Rumours are spreading on social media that an anime adaptation of the Kaiju No. 8 manga series will finally be put into production soon.
Whilst anime-only fans will understandably enjoy watching their favourite shows on the small or big screen, manga fans around the world are still waiting patiently for their favourite series to be adapted for TV.
One of the biggest (figuratively and literally) ongoing manga in the world is Kaiju No. 8, a monstrous series that tells the story of Kafkka Hibino, a young man who gains the ability to transform into a city-destroying creature.
This week, fresh rumours of a Kaiju No. 8 anime adaptation are sweeping the internet, but what do we know about the potential TV production so far?
Rumours spread online about a Kaiju No. 8 anime
Fresh rumours about an anime adaptation of the Kaiju No. 8 manga series by Naoya Matsumoto are circulating online.
The buzz surrounding a potential TV production of the Kaiju No. 8 manga was started with the JP Anime Twitter page shared breaking news on March 23rd.
The Twitter post stated that “Kaiju No. 8″ (Kaijuu 8-gou), a sci-fi – horror manga themed created by Matsumoto, Naoya receives an anime adaptation and will be produce by TOHO Animation.”
This information has yet to be officially confirmed by any third-party associated with the series, with JP Anime noting that an “official announcement [coming] soon.”
The post also stated that TOHO will be the series’ producer, not the animation studio that will actually work on creating a TV adaptation.
Interestingly, AnimeJapan 2022’s Twitter page recently ran a poll asking fans which original manga series they would like to see animated, with Kaiju No. 8 ranking as the 10th most anticipated production.
Various theories about the potential animation studio have already begun popping up online, with the popular YouTuber ForneverWorld commenting on how the perception of an anime adaptation will change.
“Kaiju No. 8. We are in a different era, Kaiju No. 8 is coming into a different time and era in anime and manga where art and animation are so important. Before it always used to be about story and I think in the world of manga, story is still very crucial – even if you have the most gorgeous art style but your story sucks, 9 times out of 10 you’re probably not going to go anywhere. In anime, as long as something looks really gorgeous because anime is more appreciated and more accepted medium than manga.” – ForneverWorld, via YouTube.
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A monstrous Kaiju No. 8 manga series
The Kaiju No. 8 manga series began serialisation in Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ magazine in July 2020 and at the time of writing, has released six volumes in Japan.
The series has experienced widespread success both domestically in Japan and with fans around the world, frequently featuring on various ‘Best Manga of the Year’ lists.
In fact, Kaiju No. 8 ranked as one of the top 10 manga of 2021 at the School Library Journal, ranked third for male readers in 2022 in Kono Manga ga Sugoi and second in the Nationwide Bookstore Employees’ Recommended Comics of 2022.
By the end of December 2020, the series had reportedly surpassed 30 million views, rising to 70 million by February 2021 and sitting at over 100 million views by April the same year.
As of March 2022, there are reportedly over 6.7 million copies in circulation, with the series selling 22,041 copies in France during its first week – making it the best-selling manga debut in France’s history.
How to read the original manga series in English
Whilst Kaiju No. 8 has received six complete manga volumes in Japan, the English release is lagging behind; only one volume has been published so far, with volume 2 set to launch in April 2022.
The easiest and cheapest way to read the Kaiju No. 8 manga series is through digital platforms Viz Media and Manga More. Both services provide online access to the entire catalogue of chapters, with a subscription currently priced at just $1.99 a month.
Physical copies can be purchased through Viz Media, as well as Amazon, Book Depository, Waterstones, Bookshop and your local comic book shop.
Digital versions can be acquired through Google Play, iBooks, Kindle and Barnes & Noble.
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By Tom Llewellyn – [email protected]
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