Kaiju No. 8 is finally building its greatest antagonists, but there’s a critical issue!
Kaiju No. 8 has remained among the top ten most popular anime series of the spring 2024 season, according to My Anime List.
After a slow start, the anime has ramped up its action and character development, focusing on the war between humanity and the monsters known as kaiju. The last two episodes have reached the peak of drama and included essential elements about the main characters.
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Brief summary of episodes 11 and 12 of Kaiju No. 8
In episodes 11 and 12 of Kaiju No. 8, the conflict finally reaches its peak. Unlike the beginning of the first season, these episodes are rich in lore, clearly establishing the stakes. These later episodes finally introduce the critical details that should have been set up from the start.
Episodes 11 and 12: Kaiju history at a glance
In the first segment of episode 11, Kikoru Shinomiya approaches her father, the general of the Defense Force, to speak about Kafka Hibino after his arrest for revealing his transformation into a Kaiju. Sympathizing with Kafka and believing in his humanity, Kikoru asks her father to spare him. General Shinomiya firmly opposes, presenting evidence that Kafka is not biologically human, reminding Kikoru of how a Kaiju killed her mother.
Facing Kafka, General Shinomiya forces him to transform, revealing the history of Kaiju attacks and the armament of the Defense Force. Episode 11 shows flashbacks of the Sapporo attack in 1972 by Kaiju No. 2, illustrating the devastating impact of Kaiju on Japan.
Episode 12: A Major Disadvantage for the Defense Force
After the fight between General Shinomiya and Kafka, the Defense Force committee meets to decide Kafka's fate. Despite Captain Mina Ashiro’s positive recommendations, the committee concludes that Kafka is too dangerous to remain alive. To everyone’s surprise, General Shinomiya proposes using Kafka as a living weapon.
The general does not share his personal observations about Kafka, but instead explains the importance of Kaiju No. 8’s power for the Defense Force. He recalls a historic attack by Kaiju No. 6 ten years ago, emphasizing the need to prepare for future major attacks.
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Late Details Established
From the first episode, Kaiju are treated as minor threats, quickly eliminated by the human characters. This diminishes the gravity of the attacks and reduces the sense of urgency that should have been present from the start.
Mistakes in the Early Episodes
The anime creators focus on Kafka, but neglect to develop the Kaiju as true antagonists. The first episode alternates between an intense Kaiju attack and exaggerated action scenes, establishing that the Kaiju are under control. This approach prevents the sense of urgency and threat from being felt right from the start.
Conflict Development Issues
Conflict is essential for character growth. In Kaiju No. 8, the conflict starts off as superficial, with Kaiju not posing a real threat to the main characters. Kafka, though likable, lacks initial development, making his journey less engaging.
For the anime to have a greater impact, it would have been crucial to establish the Kaiju as serious threats from the beginning, with moments of clear tension and danger. This would have given more weight to the later battles and the character development.
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Conclusion
Episodes 11 and 12 course-correct by finally establishing the scope of the conflict and the impact of the Kaiju. However, for Kaiju No. 8 to reach its full potential, these elements should have been introduced much earlier in the series. The anime still has a long way to go to balance character development and antagonist progression, but it shows promising signs for the future.
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