Kaiju No. 8 – Ep. 13 (Season Premiere)

I covered Kaiju No. 8‘s first season earlier this year as sort of a bonus pick and I enjoyed it more than I expected. Suffice to say, I’m back to give Season 2 a whirl. Technically, Season 2 started earlier this month though it kicked things off with a TV broadcast of the OVA (which I already covered around its theatrical run). This episode is where the show actually resumes. Not that it’s an important matter but Crunchyroll is apparently continuing the episode numbering from Season 1 so that’s why this post is labeled “Episode 13” and not “Season 2 Episode 1”. Apparently, the OVA is also labeled as an “extra” episode of Season 2. I reckon it fits more with Season 1 but whatever, I’ll have to change the title of the respective episode review at some point.

Season 2 begins five days after the Season 1 finale. With the Third Division base under reconstruction, the recruits all get transferred to the other fifteen divisions to continue and diversify their training. Reno (Wataru Katoh) and Iharu (Yuuki Shin) have been transferred to the Fourth Division while Kikoru (Fairouz Ai) is moved to the First Division. Very minor and random thought here but I found it a little funny how the episode cuts to Kikoru still chilling in the waiting room she was last seen in during Season 1. Like, I get that base is also where the First Division is headquartered but was Kikoru actually waiting there for five whole days?

Anyway, the First Division’s vice captain Eiji Hasegawa welcomes Kikoru to the division and introduces her to its captain, Gen Narumi (Koki Uchiyama). Gen previously made a brief cameo in the Season 1 finale, as a reserve unit for the fight between Isao (Tesshō Genda) and Kafka (Masaya Fukunishi). In that scene, Gen is presented as a very disciplined soldier so imagine my surprise that his first scene in Season 2 reveals himself as a massive otaku and shut-in who’d rather spend his time playing video games and arguing on social media. You do get a scene where Gen expertly leads his division to take down a kaiju so he is as competent as his first scene implied. It just so happens that this show was hiding a completely different side to him. What really makes this joke work is Kikoru’s reaction. Kikoru can be a bit of a brat but she does take her work seriously and she’s generally quite good at following military conduct. She is, for the most part, a professional when she’s on the job. It’s really funny then that she’s put off by Gen’s nerdy and petty traits, to the point that she almost doesn’t want to give him the respect his rank demands.

Eventually, Isao decides to also put Kafka in the First Division. With the First Division being the strongest one in the Defense Force, it stands to reason to put a Daikaiju in its ranks. Gen initially objects to the transfer, arguing that he’s strong enough as is and if the First Division really needs a boost, then the pragmatic thing would be to scrap Kaiju No. 8 for parts. Eventually though, he relents and he offers Kafka one chance to prove himself. While Gen doesn’t come across as particularly pleasant in this scene, I do find it interesting that at the end of the day, he’ll go along with anyone if they produce results. It lines rather well with what we’ve seen of him so far. He’s lazy and obnoxious at times but he’s otherwise a darn good soldier and that attitude seems to be reflected in how he views other people.

Kafka transferring to the same division as Kikoru makes me happy. Their bantering is generally one of the better gags in the show. More importantly, this could allow the show to expand on Kikoru’s recent turmoil, how she values Kafka as a friend but she also has permission from Kafka to kill him should he lose control of his kaiju form. Not having Reno in the First Division kind of blows, to be frank. I really like the bond he and Kafka shares. Then again, it maybe serves Reno more to have him train independently from Kafka. He wants to be strong enough so that kafka doesn’t have to resort to his powers so maybe having him grow on his own is necessary for him.

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