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Kaiju no. 8 has taken the manga world by storm over the last few months as its story progresses to new hype-inducing levels. However, that is not the only reason behind its fame. With a similar premise to Attack on Titan, coupled with themes of transformation and humanity fighting monsters, it is no wonder that Naoya Matsumoto's manga is increasingly being compared to Hajime Isayama's work.
Indeed, while Kaiju No. 8 might be regarded as the new Attack on Titan, such a comparison does not delegitimize the new series' place in the manga landscape. Contrarily, the very use of kaiju in the manga can be said to be more relevant than Titans with regard to Japanese cultural history.
Kaiju No. 8 is what would happen if Godzilla could transform into an anime protagonist
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In Japanese mythology and pop culture, the word "kaiju" refers to giant, monstrous creatures threatening humanity, with one of the most famous kaiju being Godzilla. Although Godzilla has received many anime and manga adaptations, Kaiju No. 8 takes the general idea of a kaiju attacking a human city or habitation and narrates it through the eyes of its protagonist.
In a world where kaiju or giant beasts cause disasters, the Defense Force Organization (a similar organization like the Armed Forces of Eldia in Attack on Titan) attempts to fight them. Kafka Hibino and Mina Ashiro decided to join the Defense Force when their hometown was obliterated by kaiju when they were kids. Since then, Mina has been promoted to captain of the Third Division of the Defense Force.
Kafka has repeatedly failed the test and is now a part of the cleanup crew that gets rid of the kaiju after every battle. Reno Ichikawa, a young part-time employee at Kafka's business who aspires to join the Defense Force, rekindles Kafka's desire to join the Defense Force. However, Kafka obtains the capacity to transform into kaiju when a little kaiju enters his body through his mouth. "Kaiju No. 8" is thus the nickname given to Kafka as he flees the Defense Force (he later applies).
Why Kaiju No. 8 is being compared to Attack on Titan
The reasons behind the comparisons between the two series are justified, as not only does the protagonist Kafka resemble Eren Yeager in terms of his motivation and shapeshifting capability but also his desire to avenge the monstrous kaiju. Mina is a strong leader with combat capabilities reminiscent of Mikasa Ackermann. Furthermore, while Eren is average in battle in his human form, Kafka is regarded as a failure, which is why he hungers to prove himself.
Aside from these comparisons, Kaiju. No 8 is, in fact, a unique series that makes it easier to root for Kafka than Attack on Titan did for Eren, partially because of the former's status as an underdog.
The idea of alien monsters feeding on humanity is not exclusive to Attack on Titan either, as the latter shares many themes with Tokyo Ghoul and Parasyte: The Maxim. However, the biggest area where it might soon come to resemble Attack on Titan is its popularity.
The hype for Attack on Titan is at an all-time high, with 2023 being the year of its final part's release. Meanwhile, Kaiju No. 8 is already enjoying a lot of attention regarding its chapter releases, and with the upcoming anime season announced by Production I.G., this hype will only get better.
