Yeah, thanks for giving up the big twist, Kaiju No. 8. Never doubt an anime episode title’s ability to spoil something.
While the ending is most likely the big talking point for the episode, let’s of course discuss the big fight at the start. Last episode, Soshiro was able to fight the humanoid kaiju on fairly even footing. Now that the daikaiju has grown in size however, the tables have turned. Soshiro is a badass, there’s no denying that, but his expertise is best served against smaller sized kaiju. Against the humanoid’s new form, he’s at a disadvantage. This episode also establishes a new factor into the action. While a very strong officer such as Soshiro can remove an inhibitor and fight at full strength, they can’t actually maintain that combat power for very long. Eventually, the suit overheats and it causes adverse effects on the wearer’s condition. This far into fighting the humanoid, Soshiro is experiencing this drawback so he’s forced to re-enable the inhibitor, keeping him alive but making him a lot weaker. It’s a smart way to hold characters back and raise the stakes if need be.
Despite knowing his fighting a losing battle, Soshiro still tries to hold the humanoid at bay. I’ve already like Soshiro a fair amount up until this point but this moment does make me like him even more. It really goes to show why he’s the Third Division’s vice-captain. I also like the inclusion of flashbacks detailing Soshiro’s past. We learn from these scenes that a lot of people in Soshiro’s life told him to quit the Defense Force because he’s only good with swords and that’s fallen from favor to firearms. The one exception of course is Mina, who recognizes that she needs a melee fighter to clear a path for her and balance out her long ranged fighting style. Everyone told Soshiro to give up but Mina gave him a chance. Combined with what’s going on now and the show does a good job explaining why Soshiro is so loyal to Mina and why he’s so willing to risk his life to protect the base and his division.
The show had me fooled for a little bit when Kafka prepares to transform into Kaiju No. 8 but I knew that Mina would show up first to take down the humanoid. I like how even with Mina at the scene, there is still a bit of a struggle here. You have Preondactyls trying to throw her off and the humanoid trying to hit her. Everyone else still has to do their part by keeping the kaiju occupied so that Mina can have a clear shot. It’s not like the battle in Sagamihara where everyone had the benefit of prep time and Mina was free to just shoot unopposed. I kind of was expecting Kikoru to take over for Soshiro and take on the humanoid on the ground. Surprisingly, she’s only able to land one hit with her axe before overheating and that’s with Soshiro’s help. That’s a little funny after seeing Kikoru be a show-off last episode but it is a realistic look at where she stands in terms of power.
I was kind of surprised that Mina managed to defeat the big kaiju boss. Like yeah, she’s a captain of an entire Defense Force division but this episode is literally titled, “Secret Revealed”. I kind of figured Mina and the others would somehow fail and Kafka has to intervene, revealing himself as Kaiju No. 8 in the process. So what makes Kafka spill the beans? Well, right before its defeat, the humanoid orders the yoju to fuse together into a bomb capable of devastating the entire city. Kafka transforms to fly up and punch the bomb into the upper atmosphere to save everyone and reduce the collateral damage. There’s some logistics that I don’t quite get. Like, the kaiju being able to form a bomb just seems random and Kafka having boosters in his legs to let him fly feels too convenient. Other than those, this scene is the perfect way for everyone to learn of Kafka’s secret. Not only is it big and exciting, it also leaves Kafka with no other choice but to transform. All of his comrades are exhausted and even if they could still fight, they have nothing to counter the bomb. The only one left to save the day is Kafka.
It felt a bit baffling two episodes ago that Soshiro didn’t put two and two together and deduce that Kafka is Kaiju No. 8. I’m glad then that the show confirms that Soshiro genuinely does like Kafka, to the point that it did blind him from the truth. It certainly makes his reaction to Kafka’s secret more emotional. He’s not just mad that he failed to figure it out, he also feels betrayed. Mina’s reaction is also worth noting. We know she’s good at hiding her emotions but until more is shown, it just stings seeing her point her gun at Kafka and address him as Kaiju No. 8 and not by his real name.
The next episode might ruin this for comedy but right now, I love the silent acceptance on Kafka’s face. No quips, no panicking, and no weaseling his way out. He knows for a fact that there’s no going back now and he simply resigns himself to whatever fate lies ahead of him.
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