Kaiju No. 8 Weekly Shorts Tease #1 Defense Force Member (And More!)

Kaiju No. 8 has returned before Christmas, but it’s not how fans might have expected. As we all eagerly await Season 2 of the incredible new anime, TOHO Animation has unveiled a brand new series of animated shorts involving our favorite characters. Based on the manga by Naoya Matsumoto published in the weekly Saikyo Jump, Kaiju No. 8 debuted its first season in April of this year. The 12-episode season was a smash hit, and fans are understandably desperate for more.

Kaiju No. 8 follows Kafka Hibino, a 32-year-old with fading dreams of joining the Defense Force. Working as part of a kaiju battle clean-up crew, Kafka is inspired to apply for the final time when a young recruit joins the clean-up squad. But, after a mysterious creature infects Kafka, he unlocks secret kaiju powers, which must be kept hidden from the rest of the recruits and his captains.

Kaiju No. 8‘s First Unveils The Best Defense Force Officer

The first short has been released on TOHO Animation‘s official YouTube channel. The debut animated short poses the age-old question: Who is the most popular character in Kaiju No. 8? Kafka, Reno, and Kikoru discuss a popularity contest held among the members of the Kaiju Defense Force. In true Kikoru style, the overpowered fighter believes she will be number one. But she couldn’t be more wrong.

At the time of writing, the short was only released in Japanese without official subtitles. Western fans (who haven’t gotten around to learning Japanese yet) anxiously await a subbed or dubbed re-release. It hasn’t been revealed how many shorts TOHO Animation has produced. A new short will be released for free on YouTube every Friday.

[RELATED: Jump Festa 2025: Dragon Ball, Chainsaw Man, JJK & More to Get Massive Updates]

A Special Kaiju No. 8 Episode Releases in 2025

The shorts are being released before a Kaiju No. 8 Season 1 compilation film. The movie will release in theaters in Japan for three weeks, premiering on March 28. As well as a feature-length recap of the first season, the film will feature a brand-new special episode. “Hoshina’s Day Off” follows the titular vice-captain of the Third Division on vacation with his subordinates, Ichikawa Reno and Furuhashi Iharu. The most fans have seen of the new episode comes from the official poster (above). A clip is expected to be unveiled closer to the March 2025 release date.

Ultimately, the animated shorts and new special episode are all part of the build-up for Kaiju No. 8‘s second season. Season 2 was announced earlier this year, and fans are desperate for more episodes with the unserious Kafka and his devastating Kaiju powers. A promo was released for Season 2 on this year’s Kaiju Day (August 5). As well as some new footage, the trailer also revealed a 2025 release window. More details are expected to be announced at this year’s Jump Festa.