The idea of humans transforming into monsters to address injustice isn’t new; manga like Attack on Titan and Parasyte have already included it. Still, Kaiju No.8 returns to the notion that if a human becomes a kaiju, it must be among the strongest and the greatest of two species.
While some may dismiss Kaiju No.8 as a mere imitation of Attack On Titan, it actually presents the narrative with a finesse that arguably surpasses its predecessor.
Echoing the legendary Godzilla series, Kaiju No.8 mirrors Attack On Titan in several ways, particularly in how its central characters, Kafka Hibino, and Eren Yeager, possess the remarkable ability to morph into the very creatures that threaten their worlds.
The Parralel of Kafka and Eren Yeager
Unlike Eren Yeager, who was praised for his mastery of omnidirectional mobility gear against Titans, Kafka is essentially at a disadvantage with his humanity. Kaiju No. 8 exploits these flaws by creating scenarios that prevent his transformation.
Eren and Kafka are motivated by a deep desire to preserve humanity from formidable opponents. Yet, Kafka’s path is about finding personal fulfillment. Their journeys to harness their extraordinary skills are laden with personal conflicts. Eren is torn between the misery of deceit and the steadfast power of his principles.
At the same time, Kafka is terrified of his lethal potential, worrying that he may destroy the people he loves. This inner battle hits its crescendo in Chapter 45 when Kafka’s desire to save his companions meets with his dread of becoming a demonic being himself. This moment of weakness reveals Kafka’s emotional side, but he overcomes it by believing in his teammates’ perseverance and expertise.
The Real Inspiration
To be accurate, Matsumoto accepts that Kaiju No. 8 has taken inspiration from some other tokusatsu classics, and the Ultraman series of 1967 appears to be the major one. He also adds to remember 2016’s hit, Shin Godzilla.
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Therefore, he was excited to spin a tale in which the secret-veiled hero pursued all of his dreams while hiding his true, monstrous self even from the secretive organization he belonged to —a concept that he found very compelling.
Matsumoto sees Kaiju No.8 as an ambitious leap into unknown waters—a leap from his standard narrative paths, making it somewhat of an adventure in storytelling for him.
The deputy editor-in-chief of Shōnen Jump+, Seijiro Nakaji, has said that Kaiju No.8 was an unexpected turn in Matsumoto’s regular line of fantasy stories. Nakaji said that as a tokusatsu fan, Matsumoto was attracted by the basic tokusatsu story of a ‘hero who gains extraordinary abilities and becomes a hero, but also bears the weight of inner struggle as a consequence.’
Nakaji further said that they were thinking of two different directions. One involved Kafka leading a regular life in which he hides his identity. The other saw the character following up on his dream to become a monster, with Matsumoto opting for the latter very early on.
