Summary
There are two types of people inKaiju No.— those who run from the demons roaming the world and those who defend them against threats. For people who possess enough potential and power, they have the chance of joining the Kaiju Defense Force in hopes of becoming an officer. Newly introduced officers are then recruited into a division, depending on which captain or vice captain is impressed by their candidacy. InKaiju No. 8, the audience follows along with Kafka Hibino’s story and his aspirations of joining the Kaiju Defense Force, eventually landing a role as a Cadet with the Third Division.
From there, the Third Division takes center stage and introduces the audience to a cast of different characters. From the captain, Mina Ashiro, and her vice captain, Soshiro Hoshina, and the many officers that land their jobs with the division after succeeding in their applications. While none of them possessKaiju powers like Kafka, the remaining officers harbor plenty of combat power in their suits, with Mina taking the lead at 96%, making her the strongest of the Third Division. Their goal is to protect the country from continuous Kaiju attacks, but the job itself is no walk in the park.
The Anti-Kaiju Defense Force’s Mission In Kaiju No. 8
The Important Yet Dangerous Job That They Do
The Anti-Kaiju Defense Force’s main mission is to securely take down any Kaiju threats with necessary force while minimizing the damage done to the city and its citizens. This requires plenty of tactical planning and assessing situations before rushing into the battle. Kafka Hibino’s bread and butter may not be his physical prowess or lack thereof, but rather his ability to understand Kaiju’s weak points and search for its core. This makes planning for a battle easier for the remainder of the troops, as knowing where a core is inside a Kaiju makes for a quick job without spending too much time or energy.
Dangerous threats such asHonju and Daikaiju, a much stronger Kaiju, are typically left to the captain, Mina Ashiro, and the vice captain, Soshiro Hoshina. The two powerful combatants compliment one another, as Mina excels at taking down larger Kaijus from a distance, while Soshiro is more capable of battling medium-sized Kaijus at close range. Once powerful Kaijus have been eliminated, the next step into future missions is to safely gather Kaiju materials that can go towards forming Kaiju-based weapons and ammunition. While most officers receive basic firepower that utilizes Kaiju DNA, the more prolific officers, like captains, receive custom weapons tailored to the user’s strengths.
For Mina, she relies on a behemoth sniper rifle that focusesher 96% combat powerinto highly-concentrated shots that can wipe out large Kaijus. During the Third Division’s first mission with its new recruits, Mina was solely responsible for taking down the main target, doing so with multiple clicks of her sniper, leaving the remaining Yoju to the officers. Soshiro is more capable with his blades, which are equipped with Kaiju’s remains, and can extend his power limit exponentially for a short amount of time. Kikoru Shinomiya is the only officer not ranked higher than the remaining troops to receive a custom weapon, using an axe-like weapon to slice down her targets.
Exploring The Third Division And Its Members
The Best Division In The Anti-Kaiju Defense Force
Currently, there are 18 members of the Third Division, consisting of one Captain, one Vice Captain, five Platoon Leaders, eight Officers, and three characters under the “Other Members” category. Platoon Leaders are typically listed as a class below the Captain and Vice Captain, but a notch above the Officers due to their higher combat power and vast experience on the battlefield.
Vice Captain:Soshiro Hoshina
Platoon Leaders:Ebina, Ryo Ikaruga, Itakura, Tae Nakanoshima, and Takao
Officers:Haruichi Izumo, Aoi Kaguragi, Akari Minase, Hakua Igarashi, Toma Takanashi, and three unnamed Officers (two under the Nakanoshima Platoon and one under the Hoshina Platoon)
Other Members:Konomi Okonogi (Operations Leader), Bakko (Mina’s companion), and Kaiju No. 10 (Soshiro’s suit’s core)
There are also four past members of the Third Division — Kafka Hibino, Reno Ichikawa,Kikoru Shinomiya, and Iharu Furuhashi. All four members were transferred to different divisions following the events of Kafka’s big reveal when he used his Kaiju powers to deflect a Yoju bomb. Both Kafka and Kikoru were sent to the First Division, regarded as the greatest division in the Kaiju Defense Force, becoming the only two Officers on the team. Ichikawa and Iharu were both delivered to the Fourth Division, the second-smallest division of the Defense Force with one serving Captain and four Officers.
Third Division Weapons And Who Uses Them
Kaiju-Powered Weapons With Destructive Force
Only reputable members of the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force can earn a customized weapon that focuses on the user’s strengths, drawing out the most from their combat power. For Mina Ashiro, she was given the T-25101985 Canon from Izumo Tech, which is capable of critically injuring or killing powerful Kaiju with just a few rounds. Though the amount of ammo she can carry at one time is finite, and the canon can lead up to five rounds at a time, Mina’s tactical approach often leads to her defeating her targets with just a couple of rounds, conserving as much ammunition as possible in cases where several threats are approaching.
Soshiro, the Vice Captain of the Third Division, takes a different approach with close-ranged weapons, and is the only member of the Third Division to carry three Izumo Tech weapons in his arsenal. Starting with his blades, Soshiro relies on his Twin Swords, which are marked as SW-2033, and his Katana, which holds the mark of SW-1023. Both weapons have incredible durability and are sharp enough to pierce the flesh of the strongest Kaiju. Soshiro alsohas a customized combat suitconstructed from the body of Kaiju No. 10. It is also the only known Weapons number to possess a mind of its own.
Thanks to her potential on the battlefield, Kikoru Shinomiya is the only other member of the Third Division to have a customized weapon, despite serving as an Officer. She was first given the AX-0112 Battle Axe, a failed prototype that was eventually destroyed in battle, before moving on to the improved AX-0113 Battle Axe. Kikoru was also gifted a Giant Sword, marked 03 5-12066, but it lacked the durability and strength to cut through Kaijus, forcing her to retire the weapon in favor of the Battle Axe. Finally, her Numbers weapon consists of a battle suit created from the body of Kaiju No. 4, which gives her a boost in speed and grants her the ability to fly.
Kaiju No. 8
Production I.G’s Kaiju No. 8 is a Spring 2024 anime based on Naoya Matsumoto’s Shonen Jump+ manga. Set in an alternate version of Japan, the story follows the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force as they try to protect the nation from monster attacks.
