Kaiju No. 8 Season 2

Episode 1

Season 2 of Kaiju No. 8 opens with a strong lead episode to get us settled into the new norm.

The very first scene is a smart decision on the part of the show runners. A lot of things happened last season, and there is always the temptation to do a summary on a return from break. This is usually a flashback sequence or delivered via exposition by one or more characters. Season 2 opts for a different route and instead gives us a dream sequence of something that never really happened. It's a dream kaiju attack that blends Kafka's memories and events that rhyme with real happenings, but aren't quite the same. Kafka runs along with Mina and protects her, only to emerge from the smoke and be the one under fire - from Mina and other defense force soldiers - while he transforms, creating a very dramatic scene. This creates an emotional retelling of prior events but not a literal one, and it works exceptionally well. I also have to mention the score, aiming for a style akin to Akira Ifukube's classic Godzilla scores but standing apart from them. Well done.

The rest of the episode is mostly focused on getting us up to speed with Shinomiya and her new place in the top division of the defense force. This was all very excellently handled, from the action sequences featuring a legally distinct Godzilla and lots of tacticool military action to the comedy beats revolving around newcomer Captain Narumi. Narumi's Japanese and English VAs both made me laugh with the little “aah” or “woo” sound Narumi makes when he gets kicked by Hasegawa, and honestly, I would not mind this becoming a running gag. On pure aesthetics, the superpowered halberd/lance strike thing was very cool, plus the Shin Godzilla-esque splatter of red viscera onshore.

An all-around bombastic start to the season, I'm looking forward to more.

Rating:

Grant is the cohost on the Blade Licking Thieves podcast and Super Senpai Podcast.

Kaiju No. 8 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.