Kaiju No. 8

I'll start with what surprised me the most. I was in the shower and suddenly the Kaidžu no.8 ending started playing on the radio! It happened to me twice. I don't know how the local producers managed to get OneRepublic, but the result was more than fine and I will be happy if more Western music gets into the anime if it fits (which is fulfilled to a T here). I didn't hear the opening on the radio (even though it's also from a Western creator), but I quite liked it too, plus there is a very interesting video for that song where someone got very creative. And now to the series itself. I was pleased that the main character is someone in my age category (like 30+), more characters like that, thirty-somethings are cool! Although I didn't quite like Kafka's behavior, or rather the situations where the series tried to be funny, and so our thirty-two-year-old Kafka occasionally did things that didn't quite fit his age (although I take after myself and I'm quite a stickler). Honestly, I didn't quite appreciate the local humor overall, it was clear that within the anime demographic it's still shōnen, and it targets a different generation than us thirty-somethings, we just have to settle for that representation. However, besides that, I will probably only praise. Animation-wise, "Kaidžu number 8" is excellent, just the big monsters themselves, which are mostly hand-drawn, look splendid. Also, there are plenty of diverse monsters, we see a bit of their biology and anatomy, and our Kafka can make good use of this data. It's always nice when the hero uses not only his fighting abilities, but also his intellect and some practical experience (ideally, ones that we've seen him gain). The battles here are also spectacular, a lot of work is put into movement, effects, and colors – it was always a very entertaining show, both in terms of action and aesthetics. The characters are good, mostly likeable. The only thing that annoys me a little is the fact that during those twelve episodes you only get to know a few of them, which is a bit of a shame. The villain was done well. Kaidžu number 9 is really interesting, I enjoy watching how he gradually develops and how he approaches some things literally with a scientific zeal. He's not just a stupid evil monster, on the contrary, this antagonist will be very smart and does a lot to become even smarter step by step, and with his power, it's scary. The story isn't very complicated, quite the opposite, which also means that it's not difficult to orient yourself in it, and yet it can sometimes surprise and promises some interesting mysteries. Overall, after the first season, I am satisfied, it was a successful introduction and I am curious about the next sequel. Kaidžu no. 8/10. (06/29/2024)