Kaiju No. 8
Kaiju No. 8 is a breakout hit in the world of manga, created by Naoya Matsumoto. Since it launched on Shonen Jump+ in mid-2020, the series has quickly built a huge following. Blending epic kaiju battles with character-driven drama, it’s easy to see why fans are hooked. With an anime adaptation, the excitement around this series keeps growing.
In a world constantly under attack by massive creatures called kaiju, humanity relies on the Japan Defense Force (JDF) to fend off these monstrous threats. Kafka Hibino, a 32-year-old working for a kaiju clean-up crew, is the series' protagonist. His day-to-day job involves the less glamorous task of cleaning up after the JDF’s battles. It’s not the heroic life he once dreamed of.
Years ago, Kafka had aspirations of joining the JDF to fight kaiju on the front lines. But life took a different turn, and now he’s stuck in a dead-end job, far from the action. Just as he begins to accept that his dream may be out of reach, fate throws him a curveball: Kafka gets infected by a parasitic kaiju, which transforms him into a human-kaiju hybrid. This change gives him immense strength and power, making him Kaiju No. 8—a dangerous monster in the eyes of the authorities.
Now Kafka faces a unique dilemma: How can he achieve his dream of joining the JDF when he’s technically one of the very monsters they hunt? The story revolves around Kafka's internal struggle as he tries to keep his true identity a secret, all while using his newfound powers for good.