Summary
Kaiju No. 8, inspired by Shin Godzilla, explores monsters and disasters in a fun shōnen manga. Matsumoto's personal struggles impacted main character Kafka, leading to the manga's success. The anime adaptation by Production IG and Studio Khara fulfilled Matsumoto's dream and inspired fans.
Kaiju number 8 is Naoya Matsumoto's long-awaited work, which achieved huge success as a groundbreaking story that subverted common tropes while also introducing themes that fans love about shōnen. Kaiju No. 8 is a story of perseverance that has elements in common with hit anime like Naruto as well as with Attack on Titan, as its premise is that main character Kafka Hibino has the ability to transform into a kaiju, the same the creature he seeks to fight, and his desire to fulfill his dream of protecting his country reminds fans of Eren Yeager's own tragic story.
However, these stories couldn't be more different, as Kaiju No. 8 is more fun than AOT and the main character is not a child but a 32-year-old man who works for a kaijus cleaning company. This unique setting that appeals to both shōnen and MonsterVerse fans has caused viewers to question the inspiration behind Kaiju No. 8.
The answer came in a recent interview with author Kaiju No. 8, who revealed the series' biggest influence: Shin Godzilla, 2016 film directed by Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno.
Shin Godzilla inspired the creator of Kaiju issue 8 to highlight Kaiju disasters
Hideaki Anno's film gave the creator of Kaiju issue 8 the idea of linking giant monsters with disasters.
Naoya Matsumoto revealed in an interview with Weekly Bunshun the behind-the-scenes story of the writing and staging of his work, Kaiju No. 8, where he admitted that he watched Shin Godzilla by the legendary directors of Evangelion , Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, inspired him to create the manga.
After watching the movie “Shin Godzilla”, I was once again impressed by the fascinating “disaster aspect” of the monster. From there, I expanded the setting to make it more interesting as a manga world.
This reveal comes as no surprise to fans, as Kafka's Kaiju form is clearly reminiscent of Godzilla, the excellent Kaiju and king of the monsters. In addition, Shin Godzilla is the scariest and darkest but also the most attractive version of the monster and is the film in the series that delves deeper into the determination and indomitable spirit of the Japanese people to face disasters, Using the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident as inspiration.
The creator of Kaiju No. 8 took a risk in wanting to explore the dynamics of monsters and disasters in shōnen manga as it is a genre that has garnered few hits in that form, but what ensures the series becomes a hit is based on into the main character. himself. Matsumoto turned his own struggles and disappointments as a 30-year-old man who had not yet achieved his dreams into a work that resonated with a wide audience. The The inspiration found in Shin Godzilla and the personal connection to the main character were key to the story and its success..
Kaiju No. 8 has Hideaki Anno's blessing
The story of the author of Kaiju No. 8 is as inspiring as Kafka Hibino
Naoya Matsumoto would not have known that, after being inspired by Shin Godzilla, the same director would be responsible for bringing his own kaiju to life in an animated adaptation. The Kaiju #8 adaptation was animated by Production IG in conjunction with Studio Khara, Hideaki Anno's personal production house, who was responsible for developing the kaiju artwork and supervising the character designs. Having Matsumoto's favorite studio adapt his work into anime achieved another of his dreams; He once joked with a friend:
If Production IG or Studio Khara makes an anime version of my manga, I will accept even if I have to commit seppuku after watching the preview of the first episode!!
It shows how much Matsumoto admires the studio, with their influence being very evident in the series. He infused those emotions into the story that led to the creation of this working group. The anime adaptation of Kaiju No. 8 made history and not only did Kafka Hibino's story of perseverance resonate deeply with people, but it too. The author's own path to success, This has led him to work on his very own inspiration, serving as motivation for his fans and encouraging them to continue pursuing their dreams..
Source: Weekly Bunshun.
