Summary
Kaiju No. 8is the long-awaited work of Naoya Matsumoto, which achieved great success by being a groundbreaking story that subverts popular tropes while at the same time featuring themes that fans love about shōnen.Kaiju No. 8is a story of perseveration thatshares common elements with hit animes likeNarutobut also withAttack on Titan, since its premise of the protagonist Kafka Hibino having the ability to transform into a kaiju, the same creature he’s seeking to fight, and wishing to fulfill his dream of protecting his country reminds fans of Eren Yeager’s very own tragedy story.
However, these stories couldn’t be more different, sinceKaiju No. 8is more lighthearted thanAOT, and the protagonist isn’t a kid but a 32-year-old man who works for a company that cleans up kaijus. This unique setting that appeals to both shōnen andMonsterVersefans has made viewers question the inspiration behindKaiju No. 8.
The answer came in a recent interview withKaiju No. 8’s author, who revealed the biggest influence of the series:Shin Godzilla, the 2016 movie directed byEvangelion’s creator Hideaki Anno.
Shonen Jump Releases Spinoff of its Next Massive Hit Ahead of Anime Adaptation
A spinoff of the hit manga Kajiu No. 8 offers an alternative look at Third Division’s Kaiju Hunters ahead of the series' anime debut.
Shin GodzillaInspiredKaiju No. 8’sAuthor to Stand Out Kaijus Disasters
Hideaki Anno’s Movie GaveKaiju No. 8’s Author the Idea of Linking Giant Monsters With Disasters.
Naoya Matsumoto revealed in an interview forWeekly Bunshunthe behind-the-scenes story of the writing and setting of his work,Kaiju No. 8, where he admitted that watchingShin Godzillaby the legendary directors ofEvangelion, Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, inspired him to create the manga.
After watching the movie “Shin Godzilla,” I was once again struck by the intriguing “disaster aspect” of monsters. From there, I expanded the setting to make it more interesting as a manga world.
This revelation shouldn’t come as a surprise to fans, since Kafka’s Kaiju form clearly reminds of Godzilla, the Kaiju by excellence and king of monsters. Additionally,Shin Godzillais the most terrifying and dark but also the most compelling version of the monster and is the film in the franchise that delves more into the indomitable Japanese resolve and spirit to face disaster, using the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and the following nuclear accident of Fukushima Daiichi as inspiration.
Kaiju No. 8’s author took a risk by wanting to explore the dynamics of monsters and disasters in a shōnen manga because it was a genre that had reaped few hits in that format, but what warranted the series to become a hit was basing the protagonist on himself. Matsumoto has transformed his own struggles and frustrations as a 30-year-old who hadn’t reached his dream into a work that resonates with a wide audience. Theinspiration found inShin Godzillaand the personal connection with its protagonist have been key to the creation of the story and its success.
Kaiju No. 8has the Blessing of Hideaki Anno
Kaiju No. 8Author’s Own Story is as Inspirational as Kafka Hibino’s
Naoya Matsumoto wouldn’t have known that, after being inspired byShin Godzilla, the same director would be in charge of bringing his own kaiju to life in an animated adaptation.Kaiju No. 8adaptation is animated by Production I.G. in association with Studio Khara, Hideaki Anno’s own production house, with him being responsible for developing the kaiju artwork and character design supervision. The fact that Matsumoto’s favorite studio made his work into anime achieved another of his dreams; he once joked with a friend, saying:
If Production I.G. or Studio Khara made an anime version of my manga, I’d accept it even if I had to commit seppuku after watching a preview of the first episode!!
That shows how much Matsumoto admired the studio, with their influences being very clearly seen in the series. He conveyed those feelings in the story which led to the creation of this workteam.Kaiju No. 8’s anime adaptation has already made historyand not only Kafka Hibino’s story of perseverance deeply resonates with people, but itsauthor’s own path to success,which led him to work with his very own inspiration, is motivational to fans and stirs them to keep pursuing their dreams.
Kaiju No. 8
Cast
Kaiju No. 8 follows Kafka Hibino, who dreams of joining The Defense Force alongside childhood friend Mina Ashiro in a world beset by Kaiju. Kafka’s path diverges as he works cleaning up post-battle, but his encounter with Reno Ichikawa reignites his vow to defend humanity. Released in 2024.
