As of July 17, 2025, the final chapter of the hit manga Kaiju No. 8 has been released on Shueisha’s online manga platform, Shonen Jump+. This classic story of humanity fighting giant monsters has seen monumental success since its debut in 2021. It was one of the headline series for Shonen Jump+, with each chapter garnering over a million views. To celebrate the end of Kaiju No. 8, let’s look back and see what made it so successful.
WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD
What It Is
Giant monsters, or “kaiju,” have been plaguing modern-day Japan — so much so, that the government created the Japanese Anti-Kaiju Defense Force (JAKDF) to protect the populace from their rampage.
The main character, Kafka Hibino, dreamed of joining the Defense Force. However, after failing the enlistment exam multiple times, he’s stuck on kaiju clean up duty. He’s on the verge of aging out and determined to bet it all on one last shot. One night, while he’s recovering from a kaiju encounter, an unknown parasitic kaiju attacks him and transforms him into a kaiju. Now, he has to keep his powers a secret, or risk extermination by the very soldiers he fights beside.
Who Made It
The author of Kaiju No. 8, Naoya Matsumoto, debuted in 2006 with a one-shot manga, Necromancer, that won the 27th Jump Twelve Newcomer Manga Award. Then in 2009, their first serialized series Neko Wappa ran in Weekly Shonen Jump until 2010. It followed the comedic antics of a young girl raised by cat gods, fulfilling the wishes of people visiting her shrine. Their next work, Pochikuro, was serialized in Shonen Jump+ from 2014-2015. It was a fantasy adventure, where a human girl tries to find her way out of the demon realm.
Kaiju No. 8 was a stark contrast to Matsumoto’s previous works, which had more fantasy elements. In an exclusive interview with Deputy Editor in Chief of Shonen Jump+ Seijiro Nakaji, he said the shift in style was inspired by several factors. Matsumoto had expressed a love for tokusatsu. A genre of live-action Japanese film and TV, and wanted to try making a superhero story in that same vein. Nakaji also observed a driving frustration in Matsumoto that channeled itself into Kafka’s characterization. Ultimately, the change in genre came down to Matsumoto evolving as a manga artist to balance mass appeal with personal fulfillment.
Why It Works
An underdog protagonist is granted a unique power that puts them at odds with both the good and bad sides of the bigger conflict. There are plenty of manga series that use this exact framework. What sets Kaiju No. 8 apart is its depiction of triumph against impossible odds.
In the world of the story, the kaiju are likened to natural disasters. There’s no question that they need to be stopped, even if some can speak and exhibit individual motivations. This easily digestible “us-vs-them” narrative is not only justified in the story, it also creates more room for the real draw of the series –- the action.
The panel layout is easy to follow. The character, creature, and weapon designs are striking, and there’s a clear escalation of excitement. At times the characters do feel a bit one-note and forgettable and the central mystery of Kafka’s powers isn’t addressed until the very end. The execution and entertainment value more than make up for it. Kaiju No. 8 has earned its spot as a modern hit.
You can read the first three chapters of the manga for free on the official VIZ Media website. The English editions of volumes 1-13 are available for purchase. The first season of the anime is available on Crunchyroll with the second season having just premiered. Available in sub and dub formats.
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