Naoya Matsumoto’s hit monster-smashing shonen manga Kaiju No. 8 is getting an anime series adaptation next year, having quickly won a loyal following since its 2020 debut in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump and proven a hit on the publisher’s Jump+ app. A new trailer for the project dropped this weekend, with distributor TOHO Animation setting a release window for April of 2024 and announcing the first Japanese voice cast members.
Produced by the acclaimed Production I.G studio (FLCL Progressive / Alternative, Psycho-Pass, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex), the series is set in a world plagued by terrifying creatures known as Kaiju, and follows a young man whose goal is to enlist in the Japan Defense Force to fight against them. The Kaiju design supervision is handled by Hideaki Anno’s studio, Khara.
Synopsis: “Let’s wipe out the Kaiju together,” Kafka Hibino pledged to his childhood friend, Mina Ashiro. Over time, life circumstances forced them to go their separate ways and caused him to abandon his lifelong ambition. Kafta now finds himself employed by Monster Sweeper, Inc., a professional cleaning company that specializes in cleaning up the aftermath of Kaiju battles. Meanwhile, Mina Ashiro is now the Captain of the Defense Force’s 3rd Division. As it stands, Kafka is unworthy of fighting Kaiju alongside her.
At work, Kafka crosses paths with the highly motivated Reno Ichikawa. Reno’s undying determination to join the Defense Force leaves no room for failure. His perseverance reawakens Kafka’s ambition of standing next to Mina as they protect humanity from Kaiju together. A dream frozen by time, thawed by a burning promise … But Kafka doesn’t know that an imminent Kaiju threat is unexpectedly approaching him.
The just-announced voice cast features Masaya Fukunishi (Yuuji in The First Slam Dunk, Gege in Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger) as Kafka Hibino / Kaiju No. 8, Wataru Kato (Touka in The Legendary Hero Is Dead!, Martis in Aoashi) as Reno Ichikawa and Asami Seto (Nobara in Jujutsu Kaisen, Aoi in Birdie Wing) as Mina Ashiro.
You can keep tabs on the Kaiju No. 8 anime via the official website.
[H/T Comicbook.com]
