Is there a better way to start the new year than with a brand new poster for Season 2 of 2024’s best (take that Dandadan) new anime? Season 2 of Kaiju No. 8 was announced in June last year, immediately after the Season 1 finale aired. Based on the hit Shonen Jump+ manga by Naoya Matsumoto, the anime follows Kafka Hibino, who works as part of a clean-up crew following massive kaiju battles. But, his true dream is to join the Kaiju Defense Force, one that’s granted when he mysteriously gains the ability to transform into one of the strongest kaiju ever seen.
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Season 2’s release window was announced at last year’s Jump Festa and will premiere this July. While that announcement came with its own new poster โ showcasing Gen Narumi, the Captain of the immensely powerful First Division โ the latest poster puts the focus back on Kafka with a New Year’s Day treat.
Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 Gets New Year’s Day Special Poster
Kaiju No. 8‘s artist, Naoya Matsumoto, shared a brand new illustration of the series on their official X (formerly Twitter) page to celebrate the new year. The stunning new poster blends Matsumoto’s beautiful characters with an updated version of the traditional Japanese Ukiyo-e block print style. Kafka Hibino is depicted in the center of the poster in his kaiju form, holding a giant kanabล (a traditional spiked club) over his shoulder.
Below him sits the Vice-Captain of the Third Kaiju Defense Force Division, Soshiro Hoshina. In the manga and anime, Hoshina wields two swords, but Matsumoto has swapped those out for a classic katana. Above them is a giant white snake with shining scales and a long body that wraps around them. The snake is not a character/kaiju from the manga but instead represents a wood snake, as 2025 is the year of the wood snake in the Chinese zodiac calendar.
[RELATED: Kaiju No. 8 Weekly Shorts Tease #1 Defense Force Member (And More!)]
Kaiju No. 8‘s Compilation Film Releases This Year
As well as Season 2 of Kaiju No. 8, fans can also look forward to a new compilation movie. The feature film condenses the 12 episodes from Season 1 into a streamlined narrative. As well as the feature-length recap, the film also comes with a brand-new bonus episode.
“Hoshina’s Day Off” follows the titular Vice-Captain during a brief vacation, while his Kaiju Defense Force subordinates believe something fishy is going on. The compilation movie will be released in Japanese theaters on March 25, 2025. The official synopsis reads, “A day offโฆ a rare day of peace for the Defense Force. After spending so long training, Reno has forgotten what heโs supposed to do with his free time. He sees that Hoshina is up to something with his own day off, and decides to go on a mission to tail him with Iharu! But then things go in an unexpected directionโฆ”
H/T: Naoya Matsumoto on X
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