Summary
A big reason whyKaiju No. 8has become so popular, aside from its epic fights and monsters, is the compelling roster of characters, and more specifically, the development each of them goes through throughout the adventure. While there has been a lot of effort put into making each of the key individuals in the story feel as believable and intriguing as possible, this has also led to some fun and iconic duos being formed who are always an absolute joy to watch and read.
In a world where giant Kaiju monsters are a regular occurrence, it helps to establish a connection with someone who can have a character’s back anytime a situation starts to look a little dicey. For a duo of characters to stand out, there also needs to be an emotional core at the center of their relationship, as is seen clearly with these compellingKaiju No. 8pairings.
7Hoshina & N0.10
An Unlikely Duo Who End Up Bonding Through Their Battles
At roughly the halfway point of theKaiju No. 8story, Hoshina starts coming into contact withNumber 10, a ferocious monster whom he was just about able to take down a little earlier in the story. Though the suggestion that the two could ally may not have been all that appealing to Hoshina to begin with, he eventually gives in and decides to utilize the Kaiju’s power for himself, resulting in an unlikely pairing that goes through a surprisingly compelling character arc throughout their epic battles.
Despite wanting to follow his samurai lineage by using blades to take down monsters, Hoshina was constantly told by his father that he should ditch this dream altogether, considering ranged weapons were what most people used in the modern day. Number 10, however, took a slightly different view, encouraging Hoshina to pursue his dreams, so long as the monster gets to have a little fun for itself now and again. This duo only appears in the second half of the series, but it’s still extremely fun, and even a little emotional at points, when they get the opportunity to show up on screen together.
6Kikoru & Isao
Kikoru Shares A Troubled And Complex Relationship With Her Father
Kikoru and her father don’t exactly have the best relationship, but it’s always been made clear that there’s a lot more brewing beneath the surface than initially meets the eye. After the tragic death ofKikoru’s mother, her father would begin pushing her to become as strong as possible, though in his eyes, she was never seen as someone truly worthy of meeting his expectations, no matter how many Kaiju she had defeated.
However, the pair gradually starts to reveal their true feelings as the story goes on, especially once Isao’s life is put in danger from an oncoming Kaiju. Isao cared deeply for his daughter, but always had a difficult time showing it, and while Kikoru also shared affection for her old man, it was ultimately his approval that she wanted the most. Because of Isao’s tragic fate, the two wouldn’t get to spend all that much time together in the main story, although their intense relationship is still chronicled throughout the flashbacks that are sprinkled throughout the plot.
5Hoshina & Kafka
Kafka’s Biggest Critic Slowly Becomes More Of A Mentor
After Kafka managed to acquire the power of a Kaiju, no one was more suspicious of him than Hoshina. The tension between the two led to a clash where Hoshina fought Kafka while he was in his Kaiju form, without actually knowing it was him at the time. Needless to say, once Kafka’s secret identity was revealed, their relationship started to change, to the point where Hoshina even decided to temporarily take Kafka under his Wing.
From skeptic to mentor, Hoshina’s view on Kafka has changed drastically throughout the story, and it’s been a real treat to witness this development firsthand. They may have started on the wrong foot, but these two eventually became trustworthy allies who would have a lot more in common than they initially realized.
4Kafka & Reno
Reno Pushed Kafka To Pursue His Dreams
While most characters inKaiju No. 8will form bonds as the story progresses, Kafka and Reno have essentially been tied at the hip from the very beginning. It started with Reno trying to encourage Kafka to pursue his dreams of one day joining the special defense unit, despite him being a little older than some of the other cadets. As time goes on, the dynamic suddenly starts to change as Reno becomesdetermined to protect his friend at all costs, primarily to prevent him from having to expose his inner Kaiju to the other soldiers.
Even though they might not always be physically together during their missions, the two share a very deep and considerate relationship, which is ultimately what started the story to begin with. Reno is always there to pick Kafka up anytime he starts to get self-doubts, and the protagonist is more than happy to return the favor whenever he is most needed.
3Reno & Iharu
A One-Sided Rivalry That Turns Into A Brotherly Bond
As soon as Iharu got to witness Reno’s impressive combat abilities firsthand, he made it his mission to become stronger than his comrade by any means necessary. The truth is, this was ultimately a one-sided rivalry for a good portion of the story, as while it was clear that Reno was anatural prodigy, Iharu, on the other hand, was a hot head who still had a very long way to go. That being said, the two ended up forming a pretty impenetrable bond as the story went on.
In fact, it even got to the point where Iharu was willing to put his own life on the line to protect Reno from losing his mind from all the overwhelming power he had acquired from Number 6 during his intense training session. It’s always an absolute blast seeing these two sharing some banter while also pushing each other to be the best versions of themselves possible to help make the world a safer place.
2Kikoru & Kafka
Kikoru And Her Newfound Friend Kafka Become A Deadly Duo Who Strike Fear Into The Eyes Of Any Kaiju
Kikoru first meets Kafka near the beginning of the story, where she makes it clear that she views him as little more than an old geezer who has no chance of matching her absurd level of power. After it’s revealed that Kafka can mutate into a Kaiju, the competition shared between the two starts to become a lot fiercer, resulting in some truly epic fight scenes where they both get to show what they are truly made of against the vicious monsters who threaten their way of life.
A prime example of this is when the two take on a horde of giant ant monsters, where Kikoru uses herdeadly axe slashesto cover for Kafka before he can mutate and deal some true damage with his hard-hitting attacks. Seeing these two mature and evolve has been one of the best parts ofKaiju No. 8’s story, making them a duo that no longtime fan will ever be able to forget.
1Kafka & Mina
Comrades In Arms Who Are Always Aiming To One-Up The Other
Kafka and Mina have beenclose friends since they were kids, but their lives took very different paths once they grew older. While Mina became one of the most talented and dangerous members of the special Defense Force, Kafka would find himself scrubbing up the leftovers of the Kaiju who had been defeated in battle, that is, until he decided to go out of his comfort zone and apply to become a soldier himself.
Though the two don’t speak directly with one another for quite a while, once they formally re-introduce themselves to one another, they continue their childhood tradition of always trying to be the best, creating a kind of sibling rivalry that pushes them beyond their limits. While Kafka is inspired by Mina’s fearlessness in battle, on the other hand, Mina gets a real kick out of watching Kafka utilizing his powers to protect his allies from danger, so they are essentially two peas in a pod who are always pushing each other to be people who can make a real change in the world.
