Production I.G. has been releasing a set of new Kaiju No. 8 images to promote the upcoming summer release of Season 2. The set is called “Kaiju Hyakkei,” or 100 Views of Monsters. The images showcase the protagonists’ mundane daily lives, including picnics, jogging together, and hiking. Some photos can be bleak and dreary, with one noticeable example being Kafka Hibino overlooking a destroyed Tokyo in his kaiju form. Fortunately, the latest “Kaiju Hyakkei” image features Kafka in a more uplifting light. The new photo has Kafka, again in his kaiju form, kneeling next to koinbori, carp-shaped windshocks found throughout the seaside of Japan. He is enjoying a snack while gazing at the windsocks and has his black backpack on.
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Even though these 100 Views of Monsters illustrations are typically lighthearted and serene, the latest one with Kafka and the koinbori feels almost comical. Given Kafka’s monstrous-looking kaiju form, the juxtaposition between the sight of a monster looking at windsocks modeled after fish feels almost like a parody. Kafka wearing a backpack and eating a snack adds to the humor, as that is not how monsters are traditionally viewed. The koinbori image is the 11th of the “Kaiju Hyakkei” line of illustrations, all of which can be found on the official Kaiju No. 8 anime webpage.
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When Can Fans Expect More Kaiju No. 8
Kaiju No. 8 was one of the biggest anime hits of 2024. The series stars a 32-year-old Kafka, who works as part of the clean-up crew that disposes of kaiju remains from a battlefield. His friend in the clean-up crew is teenager Ren Ichikawa. He eventually gets infected by a small kaiju that burrows itself inside him. The infection transforms him into a kaiju creature known as Kaiju No. 8. As Kaiju No. 8, he joins the Defense Force to fight off hostile kaiju that attack Japan. However, Kafka hides his real identity from his squadmates except for Reno.
The original Kaiju No. 8 manga was praised for its dynamic artwork and endearing lead protagonist. All Kafka wants to do is protect his homeland from monsters and keep a childhood promise, even though he faces many prejudices in his kaiju form. The manga has sold over 18 million copies worldwide and has been nominated for an Eisner Award for “Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia.” It lost the Eisner to Lovesickness: Junji Ito Story Collection in 2023. The manga proved popular enough that it will be getting a slice-of-life spin-off with the lead characters called Kaiju No. 8: B-Side.
The anime adaptation of Kaiju No. 8 was produced by Production I.G. and achieved acclaim. Critics and fans praised the series for its art direction, animation, and voice cast. The first season proved so popular that Production I.G. has made a compilation film for the series, plus a bonus OVA called Hoshina’s Day Off. The compilation film was screened in North America in April 2025. Kaiju No. 8 Season Two is scheduled to release in July 2025.
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