Kaiju No. 8
No Season 3: Kafka's story ends in cinemas with The Final Mission film in 2027.
Last updated: 7 November 2026
There is no Kaiju No. 8 Season 3. TOHO animation confirmed on 24 October 2026 that the story ends with a film, Kaiju No. 8: The Final Mission, which opens in Japan in 2027. No exact date has been announced yet. Seasons 1 and 2, 23 episodes in total, are streaming on Crunchyroll, and a spin-off short anime, Narumi's Week at Work, is due in Fall 2026.
About Kaiju No. 8
Kaiju No. 8 is an action series animated by Production I.G, with kaiju design by Studio Khara. Season 1 ran from April to June 2024, and Season 2 followed from 19 July to 27 September 2025. Together the two seasons run to 23 episodes, and both stream worldwide on Crunchyroll. The big question since Season 2 ended was whether a third season would follow. That answer is now settled. On 24 October 2026, at the Defense Force Boot Camp event in Tachikawa, TOHO animation confirmed that the conclusion is a theatrical film, Kaiju No. 8: The Final Mission, opening in Japan in 2027. The ending had been teased as the Final Chapter at Jump Festa 2026 back in December 2025, but nobody knew its format until the October reveal. The source manga by Naoya Matsumoto is already complete. It ended with chapter 129 in July 2025 and fills 16 volumes, so the film has a finished story to adapt. A spin-off short anime, Narumi's Week at Work, is also on the way in Fall 2026, following First Division captain Gen Narumi.
Kaiju No. 8 is a TV anime from 2024, first released in Spring 2024. It belongs to the Action and Sci-Fi genres. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.
Official Trailer
Story & Plot
Kafka Hibino is a 32 year old kaiju cleanup worker. He spends his days cutting up the giant monsters the Defense Force kills, which is not where he expected to end up. As a boy he failed to join the Defense Force himself, and he watched his childhood friend Mina Ashiro rise to become one of its star captains instead.
Then a small kaiju forces its way into Kafka's body, and he gains the power to transform into a humanoid kaiju. It is the second chance he never thought he would get. Kafka finally enlists in the Defense Force, fighting monsters alongside new comrades like Reno Ichikawa and Kikoru Shinomiya.
But there is a catch he cannot escape. Kafka is now the very thing the Defense Force exists to destroy, and he has to hide what he has become from everyone, including Mina. Every transformation risks exposing him, and the force that welcomed him in could turn on him the moment his secret slips.
Story Arcs & Episode Guide
The Kaiju No. 8 anime is split into story sagas. Here is every saga in order, with its episodes and years.
| Arc | Episodes | Years | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | TV season | 2024 | Season 1 ran from April to June 2024. Kafka gains his kaiju power and finally joins the Defense Force. Streaming on Crunchyroll. |
| Season 2 | TV season | 2025 | Season 2 ran from 19 July to 27 September 2025. Gen Narumi and the First Division move to the centre of the story as a bigger threat builds. Streaming on Crunchyroll. |
| The Final Mission | Feature film | 2027 | The Final Mission is a theatrical film, not a third TV season. It opens in Japan in 2027, and no exact date has been announced. |
Why Watch Kaiju No. 8
- Two TV seasons, 23 episodes in total, all streaming on Crunchyroll
- No Season 3: the story ends with The Final Mission film in Japan in 2027
- Animated by Production I.G, with kaiju design by Studio Khara
- A cleanup worker who becomes a kaiju and joins the force he once failed to enter
- The manga by Naoya Matsumoto is complete at 16 volumes
Who Is It For?
Kaiju No. 8 suits viewers who like big shonen action with a likeable underdog at its centre. Kafka is older and less polished than the usual genre hero, and that is a big part of the charm. If you enjoy monster fights, a close knit squad and a hero hiding a dangerous secret, this is an easy one to start, and at 23 episodes you can catch up long before the film arrives.
Main Characters
View all characters →
Voice Actors
The Japanese voices behind the main characters of Kaiju No. 8.
