MANGA REVIEW | "Kaiju No. 8" - Volume Fourteen
Promises between childhood friends can sometimes be hard to keep. There’re always the threats of growing apart, moving away, or even just having said friendship break apart over something petty. Not Kafka and Mina’s childhood promise, that’s for certain! As Volume Fourteen of Kaiju No. 8 shows, their vow to kill all of the kaiju together is just as strong as it was the day the promise was made.
Now in full kaiju mode, Kafka faces off against Kaiju No. 9. Knowing full well what he’s up against, our man in monster’s clothing pulls zero punches when face-to-face with humanity’s biggest threat in a while. In the back of Kafka’s mind are the teachings of the late Isao Shinomiya, and what he knows is thrown at Kaiju No. 9 with great velocity. But it’s clear from the get-go: Kaiju No. 9 is a little bit stronger than No. 8.
Nevertheless, Kafka still gives it his all, as he throws one attack after another, keeping clear from making more human casualties. Yet every time Kafka seems to have the upper hand, he’s pushed three steps back into a corner. Even when he seems like he’s reached the core to destroy Kaiju No. 9, the villain’s got another trick up his sleeve. Fortunately, Kafka does too: Captain Mina Ashiro!
It’s at this moment when Kaiju No. 8 reminds its readers of Kafka and Mina’s bond. A friendship that’s lasted a lifetime, the two have vowed to work side-by-side to protect humanity. Although Mina joined the squad a lot earlier than Kafka, his drive to stand with her in battle was always the root of his strength. And now, with the fate of Japan and quite possibly the world in their hands, the duo take on a mighty threat. But do they do it well?
Honestly, it’s 50/50 on how good their strength is. While their friendship is in the highest ranking possible, the physical strength Kafka and Mina have is a lot harder to judge. Sometimes they get the upper hand against Kaiju No. 9; other times, not so much. It’s why Kafka needs to pull the ultimate trump card: let the beast take full control. The problem: he only has one minute before Kafka loses himself completely into the monster.
With that stipulation in place, Kafka and Mina become more in sync. The attacks hit harder, the evasions are better timed, and Kaiju No. 9 seems to almost reach its limit. But just when the enemy is about to unleash a massive attack, something happens. Is it a greater power from above, or is something deep within Kaiju No. 9 fighting back?
The end of this current battle seems to be arriving in Kaiju No. 8. Kafka’s strength, Mina’s powerful assistance, and the terrifying mentality of Kaiju No. 9 are all on full display here. And it’s all presented via some extraordinary art from Naoya Matsumoto. With only two more volumes to go, we will soon see if Kafka and Mina can keep that childhood promise of theirs. Until then, keep on rooting for humanity with everything that you’ve got!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
