Kaiju No. 8 Chapter 111: Kafka’s Full Power Unleashed

Kaiju No. 8‘s latest chapter, Kaiju No. 8 Chapter 111, was released earlier in July and is packed with tons of action, beautiful artwork, and plenty of drama between Kafka Hibino and Mina Ashiro. The captain of the Third Division and wielder of Kaiju No. 8’s powers team up to take on the most dangerous threat of all, Kaiju No. 9, and the intensity has picked up quite significantly since the start of the conflict. While the efforts of the First and Third Division are keeping the other Daikaiju threats at bay, Mina and Kafka are giving it their all against Kaiju No. 9, and even that may not be enough.

This month’s issue highlights the power of Kaiju No. 9 and its evolving skills throughout the battle. Luckily, Kaiju No. 8 has a trick or two of his own, and Mina is not someone to count out of any fight. While Kafka is Kaiju No. 8‘s main protagonist and best bet at victory, the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force has a number of aces that they can use when the situation grows dire. As Chapter 111 focuses more on the two-on-one battle between the team of Mina and Kafka against Kaiju No. 9, the audience receives a glimmer of hope through some flashbacks involving Kafka and First Division vice-captain, Soshiro Hoshina.

Kafka and Mina Work Together

The First Time Mina And Kafka Fight Side By Side

Since the very beginning of Kaiju No. 8, the audience has learned of the bond between Mina and Kafka, and what it means to be a part of the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force. While Mina has strived for greatness as the captain of the Third Division, Kafka repeatedly failed to earn the role of officer before obtaining the powers of Kaiju No. 8. As the only wielder of the raw Kaiju power, Kafka has quickly risen up the ranks as one of the more capable fighters, despite owning a higher role with the Defense Force. Regardless of his lack of power outside the Kaiju No. 8 form, Kafka is now relied upon as the Defense Force’s best chance at victory.

In previous chapters, the aspirations Kafka once had at fighting side by side with Mina finally came to fruition. Albeit it came in a dire situation, Kafka’s rescue of Mina when all hope was lost certainly set up for an unlikely team-up between the captain of the Third Division and her childhood friend. For the first time in Kaiju No. 8, Kafka realizes his dream of standing by Mina’s side, in the fantasies he once had. In flashbacks, Kafka’s greatest goal was to be by the side of Mina, taking down the strongest Kaiju threats. In the current day, not only is this occurring on the greatest stage, but Kafka is on the same level of power as Mina, thanks to him harnessing the power of Kaiju No. 8.

Sure, the scenario of a Kaiju joining the side of a Defense Force captain was once deemed to be an impossibility, but Kafka has managed to earn the respect and confidence from some of his highest peers. The entire Third Division is behind him in the belief that he still is Kafka Hibino, and now, Mina confidently fights by his side, knowing they have each other’s backs. It sets up a beautiful moment, leaning towards the conclusion of a battle against Kaiju No. 9.

Kafka’s Secret Training Comes Into Play

Training With Soshiro Begins To Pay Off

In another flashback sequence, Kafka is facing his expulsion from the Defense Force after it’s revealed that his body is slowly failing to return to its human form. One of Kafka’s hands remains in Kaiju form, painting the grim possibility that he’ll one day be trapped in the entire Kaiju form, unable to revert. Soshiro Hoshina, the vice-captain of the Third Division, understands the situation and offers to help train Kafka. Utilizing the fighting style of the Hoshina bloodline, Kafka begins to adapt his fighting style using the Defense Force’s training, giving him the ability to switch up during battle and use an intellect far beyond the comprehension of any Kaiju.

While Kaiju No. 9 has consumed General Shinomiya and knows the ins and outs of the Defense Force and their combat training, Hoshina has been hard at work developing an alternate style to the Defense Force combat style, in order to throw Kaiju No. 9 off guard. Every day, for several hours, Hoshina and Kafka would battle each other, one-on-one, in hopes of strengthening Kafka’s abilities. One aspect that Kafka begins to learn is fighting from the lower-body and transferring power upwards, giving him more strength in his strikes. The new combat style proves to be effective, as Kafka’s revitalized fighting style gets the upper hand on Kaiju No. 9.

Related

Kaiju No. 8: Shinomiya’s Rivalry With Kafka, Explained

Shinomiya and Kafka’s dynamic seems partially one-sided before certain events. Afterwards, these two have a mutual respect that grows into a rivalry.

The trump card in Soshina’s teachings is for Kafka to be able to handle the Kaiju No. 8 berserk form. His new strength and mental awareness should be capable of controlling the form that nearly incapacitated General Shinomiya during their battle, and Kafka is now capable of snapping out of the form any time he pleases. Kafka’s berserk form is significantly stronger but comes with the drawback of losing control, which now seems to be a thing of the past with Kafka’s new powers.

The Defense Force’s Trump Card

Mina Ashiro’s Return To The Battle

While Kaiju No. 8 and Kaiju No. 9 exchange blows, Mina continues to recover and breaks out of her weakened mental state while inside the body of Kaiju No. 9. Without access to her big weapons, Mina is forced to rely on her handgun and serve as support to Kafka, due to being unable to handle large-sized Kaiju threats. During Kafka’s berserk form, it’s revealed that he is only able to maintain the form for one minute before it begins to have catastrophic effects on his body. At this time, Kafka begins to play out his plan, using the secret combat techniques on Kaiju No. 9 that were passed off to him from Soshiro.

As the opening is created, the Defense Force rolls out their plan to bring Mina back into the picture. Carrying an obscenely-large weapon, Mina returns to the fight with a purpose and a determination that the audience hasn’t seen in quite some time. By using the Anti-Giant-Class Kaiju Rail Gun, Mina is able to draw out her raw power and land a shot on a target from a 20-kilometer distance. With Kaiju No. 9 being placed on the defense and forced to fend off Kafka’s arsenal of new attacks, Mina has the opening she needs to land a devastating shot that could ultimately end the battle and take down Kaiju No. 9 for good.

Standing at drop site #14 with her maximum firepower locked and loaded, Mina is in the perfect position to bring an end to the greatest threat to humanity. With her signature weapon now ready to blast off, Chapter 112 of Kaiju No. 8 could be the last time the audience sees Kaiju No. 9. It’s the anticipated moment that the audience has been waiting for, and it will be wonderful to see the efforts of Mina and Kafka pay off. Where Kaiju No. 8 goes from here is something many fans of the series are anxiously waiting for, and it will only be a few weeks before they get their answer.

Kaiju No. 8 is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by the fans officially and for free on the Shonen Jump and the Manga Plus app. The release date for the next chapter of Kaiju No. 8, Kaiju No. 8 Chapter 112, is set for release August 15, 2024.

Kaiju No. 8 (2024)

Production I.G’s Kaiju No. 8 is a Spring 2024 anime based on Naoya Matsumoto’s Shonen Jump+ manga. Set in an alternate version of Japan, the story follows the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force as they try to protect the nation from monster attacks.

Release Date

April 13, 2024

Studio

Production I.G

Creator

Naoya Matsumoto

MyAnimeList Score

8.35