Creative Staff:
Story: Naoya Matsumoto
Translation: David Evelyn
Lettering: Brandon Bovia
What They Say:
Kafka wants to clean up kaiju, but not literally! Will a sudden metamorphosis stand in the way of his dream?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Who could pull off the best shock face? Everyone is doing a shocked face because of Kafka’s actions. Ichikawa, Kikoru, and the destructive kaiju all do an amazing shock face as they deal with the ramifications of his actions. It’s a wonderful way to keep readers engaged with the story.
Kafka runs into the area where Kikoru is being demolished by the Kaiju. He transforms into his Kaiju form in front of Kikoru. Of course, he did so without thinking of the consequences. Ichiwaka didn’t want him to run into the danger because he knew this would happen. One moment, Kafka has such a serious face to create a tense mood to protect Kikoru. The very next moment, he is on the floor with a comedic face begging Kikoru not to tell anyone about his secret.
This is the first chapter that feels packed with action. There are four pages in this chapter that go into exemplary effort to demonstrate Kafka’s strength. These four pages all take place in a matter of scenes but depict the same scene. And they are beyond gorgeous. Kafka, in his kaiju form, punches the kaiju that is terrorizing the exam. The first page is when they fists meet and the impact it has on the surrounding areas. On the second page, Kafka is starting to feel victorious as his fist destroys the skin off the kaiju arm. By the third page, the kaiju’s bones are beginning to break. The kaiju’s facial expression is beginning to change as his body is deteriorating. By the fourth page, the kaiju body is gone and Kafka is victorious. Naoya Matsumoto uses the black and white pages to bring the kaiju to life in its final moments. How Naoya Matsumoto mixes in gray to depict how the kaiju is feeling as he experiences the might of Kafka’s fist is an outstanding piece.
In Summary:
The action scenes in this chapter were exquisite in the manner in which Kafka defeats the kaiju and saves Kikoru. It reminds me heavily of One Punch Man. The focus on the sequence as the kaiju was defeated was great. Naoya Matsumoto has a wonderful method to quickly change from serious moments to comedic absurdity. I have to wonder about Kafka’s power level in his kaiju form. It’s too early in the series to have a powerful protagonist like Kafka. He hasn’t had enough time to master his kaiju form and in this chapter, he displays a level of complete mastery over it. It would be interesting to see the process of how he masters his newfound powers. The proctor, Hoshino, said his strength was off the charts and could be the most powerful kaiju in history. How are other kaiju going to live up to this challenge and create fascinating fights?
Content Grade: A-
Art Grade: A+
Age Rating: Teen
Released By: Shonen Jump
Release Date: August 20, 2020
