MANGA REVIEW | "Kaiju No. 8: Relax" - Volume One
Whenever a hit shonen series announces a comedy spinoff, I’m almost always hesitant. For every one Fullmetal Alchemist four-panel spinoff, there are a dozen My Hero Academia: SMASH!!es. So when word got out that Kaiju No. 8 would be getting the comedic manga treatment, I was nervous. However, those nerves disappeared when I saw the author on the cover of the first volume of Kaiju No. 8: Relax: Kizuku Watanabe, the same man behind the hilarious Assassination Classroom spinoff Koro Sensei Quest!
As the title implies, Kaiju No. 8: Relax is what happens when the Defense Force isn’t battling giant monsters. These are the tales of when Kafka, Hoshino, Kikoru, and even Mina Ashiro are allowed to let their hair down, take a breather, and act like normal human beings. Well…that is to say they try to act normal, Kafka especially. But as these stories show, there’s precedent in having to be a little bit crazy to be on the Defense Force. And boy, do things get loony in these side stories!
“Loony” is the key word here, as it demonstrates the strongest aspect of Watanabe’s writing skills. Without having to change anything about Naoya Matsumoto’s characters, Watanabe is able to inject enough cuckoo juice into the veins of these Shonen Jump heroes. And the end result is a collection of stories that will often have you laughing out loud over their absurdity. Heck, not even the most stoic of characters are immune to being shown in a goofy manner!
A great example of the silliness Kaiju No. 8: Relax is capable of is in the opening chapter. Kafka, Kikoru, and Reno go on a hiking trip. Despite being the oldest, Kafka acts the most childish, from what he packs in his bag to bragging about a cool stick he found. However, it’s when a poisonous snake bites Kafka that we get a great callback to Kaiju No. 8’s “special” nipple technique. It results in a story that stays true to Matsumoto’s world, while — at the same time — embracing the downright zaniness of the situations they’re placed in.
Nobody is safe from Watanabe’s wacky ways. Mina commenting on zombies that look like her superiors, Iharu’s quest to become a capable man, Reno’s fear of ghosts, and even Hoshina’s often-closed eyes are all gags that are treated both with respect to the original characters and as delightful punching bags. Watanabe does two things right here: he respects the original vision of Naoya Matsumoto, and he also knows that there’s no such thing as “going too far” to make a hilarious joke. To put it bluntly: the most respectful way to be funny with these characters is to disrespect them.
Kaiju No. 8: Relax follows the parody rules to a tee. It never pulls back on a joke, while also paying proper tribute to the series it’s lampooning. Volume One is a fantastic start to this comedic spinoff, with Kizuki Watanabe being the right guy to bring silliness to the world of Kaiju No. 8. Considering how brutal the fights get in the main series, one should be grateful that the Defense Force has these moments to be regular, dumb human beings.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
