REVIEW: ‘Kaiju No 8’ Episode 9 — “Raid on Tachikawa Base”

Hoshina (Kengo Kawanishi) remains the current series MVP in Kaiju No 8 Episode 9, “Raid on Tachikawa Base.” There’s a real sense of apocalyptic stakes in the episode’s opening moments, which set up the destruction of the hurtles toward our characters. Kafka stands alone on a rooftop as he watches the newest threat light up the sky with flying kaiju. With a red-soaked sky that burns along with the infrastructures the kaiju just lit aflame, the opening moments set the tone for the ensuing episode, which is the most action-packed to date.

The Kaiju in question is being led by a formidable monster who outclasses Kaiju No 9 in strength and intelligence. Something, the Defense Force realizes quickly, is amiss. Kafka Hibino (Masaya Fukunishi) realizes this when realizing that the flying Kaiju attacking them is Wyvern, a class that typically works alone and only appears fleetingly throughout the year.

He and Hoshina recognize that this means they can only work together because there’s a leader whose strength demands their attention. It’s yet another reminder of Kafka’s intellect regarding these monsters while also demonstrative of his and Hoshina’s continued burgeoning dynamic where the latter trusts Kafka’s instincts.

But it doesn’t stop the terror from taking place as they realize that their builds are being specifically targeted, meaning that the Kaiju are working together and with a plan. With so many honju class-level kaiju, the Defense Force is split into groups to protect and defend. Shinomiya gets a striking moment as we realize she’s been gifted a custom weapon — an axe — due to being the third strongest member on base. With this new powerful tool, she’s even more formidable, laying waste to the Kaiju in her own way.

But what makes the moment even better is that she allows Ichikawa to fight alongside her. It shows growth twofold. On the one hand, it demonstrates that Shinomiya is now willing to play nice with others — to an extent. On the other hand, it reminds us that Ichikawa’s strength and abilities in battle only continue to rise. Even Kafka remarks on it as he watches them from afar, wondering when they learned to work together so well. It’s a way to comment on their increased abilities without fully spelling it out and making it obvious.

Kaiju No 8 Episode 9 ups the ante regarding operatic worldbuilding. Aided by the score from composer Yuta Bandoh, the battle sequence adopts a classical feel that harkens back to more typical kaiju fare — Godzilla films. From the old-school thrum of the score to the monster designs and powers, the influences toe the line between past and present. While the character designs aren’t always the most striking, the creature designs remain distinctive and imposing.

That’s especially true of the latest big bad Kaiju that, like Kaiju No. 9, can speak. It challenges Hoshina as it wants to fight the strongest person on base. With Mina away, that leaves him, and he launches into battle with the Kaiju to lead it away from the rest of the Defense Force. And this is where he’s the MVP because, at least currently, there’s no other character with a more exciting and dynamic fight style.

Graceful and swift, the direction flows with his movement as he rushes backward, evading Kaiju’s reach.
It’s the first time we’ve seen Hoshina at all flustered, be it in battle or everyday life. But this Kaiju is taking all he has to stay standing and out of harm’s way, realizing that one full-force blow would likely kill him.

As he struggles, he discovers that the Kaiju is enjoying the fight, yet another notable aspect considering it’s never been the case with any other kaiju they’ve fought in the past. This threat is new, and their lack of knowledge about it makes it all the more formidable.

But Hoshina can lure it into the training grounds, remarking that he can go all out without fearing hurting his team. He’s on another level than the other recruits until Kafka fully transforms. And Kaiju No 8 Episode 9 makes sure to remind us of such. Any pivot from his battle is almost lackluster only because it’s such a shining sequence with some of the strongest animation of the series to date.

Oddly, Kaiju No 8 Episode 9 feels like the calm before the storm despite the full battle taking place. Visually engaging and heightened to make us feel the real, imposing threat of these new Kaiju, it’s a thrilling installment that understands how to capture intensive fight choreography. While it could afford to stay in one place longer, the episode maintains our interest as the story accelerates into the next stage.

Kaiju No 8 Episode 9 is out now on Crunchyroll.