Summary
Kaiju No. 8has an extremely fascinating world. The series takes place in a fictional version of Japan that is constantly facing the threat of gigantic monsters called Kaiju coming out from the sea in an attempt to destroy all of human civilization. There are many different kinds of these beasts, with the strongest all being the Identified Kaiju or, as they’re more commonly known, Daikaiju.
These monsters are considered the most powerful villains that the entireKaiju No. 8series has to offer, causing such devastation that they are identified with a numbering system. SinceKafka’s transformation was dubbed Kaiju No. 8, it was shown that the 7 before it were on a similar level of strength, so let’s examine what happened to the Kaiju that came before Kafka’s infamous power-up.
9.0
Current User
Gen Narumi
The very first Kaiju to have ever appeared in the world, Kaiju No. 1 was a formidable enemy who is also known as ‘The Future Sight Kaiju’, alluding to the special ability that it had. This enemy was originally active far before the events of the current story since it is the very first Kaiju to have ever appeared in the world and has long since beendefeated by the Defense Force.
As for its appearance, it is a massive and muscular villain with gray skin and openings all over its body that reveal its multitude of eyes. Though its mention within the story has been brief, Isao Shinomiya stated that this beast was a very powerful one whose attacks were thought to be inescapable, owing to its superior vision that read the movements of its opponents very precisely. Through this analysis, it could very accurately judge the next move of its opponent, giving it a sort of pseudo-foresight that made its attacks incredibly dangerous.
Numbers Weapon
Since this was the first Kaiju ever recorded, the Numbers Weapon made from it was also the first ever designated. This is a special suit that is currently worn by the Captain of theFirst Division of the Defense Force, Gen Narumi, and it gives him a much more accurate and efficient form of precognition that even Kaiju No. 1 did not possess since it is able to read the movement of electrons as well as temperature changes.
Kaiju No. 9
Kaiju No. 2 was the second Daikaiju that attacked Japan. Analyzing the period of this attack gives some depth to humanity’s battle against the Kaiju threat, since this prideful monster attacked in 1972. After its defeat by the Defense Force, it wasturned into a Numbers Weaponto be used by Isao Shinomiya, though it has since been absorbed by Kaiju No. 9.
The monster itself was a large one, sporting a bony and powerful head that had a similar shape to that of a dinosaur. Its body was round and stocky, though this helped the Kaiju in its defense since it was known for its durability. Aside from its incredible strength, Kaiju No. 2 could create sonic and energy attacks that were powerful enough to level massive sections of the city, taking a form similar to electricity coming from its mouth.
Just like Kaiju No. 1, this monster’s energy and essence were also converted into powerful weapons that could only be used bysomeone as strong as Isao Shinomiya. The suit and gauntlets made from the Kaiju allowed Shinomiya to use all of its energy and sonic attacks that proved to be destructive enough to go toe-to-toe with Kafka in his Kaiju form, all while making Isao just as resilient. However, the suit and all of its powers were later absorbed by Kaiju No. 9.
Kikoru Shinomiya
Kaiju No. 4 was unique among its massive Daikaiju brethren in the sense that, despite its massive size, it was very fast and could fly. Moreover, it had a centipede-like body, sporting many wings on its back to move it about at great speeds, which is reflected in its Numbers Weapon. After the Kaiju was taken down by the Defense Force, the Numbers Weapon wasgiven to Hikari Shinomiyaand was later passed down to her daughter far after her death.
Numbers Weapon 4 was made from the remains and essence of this formidable Daikaiju and takes the form of a light-colored scaly suit that gives its user the ability to fly. Just like the Kaiju that formed it, this suit is incredibly fast and agile, with many claiming it to be the fastest weapon that can be found in the entire Defense Force. Its speed is bolstered further by spawning wings that give the user the ability to fly at blinding speeds.
9.6
Reno Ichikawa
Kaiju No. 6 is infamous in the series as the most powerful Kaiju that the world has ever gone up against,sporting an incredible 9.6 Fortitude Levelthat is the second highest in the entire series, only being beaten by Kaiju No. 8’s 9.8! This incredible power was shown when Kaiju No. 6 caused untold devastation in the world, earning it the moniker of ‘The King of Kaiju’.
With the ability to create and manipulate ice, Kaiju No. 6 remains the most powerful enemy that the Defense Force has ever gone up against. Its rampage was so legendary that people still speak about it to this day since it claimed the lives of many important figures, including Hikari Shinomiya, leading to the monster receiving such an ill-reputation that many believe even uttering its name is a bad omen. The beast was so strong that when it was converted into a Numbers Weapon after its death, no one was strong enough to use it.
Since no one could use its Numbers Weapon due to how powerful the Kaiju was, it was left in cold storage for a very long time, despite being considered by the Defense Force as their strongest weapon. It iscurrently used by Reno Ichikawa, who can use the suit to channel the Kaiju’s unique ability of cryokinesis, creating and manipulating snowstorms and ice to his will.
Kaiju No. 8can be streamed onCrunchyroll.
Kaiju No. 8
Production I.G’s Kaiju No. 8 is a Spring 2024 anime based on Naoya Matsumoto’s Shonen Jump+ manga. Set in an alternate version of Japan, the story follows the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force as they try to protect the nation from monster attacks.
