Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Momo and Okarun share a close moment in Dandadan

    Momo And Okarun: The Gold Standard For Shonen Romance

    07/03/2025
    Ironheart Episodes 4 6 But Why Tho 1

    ‘Ironheart’ Explained: Explore MCU’s Bold New Chapter

    07/01/2025
    Buck in 9-1-1

    ‘9-1-1’ Has To Let Buck Say Bisexual

    06/29/2025
    Nintendo Welcome Tour promotional image of the maraca mini-game

    The One “Game” That Justifies The Nintendo Switch 2 Purchase

    06/25/2025
    Destiel Confession in Supernatural - Castiel (Misha Collins) and Dean (Jensen Ackles)

    The Destiel Confession: The Lasting Importance Of Supernatural’s Greatest Ship

    06/22/2025
  • Squid Game
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Switch 2 Games
  • Summer Game Fest
But Why Tho?
Home » Anime » REVIEW: ‘Kaiju No. 8’ Episode 2 — “The Kaiju Who Defeats Kaiju”

REVIEW: ‘Kaiju No. 8’ Episode 2 — “The Kaiju Who Defeats Kaiju”

Allyson JohnsonBy Allyson Johnson04/20/20244 Mins ReadUpdated:04/21/2024
Kaiju No. 8 Episode 2
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Kaijui No. 8 Episode 2 picks up directly where the premiere left off. The lovable Kafka Hibano (Masaya Fukunishi) has, against his will, ingested a kaiju. Now, to his initial shock and horror, he has the ability to transform into one. By picking up exactly where Episode 1 ended, we get to engage yet again in the initial realization and the broad comedy that follows as Kafka, along with his new friend, Reno Ichikawa (Wataru Kato), must figure out how to escape the hospital and evade the Defense Force.

Based on the manga written and illustrated by Naoya Matsumoto, Kaiju No. 8 Episode 2 packs a lot into its runtime. However, the bulk of the episode takes place on the first night of Kafka’s kaiju awakening. It’s a destructive introduction to his new powers, from his formidable strength to the realization that even while rescuing others, he needs to find a way to soften his appearance. Luckily, Ichikawa is ready and willing to help him immediately. The two rush from their now decimated hospital room to get Kafka as far away from the Defense Force as possible.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Perhaps one of the most shocking developments for non-manga readers is just how cute the story is. Yes, Kafka’s abilities are tremendous, but his sweetness and camaraderie with Ichikawa provide the heart of the episode. Despite his new transformative powers, he’s relatable. It’s refreshing to see a Shonen hero in their early 30s, and Kafka is proof of why we need more of it. Yes, he’s more assured in some ways and able to tackle familiar story arcs from a different point-of-view than his 18-year-old friend, but more than that, it’s a chance to show how even in our 30s, we’re still discovering who we are.

Kaiju No. 8 elevates this notion of finding change at different times in your life. It just so happens that a monumental change of self comes with Kafka’s potential career shift. Masaya Fukunishi delivers a hilarious performance as Kafka as he and Ichikawa race through the streets, Kafka trying to get a handle on his new powers. At one point, Ichikawa tries to double-check by asking Kafka if it’s “really him,” and Kafka desperately replies that he’s not even sure anymore.

Kaiju No. 8 Episode 2

The creature animation is superb, capturing the hard angles and ridges of Kafka’s kaiju design. In contrast with the kaiju they square up against, this is striking, the latter an actual monstrosity. However, this new threat is pivotal for Kafka, as he must save a mother and her daughter from the imminent threat. With his enhanced strength, he can immediately dispatch the monster, causing it to rain blood as he obliterates it with one punch. It’s garishly beautiful, and the animation superbly captures how the moment turns into a scene of warfare.

Despite this, the moment still holds room for the requisite heart for this series. The little girl whom he rescues is initially frightened by his appearance. He accommodates that fear by telling her the Defense Force will be on the scene soon, so she can rest easy knowing he’ll leave. But rather than leave it on that bittersweet note, the series provides hope as the child thanks him. Later, they double down as she asks Mina Ashiro (Asami Seto) to please spare the “good kaiju.”

