After an impressive run, Kaiju No. 8 has officially wrapped up. The series generated a lot of buzz before its premiere and, thanks to its excellent character development and stunning animation, it more than lived up to the hype.
Produced by Production I.G, Kaiju No. 8 follows Kafka Hibino, a new member of the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force who suddenly gains the ability to transform into a monster, known as Kaiju No. 8. Throughout most of the story, Kafka manages to fight for the Defense Force while hiding his powers. However, he is eventually forced to reveal his true identity to save his team from a Kaiju as powerful as a nuclear bomb.
In his Kaiju form, Kafka is immediately arrested. While his teammates believe in his innocence, the higher-ups are leaning towards executing him.
So, how does Kaiju No. 8’s final battle start
In episode 11 of Kaiju No. 8, there is intense back-and-forth between the Third Division and the higher-ups about Kafka’s fate. Isao Shinomiya, the leader of the Defense Force, decides to take matters into his own hands and challenges Kafka to a fight. Kafka initially tries to avoid transforming to prove his humanity, but Isao’s powerful suit, made from the remains of Kaiju No. 2, forces Kafka to transform to protect himself.
When Kafka transforms, the bug Kaiju that gave him his powers takes control, sending him into a berserker-like state. In this state, Kafka becomes a formidable opponent, utilizing his regenerative abilities and not holding back. It soon becomes clear that Isao is losing the fight. Observers question why Isao didn’t kill Kafka in his human form, but Kikoru realizes that Isao was testing Kafka to see if he could control his powers. Despite Isao’s hopes, it seems Kafka is losing control as he moves in for the kill.
Kaiju No. 8 ending explained
Even after entering his berserker state, Kafka Hibino remained aware of everything happening, desperately trying to regain control of his body. As he was about to kill Isao, Kafka finally managed to regain control and stabbed himself in the heart to save Isao’s life. He reaffirmed his identity as Kafka Hibino, not Kaiju No. 8, before losing consciousness. Although Gen Narumi and the First Division wanted to finish Kafka off, Isao insisted on giving him medical attention first.
How Kaiju No. 8 Ends Its First Season
Sometime later, Kafka awakes in the hospital with Isao by his side and a massive scar on his chest from his self-inflicted wound. Relieved that he didn’t kill Isao, Kafka listens as Isao tells him that surviving such a wound proves Kafka is now a Kaiju, not a human. However, Isao assures Kafka that being a Kaiju doesn’t make him an enemy, even calling him by name for the first time to emphasize this point.
A flashback reveals that before Kafka woke up, Isao and the higher-ups had a meeting where Isao argued that Kafka should continue fighting as a soldier rather than being turned into a weapon. Despite protests, Isao pointed out the necessity of having someone like Kafka to combat the increasing threat of Daikaiju. Mina’s glowing testimony of Kafka’s humanity helped defer his execution, leading to a celebration in the Third Division. Kafka, still exhausted, fell back asleep with a smile.
Meanwhile, Kaiju No. 9 is shown hiding in the city, becoming more intelligent and even taking first place in an online chess group. Believing he now understands human intellect, Kaiju No. 9 plans to launch an attack against the Defense Force. To aid his plan, he takes on a new form and seemingly clones himself for extra assistance.
