Kaiju No. 8was a massive hit in its first season, so the second season was highly anticipated. Fortunately,Kaiju No. 8season 2 is looking very promising, as the first few episodes (which were provided for review) introduce new characters, get down to business quickly, and keep up with the series' beloved characters as they split up for different squads.
Kaiju No. 8season 1 followed Kafka Hibino, a man who dreamed of joining the Kaiju defense force, only to end up working in Kaiju clean-up. Spurred on by a new colleague, Reno Ichikawa, Kafka attempts to join the Defense Force one last time, in hopes of living up to a childhood dream of fighting alongside his friend, Defense Force Captain Mina Ashiro.
Unfortunately for Kafka, he is assaulted by a small Kaiju parasite, which causes him to gain the ability to transform into a Kaiju at will. Dubbed “Kaiju Number Eight” by the Defense Force, Kafka must keep his power a secret, lest he be destroyed, but he still stubbornly pursues a role in the Defense Force, even knowing what might happen if he’s discovered.
Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 Starts Strong
Season 2 Begins With a Bang
At the end ofKaiju No. 8season 1, Kafka’s secret was discovered, and he was taken to a secret facility to test how human he truly is. After a close call losing control, Kafka is determined to be a powerful potential weapon, and is allowed to be redeployed to the field as Kaiju No. 8. Kafka is assigned to the First Division, the same place where Shinomiya was assigned.
That, of course, opens the door to introducing a variety of new characters in the First Division, such as the Captain of the First Division, Gen Narumi, an otaku who happens to be incredibly skilled at facing Kaiju with his powerful Numbers weapon.Narumi only cares about results, and sets Shinomiya and Kafka free to prove their usefulness.
Meanwhile, Ichikawa and the other trainees of the Third Division are getting used to their own new assignments, which see them meeting new colleagues and preparing for battle as well.
Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 Is Already Escalating From Season 1
Kaiju No. 8’s First Season Cliffhanger Was Perfect
Kaiju No. 8ended its first season with a major cliffhanger regarding Kafka’s fate, and season 2 begins almost exactly where season 1 ended. While it’s been decided that Kafka won’t be killed, just what he will be allowed to do is still under debate. With Kafka desperate to prove his usefulness and make his way to Mina’s side, he’s open to any test.
The season premiere for season 2 looks as good as almost any other episode of the series, and the animation quality continues to be high.Of special note is the series' music — both the soundtracks and the opening and ending themes are incredible and fit well with the series, picking up where season 1 left off with its music.
A fun element from the first episode is the Kaiju attack, with the first Kaiju of the season looking suspiciously similar tothe father of all Kaiju, Godzilla. Seeing the First Division handle such a classic Kaiju design is a real treat, and using Godzilla’s familiar form helps to underscore the level of skill which the First Division purportedly possesses.
The pacing of the series is quite excellent so far, picking up and running from where season 1 ended. The splitting up of the group of main characters is a tough blow, but it allows for many new characters to be introduced, so the series will have to prove that these new characters can be just as endearing as Kafka’s fellow recruits were in season 1.
Season 2 Of Kaiju No. 8 Picks Up The Themes Of Season 1
Season 2 Brings The Question Of Kafka’s Humanity To The Center
Throughout season 1, Kafka’s humanity was taken for granted; however, that all changed with the last few episodes, which forced him to reveal his secret identity as Kaiju No. 8. Kafka is taken into custody and treated like an enemy, to the point where he eventually lost control of his Kaiju form and nearly killed Shinomiya’s father, the director of the Defense Force.
Kafka is terrified of losing control like that again, and there are big consequences for him as a result of his feelings towards transforming.This is looking to be a major theme of season 2; while he had no problems with embracing his power before, the sudden loss of control has spooked him to such an extent that Kafka may not be the same.
With excellent music (including the new opening and ending themes), good animation, and some solid character arcs for the season beginning to take shape, it has managed to live up to expectations and create a series that continues on.
It will be interesting to see how the series manages to keep up with all the characters introduced last season, especially now that they’ve been scattered to the winds and are no longer all part of one squad. While the story checks in with Ichikawa and Shinomiya relatively quickly, the other more minor characters are still somewhat of a mystery.
All in all,Kaiju No. 8season 2is shaping up to be a worthy successor to the first season. With excellent music (including the new opening and ending themes), good animation, and some solid character arcs for the season beginning to take shape, it has managed to live up to expectations.
Kaiju No. 8, Season 2 premieres on Crunchyroll on July 19, 2025, with new episodes airing each Saturday thereafter.
