Hot on the heels of the finale of the first season, the series announced that the Kaiju No. 8 manga had shipped 15 million copies in Japan since its serialization on Shonen Jump in 2020 until July 2024. Naoya Matsumoto, creator of Kaiju No. 8, celebrated the milestone with a message to fans and readers of the series and he’s extremely grateful for the reception.
“As of the release of the 13th manga volume on July 4, ‘Kaiju No. 8’ has exceeded 15 million copies printed in Japan,” said Matsumoto. “It’s with the support of so many readers, both those who have been reading the manga for a long time and those who have newly started after watching the anime, we have been able to accumulate such a large number of readers! I am truly grateful to all of you. Though the story might be reaching its peak but I will continue to draw ‘Kaiju No. 8’ with all my might, so please continue to support the series!”
The end of the anime’s first season and certain parts of Matsumoto’s commemoration message led to speculation about the future of Kaiju No. 8. However, given the success of the manga and anime (helmed by Production I.G.), it can be surmised that the artist might have been referring to the anime adaptation’s ending, or the current arc in the manga reaching its peak.
Nevertheless, while no official word has come from official Shonen Jump channels and publisher Shueisha, Matsumoto assures fans that he will continue working on the series with all his might as season 2 of the Kaiju No. 8 anime adaptation is already in production as of the time of writing.
The Kaiju No. 8 manga is serialized on Shonen Jump+ with an official English translation available from VIZ Media while the anime is currently available for streaming on various platfroms.
A special exhibition featuring 120 pieces of artwork and life-sized props based on Kaiju No. 8 as well as a unique visitor experience will be held at the Gallery AaMo venue in Tokyo Dome City, Tokyo, Japan from September 13, 2024, until November 10, 2024. – Words by Michael Dominic Paz
Source: Comic Natalie via Crunchyroll