’s story with the same amazing heart, humor, and action, and now that I’ve finally checked it out, I’m happy to report that it’s everything I wanted it to be…and maybe even a little bit more.
“The Kaiju Who Defeats Kaiju” picks up right where the previous episode, “The Man Who Became a Kaiju,” left off. After a small kaiju (in America, we normally use the word kaiju to mean “giant monster,” but in Japanese, it actually just means “strange beast”) burrows itself inside Kafka’s body and turns him into an almost Skeletor-esque monstrosity, he and Ichikawa flee the hospital and hope that the Defense Force doesn’t catch up to them. However, as luck would have it, another kaiju shows up almost immediately, and this unexpected turn of events gives Kafka a chance to show off what his new hybrid form is capable of.
Pretty much right from the get-go, this episode had me stitches. In fact, it’s so funny I could probably write a whole article detailing all the hilarious gags it packs into its slim 23-minute runtime, but I’ll limit myself to just one example. When Kafka first transforms, everybody who sees him (other than his trusty sidekick Ichikawa, of course) shrinks away in fright, so in an attempt to calm their fears, Kafka tries to smile.
But as you might be able to guess, that tactic backfires in the most hilarious way possible. Smiling only makes the guy seem even more monstrous, so rather than reassure people that he’s harmless, it just amplifies their terror. The mismatch between Kafka’s intentions and the results is pure comedy gold, and if Kaiju No. 8 keeps coming up with hilarious gags like this, it might end up being the funniest show I’ve seen since Ash vs Evil Dead.
Like the first episode, this latest installment of Kaiju No. 8 is more than just a comedy. It also features some awesome action, and this time, that action takes the form of a fight between Kafka and a much larger monster. Admittedly, their scuffle doesn’t last very long, but it ends in a gory shower of blood (quite literally) that the horror fan in me absolutely loved.
Moreover, this scene also highlights just how powerful Kafka has become. At one point in the fight, he decides to punch the creature as hard as he can, and…well, suffice it to say that the guy can punch really hard. When the last episode ended, I was admittedly a bit skeptical about his ability to take on much larger monsters all by himself, but now that I’ve seen “The Kaiju Who Defeats Kaiju,” those fears have completely melted away. I absolutely can’t wait to see Kafka go up against even bigger Kaiju (this one was still relatively small), and when he does, I’m sure it will be a total blast.
Along similar lines, this installment of Kaiju No. 8 gives us a glimpse into Kafka’s other new powers and abilities as well, and it looks like super strength is just the tip of the iceberg. Granted, we only get a sneak peek at the rest of the guy’s monstrous repertoire (including an awesome homage to the Alien franchise!), but given what we do see, I suspect he just might be the Inspector Gadget of the kaiju world.
Last but not least, we have to talk about the character work in “The Kaiju Who Defeats Kaiju.” For the most part, this episode develops the characters through its action and its humor, and it’s pretty effective. Not only does it show us more about Kafka’s new hybrid form, but it also brings the guy one step closer to joining the Defense Force.
I have to be honest, I actually thought the episode might end with Kafka finally being on the Defense Force, but it looks like Kaiju No. 8 is going to take its time getting there. When the credits roll on “The Kaiju Who Defeats Kaiju,” he’s not with them yet, but he seems to have taken a big step towards achieving that goal. He’s mostly learned how to control his monstrous new abilities, and while he still has some work to do, it’s clear that he’s in the driver’s seat…for now, at least.
Then, right before the episode ends, we meet a new character, a young woman named Kikoru Shinomiya, and she’s intriguing as hell. Without spoiling the surprise, I’ll just say that this character adds a really interesting wrinkle to the entire dynamic of the show, so her introduction closes out “The Kaiju Who Defeats Kaiju” in the best way possible. It makes me want to learn more about her as soon as I can, so you can be sure that I’m anxiously awaiting next week’s installment of Kaiju No. 8 just like I did this one.
Kaiju No. 8 premiered its first episode on Crunchyroll on April 13, and the streaming service is set to roll out new episodes every Saturday.
