Summary
Joining the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force is a goal many characters have inKaiju No. 8, but reaching the role of officer is something most won’t be able to achieve in their lifetime. For the select few that are strong enough to draw out thecombat power of suits inKaiju No. 8, they can earn the role of officer with the potential of one day reaching a higher level, such as Platoon Leader, Vice-Captain, and Captain. Mangaka Naoya Matsumoto covers many characters hoping to achieve this dream, and one of the officers with the biggest potential of reaching new heights is none other than Reno Ichikawa.
Ichikawa was first introduced inKaiju No. 8as a part-time worker for the Kaiju Cleaning Company, a crew tasked with cleaning the bodies of Kaiju and Yoju left behind by the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force. This includes cutting down parts and ensuring their shipment to the Defense Force for weapon and armor use, an important part of their mundane job. Ichikawa’s purpose for joining the Kaiju Cleaning Company is simply to learn the ins-and-outs of Yoju bodies to aid him with succeeding in his attempt at joining the Defense Force.
How Reno Ichikawa Became So Powerful
Reno Ichikawa’s Growth Quickly Exceeded Expectations
Following Ichikawa’s passing the first exam, he moved along to the second portion of the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force training alongside his unlikely companion, Kafka Hibino. As part of the training, Ichikawa was fitted to a combat suit, an outfit created from Kaiju DNA that is capable of drawing out an unleashed combat power akin to the level of strength of the user. Ichikawa was able tobring out 8% of the suit’s power, which felt underwhelming at first, but Third Division Vice-Captain Soshiro Hoshina revealed that officers generally bring out a maximum of 20% of the suit’s power, meaning Ichikawa’s 8% was a good start.
Despite this revelation, he was far behind other hopeful candidates such as Iharu Furuhashi’s 14%, Aoi Kaguragi’s 15%, Haruchi Izumo’s 18%, and Kikoru Shinomiya’s whopping 46%. Being behind the pack, Ichikawa realized his lack of power could hinder his chances of becoming an officer for the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force, and pledged to become stronger by all means. For Ichikawa, joining the Defense Force wasn’t just about his own pride, he also knew failing was an option, as Kafka Hibino would require someone to be by his side andprevent Kafka from using his Kaiju form.
Due to this resolve, Ichikawa is relentless with his training and doing everything he can to draw out more combat power and surpass the limits of a typical officer. One method he uses is to switch the typical burst rounds of his firearm to freeze rounds, which allows Ichikawa to take advantage of the ammunition’s ability to temporarily freeze the target. Ichikawa shows off his mental capacity to assess the situation duringthe battle with Kaiju No. 9, even defending Furuhashi in the conflict and leading the charge in their attempt to bring down the powerful opponent.
Ichakawa’s Growth Leads To Cryokinesis Power
His New Power Perfectly Suits An Earlier Strategy
In his efforts to seek new strength and become a more capable officer, Ichikawa was granted a specialized Numbers weapon, one ofthe most powerful weapons inKaiju No. 8. While these weapons are only granted to higher-class Defense Force members, officers like Shinomiya and Ichikawa were recognized as officers of a different class, capable of drawing out power from their combat suits that far exceeds the limits of even a Platoon Leader. As a result, Ichikawa received the Number Weapons 6 from Izumo Tech, marked EC-0115.
Numbers Weapon 6 is a specially-fitted combat suit built for Ichikawa, usingthe corpse of Kaiju No. 6. Recognized as the most dangerous but powerful weapon in the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force, Weapons Number 6 is used to draw out the latent power of its user and grant them the magical powers of ice release. This was a wonderful call-back to his battle against Kaiju No. 9, when he switched out burst rounds for freeze rounds and felt more comfortable with the difference in strategy. Ichikawa is not only able to use ice power more freely with the Numbers Weapon 6, but he is also able to bring out higher levels of power, at the risk of destroying his own body in the process.
During the Kaiju conflict, where multiple Kaiju-level threats breached the city’s perimeter, Ichikawa was brought in to use his Numbers Weapon 6 for the first time and test out its possibilities. During battle, Ichikawa was levels beyond his former 8% combat power during training, showcasing a high level of physical strength and speed, while still maintaining a heightened degree of intellectual fortitude. His abilities allowed Kafka to retreat from the conflict andback-up Mina Ashiroduring her clash with Kaiju No. 9, while Ichikawa made short work of a Kaiju-level threat, defeating it with his newfound powers and extended limits.
Kaiju No. 8
Production I.G’s Kaiju No. 8 is a Spring 2024 anime based on Naoya Matsumoto’s Shonen Jump+ manga. Set in an alternate version of Japan, the story follows the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force as they attempt to protect the nation from monster attacks.
