Over the weekend, it was announced that hit anime Kaiju No. 8 would be getting its own video game tie-in. While this is no doubt something fans have wanted for a while, some of the initial hype seems to have quickly died down given the game wil?l be free-to-play, sparking assumptions that it will be another typical gacha game.

Granted, the announcement trailer nor the press release give any hint as to what the actual gameplay will be like. However, developer Akatsuki Games is responsible for several other gacha games, like Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle and Atelier Resleriana, so it's not unreasonable to assume Kaiju No. 8 THE GAME will follow suit. As such, some of the responses from fans on Reddit haven't been the most positive.

"It’s 100% a gacha game. It might very well be a high effort one, but it’s still a casino," warns one fan. Several Reddit users in this thread are already describing it as a "cashgrab," arguing that the manga/anime lacks a large enough cast of characters to build a gacha game around. One user says, "They haven't develop any other antagonist or characters, so unless they take a page from Solo Leveling and create A LOT of new characters and kaijus�they'll have to stall content." Another concurs, adding, "The manga has about a few hours of story AT BEST and honestly i??s so underdeveloped that I cant even see they [sic] branching out to side plots and it mak??ing much sense."

That's not to say there's zero interest in Kaiju No. 8 THE GAME. One fan is hopeful that even if it is a gacha game, it'll play akin to something like Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail, saying, "I'd be more accepting of gacha if there's actual gameplay involved." For a game all about giant kaijus, real-time action would be more preferential than static turn-based battles. Plenty of others are also impressed with the visuals shown in the trailer. At the very least, it'll certainly be a pret??ty game to look at and could boast some top-tier animation.

It would ultimately make sense for the Kaiju No. 8 game to follow the gacha trend considering how profitabl??e free-to-play gacha games can be. Despite some early hostility, I imagine die-hard fans will flock to the game regardle?ss to at least try it out, though what will be interesting to see is whether Akatsuki Games can maintain a dedicated enough player-base and consistently make enough money to keep the game running.

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Naoya Matsumoto's Kaiju No. 8 has been a smash hit for the past few years, and that trajectory got white hot when the anime adaptation premiered back in April. Now it's getting a shot at video games with the newly-announced and tentatively-titled Kaiju No. 8 THE GAME. 

Akatsuki Games is in charge of development and distribution for the Kaiju No. 8 game. The studio is also behind Extreme Baseball action-RPG Tribe Nine, which was first announced in 2021 and finally has a closed beta test on the way this August. Neither that nor Kaiju No. 8 have release dates in place yet. 

Joining Akatsuki Games are TOHO Games and anime studio Production I.G, which handles animation production for the Kaiju No. 8 anime. Beyond that, all we know is that Kaiju No. 8 THE GAME is in the wor??ks for mobile devices and PC, and will be available via the App Store, Google Play, and Steam. You can see a quick cinematic tease in the deb??ut trailer below.

The original Kaiju No. 8 manga has been running in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump since July 2020. As of March 2023 it had 11 million copies in circulation around the world. Those numbers are sure to continue climbing following the anime, which is currently running with Shigeyuki Miya and Tomomi Kamiya direc?ting. 

The story follows Kafka Hibino, who finds that his dreams of enlisting in the Defense Force have fallen to the wayside by the time he's in his thirties. Instead, he spends his days handling stomach-turning cleanup duties after the dust has settled on the latest colossal Kaiju b?attle. After meeting Reno Ichikawa, however, that ambitious spark is reunited, and he vows to join his childhood friend Mina Ashiro in the Defense Force ranks and protect humanity from the encroaching Kaiju threat. Then, in an unexpected twist of fate, he ends up gaining the ability to turn into a Kaiju himself�

Yep, this is the good stuff. Both the Kaiju No. 8 manga and anime are worth y??our time if you haven't checked them out already. Hopefully the game will be able to follow suit with confidence whenever it arrives. 

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There was little doubt that Kaiju No. 8 was go??ing to be a talked-about show wh??en it debuted this season. It's got a little bit of everything: action, comedy, creature design, and originality. But having those qualities and doing them well are two different things.

Keeping the monster-mashing action and honestly surprising comedic moments in balance can be tricky, especially for the voice actors lending their talents to these characters. So when I was invited to sit down with three actors behind three leads in Kaiju No. 8, I wanted to explore how t??hey manage those tonal contrasts.