- Kafka HibinoKaiju cleanup worker who gains the power to transform into a humanoid kaijuJapanese voiceMasaya Fukunishi
- Mina AshiroDefense Force star captain and Kafka's childhood friendJapanese voiceAsami Seto
- Japanese voiceWataru Kato
- Kikoru ShinomiyaAxe wielding prodigy of the Third DivisionJapanese voiceFairouz Ai
- Japanese voiceKengo Kawanishi
- Gen NarumiCaptain of the First Division, the Defense Force's strongest active combatantJapanese voiceKoki Uchiyama
Staff & Production
- Animation Studio
- Production I.G
- Kaiju Design
- Studio Khara
- Original Manga
- Naoya Matsumoto
Manga & Source Material
Kaiju No. 8 adapts the manga by Naoya Matsumoto. The manga has ended, finishing with chapter 129 in July 2025, and the complete story fills 16 volumes. That means the anime's ending already exists on the page, and The Final Mission film will adapt the story's conclusion.
- Written and drawn by Naoya Matsumoto
- Ended with chapter 129 in July 2025
- 16 volumes in total
- The manga is complete, so the film adapts a finished ending
Series Timeline
- April 2024
Season 1 of Kaiju No. 8 begins, animated by Production I.G. It runs until June 2024.
- July 2025
Naoya Matsumoto's manga ends with chapter 129. The complete story fills 16 volumes.
- July 2025
Season 2 begins on 19 July 2025 and runs until 27 September 2025, taking the TV total to 23 episodes.
- December 2025
The story's conclusion is teased as the Final Chapter at Jump Festa 2026, without its format being named.
- 24 October 2026
TOHO animation confirms at the Defense Force Boot Camp event in Tachikawa that the conclusion is a film, Kaiju No. 8: The Final Mission. There is no Season 3.
- Fall 2026
The spin-off short anime Narumi's Week at Work arrives, following Gen Narumi of the First Division.
- 2027
Kaiju No. 8: The Final Mission opens in Japanese cinemas. No exact date has been announced.
Release Schedule
- Season 1
- April to June 2024, streaming on Crunchyroll
- Season 2
- 19 July to 27 September 2025, streaming on Crunchyroll
- Total episodes
- 23 across Seasons 1 and 2
- Narumi's Week at Work
- Spin-off short anime, Fall 2026
- The Final Mission film
- Japan, 2027, exact date not announced
- Season 3
- None, the film replaces it
Details as of 7 November 2026, from TOHO animation's announcement of 24 October 2026. No exact film date, distributor or international release date has been announced.
Quick Answers
Is Kaiju No. 8 finished?
Kaiju No. 8 has not been announced as finished, so more of the story may still come in the future.
What genre is Kaiju No. 8?
Kaiju No. 8 is a Action and Sci-Fi anime. You can browse more titles like it on our Action anime page.
When did Kaiju No. 8 release?
Kaiju No. 8 first released in Spring 2024. It is a TV series.
Will there be a Kaiju No. 8 Season 3?
No. There is no Season 3. TOHO animation confirmed on 24 October 2026 that the story ends with a film, Kaiju No. 8: The Final Mission, instead of a third TV season.
When does the Kaiju No. 8: The Final Mission movie release?
The film opens in Japan in 2027. No exact date has been announced yet, and there is no confirmed international release date either. We will update this page as soon as a date is set.
Where can I watch Kaiju No. 8?
On Crunchyroll. Seasons 1 and 2 both stream there worldwide, 23 episodes in total, so you can watch the full TV story now.
How many episodes of Kaiju No. 8 are there?
23 episodes across the two TV seasons. Season 1 aired in 2024 and Season 2 in 2025, and the story then concludes in The Final Mission film.
Is the Kaiju No. 8 manga finished?
Yes. Naoya Matsumoto's manga ended with chapter 129 in July 2025, and the complete story fills 16 volumes.
What is Narumi's Week at Work?
It is a spin-off short anime due in Fall 2026. It follows Gen Narumi, captain of the First Division and the Defense Force's strongest active combatant, away from the battlefield.
News
← Back to Browse AnimeWatch Order
Here is the release order for Kaiju No. 8 and the series connected to it. Start at step 1 and work your way down.
- 1Kaiju No. 8 Season 1TV (2024): start here. Kafka gains his kaiju power and finally joins the Defense Force.
- 2Kaiju No. 8 Season 2TV (2025): the story continues as Gen Narumi and the First Division take centre stage and a bigger threat closes in.
- 3Narumi's Week at WorkSpin-off short anime (Fall 2026): a side story following Gen Narumi. Watch it after Season 2, it is a bonus rather than a required step.
- 4Kaiju No. 8: The Final MissionFilm (2027): the conclusion of the whole story. It opens in Japan in 2027 and replaces the Season 3 many fans expected.
Where to Watch
Kaiju No. 8 is officially available to stream on these platforms:
Streaming availability changes often and differs by country. Please check the platform in your region.