Kaijuu number 8

 Probably one of the most anticipated series for the spring season, I also jumped on the hype train and sat down to give this sci-fi series a watch.

Yes, because big monsters galore!

The Defence Corps is a special unit tasked with defending Japan from large roaming monsters, the Kaijuu.  Kafka Hibino was once dreaming of a military job, but found himself instead a Sweeper, a unit to clean up the mess after the battles.  When 18 year old Reno joins his unit, his dreams are rekindled though.  When Kafka encounters a parasite that forces himself into him, he gains the powers to become a human-kaijuu hybrid and pursue his dream after all.

But the captain tasked with taking him down as he sets a kaiju alarm, is his childhood friend Mina, accompanied by her white tiger. Kafka has to get to grips with his new form and power, and the fact he pees from his nipples...  When they run into a young girl attacked by a huge kaiju, Kafka interferes and resulting in the stories of a "good kaiju" being rumoured, so he tries again for the Defence Force, passing the first round of exams together with his young protege Ichikawa.  On the parking lot he is met by Kikoru, who wears a suit that powers her up immensely.  As they start the training exam, they face the prodigee's of many schools specialised in raising kaiju hunters.  But using his knowledge as a sweeper on the weak points of kaiju, they manage to stay in the exam.

However, an intelligent kaiju that can revive those taken down has snuck into the exam cemter, gravely wounding Kikoru.  As the fields are being evacuated, Kafka saves her, even though this forces him to reveal his secret to her.  But the special kaiju apparently is also someone able to shift to human form, working in Kafka's sweeper unit.

 

 

Kafka is recruited, even though his exams where amongst the weakest.  But lt Hoshina sees something in him, and not only his comical value.  While he suspects something is off with Kafka, he loved his ability to sacrifice his own kill count in order to guide others on how to score better, something not many people can do.  And so his training starts, as he pushes himself everyday more and more to raise his combat power, as he gets out on his first mission.  While he feels initially being a slag to the team, his knowledge of a sweeper once again helps out by finding the core of the beasts, their vunerable spot, allowing the team to effectively fight them.

 

But they run into another sweeper who also has transformative powers, and was behind the assault on the training grounds.   He barely kills Ichikawa, as Kafka arrives and smashes the opponent to pieces, but it regenerates and goes in his battleform to face Kafka.  But just as he is about to finish the other kaiju humanoid off, the Defence Force troops arrive, allowing the other to escape.  During his escape though, he runs into Hoshino, who attacks him as he believes he is the kaiju causing the havoc.  

Pressed back, he needs to hold down in order not to injure the vice-captain, opting to escape instead of defending himself.  They celebrate their succesfull mission back at the HQ, as Kafka witnesses the captain's training, seeing him recreating the battle with him.  But as they wrap up, huge flying kaiju are approaching the city led by another humanoid kaiju.  The vice-captain looks in deeper on the case of number 8, as Kafka witnesses the arrival of the winged beasts.  They attack the base of the Defence Force, as everyone needs to be mobilized for the fight.

Their leader challenges Hoshino as he sees him as the prey, being the strongest human at the base.  Kikoru has received a custom weapon, as she is ranked the third most powerful in the unit after the commanders, and goes about annihilating the wyvern type kaiju together with the other recruits.  Hoshino goes to it's full power to fight the humanoid beast, initially getting the upperhand before it regenerates and transforms in a huge beast of even greater power.

 

But Hoshino is being pushed back, his suit reaching it's maximum limit resulting in the beast overpowering him.  As he gets injured, we learn on how everyone wanted him to quit, yet pushed onwards at the behest of his captain, Mina.   But never the less he is no match, and Kafka rushes to his aid.  But the captain arrives just before he transforms, keeping his secret, as they tackle the monster as a team to bring it down.  But the beasts starts merging, about to create a huge bomb.  Kafka has to reveal hsi true identity to stop it from exploding above the base, launching it into the high skies to reduce the blast.   

Kafka is detained and the higher ups want him for tests, but Mina and the troops try to make sure he gets absolved by filing special reports and accounts of his actions.  Interrogated and tortured by Kikoru's father, the director-general, he must prove he is human.  The director uses technology extracted from kaiju number 2 in order to get Kafka mad at full power, the beast inside him driving him into a frenzy.  He struggles inside the beast to regain control over it, as it keeps enraging and powering up against the director-general's attacks.  Thanks to his thoughts of Mina, he overcomes the beast and regains his humanity, in control of his powers. 

Mina is heard after the examination by the high brass, recounting her experiences with him in the unit and the things he did to help them.  The director general decides that he will be assigned to the unit instead of disposing him, to use his power for the benefit of the nation.

So this was hyped for good reason, as it was both action packed as well as fun as hell!  I for one look forward to the second season to air!