As it turns out, the dynamics are part of the fun. Actors Nazeeh Tarsha (Kafka Hibino/Kaiju No. 8), Abigail Blythe (Kikoru Shinomiya), and Adam McArthur ??(Reno Ichikawa) all bring something of their own to their roles, and a recurring notion was the range of depth ??and emotion they get to explore. Here's our full conversation with the cast.

How did you first get introduced to Kaiju No. 8?

Nazeeh Tarsha (Kafka Hibino/Kaiju No. 8): "My introduction was through various friends that have consumed the original run. I mean, still ongoing, of course. But you know, every so often you hear someone say, 'Man, this. This manga is like, so awesome.' And it's like, oh, okay, cool. Like, maybe I'll like, check it out every now and then. And then the reintroduction came when, you know, the audition came for the s?how."

Abigail Blythe (Kikoru Shin??omiya): "Yeah, same here. I had seen some people talking about it onl??ine, some voice acting friends, of how they were so excited for the adaptation. And I was like, 'Oh, yeah, that's gonna be a thing.' And then I read the first five chapters for the audition, and then I got a feel for the project, and I became really excited. I thought it was really cool."

Adam McArthur (Reno Ichikawa): “Yeah, it's always, I think, it's like our job as actors to kind of keep an eye out for things that are kind of coming down the line, and things that might be a good fit for us, audition-wise and stuff like that. So yeah, it was kind of the same thing. Alejandro Saab, who voices Kaiju No. 9, is a massive fan of Kaiju No. 8 and I think he's the one who I first realized was talking a lot about this series, and all that stuff. So learned kind of about it from him, really.�/p>

What have y'all enjoyed the most about working on this project? What has stuck out to you the most about Kaiju No. 8, specifically?

Abigail: “Well, considering this is like my first lead, getting to explore all of the parts of her character development on-screen, I get to - since she has more screen time - I get to pl??ay the softer moments, the more comedic moments, her in action, and get to just explore all of ?these ranges, which is just such a treat for an actor. So that's been most exciting for me, and just a dream come true, getting to play the entirety of like, emotional depth of a character is just, it's so exciting."

Adam: “Yeah, I think for me, it's just like, it has everything. Everything from amazing animation and character design, amazing music, amazing characters. It's got a lot of like, action, but it also has a lot of humor. It's just been, like, refreshing to see sort of like, a new shonen take. Yeah, like a new take on the genre. And, yeah, it has something for everybody. I think that's kind of like my favorite ?part."

Nazeeh: "For me, it's the amount of heart that exists within the production on all aspects, you know, Between the writing, between the original Japanese performances, between the English direction, the castmates, the amount of passion that's going around in all aspects in order to bring the story, I think, is one that makes it truly a delight to work on. Because it's not something that's inherently available within? every production that we work on."

I find that Kaiju No. 8 has a distinct amount of comedy to it, for an action series - what you would normally consider like, a more-traditional action series - but it has a lot of comedy to it. Everyone I talk to is like, wow, it's funnier than I thought it would be. Do you find that balancing the action and comedy is difficult, or is it easy for y'all to kind of switch between those two vibes?

Nazeeh: "Every time I get in the booth, it's always a countdown timer of how many seconds before I immediately have to start screaming or shrieking or go into some sort of tonal whiplash. And it doesn't last more than that. It's always like, two lines in, here we go. Um, balancing it is definitely a little bit of a challenge, but you kind of learn to navigate it, especially thanks to our director, Shawn Gann, who does a fantastic job of sort of breaking the scenes down for us, letting us kind of experience them. And then separating the beats and the tonal shifts so that, you know, we kind of segment it a little bit, so that it's a little easier to tackle. But there are times where it's�there's nothing you can do, you are going from a hardcore kaiju punch to all of a sudden, comedic nipple peeing. Like, it is what it is. [laughs]"

Adam: “Yeah, I think that I think that a lot of that, like tonal like that the vast range and tone is sort of an anime specific, you know, it's specific to the anime, to anime genre, you know. Any anime kind of has stuff like that. So I think we've all, you know, been in the genre long enough and been working on things to kind of understand at least, conceptually, what that's going to require of us as voice actors when we're in the booth. ?But then there's the technical side of it when you're in there. And like Nazeeh said, like, our director Shawn will break things down where you know, if it's too fast, or you're going from like, you know, screaming like you're blocking bullets with your voice to a thought filter, where basically like, your character’s monologuing but it's all inside their head, he'll break it down so you can take it in chunks. And the power of editing makes ??us all sound amazing."

