It looks like the Kaiju No. 8 franchise just rolled out a new mini-series, and it’s now streaming online. For those who’ve been following the manga or looking forward to the big 2nd season set for 2025, this short-format release might be an interesting side addition rather than a main attraction.
It’s not diving into major plot points or big reveals at least from what’s been shown so far but more like a casual spin-off highlighting the daily lives of Kafka and the other Defense Force members in a simplified, cartoony style.
Instead of sticking to the intense action scenes or the core storyline that fans are probably anticipating in the full anime, the mini-series goes for light, slice-of-life scenarios. You can see that the production team is playing around with the characters in a more low-stakes environment.
You can watch the first episode for free on YouTube but for now no English subtitles have been made available. The episode count for the mini series is also unknown. These mini episodes will release weekly every Friday.
Some will appreciate the break from the grim atmosphere, others might find it a filler distraction before we get the meatier content next year.
There’s no shortage of fans who prefer when a franchise remains focused on the main narrative, but this kind of extra material is nothing new. Anime properties have been doing short-format spinoffs and comedic shorts for a while, especially in the era of YouTube premieres and casual online viewing.
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Considering Kaiju No. 8’s recent popularity, it’s not surprising they’re putting out supplemental content to keep fans engaged. There’s a clear shift over the last decade or so where these minisodes or side projects act as both fan service and additional marketing.
Some viewers will find them refreshing an easy watch that doesn’t demand a lot of time or emotional investment. Others might just skip it, waiting for the main series release and staying focused on what made the manga stand out in the first place.
Kaiju No. 8’s manga first appeared back in mid-2020 on Shueisha’s online platform and has kept a steady release schedule, amassing well over a dozen collected volumes by late 2024.
The anime adaptation, put together by Production I.G, had its initial broadcast in the spring of 2024. A second season is already slated, expected to kick off some time in 2025.
