Although the first episodes of Kaiju #8 are a mix of slow pacing, limited world-building, and lackluster character development, episode 4 solves all of these problems in a quick but exciting turn of events. One of the most notable changes is Kikoru Shinomiya's sudden character development. While her introduction turned her into a bland trope, episode 4's twist avoids a major problem in the anime.

Anime’s biggest problem is its over-reliance on tropes and archetypes, especially with depictions of certain characters. Every medium can struggle with tropes, but anime in particular often falls victim to shallow characterization, falling into the “Mary Sue” label. At first glance, Kaiju #8Kikoru Shinomiya fits right into the criticism behind Mary Sues, but she ends up being the most developed character in a matter of seconds. On the surface, her role as the “perfect” character only scratches the surface of who she is, and this nuance is a significant example that the industry can learn from.

The Tricky Problem with Mary Sue Characters

• The term Mary Sue was first used by Star Trek fan club.
• The first use of the term can be found in 1974 Star Trek fanfic A Trekkies Tale.
• There are several uses of the term, including but not limited to: describing an unlikable protagonist, a poorly written character, a clichéd character, a power fantasy.

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Although the term Mary Sue may be familiar across multiple fandoms, the site TV Tropes makes a point of the definition may vary from person to person. Many use “Mary Sue” as an insult, while some use it as a compliment; others fall somewhere in between and use it as an open conversation piece. Although the term was initially used for female characters, “Mary Sue” can also describe male characters—commonly known as Marty Stu or Gary Stu.

TV Tropes explains, “(a Mary Sue is)a character who is important to the story, has unusual physical characteristics, and has an irrelevantly overqualified or overidealized nature.“This character is typically the strongest, smartest, and most compelling of the cast, with few, if any, flaws. While the term itself may not have the most concrete definition, there is a problem with shallow characters. In practice, when creating a fictional character who is meant to be the greatest in one way or several ways, there still needs to be character development.

In anime, the most popular and negatively received Mary Sue is Shin Wolford from the series Philosopher's Grandson. Shin is transported and reincarnated into a fantasy realm as a baby and raised by a powerful wizard. The basic premise is that he easily masters all the skills his mentor father gives him. Shin's only flaw is that he lacks social skills because he is isolated in his isolated home. The problem with his character and why many anime fans consider him a Gary Stu is not because he masters magic so easily, but because his social disability has no impact on his journey and therefore he has no flaws.

Having zero flaws means that the character in question is not relatable, believable, and lacks genuine humanity. Viewers have a harder time connecting with a character’s story when they’re not relatable. If the character isn’t believable, it’s harder to immerse yourself in the story. Importantly, a sense of humanity adds to the characters’ natural flaws and habits—whether good or bad—and highlights their potential. The criticism behind Mary Sues is that they’re shallow and uninteresting.

Even the most powerful characters need to have flaws and some human tendencies. An important example is the main character of Dragon Ball Z, Son Goku, who is full of flaws (e.g. obsessed with strength and food, not the best father or significant other). Viewers either love or hate Goku because of his flaws, but that still makes him an effective character. He's also shown to work hard for everything he earns and is negatively affected by his mistakes. More recently, the character Kikoru Shinomiya came close to being an overly perfected character - and arguably considered a Mary Sue - but in a major turn of events, she proves to be one of the most intriguing characters in the anime industry.

Kikoru Shinomiya is not a Mary Sue, but she might want to be one

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Kikoru Shinomiya is introduced to the anime in episode 3 of Kaiju #8. She comes across as a brash and arrogant teenager, as she makes ridiculous demands of Kafka and Reno, whom she has just met. Kikoru is quick to insult others and this does not seem to have any impact on her life, as her main goal is to join the Defense Forces and kill Kaiju. Her greatest characteristic is that she is a young prodigy defined mainly by her record-breaking scores and immense combat skills. Kikoru's perfections and ideals in Kaiju #8 can make her seem bland and unlikable, which is why she can be criticized to some extent as a Mary Sue.

After Kikoru is introduced, the next episode completely changes her character in the most effective and shocking way. During the second and final part of the Defense Force test, Kikoru manages to defeat nearly every Kaiju during this test without breaking a sweat. While the anime uses the first three episodes to focus on the strength of the heroes, episode 4 gives the antagonists—the Kaiju—a chance to dominate the human heroes. When the monsters are brought back to life and given more power, Kikoru is as emotionally devastated as she is physically hurt.

