Toxic Super Beasts asks just how some giant monsters are born, and when Earth’s original titans were dinosaurs, the kind some geneticists hope to harvest genes from, Jurassic World Rebirth comes to mind. When the harvesting grounds aren’t exactly safe, we need genetically engineered metahumans who can go toe to toe with these kaiju. And that’s what writer Nykken and artist Toy(e) are bringing to the page.
This manga tosses more than a few ideas into the melting pot. It is one part disaster story, another part Frankenstein, with perhaps Attack on Titan as the cherry on top. Kazuki Kisaragi leads a unit tasked with collecting monster DNA alongside Miko Mikoshiba, a woman who may not be what she seems. She’s a hybrid with minimal knowledge of her past.
As one of the few genetically altered people who can survive a direct attack from a Super Beast, she’s one tough cookie. Humanity can call them heroes, but here, they are labelled as witches. Although the reason seems rooted in European folk belief, little is said in the first volume. By the next release, she wants to discover her past in order to understand her gift. That’s because whenever she is on the front lines, she risks losing a bit of her humanity.
And that’s precisely why Kazuki is needed to keep her grounded. He’s technically there to mentor Mikoshiba. As for the other units, readers don’t see too many of them around. This volume stays focused on the pair and what they can do to prevent more beasts from materialising. The bulk of Volume 1 concerns Kazuki trying to connect with her, and their bond is not romantic, which is refreshing.
Also, The Ward, where they both work, remains deliberately mysterious. That’s the hook. We’re left wondering what Security Department Chief Tomohiko Munehiro is really up to. He’s the type who hoards secrets much like Gendo Ikari from Evangelion. As much as I’d like to know more about this character, he’s deliberately constructed to be morally grey.
By the second volume, more Toxic Super Beasts arrive and the team is pushed to their limits against two primary threats: a rampaging dinosaur-like creature and a gargantuan octopus. The mystery of who is pulling the strings deepens, and the narrative shifts from pure survival to dark investigation. Kisaragi begins uncovering evidence of a sinister mastermind who appears to be manipulating the arrival of the fog and the beasts. Just why they are targeting this island rather than urban Japan remains unanswered.
What makes the story visually engaging is Toy(e)’s art. His panel spreads are big, and if I couldn’t get into his monster designs, then I wouldn’t be reading! When the manga started, I was curious about the five-headed beast. He’s no Tiamat, and what he looks like resembles a brontosaur. Although these creature designs are grounded in reality, I believe this direction is a welcome change. In both animation and manga, trying to design something new to hook readers on a visual level is often challenging.
By the end, what we learn about the origins of these creatures suggests they might not be random at all. They could be from some force that wants an apocalypse. Volume 3 is particularly exciting since readers get to see where some of the inspiration for this story comes from. This latest volume was released on May 13, 2025.
No spoilers will be revealed here, and all I will say is that I saw “it” coming a mile away. When everything hinges on saving the hydroelectric power plant, and when that goes, so will any chance of humans continuing to live on the island where this tale takes place. The Super Beast that appears is far more intelligent than the others the team has faced, and it’s given the name Keukegen!
And with only one more volume still to come in late summer, this primer is enough to sate the tastes of kaiju fans, and perhaps readers who love Attack on Titan too.
4 Stars out of 5
Toxic Super Beasts Vol 3 Sneak Preview