Kaiju No. 8 Episode 2 settles into a more leisurely pace following this moment. We jump three months ahead, and the news is still reporting on Kafka, dubbed ‘Kaiju No. 8.’ He presents as a threat to the public because he’s the only kaiju ever to escape the Defense Force. Regardless, we learn that he is learning how to control his powers and ability to transform despite mixed results. He and Ichikawa pass stage one of the entrance exams to join the Defense Force. However, Kafka brings down the moment by sharing that it’s always the second round where he fails.

This is where the episode leaves us as the two arrive for their exam. Again, this is a relatively predictable step in the story. But that predictability isn’t bothersome when the show is brought to life with such visual fervor and anchored by an engaging and likable hero who doesn’t adopt the same energy or age of other shonen leads. The series looks great, and it provides plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Its most vital elements are the characters and animation style, which shine through.

Kaiju No. 8 Episode 2 delivers big laughs and wonderful character moments in the quick-paced “The Kaiju Who Defeats Kaiju.” The series continues to be off to a great start with a loveable protagonist and a sweet center despite its monster-infested world.

Kaiju No. 8 Episode 2 is out now on Crunchyroll.

Kaiju No. 8 Episode 2
  • 8/10
    Rating - 8/10
8/10

TL;DR

Kaiju No. 8 Episode 2 delivers big laughs and wonderful character moments in the quick-paced “The Kaiju Who Defeats Kaiju.” The series continues to be off to a great start with a loveable protagonist and a sweet center despite its monster-infested world.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide’ Builds On A Great Story (PS5)
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Whisper Me A Love Song’ Episode 2 — “Love, A Date, And…”
Allyson Johnson

Allyson Johnson is co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of InBetweenDrafts. Former Editor-in-Chief at TheYoungFolks, she is a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics and the Boston Online Film Critics Association. Her writing has also appeared at CambridgeDay, ThePlaylist, Pajiba, VagueVisages, RogerEbert, TheBostonGlobe, Inverse, Bustle, her Substack, and every scrap of paper within her reach.

Related Posts

Kyle in New Saga Episode 1
7.5

REVIEW: ‘New Saga’ Episode 1

07/07/2025
Tsukimiya in Onmyo Kaiten Episode 1
7.0

REVIEW: ‘Onmyo Kaiten Re: Birth Verse’ Episode 1

07/07/2025
Nazuna in Call of the Night Season 2 Episode 1
8.0

REVIEW: ‘Call Of The Night’ Season 2 Episode 1

07/06/2025
Hikaru and Yoshiki in The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 1 From Netflix and CygamesPictures
10.0

REVIEW: ‘The Summer Hikaru Died’ Episode 1 — “Replacement”

07/05/2025
Jiji and Okarun in Dandadan Season 2 Episode 1
8.5

REVIEW: ‘DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 1’ – “Like, This is The Legend of the Giant Snake”

07/05/2025
Endo appears in Wind Breaker Season 2
6.5

REVIEW: ‘Wind Breaker Season 2’ Looks For Fun Despite Pacing Issues

07/04/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Taecyeon and Seohyun in The First Night With The Duke Episodes 7-8
7.5
TV

REVIEW: ‘The First Night With The Duke’ Episodes 7-8

By Sarah Musnicky07/03/2025

The First Night With The Duke Episodes 7-8 spends welcome time in pre-domestic bliss before new developments stir up trouble.

Together (2025) still from Sundance
8.0
Film

REVIEW: Have A Grossly Good Time ‘Together’

By Kate Sánchez01/27/2025Updated:07/04/2025

Dave Franco and Alison Brie’s Together (2025) is disgustingly funny, genuinely ugly, and just a good time at the movies.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and 4 Alcatraz
9.0
PS5

REVIEW: ‘Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4’ Gives Old Games New Life

By Kyle Foley07/07/2025

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 is another example of how to breathe new life into a classic without losing touch of what makes the originals great.

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here