The Man Who Became a Kaiju Arc

**The Man Who Became a Kaiju Arc** is the first story arc in the Kaiju No. 8 series.

## Summary

### Monster Attack & Cleanup

A large kaiju appears in Yokohama city before quickly being taken out by Mina Ashiro. Kafka and the cleanup group watch from afar and comment that they'll be working overtime for the near future. Mina and the other members of the Third Division walk down a crowded street, with the citizens around them applauding and thanking them.

At the site of the kaiju's corpse, the cleanup group works to begin cleaning up the remains. The horrors of the job are shown, with the members of the cleanup group being dirtied and splattered with internal fluids and one being escorted out on a stretcher after receiving chemical burns across his right leg. Kafka comments that the Third Division had made the site rather messy, and questions whether the group can truly finish the cleanup within a week. Kafka then gets told that there was a vacancy in one of the positions -- The intestines and that he would be transferred to fill it. Kafka shows shock and fear at the transfer, as intestine work is incredibly disgusting to the point where one won't have an appetite for a while after working on them. Kafka was still forced to switch despite his objections and is shown torching the remains with a flamethrower as another member next to him comes close to puking in their suit.

That night Kafka returns to his apartment, immediately collapsing back onto his bed as he complains that he was beaten and could still smell the stench of the intestines. Kafka glances over at his television, which is broadcasting a special segment on the Defense Corps' Third Division, describing their earlier defeat of the kaiju and how unified the Division was under their leader, Mina. It goes on to further describe Mina's accomplishments, noting that she had already defeated hundreds of kaiju at the age of 27 and was being considered for the position of Division Captain. Kafka briefly thinks back on his past with her, reminiscing for a bit on when the two had stood as kids looking over a city recently ravaged by a kaiju, and how she had told him that they would annihilate the kaiju together. He shows some regret about his current position in his life, a cigarette hanging from his mouth and a beer can hand as he questions how he ended up doing cleanup work. He takes the cigarette out of his mouth and gasps before once again collapsing onto his bed, telling himself not to think about the past. He tells himself that he was content, as cleanup was just as important and he got to live in a great apartment and eat the food he enjoyed. The inside of Kafka's apartment is shown, revealing that it was incredibly untidy, small, and littered with empty beer cans. The only food shown in the apartment is a stack of ramen bowls.

## Key Events

* Kaiju and the Defense Force are introduced.
* Kafka Hibino, who has some history with Mina Ashiro, decides to try to join the Defense Force again.
	+ After meeting Leno Ichikawa and being saved by some Corps members, they try to enter the Defense Force together.
* A kaiju enters Kafka's mouth and suddenly transforms him into a humanoid kaiju.
* Three months later, the Defense Force gave Kafka's kaiju form the name of Kaiju No. 8.
* Kafka Hibino and Leno Ichikawa take part in the Selection Exam for the Defense Force and pass it, becoming part of it's ranks.
	+ Kafka joins in Soshiro's platoon.
* A strange humanoid kaiju attacks the exam venue and hurts Kikoru before disappearing. Kikoru is later saved by Kafka as Kaiju No. 8.
* Soshiro, ever since No. 8 appearance, starts to suspect Kafka.

## Characters Introduced

* Kafka Hibino
* Mina Ashiro
* Masahide Tokuda
* Hiroto Mori
* Ichitaka Mitsuike
* Leno Ichikawa
* Bakko
* Kikoru Shinomiya
* Sebasu
* Soshiro Hoshina
* Haruichi Izumo
* Iharu Furuhashi
* Aoi Kaguragi
* Konomi Okonogi
* Kaiju No. 9
* Isao Shinomiya
* Toma Takanashi
* Akari Minase
* Hakua Igarashi