How Strong is Kafka Hibino in Kaiju no 8 explained

Kaiju No. 8 is the new anime of this season. With every episode, we’re getting acquainted with this new world where big scary monsters often appear to shake the lives of mere mortals. But not all mortals are that ordinary, there are some like Kafka Hibino with the ability to transform into a Kaiju. So how strong is Kafka Hibino?

To know how special Kafka is, we need to understand how power works in the world of Kaiju No 8. Today in this article we’ll understand Kaijus, humans, and finally what sets Kafka apart!

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Kaiju No. 8 seems to be a glamour of new-found light amidst a Spring 2024 that is full of mass-hit continuations like Demon Slayer and Mushoku Tensei. Here at Spiel, we have covered that exclusively in our new edition of the Spiel Anime Newsletter which explains exactly why that is the case. The newsletter comes out with interesting editions twice every week, which become available to you by simply subscribing!

Power System of Kaiju No 8 Explained

Reno Ichikawa looks confused as he looks down at his defense force suit in Kaiju No 8 — Reno Ichikawa | Image Courtesy of Studio Production I.G.

Now steering back into the subject matter, to fight off Kaiju, a special Defense Force is in place. The officers who constitute the defense force are humans who have trained and honed their natural talents to protect humanity. Their strength is based on the following criteria:

1. Potential: Every human has some innate potential, strength, and talent. For example: Reno Ichikawa’s ability to grasp things quickly is an ability unique to him. He has the potential to quickly learn. Take another thing into account – Aptitude. This is what is tested in the Defense Force entrance examination second stage. The year that Reno and Kafka appear, they have to do a Kaiju elimination test for their second round of the second stage of the exams. The elimination is first preceded by all candidates wearing the Kaiju battle gear, and how much power the user can bring out of the Battle gear is dependent on their ‘aptitude’.

2. How it’s put to use: Natural abilities or talent will only prove fruitful if it’s used the right way. A person can train to get better at their ability or mold their strength in the most efficient way possible. Kikoru Shinomiya is the perfect example of natural talent and putting that talent to use.

Kikoru Shinomiya appears to be in a fighting stance and wearing a black suit which is illuminated with a red light — Kikoru Shinomiya | Image Courtesy of Studio Production I.G.

3. Weapons: Any officer’s weapon is an extension of them. In battles against Kaijus who are humongous, it can aid them without getting too close to the monster. The suits that we saw in Episode 3 recently can also elevate a person’s overall strength. Only if they have the ability to draw out the suit’s potential. Kafka couldn’t do it because he’s quite talentless.

These three factors determine any human’s overall strength in Kaiju No 8. But the way Kafka went from 0% to 0.01% throughout the training, any human can get better if they continue to persevere. Even the growth is determined by a person’s potential to grow.

What are Kaiju & How strong are they?

A big menacing monster is visible sideways surrounded by smoke — Kaiju | Image Courtesy of Studio Production I.G.

Kaijus are monsters who exist to wreak havoc. There’s no information about their origin but their sole purpose in the story so far is destruction. The smallest of Kaiju has the ability to take several lives. As for the bigger Kaiju, they can destroy large terrains causing a large number of casualties.

Kaiju come in all shapes and sizes but their classification is done on the basis of their fortitude. The fortitude is a unit that measures how threatening any Kaiju is. The way Kafka was able to tell his fellow examinees the weak spot of the Kaiju tells us that every Kaiju has some weaknesses. So far in the anime, we’ve been introduced to:

Kafka gets chased by a creepy monster who is way bigger than him — Kafka gets chased by a Honju | Image Courtesy of Studio Production I.G.

Honju: Honju are Kaijus that have a fortitude of 6 and above. It takes an entire platoon to defeat a Honju, or the vice captain or captain themselves.
Yoju: Yoju are underlings that accompany a Honju. The monster that attacked Kafka and Reno was also a Hoju in Episode 1.
Those with numbers: Kaiju that are stronger and have special abilities are assigned numbers like Kaiju No 8. They pose great threats and are quite difficult to defeat.

As Kafka is also a Kaiju with a number assigned to him, how strong is he really?

How Strong is Kafka Hibino?

Base Kafka

A beaten Kafka lays on the floor with his eyes stark white and his hands spread out in Kaiju no 8 — A beaten Kafka lays on the floor | Image Courtesy of Studio Production I.G.

During the test, it was revealed that Kafka couldn’t bring out any power from his suit. He was weaker than the average examinee. He failed the exam multiple times, specifically the second round which tests a person’s physical abilities.

If we speculate solely on the basis of strength, Kafka Hibino is quite weak. He doesn’t have any exceptional strength that sets him apart, he falls behind in every aspect.

Now that he is a Kaiju, let’s understand how much he has changed.

Kafka as Kaiju No 8

Kafka Hibino in his monster form covered in streaks of blue thunder in Kaiju No 8 anime — Kafka in his Kaiju form | Image Courtesy of Studio Production I.G.

The following section contains minor Kaiju No 8 manga and anime spoilers.

Kafka was able to completely destroy a huge monster with a single punch when he found the little girl and her mom in trouble. He lifted a vehicle with his hands without flinching. He jumped from a building without any damage. Kafka gets significantly stronger in his Kaiju form.

At the end of the examination, it is revealed that Kafka’s fortitude level is 9.8. This puts him way above a Honju. Kafka Hibino can cause severe damage or even kill the commanders of the Defense Force without exerting himself too much. Whatever we’ve seen of Kikoru Shinomiya, it’s safe to say that Kafka is way stronger than her.

Mina Ashiro in the list of Strongest Kaiju Defense Force Members — Mina Ashiro | Image via IMDb

The strongest person in the show at present, Mina Ashiro, will also struggle against Kafka Hibino in his Kaiju form. Although him being part Kaiju hasn’t changed his abilities as a human. Training under Hoshina will make him inevitably stronger. It’ll be interesting to see exactly how strong Kafka Hibino gets from here.

The future enemies of Kafka

The sun shines bright as Kafka and Mina stand with their back facing us in Kaiju No. 8 anime — Kafka and Mina | Image Courtesy of Studio Production I.G.

Given how Kafka’s fortitude is 9.8, he’s bound to face enemies who can challenge him. They will not only be strong but Kafka will learn to coordinate with the Defense Force as they’re now a team. Additionally, he might not be the only human who can transform into a Kaiju. Moving forward, we’ll get to Kaijus that are more menacing with different abilities.

Their fortitude will be enough to make the Defense Force shiver. Will Kafka’s indomitable will be enough to defeat such monsters? Let’s find out together, so stay tuned!