1
Kaiju No. 8
Start here. Twelve episodes covering the first five manga volumes, from Kafka's transformation through the Tachikawa base attack.
5 titles
Updated Sep 6, 2026
Kaiju No. 8 Watch Order (2026 Guide)
A man who cleans up dead kaiju for a living turns into one himself, and has to hide it while chasing the job he gave up on: fighting them from inside the Defense Force.
Recommended Order
Quick answer
- Kaiju No. 8
- Kaiju No. 8 Season 2
Plus 2 optional extras and 1 more title.
2 titles · 23 episodes · ~9 hours
The story runs in a straight line, so release order is the right order: Season 1, then Season 2, then the announced Final Chapter when it arrives. Two standalone specials sit outside the plot and can be watched whenever you like once you know the cast.
2
Kaiju No. 8 Season 2
Eleven episodes picking up immediately from the Season 1 ending, running to the start of the eleventh manga volume. There is no recap at the front, so watch it directly after Season 1.
Optional Extras
3
Kaiju No. 8: Hoshina’s Day Off
A single original episode with no equivalent in the manga, written for the screen by Yuto Tsukuda. Reno and Iharu spend their day off tailing Vice-Captain Hoshina, convinced he is up to something. Watch it any time after Season 1.
4
Narumi’s Week at Work
Four original shorts about Captain Narumi's ordinary working days, released weekly from 5 September 2026 on TOHO animation's YouTube channel and Crunchyroll. Season 2 introduces him, so watch it first.
Coming Soon
5
Kaiju No. 8 Final Chapter
Announced at Jump Festa in December 2025 as the ending of the adaptation, with Production I.G returning. It continues from the end of Season 2 and covers the manga through its final chapter.
⚠ No release date, episode count, or format has been announced — it has not been confirmed as a television season rather than a film.
Why This Order
There is no puzzle here. Season 2 opens on the situation Season 1 closes with, and the Final Chapter was announced as the adaptation's endpoint rather than another arc in the middle, so the three main pieces stack in the obvious way.
What needs explaining is the material around the edges. Hoshina's Day Off is a fully original episode written for the screen rather than adapted from the manga, and it first appeared in cinemas attached to a Season 1 recap film in March 2025 before reaching streaming that July. Narumi's Week at Work does the same thing for a different character and is releasing weekly as of September 2026. Neither carries plot, and neither is required for the Final Chapter to make sense.
The recap film itself is not listed here. It condenses Season 1 and adds nothing except the Hoshina episode, which is listed separately below, so watching it after the season it summarises has no purpose.
How Many Episodes and Seasons Does Kaiju No. 8 Have?
Kaiju No. 8 has 2 seasons in the main run — 23 episodes altogether.
Main Run
| Title | Type | Episodes | Aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiju No. 8 | TV Series | 12 episodes | April 2024 |
| Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 | TV Series | 11 episodes | July 2025 |
Optional Extras
| Title | Type | Episodes | Aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiju No. 8: Hoshina’s Day Off | Special | 1 episode | March 2025 |
| Narumi’s Week at Work | Special | 4 episodes | September 2026 |
Coming Soon
| Title | Type | Episodes | Aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiju No. 8 Final Chapter | — | — |
2 titles · 23 episodes · ~9 hours
Source Material
Where each part of the anime lines up with the source, so you know where to pick up reading.
Manga
Completed
Kaiju No.8
Season 1
Source Vols. 1-5
Season 2
Source Vols. 5-11
Kaiju No. 8 Spin-offs and Side Stories
Only spin-offs that tie into the main story are listed here — anthologies, fan books and the like are left out.
Kaiju No. 8: B-Side
Side Story Manga
Kaiju No. 8: Relax
Spin-off Manga
Naoya Matsumoto's manga ran on Shonen Jump+ from July 2020 to 18 July 2025 and is complete at 129 chapters in sixteen volumes, with the final volume published in September 2025. The anime has adapted it continuously so far, and Season 2 stops a short way into volume 11 — which makes that volume the place to pick up, with volume 10 the better choice if you want the material the season moved through quickly. The announced Final Chapter is set to cover the rest, so the whole ending exists in print now while the animated version does not yet. Viz Media publishes the series in English in print and digitally.
Kaiju No. 8 Watch Order FAQ
How do I watch Kaiju No. 8 in order?
Season 1, then Season 2, then the Final Chapter when it is released. That is all you need. The two specials — Hoshina's Day Off and Narumi's Week at Work — are optional and can go anywhere after the seasons that introduce their characters.
Is there an English dub?
Yes, for everything that has aired. Crunchyroll has dubbed both seasons and Hoshina's Day Off, with the cast unchanged across them — Kafka is voiced by Ian Sinclair and Hoshina by Landon McDonald. Narumi's Week at Work is releasing subtitled first, and no dub has been confirmed for the Final Chapter.
Are there any filler episodes?
None. Both seasons adapt the manga continuously, running from chapter one through to the eleventh volume without inserting anime-original arcs. The only material outside the manga is the two standalone specials, and both are clearly separate from the main run — Hoshina's Day Off was written for the screen by Yuto Tsukuda rather than adapted from anything.
Where can I watch Kaiju No. 8?
Crunchyroll carries both seasons and Hoshina's Day Off with subtitles and dubs. Narumi's Week at Work goes up weekly on TOHO animation's YouTube channel and on Crunchyroll in most regions. Availability varies by country.
Do I need to watch the Mission Recon film?
No. Mission Recon is a compilation film that condenses Season 1, released in Japanese cinemas in March 2025 and in North America that April. Its one piece of new content was Hoshina's Day Off, which has been available separately on streaming since 5 July 2025, so there is nothing in the film you cannot get elsewhere.
Is Kaiju No. 8 finished?
The anime is not. Season 2's final episode aired on 27 September 2025, and a Final Chapter was announced at Jump Festa on 20 December 2025 with no date attached. The manga is finished — it ran from July 2020 to 18 July 2025 and ended at 129 chapters across sixteen volumes.
How many episodes are there?
Twenty-three across the two seasons: twelve in the first and eleven in the second, running roughly nine hours in total. Adding both specials brings it to twenty-eight pieces of animation, though the specials are short.
Where should I start reading the manga after the anime?
Volume 11. Season 2 stops a short way into it, so starting there picks up almost exactly where the anime leaves off. If you would rather not miss the parts Season 2 compressed, start at volume 10 instead. Viz Media publishes the series in English.