Crunchyroll Drops Kaiju No. 8 Special Episode Ahead of Season 2

Kaiju No. 8 fans have just over a week to wait before Season 2 officially drops on Crunchyroll. But, the anime streaming platform has released a special treat for audiences to enjoy before diving into the eagerly anticipated second season. Production I.G.’s Kaiju No. 8 anime adaptation premiered in 2024 and was one of last year’s biggest hits. Fans were already given one new treat this year, in the form of the Season 1 compilation movie, Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon. That film came with a brand new OVA, which was only shown in theaters. With just days until Season 2’s premiere, every Kaiju No. 8 fan (who has a Crunchyroll membership) can finally enjoy the new OVA.

Kaiju No. 8 is based on the titular manga by Naoya Matsumoto. The manga began serialization in Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ online platform in July 2020 and, after a five-year run, is set to come to an end with the next two chapters. Following Season 1’s dramatic ending, with Kafka Hibino revealing his kaiju powers to the Defense Force, Season 2 will dig into the true meat of the story, but not before some of the Defense Force members take a much-needed vacation.

Read Next

Kaiju No. 8 Faces off With Godzilla Himself in New Crossover Promo

Kaiju No. 8‘s New OVA Is Now Streaming on Crunchyroll

Before tucking into Season 2 on July 19th, Kaiju No. 8 fans can head over to Crunchyroll to enjoy the OVA, “Hoshina’s Day Off.” The special episode was released alongside Mission Recon in theaters, and this is the first time the wider fan base has been able to see the OVA.

The original story follows Hoshina, the Vice-Captain of the Third Kaiju Defense Force, as he takes a well-earned daycation. But, Reno Ichikawa also has the day off, and when he suspects that the always hard-working Hoshina is up to something, he tails the Vice Captain to discover what’s going on.

For a series that spends so much time depicting ground-shaking kaiju battles, “Hoshina’s Day Off” is a hilarious slice-of-life respite from the action, not just for the characters in the OVA but also for fans. Providing it follows the manga, Season 2 is going to be action-packed, so fans may want the proverbial rest stop of the new OVA before the going gets heavy once again.

Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 Is Nearly Here

The wait is almost over. Season 2 of Kaiju No. 8 premieres on Crunchyroll on July 19th. Production I.G. returns to animate the second season, after doing an astounding job bringing the kaiju action to life the first time around.

The full episode count for Season 2 hasn’t been revealed. However, it is expected to follow suit from Season 1 and run for a total of 12 episodes, as much as some fans probably hoped for a 24-episode season. Following its premiere on the 19th, new episodes will be released weekly on Saturdays.