Abigail: “Exactly. I mean, it's definitely a workout for your larynx. It's going up and down all the time. But Shawn is great at navigating it. An?d I think also just the nature of ADR, as we are like dubbing actors, we have grown to be highly adaptable to any circumstance that is thrown at us because we are acting on the fly constantly. And we, everything that we do is very much like cold-reading and improv, so we have been adapted to be ready for circumstances like this."

Adam: "Yeah, and I would actually just like to take one quick second to point out Abigail's correct use of 'larynx.' I always thought the word was 'lair-nyx.' So I just thought, that like, seamlessly rolled off your tongue and I thought that that was amazing. And it speaks to your skills as an actor. [laughs]"

Abigail: "Well, I was a vocal performance, I studied music for four years in school, so you have to take vocal anatomy classes.�/p>

When it comes to your individual characters, what did you find that you vibe with in your specific characters? Do you have a particular favorite aspect about playing your character?

Nazeeh: "I absolutely adore every aspect of Kafka. I've said? this time and time again, he is just like, the embodiment of the human condition. He's got the comedy that comes into play, the sort of goofiness of his personality, with a person having fun. He has the tone of a person who kind of has life experience, and kind of got into complacency, then had renewed aspi??rations, and just kind of goes through the entire spectrum of human emotions. And more than anything else, he's also loyal to a tee, as exhibited by how often he tries to protect everyone. So yeah, I don't think there's a single aspect about Kafka that I don't vibe with."

Abigail: "On the same level, Kikoru is actually, the more that I delve into her character, I noticed that she was a lot - I was a lot like her. Like, perfectionist, hard to relax, doesn't always work well with others in a team aspect because you're always thinking like, 'I have to make sure that everything comes out perfect.' I had those troubles growing up, not so much now because I've grown, but when I was her age, definitely. Emotionally withdrawn, very guarded. A lot of those qualities, I relate a lot to myself. So being able to pla??y those into her character, and not just the negative ones but the positive ones too, have been really cathartic."

Adam: "Yeah, with Ichikawa, he’s just a good boy. He's just like a loyal, good boy. It's been really cool, sort of�He's unique though, in that I do feel like there's a lot bubbling underneath. We've yet to find out why he sort of is the way he is, we?? haven't got an Ichikawa backstory yet in the anime. So I'm very excited to explore more of his past and to see sort of what led him here, and why his drive to be great is what it is, and why he w??ants to be a part of the Defense Force. But then also why he takes to Kafka so quickly, you know. I think that it's really cool, and a testament to his character and how good of a boy he is that, you know, he sort of looks up to Kafka right away, but also does it in a way that he wants to keep him safe and make sure that he doesn't have to let this Kaiju out and all that stuff."

For Nazeeh - how do you find playing both Kafka and Kaiju No. 8? Is it fun to kind of switch back and forth between the two characters, getting to kind of style-switch that Jekyll and Hyde-type of character?

Nazeeh: "Yeah, no, it's really, really fun. Sort of exhilarating. Vocally taxing, I will also say. [laughs] But like I said, you get to ??explore the entire range of human emotion through it. And it's not often that you have a character, especially a protagonist of a shonen-like anime, where he is the comedic relief of his own show. And then all of a sudden, you get this sort of just like, hardcore, you ??know, fighting protag that we're all used to in various media. But yeah, no, it's super fun being able to explore all that, and it's very rewarding being able to pull off those like, moment-to-moment scenes and those beats, yeah."

You get like, a really fun dramatic range with that.

Nazeeh: "Yeah, no, I’ve definitely come close to losing my voice a couple times. So there is that. [laughs]"

Kaiju No. 8 is currently airing on Crunchyroll with new episodes each Saturday.

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Upon first glance, the artwork of Kaiju No. 8's anime and manga might lead you to believe it's just another dark, blood-soaked monster saga. Even the cover art, with its chilling depiction of the monstrous Kaiju, had me bracing for a fright. But, despite my s??caredy-??cat reactions, I soon discovered that each episode was a source of joy and laughter. 

