Kaiju No. 8 chapter 119 all but confirms Narumi's ultimate fate

Modified Dec 24, 2024 00:30 GMT

Kaiju No. 8 chapter 119 all but confirms Narumi's ultimate fate (Image via Production I.G)

With the release of Kaiju No. 8 chapter 119 earlier this week, fans saw protagonist Kafka Hibino return to the fight in his titular monster form, with an apparent powerup to boot. Kafka’s return was also incredibly well-timed, saving First Division Commander Gen Narumi from what would certainly have been his death at the hands of the Meireki Era Mega Monster (Meireki for short).

This definitive take on Narumi’s situation in Kaiju No. 8 chapter 119 is confirmed by the man himself, when he literally says he intends to sacrifice himself as Isao Shinomiya once did. While his heroic forfeiture of life was foiled by Kafka’s timely return, series creator and mangaka Naoya Matsumoto may be speaking to Narumi’s eventual, unavoidable fate. This seems especially likely when also considering exactly how Narumi was injured by Meireki.

Narumi’s actions in Kaiju No. 8 chapter 119 may be teasing what his ultimate fate will be

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To further expand on the aforementioned, Kaiju No. 8 chapter 119 sees Gen Narumi decide to reactivate Numbers Weapon No. 1 after overheating, despite the risk of brain damage. Narumi calls himself “the connection,” intending to buy more time for the “others behind him” and pass the baton to them. He specifically says he has to pass it on to “the next generation” as Isao Shinomiya once did for him in the fight against No. 9.

Chapter 119 went as far as to see Meireki stab Narumi through his chest in an area very close to, if not directly on top of his heart. Combined with the fact that reactivating No. 1, which Narumi was still using at the issue’s end, will cause significant brain damage, it seems that his death may be unavoidable at this point.

This could lead to Narumi sacrificing himself in the fight against Meireki, especially if Kafka is still struggling after his apparent power up.

However, even if Narumi’s sacrifice isn’t needed to defeat Meireki, Matsumoto may intend for him to follow in Isao’s footsteps at some point in the future. Kaiju No. 8 chapter 119 would certainly be a good way of setting this up, both narratively and for readers to brace themselves, bringing him to the brink of death before seeing him saved.

This is especially likely if Meireki isn’t killed here, and would further justify chapter 119’s events as narrative setup by Matsumoto.

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This also assumes that Matsumoto’s series doesn’t end after the current fight, which would necessitate Kafka defeating Meireki here and now. While certainly possible, this seems unlikely for a few key reasons.

The first is that a new plot point has been introduced in Kafka now allegedly being unable to become a human again. Given that the series is shonen in demographic, the story will likely progress until this can be somehow reverted.

Some other major plot points still need to be addressed, such as the inception of kaiju in general and Meireki’s origins specifically. Likewise, why the Flying Larva chose Kafka as its host specifically has still yet to be explicitly answered.

Given these reasons and others, it seems likely that the series will not be ending anytime soon, in turn suggesting that Kaiju No. 8 chapter 119 is setting up Narumi’s sacrifice in the far future rather than immediately.

Final thoughts

Kafka's timely revival has saved Narumi's life for now, but his fate may already be sealed (Image via Production I.G)

The aforementioned is speculative, with no confirmed information on Narumi’s status beyond the brain damage he’s receiving and his chest injury. Fans can expect to learn more about Narumi’s status, as well as get a better feel for the series’ future in the short and long term as the current arc progresses.