Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 1
Matsumoto, Naoya
Staff Pick, Manga (by Anthony)
It's a fantastic story, well-written, incredibly believable but still kept me incredibly entertained every chapter. It takes the unique premise of having a much older protagonist, and uses it to the greatest advantage. The story is light-hearted and incredibly entertaining with compelling characters. The plot and world building has its own unique spin, doing the classical tropes well, and doing enough to stand out, least of all the premise being about a thirty year old man who happens to finally get his dreams after years of just admitting that he can't make it and settle for cleaning up after the heroes fight. The way the author portrays emotions through his art is very effective and really makes you feel for the characters
With the highest kaiju-emergence rates in the world, Japan is no stranger to attack by deadly monsters. Enter the Japan Defense Force, a military organization tasked with the neutralization of kaiju. Kafka Hibino, a kaiju-corpse cleanup man, has always dreamed of joining the force. But when he gets another shot at achieving his childhood dream, he undergoes an unexpected transformation. How can he fight kaiju now that he’s become one himself?!
Kafka hopes to one day keep his pact with his childhood friend Mina to join the Japan Defense Force and fight by her side. But while she’s out neutralizing kaiju as Third Division captain, Kafka is stuck cleaning up the aftermath of her battles. When a sudden rule change makes Kafka eligible for the Defense Force, he decides to try out for the squad once more. There’s just one problem—he’s made the Defense Force’s neutralization list under the code name Kaiju No. 8.