In this major twist in the anime, each character's life is put in danger and even the strongest are smart enough to back down and spare their lives. Kikoru, however, continues to fight, but not just because of her pride in her perfection. Like many shonen anime characters, Kikoru shows her obsession with being the strongest, but this is due to her complicated relationship with her father and how he essentially brainwashed her into being as perfect as possible. This moment reveals that Kikoru's perfections are not so that she can be idealized, but rather her greatest flaw.linked to mental health and relationship issues.

Kikoru has to be perfect. If she isn't, then she believes she is worthless. This is an example of a great way to develop a character and make them more interesting. From this episode onwards, Kikoru's character journey is no longer about becoming the strongest. It's about learning to value herself without anyone else's approval. This makes her growing friendship with Kafka even more meaningful, as he is the only one who treats her as a flawed human being who occasionally needs some support.

This is also a different approach in relation to female representation in anime. Instead of Kikoru being a damsel in distress, she is more of a friend in need. She is respected by everyone and recognized for her abilities, especially by Kafka, but every character, regardless of gender, needs flaws because that is what makes people human. One of the main reasons she almost died is because she couldn't swallow her pride and prioritize her well-being. Since Kafka is the ideal supporting character, the rescue is meaningful for both characters.

Kikoru is also a brilliantly nuanced version of the Ojou-sama trope, which is a wealthy (typically female) character who is especially arrogant because of her status. Often, the archetype of a wealthy character leads to a moment where they must admit some sort of weakness or that the underdog character is strong. The pressure on Kikoru's shoulders as the daughter of a General emphasizes that she doesn't put herself on a pedestal just because of her family name. With the focus on her growth from a very young age, it's easier for her to Kaiju #8 fans to sympathize and give him credit for his accomplishments.

Shinomiya is a prime example of how to turn tropes into great character development.

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Kaiju #8 starts off slow and relies on several tropes to introduce its main characters and plot. Episode 4 brings a lot of necessary story development and some significant characters. When Kikoru is introduced, she is the arrogant rich girl who can do no wrong. – She was initially written as a bland character, to say the least. If there wasn’t any more development and her journey was really just to be the best, she wouldn’t have managed to impress and would probably just be another Mary Sue anime. The revelations in episode 4 are important in showing how to deceive the audience and build the perfect and imperfect character.

Episode 3 leads the audience to believe that Kikoru is one-dimensional because the tropes that define her personality are not given any explanation or variation from others like her. At first, she seems like any other rich girl who is full of herself, and her natural physical fitness and military combat skills seem unearned. It is unrealistic to believe that someone so young could have such overwhelming talent without putting in much effort. None of Kikoru’s accomplishments are relatable or intriguing because she is so devoid of her own unique personality at this point—it is just arrogance and skill that build her character.

When Kikoru’s plans go horribly and unexpectedly awry in episode 4, she reveals her hidden personality and why it was kept a secret. This idea of perfection as an unhealthy obsession for Kikoru—to the point that she would sacrifice her life just to make her father proud of her—is deeply profound. Trying to be perfect is her biggest flaw and genuinely relatable. The anime industry loves to present powerful characters and has come a long way in adding unique and original twists to these characters. Kikoru is another example of this trend.

Creating perfect or ideal characters doesn’t mean ignoring their flaws. In fact, there can be a lot of problems with a character who isn’t developed with relatable traits, believable characteristics, and human tendencies. In many anime series, some of the best characters grow up to be the strongest, but still retain their flaws. Other characters who only impress on a superficial level are uninteresting and bring their series down. Without the right balance of nuance and human traits, these examples are failures in fictional character development and can easily be labeled as Mary Sues. More recently, Kaiju #8 is building one of its most interesting characters, Kikoru Shinomiya, who turns the Mary Sue trope on its head. Kikoru may want to be perfect, but that motivation is the biggest and most interesting imperfection that leads her on an unexpected but meaningful journey.

Kaiju #8 (2024)

Kafka Hibino merges with a kaiju and gains powers, leading him to fulfill his childhood dream in Kaiju #8.