Kaiju No. 8 manga set to end in 2 chapters

Kaiju No. 8, created by Naoya Matsumoto, is one of the most popular shonen manga in recent history. The series has been serialized in Shonen Jump+ since July 2020 and has been going strong for nearly 5 years. While its pacing was hampered due to a bi-weekly schedule with frequent hiatuses, most were still excited to see where it was headed.

Pairing this was a popular anime adaptation by Production I.G. Given that the upcoming sequel will be available in the Summer 2025 season, and the exciting events in the manga, there was no reason to believe the series was anywhere near its end. However, most of the fanbase has been shocked by the recent announcement that the Kaiju No. 8 manga will be ending with chapter 129, which is two chapters from now.

Hence, should there be no further breaks, fans of the series will be bidding adieu to it within just a month. This has understandably created outrage among viewers, most of whom were expecting the series to go on for much longer due to its incomplete storylines.

Why Kaiju No. 8 should not end so soon

Shonen manga has had a notorious reputation for either rushing its final arcs to a conclusion or stretching them out for profit. Kaiju No. 8 falls within the former category and will go down as a standout case of missed potential. Ever since the beginning, Naoya Matsumoto’s comic stood out, featuring the middle-aged Kafka Hibino trying to fulfill his childhood dream of defeating the monstrous Kaiju and protecting his loved ones.

After turning into a humanoid Kaiju himself, however, Kafka had to hide his identity and face all sorts of dangerous opponents. Surrounded by fascinating side characters and villains, the series delved deep into its cast and their development. Though initially a captivating mix of comedy and action, with the introduction of Kaiju No. 9, it became a more typical battle shonen featuring heavy drama.

Nevertheless, though this took away from what made Kaiju No. 8 unique, it remained enjoyable to read. Most importantly, the recent installments of the manga revealed big twists, such as the lore and origin of Kafka's powers as well as the main antagonist, the Meireki Era Mega Monster. Though the past few chapters saw the cast come close to defeating this creature, no one actually thought they would achieve their goal so soon.

However, if only two chapters are left, it would confirm that Kafka and the Defense Force will successfully kill Meireki in just over 10 chapters after its introduction. For a monster believed to be the most dangerous in history, beating it with the “power of friendship”, where there have been no deaths among the main cast, seems far-fetched, even for a shonen manga such as this.

Additionally, several plot threads are incomplete and will have to be rushed to a conclusion. Mina and Kafka have yet to have a proper reunion, Isao's fate has not been addressed in detail, and important characters like Kikoru, Reno, Hoshina, Narumi and more have had no closure.

With the massive revelation that Kafka's abilities can be traced back centuries, readers were also hopeful to learn more about the expansive world of the series. Unfortunately, it is unlikely for any of these to take place, unless Matsumoto explains them through a sequel or spin-off manga. Given the haphazard manner in which Kaiju No. 8 is ending, such a continuation feels improbable, leaving the series as one of the biggest "what if" cases in the manga industry.

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