'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABfAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAcQAAIBBAIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwAEBhEFIQcSMVEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQGEQADAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAxECABQx/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDMsj8XYxzk0TFZrY2yRbETBQ4J7OgBpj+1KMR46ACJYLJlQeoL2iMxA62xP00pRmN3mQ9Heh7HMGmaIzIL8o7/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The teaser preview for the anime adaptation of author and illustrator Naoya Matsumoto’s Kaiju No. 8 manga was released on Thursday, December 15, 2022. While there wasn't much information pertaining to the series in the brief preview, fans did get a look at protagonist Kafka Hibino's character designs as well as a release year for the highly anticipated series.
The Kaiju No. 8 manga has been one of Shueisha’s most popular new offerings, having first begun serialization in July 2020. Since then, per the preview trailer, the series has reached 10 million print copies in circulation, winning and being nominated for several major manga awards along the way.
Follow along as this article fully breaks down this latest Kaiju No. 8 news as well as provides context for the series overall.
Kaiju No. 8 teaser preview reveals Kafka Hibino's character designs, release year for series
The Kaiju No. 8 preview trailer opens with several shots of a ruined Tokyo, as well as a mention and celebration of the manga series reaching 10 million copies in circulation. It then proceeds to show protagonist Kafka Hibino’s human character design before revealing Production I.G. to be the series’ animation studio.
Following the reveal of Hibino's human form, the trailer then shows his Kaiju form, known as the eponymous Kaiju No. 8 monster who turns around to briefly look at the camera before the preview ends by announcing the series’ release year as 2024. This came as something of a shock to fans, who were expecting to see the series hit the small screen sometime in 2023.
The series follows the aforementioned Kafka Hibino, a man in his early 30s who once had aspirations of joining Japan’s National Defense Force. Not only did this fail to happen, but Hibino also broke his promise to his childhood friend Mina Ashiro, with both promising to become members of the Defense Force. Whereas Hibino has given up on his dream, Ashiro is famous as the commander of the Defense Force’s third unit.
Hibino works for kaiju cleanup crew Monster Sweeper Inc., which is responsible for disposing of dead kaiju bodies after battles. This all changes, however, when a small talking monster flies into his body via his mouth, granting him the ability to turn into a monster himself. Thus, the series’ eponymous monster-turned-hero is born.
The series first began serialization on July 3, 2020, and has been serialized at varying, but still regular, paces since first premiering. It has published 8 tankobon volumes as of November 4, 2022, and the trailer (as mentioned above) announced the series to have over 10 million print copies in circulation.
Be sure to keep up with all Kaiju No. 8 anime and manga news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2022 progresses.