It's not really something I expected, but somehow, Kaiju No. 8 has the makings of a tremendous feel-good anime. Now, I know what you're thinking: How could a violent monster mash be feel-good? Well, there are a lot of factors that come into play, from its comical lean t?o heartfelt brotastic moments.

If you need to familiarize yourself with the premise of Kaiju No. 8, it follows the story of Kafka Hibino, a clean-up worker who helps polis?h up the city's monster messes. The Kaiju often plague the world with destruction, and it's up to the Defense Force to keep them at bay. Unfortunately for Kafka, he initially didn't quite meet the standards of the DF, hence why he's part of the clean-up crew. 

Although Hib?ino's time in the Professional Kaiju Cleaning Company is short-lived, I rather enjoyed the normalcy of this 9-5 lifestyle. This feeds into its feel-good element, as Kafka always tries to remain positive at work despite being deep inside a monster's guts while cleaning. Of course, he is still inclined to complain, like any other job, but he's determined to get the job done no matter w??hat. 

Kaiju No. 8's humor is, by all means, its most standout feature. It's the kind of comedy that genuinely makes me burst into laughter. Take, for instance, when Hibino (spoiler alert) unexpectedly transf??orms into a Kaiju in the first episode. He reacts in a hilarious way, the same as I would if I transformed into a dreadful monster: by screaming uncontrollably. Even his sad attempt at a smile looks more like Godzilla preparing to unleash an Atomic Breath on the city.

Then, the show imm?ediately delves into the most profound question: how do you use the bathroom as a monster? It's a bit out of left field, but I live for this wacky content. Forget about the reasoning behind Kafka's transformation; I want to know the deep secrets within a monster's potty breaks. 

I couldn't help but draw some comparisons to that of Attack On Titan, which also features a similar premise of the main character turning into the very thing they hate. While Eren Jaeger's reaction portrays a cool-guy approach of fierce determination, Kafka's reaction is anything but. The two worlds are filled with dread and despair, yet Kaiju No. 8 has a m??uch softer tone to balance out its violent action. If a scene focuses on the show's sanguinary side, you best believe some slapstick comedy will be mixed in there. 

It's not forced comedy, either; the showrunners know how to time jokes well. These scenes mainly showcase a realistic app??roach to how people react to a human-like Kaiju. Kafka's other form has either caused people to cry or fall flat on the ground. It may get tedious in the later ep??isodes, but I continue to laugh at his failed attempts each time, simply because he remains surprised when they don't react positively. 

Kaiju No. 8's ?realism also enhances the show's relatability. This is just a regular guy trying to make ends meet in a chaotic world. This relatability makes the series feel much more welcoming and pleasant. One aspect I truly appreciate is the fact that Hibino is 32 years old. Many anime tend to focus on the traditional high-school age range, so seeing someone ?more in line with my age feels refreshing. Even if you are a part of the younger generation, Kafka is definitely a kid at heart, especially with how he naively handles his robust powers. 

Besides Kafka, his right-hand man Leno knows a thing or two about comedy. He screams as much as Hibino, and his expressions can be just as hysterical as Spy x Family's Anya Forger. However, above all else, Leno is a true bro. This man doesn't hesitate to help Kafka as he tries to figure out a plan for his newfound abilities. Maybe he's violently shouting while doing it, but hey, he's there for Hibino, no??netheless. 

The series also delves into childhood nostalgia, with Hibino often reminiscing about his time with his old best friend, Mina Ashiro (the captain of the Defense Force). These memories inject a sense of cheerfulness and naivety into the otherwise grim world of Kaiju No. 8. This balance of light and dark is what makes the series so compel??ling and enjoyable. 

So, to add to the pile, Kaiju No. 8 is a feel-good monster mash anime with a hint of bromance. Although the series is only a few episodes into its adaptation, I already know Leno is, without a doubt, a homie. I love watching their friendship unfold on a monster battlefield, giving us more light-hearted moments. The show's unique blend of humor and whole??someness, where even in the midst of chaos and danger, the characters find moments of joy and camaraderie, is what sets it apart from other visceral monster scraps. 

I never knew I needed Kaiju No. 8's wholesomeness and comedy, but I can't get enough of it now. As a big AOT fan, it helps fill the void that the series finale left behind, while also introducing a new concept (at least for me) of classic feel-good elements in otherwise violent events. One thing is certain: anime will always keep me guessing, and I'm thrilled that shows like Kaiju No. 8 will continue to break the mold.

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