Naoya Matsumoto’s Kaiju No. 8 anime adaptation has already made history several times, thrusting the series into the spotlight. Since the anime is already blowing up, it is only likely for fans to double up on their expectations from the anime. Thus, it would make sense for the anime to stick to the elements that made it stand out when the manga was first released on July 3, 2020.

Kaiju No. 8
Kaiju No. 8

Currently, Shonen Jump is going through a transitional phase. With its traditional battle shonen series like One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, and My Hero Academia coming to an end soon, the focus will shift to relatively new series like Chainsaw Man and Kaiju No. 8. However, if Kaiju No. 8 wants to maintain a long-lasting legacy like its predecessors, it needs to play to its strengths and stick to what makes it a unique read.

Fans Express Disappointment Over Kaiju No. 8

Kaiju No. 8 Manga Panel
Kaiju No. 8 Manga Panel

An X user, @Namaryuu, expressed their disappointment over Kaiju No. 8‘s anime. Although only three episodes have been released so far, it still leaves a lot to be desired, especially given the amount of hype it had leading up to the premiere. The user adds that they believed at least the anime design would be up to standard, but the user remains conflicted.

Fans claimed that the anime adaptation by Production I.G looks off compared to the original manga art style, which is unexpected since the staff involved are quite popular. The character designs of the anime are also questionable and fans fear that it could be a red flag for poor animation. In no way does this make the anime uninteresting, but it does squander the potential the anime had to turn into something special.

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The main issue stems from the fact that the anime plays it too safe with the majority of its events falling back to shonen tropes that can get annoying after a point. Although it is not necessarily bad, but with the expectations piled up and what the people behind it can actually offer, the anime falls short.

The Anime Character Designs Don’t Compare To The Manga

Kaiju No. 8 Kafka Hibino
Kaiju No. 8’s Kafka Hibino

Another objection fans have been vocal about is the anime character designs which are not memorable, appealing, or distinctive enough. Fans feel that the mangaka’s touch and the character’s personality have been completely erased. A side-by-side comparison of the Kaiju No. 8 manga designs with the anime version was uploaded by X user, @MangakaSelim.

The manga version of Kaiju No. 8 characters have a more somber and mature look compared to the anime version. The anime also seems to have foregone the angular looks of the character design, going with a circular design, taking away the severity of the characters. Certain characters from the series like Reno Ichikawa have been redesigned for the anime. The differences between the original art style and the anime adaption are a cause of concern for long-time readers.

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Adding to that, user @Namaryuu also expressed shock regarding the comedy in the anime that felt too forced. Kafka Hibino, the protagonist, acts in a typical, battle shonen way and it causes a dissonance between the events and the comedic phases. The pacing of the story is also controversial at best, making the story dragged out without any concrete reason.

Kaiju No. 8 is available to read on Manga Plus and the anime is available on Crunchyroll.

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