Kaiju No. 8 Creator Says Shin Godzilla Inspired the Hit Series

Right now, the anime industry is running through its spring season, and some clear hits have climbed the charts since launching this year. As the summer season nears, shows like Kaiju No. 8 are standing out thanks to their impressive hype. From animation to pacing, Kaiju No. 8 has become a go-to series for netizens this spring, and it turns out the story’s creator was inspired to pen Kaiju No. 8 thanks to Godzilla.

Yes, you read that right. The King of the Monsters helped put Kaiju No. 8 on track. While speaking with Bunshin in Japan, artist Naoya Matsumoto broke down their history with Kaiju No. 8, and it was there the creator gave a shoutout to Shin Godzilla.

After all, it turns out the Hideaki Anno film greatly inspired Matsumoto to ink Kaiju No. 8. The timing here lines up easily enough as Shin Godzilla was released in 2016. The movie marked the monster’s 33rd at Toho Company, and Anno’s director propelled the movie to global fame. The modern-day take on Shin Godzilla earned nothing but rave reviews, and the film helped revitalize Godzilla for modern audiences. And of course, its success led to Toho’s next outing with Godzilla Minus One that managed to win a historic Academy Award.

After seeing Shin Godzilla, it seems Matsumoto was inspired to put Kaiju No. 8 to paper. The manga made its debut in July 2020, so it took a few years to come around. But of course, the sci-fi drama is not going anywhere any time soon. Kaiju No. 8 has become a next gen success for Shonen Jump, and its recent anime adaptation by Production I.G. has put the series on the map.

Want to know more about Kaiju No. 8? You can read up on its official synopsis below for all the details:

“With the highest kaiju-emergence rates in the world, Japan is no stranger to attack by deadly monsters. Enter the Japan Defense Force, a military organization tasked with the neutralization of kaiju. Kafka Hibino, a kaiju-corpse cleanup man, has always dreamed of joining the force. But when he gets another shot at achieving his childhood dream, he undergoes an unexpected transformation. How can he fight kaiju now that he’s become one himself?!”

Do you think Kaiju No. 8 needs a Godzilla crossover now…? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!