Much like Kafka's transformed state, Kaiju no 8's exterior is simple and vibrant. I'm sure everyone went into this series with minimal expectations that this was just going to be a fun hypefuel shonenfest, which it definitely is. While nothing revolutionary, I can agree that KN8 is a raw, engaging, hack & slash with a fun cast of very likable dorks. However, its interior is quite messy and I have formed a bunch of conflicting thoughts after finishing this first season. The first few episodes I found myself quite hopeful - the synth tracks were banging and I was fairly vibing with the art direction + adaptation ASIDE from the janky-looking character facial designs and comedy not landing as well as in the manga. Due to not hearing the VAs constantly shout for no reason - it didn't come off as "loud = funny" in the manga but instead just simple goofiness to bring levity to their serious situations. My problem with Kaiju No 8 isn't that it borrows ideas from more popular series e.g Tokyo Ghoul/AOT, but rather that it doesn't really expand on what it puts out. Battle shonen titles often begin with derivative elements before branching out into unique stories. Kaiju No 8 however, feels like an attempt to compile various shonen cliches without the connecting tissue that makes a long-running shonen compelling. While I did enjoy my manga binge (and find the character-centric spin-off really fun), I can't exactly ignore Kaiju no 8's issues. The worldbuilding might seem rich in detail at first (especially with the cleaners & Shinji Kimura's aesthetically appealing landscapes being destroyed), but I would say worldbuilding is a last concern. Locations will not change with most of its attention being focused on the enigmatic Kaijus themselves (all shrouded in mystery with haphazard reveals). The main cast is charming, they all have simplistic motivations, and grow mentally, but these factors are so lacking in nuance I only care about them superficially. Kafka starts with a unique setup but soon becomes the most generic by the books shonen character. Initially part of the cleanup crew rather than a fighter, Kafka wasn't particularly strong and relied on his Kaiju knowledge. But most importantly, he is an adult, not a teenager. He showed an inspiring message that just because you're old, you don't have to give up on your dream. Yet, none of these interesting aspects survive past a couple of episodes. He is 15 year old shonen protagonist stuck in a 32-year-old body with nothing else to distinguish him from idk Shinra or Deku (even those 2 offer far more development in comparison). 100+ chapters later in the manga and he still feels painfully one-note. Side note but why the fuck isn't there a team full of Kaiju experts on standby? Kafka's individual knowledge has saved them on multiple occasions but are you telling me they don't have the necessary people to figure the same shit out???? They 100% have vast knowledge about the Kaijus they face, especially since combat is monitored in real-time. Mina, the seemingly main female heroine, has the personality of fucking cardboard. She is the embodiment of "le powerful independent woman = good female character" hollywood brainrot. There is and will be 0 fucking nuance to her character even after several seasons. Kikoru & Hoshina & Narumi are the only partially developed characters in the entire cast, with the former sometimes being undermined by their weird age gap ship implication. Our main antagonist Kaiju No 9, fucking sucks. While I love my 'pure evil' villains. Kaiju no 9 lacks a compelling motivation, backstory, and charisma / "raw factor". He is a boring chatgpt looking ass mofo trying to learn human behavior, which fucking blows. His goals are vague, and his gigantic explosive growth is contrived as hell. That's not to mention the countless opportunities Kafka could've killed him - but just couldn't due to sheer plot convenience. Honestly I do not see Kaiju 8 being successful over the course of multiple seasons. it's a shonen that doesn't have a fraction of the hype / visual spectacle that JJK offers, with characters nowhere near as compelling as the ones from AOT/TG. Heck, even MHA packs more substance in its worldbuilding & character writing 5 times over. Even as of the manga, the full origins of Kaiju No 8 and Kaiju No 9 remain largely handwaved. While not everything needs to be revealed immediately, the series should at least give us nuggets of info to latch onto. Withholding information for over 100 chapters raises expectations that the series seems unlikely to meet and makes me question if Matsumoto is simply waffling as he goes on with no foresight. +rep for 32 year old hardworking protag -rep for him still being your typical middle schooler generic protag +rep for no coomer bait fanservice to rope people in -rep for random sus anime-original shots +rep for both female heroines being marginally stronger and ambitious than his 'normal' self -rep for random ass ship implication between our 32 year old mc and the 16 year old kikoru +rep for friend male rival character that isn't a complete edgelord perfectionist -rep for him taking a backseat for most of the manga +rep for likeable side characters -rep for them barely mattering +rep for sensei/senpai character who's compelling & involved plot-wise, but also don't detract from others screentime.