Kaiju no 8 vol 2 by naoya matsumoto

This volume picks up at right at the moment Volume 1 ended, which means the recruits are still in the middle of their entrance test. All hell broke loose right at the end as a very powerful kaiju started sabotaging the test and bringing dead monsters back to life. Kafka and Leno come to Kikori’s aid as a humanoid Kaiju takes her to her limit. Kafka transforms in front of her but ultimately saves her life. The test concludes and the recruits get their results - Leno is in as an officer, but Kafka nearly fails. The review panel brings him in as a cadet as some feel he is a hard worker and can provide some comic relief to the squad. Kafka now has to work twice as hard if he’s going to catch up to Captain Mina, his childhood friend.

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What initially drew me to this story was its off-the-wall humor, and that's still somewhat present. This volume tones it down a little bit in favor of more action sequences. However, the officers are right that Kafka brings some levity to the Defense Force, much to Leno's disapproval most times. The second half of this book features some heartfelt moments of Leno trying to be his best to save Kafka from having to change into his kaiju form, which is a nice development for their friendship. Kikori sort of gets adopted into their group because she sees Kafka transform, but this is a minor note and could have been developed a little bit more. Hopefully, we see her working more with the two main dudes as Kafka slowly wins people over.

There are a few violent scenes with lots of characters bleeding profusely, and some mild cussing, so this might be best for high school audiences. 

​Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12

Reviews of previous volumes in this series: vol 1 (requires Booklist subscription)

Publisher: VIZ Media
Publication Date: April 5, 2022
ISBN: 9781974727148 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 9/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Action Adventure, Humor, Friendship, Paranormal, VIZ Media