Kaiju No. 8 Episode 6: Kafka Impresses Hoshina as the Humanoid Kaiju Reappears

Episode 6 of Kaiju No. 8 was officially aired on Saturday, May 18, 2024, continuing Kafka Hibino’s first mission as a cadet in the Kaiju Defense Force. This episode also revealed important information about Kafka’s childhood friend, Mina Ashiro, and the challenges he will face in order to support her.

Despite this, in Kaiju No.8 episode 6, Kafka made progress towards standing by her side by impressing Soshiro Hoshina with his abilities in gathering intelligence. Sadly, it seems that Kafka’s next transformation is imminent once more as the episode concludes with the reappearance of the enigmatic talking humanoid Kaiju.

Kaiju No. 8: Episode 6 Sets Up an Action-Packed Conclusion to Kafka and Co’s First Mission

Brief Episode Recap

Kaiju No. 8 episode 6 begins with Mina Ashiro commanding the Third Division (Image via Production I.G)

The sixth episode of Kaiju No. 8 began with Mina Ashiro taking charge of the ongoing Kaiju emergence crisis, which had already caused destruction in Sagamihara. Fortunately, evacuations were already in progress, and the JSDF and Kaiju Defense Force were working together to handle the situation.

After confirming that a Honju had emerged, its appearance triggered by entering a breeding phase, Mina finalized the plan with her officers before setting out to handle the situation. Soshiro Hoshina joined the rookies as they headed out, and Kikoru Shinomiya remarked on the insanity of Kafka being Kaiju No. 8.

In episode 6 of Kaiju No. 8, the operation officially commenced as Hoshina announced that they would be responsible for taking on the Yoju, while Mina would handle the Honju. He emphasized that even though the new recruits were positioned at the back, they played a crucial role as the final line of defense. The team accepted their roles, and Hoshina reminded them not to equate their training results with their performance on the battlefield.

Ichikawa and Kafka are separated from each other in Kaiju No. 8 episode 6 (Image via Production I.G)

Kafka informed Ichikawa that despite his nerves, he was also very enthusiastic. Ichikawa emphasized the importance of a successful first mission. As the Yoju appeared, the group prepared to leave. Meanwhile, Mina reached her designated sniper location and initiated the plan to trap the Honju.

In episode 6 of Kaiju No. 8, Kafka attempted to battle a Yoju, but his combat power remained at 1%, rendering him ineffective in his human form. However, Kikoru became enraged by a superior’s remarks and quickly eliminated all visible Yoju. Meanwhile, Iharu Furuhashi and Reno Ichikawa also achieved victories in their respective platoons, with Reno showcasing his skills by trying out different ammunition.

In addition, he was portrayed as being driven by his determination to prevent Kafka from transforming again, striving to be as powerful as possible for this purpose. The other recruits were also depicted as impressing their platoon leaders and seniors, earning praise for their performance. It was also mentioned that the average combat power exhibited by all recruits surpassed that of previous years, and the intense competition among the top performers was fostering a positive drive for improvement.

Hoshina makes it clear to Kafka what he'll need to do to stand by Mina's side (Image via Production I.G) — Hoshina makes it clear to Kafka what he’ll need to do to stand by Mina’s side (Image via Production I.G)

In the latest episode of Kaiju No. 8, Kafka, the weakest recruit, was seen contemplating ways in which he could make a valuable contribution. Utilizing his skills as a monster cleaner, he started searching through the corpses of the deceased Yoju and discovered the core in an unusual location. Along with identifying its whereabouts and providing strategies to effectively fight the Yoju, he also uncovered the fact that they possess reproductive organs that could potentially give rise to new Yoju if left intact.

Hoshina praised Kafka for uncovering this news and instructed Okonogi to distribute the information to everyone. Kafka was thrilled by the recognition and it motivated him to swiftly move towards the next group of corpses. As the Honju was drawn into position, Mina Ashiro took aim and reflected on her current self, reminding Kafka of who she truly was.

In episode 6 of Kaiju No. 8, she continued to impress with an impressive show of strength, unleashing 96% of her combat power. Hoshina instructed Kafka to pay close attention as she fired her shot, completely obliterating the Honju with a single blast. She reminded Kafka that this is the level of power possessed by the person he aims to stand beside. Mina then fired a second shot, destroying the Honju’s core.

After firing a third shot and seemingly killing the Honju, Mina was still not satisfied. She wanted to fire a fourth round, seemingly for Kafka’s sake. Meanwhile, Hoshina met with Kafka in person and asked if he was ready to give up, considering the consequences of standing by Mina and her strength. Kafka then turned the question back on Hoshina, who revealed his expertise in swordplay by swiftly slicing up a Yoju that had appeared behind him.

In episode 6 of Kaiju No. 8, Hoshina revealed that his family has a long lineage of Kaiju slayers, which explains his impressive skills. He then warned Kafka that the situation was about to escalate as the Yoju inside the Honju’s body was about to emerge and attack now that it was dead. Hoshina also gave some “encouragement”to the other recruits, as their endurance and combat abilities were starting to dwindle.

According to Hoshina, the majority of officers will reach a plateau of 20 to 30% of their full combat power and retire at that level. However, he also speculates that a select few will surpass this limit and become captains, including Reno Ichikawa and Kikoru Shinomiya.

At that moment, attention turned to Furuhashi and Ichikawa as they made their way back to the front lines. Along the way, they encountered a member of Monster Sweeper examining a dead Kaiju and stating that it was not suitable. Through further conversation, it became evident that this was the same humanoid Kaiju from previous episodes, which was confirmed by a glimpse of its transforming face in the final moments of the episode.

In review

Similarly to Kafka, followers of the series were in need of a refresher on Mina’s significance and reputation within the world. The sixth episode of Kaiju No. 8 accomplishes this by highlighting her unmatched strength against the most formidable type of Kaiju that humanity must confront.

Similarly, it highlights the challenge of Kafka taking Hoshina’s place by her side, as pointed out by Hoshina herself during the episode. Although the episode excels in many aspects, its most notable accomplishment is showcasing the breadth of Kafka’s ultimate objective, hinting at the lengthy journey ahead (much to the delight of fans).

In summation

Despite being a slower episode, episode 6 of Kaiju No. 8 foreshadows an exciting series of upcoming installments. These are sure to feature Kafka’s transformation into the titular monster once again. Additionally, the episode sets up Reno Ichikawa and Iharu Furuhashi to have their own thrilling moments, potentially dealing a blow to the mysterious Kaiju before Kafka returns.