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| Volume 1 cover of Kaiju No. 8 @ Viz Media / Naoya Matsumoto |
A bit of context:
Are you having a mid-life crisis ? Do you feel old (yes, we are old) age of 30 and that you've achieved nothing. Well fear not ! There is so much more to life then falling down that the spiral of past mistakes as you realizes that about half you life is over.
One such thing is a brilliant manga series, which as of writing this article is still on-going. I speak of, Kaiju No. 8.
Extremely synopsis : Kafka Hibino wants to join the Defense Force to fight the increasing number of kaiju's that appear in Japan. The only problem is that he is 32 years old and after several attempts, he can't seem to get into the force. Dan dan da! Something happens and he get's his final chance and guess what ? He get's in through a dangerous secret ! Will he be able to navigate his way to the top of forces to fight besides his amazing childhood friend, Mina Ashiro, while keeping a tight lip on his secret ? To follow this series check out all the chapters on the Shonen Jump app.
How is the story ?
Right off the bat you will notice that the main character, is 32 years old (Poor soul). He actually works as a cleaner who clears the mess left by the Defense Force after they eliminate the Kaiju. Mind you he is pretty good at it too. But he wants to join the Defense Force to achieve a life long dream of fighting Kaiju alongside his childhood friend. Don't we all have aspirations like that ? Yet, somewhere along the way we forget them because, life happens and we get so busy that we forget childhood dreams like these. Without even noticing we grow up and one day turn back to see all the years that just past by.
For all you youngsters, this is what we call mid-life crisis. This is around the time you'll hear us ask for a time-machine or say the famous, "If only I could go back in time and change that one thing". Ignore us, this phase passes.
But Kafka, is not like us. He is probably the most positive character at that age that I've ever come across. If he is sad, he simply smiles and moves on. This, is why this character is so important and why it is imperative that you check this series out.
Because you will always have regrets. But it is up to you to decide if you want to learn from them or drown in them. Kafka uses the former. He chooses to help people and learn from them. He gets inspired by them and continues to support them even though they are smarter and better at fighting then he is. We can all use a little positive energy in our lives. I assure you Kafka provides exactly that.
We can learn from him that it is ok to be upset about not achieving your goals and having regrets. But that doesn't mean we have to be bitter to the people around us nor that we should simply accept fate and assume that our aspirations will never be achieved. We can do it. If we still don't achieve our goals and fail trying, that's ok too. But try you must !
Conclusion:
Besides the major reason, the artwork and the story are absolutely amazing. We feel a close connection with all the characters. You want them to survive (yes, it is a deadly world with Kaijus) and grow. It's not just the main character but also the supporting cast you are unique and demand your attention. That my friends is the mark of a good series.
Which is why I wholeheartedly recommend, that you give this series a chance. I assure you, you won't be disappointed. I know Kafka will really like it.