Steven Reynolds 
For those of you who don’t want a long involved recap of Kaiju No. 8, Episode 9, here are the main key points of what happened during the 23-minute episode, along with what I think it did well and what it missed.
You know, like Axios style for those with the same attention span of a gnat like me.
Recap of Kaiju No. 8, Episode 9 plot:
- Raid on Tachikawa Base: The episode kicks off with Hoshina on a computer researching Kaiju No. 8 and reflecting on what he knows about Kaiju No. 9. Meanwhile, Kafka, the actual Kaiju No. 8, is up on the roof thinking about how he’s determined not to let Hoshina down.
- Meteor strike: Suddenly, meteors crash down on the main base, prompting Hoshina to suit up and rally Defense Force troops. Their mission: lure kaiju away from the base and contain them in the training area.
- Wyverns in packs: As the rest of the Third Division is already out dealing with kaiju, Kafka notices wyvern-type kaiju are traveling in packs. That’s unusual as they always travel alone. It also means something or someone must be controlling them.
- Attack from behind: Due to his work with the clean-up crew, Kafka also knows you can only take a wyvern down if you attack it from behind. He relays that advice to Hoshina and the rest of his team.
- Kikoru’s battle axe: Flashback time! Even though she isn’t yet high-level personnel, Kikoru receives a special battle axe designed for her high battle power. She joins the fray and, of course, begins decimating wyverns.
- Daikaiju showdown: Hoshina faces a Daikaiju (aka a sentient kaiju) that has immense fortitude. He leads it to the training area for an epic battle.
- Hoshina kills the Daikaiju or does he?: Towards the end of the episode, Hoshina showcases his incredible skills and slices the Daikaiju to pieces. But, right as he thinks it’s dead and the team celebrates, the Daikaiju suddenly resurrects itself, then massively grows in size.
RELATED: A Kaiju No. 8, Episode 8 recap – fast action, a moral dilemma and a cool cliffhanger
What Kaiju No. 8, Episode 9 does well
Art style, monster designs and action scenes
- Art style: Like other episodes, the animation in Kaiju No. 8, Episode 9 remains consistent, capturing the intensity of the battles and also the show’s emotional moments. It is especially well-done during the high-speed fight scenes.
- Monster designs: Like almost every other monster design throughout the superb series, the wyverns and the Daikaiju are uniquely designed, each with their own features and abilities.
- Action scenes: The battles are phenomenally fast-paced, exhilarating and sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat exciting, especially Kikoru’s axe-wielding rampage.
Characters that stand out in Kaiju No. 8, Episode 9
- Hoshina: His determination and leadership shine as he both organizes his team to be in the right place at the best time, and then faces the Daikaiju head-on himself.
- Kikoru: Her battle axe and rampage steal the spotlight. The backstory of her being given the new high-level weapon adds depth to those scenes
- Kafka: His growth and determination continue to make him a compelling protagonist. Especially as we again see him using his knowledge from his previous job to help his team attack kaiju in the correct way.
- Reno and Others: Their superb teamwork and bravery give strength to the episode. Even Kafka notices how well they are now working together.
The things Kaiju No 8, Episode 9 could have done better
Like every episode of the sci-fi action, Episode 9 does far more things better than not. Two of its weaknesses, however, did detract from some of my enjoyment.
- Pacing: Several scenes could have been written and animated tighter to maintain momentum. Especially during some of the fight scenes when there was lots of running around and attacking, but the plot wasn’t being moved forward. Neither were the characters achieving much.
- Lack of Kaiju No. 8: While the focus is on other characters, the big weakness of Episode 9 was that we miss seeing Kaiju No. 8 in action. Kafka, after all, is the protagonist, but even he wasn’t seen much. And, other than Kafka transforming his legs for the rescue of Minase, Kaiju No. 8 didn’t make an appearance at all. A crazy circumstance when the Daikaiju was so ridiculously powerful.
- English language voice acting: I watched the episode through twice — once in original Japanese and once in the English dub and, yep, most of the Japanese voice actors are far superior to the English language VAs. So much so, the episode feels quite flat in English.
Overall, though, Episode 9 delivers thrilling battles, some decent character growth, an intriguing plot development as the Daikaiju grows in size, and another exciting cliffhanger ending.
RELATED: Kaiju No 8, Episode 9 stars voice actor Kenta Miyake
Yep, with three episodes to go, it is still a must-watch for fans of kaiju action!
Now read the rest of our Kaiju No. 8 recaps here on Baozi Buns — Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7 and Episode 8.
About the Author
Michelle Topham 
