Image: 3. Division der Verteidigungskräfte, Naoya Matsumoto/Shueisha
AMBot | 08/05/2026 | Reading Time: 4 Min.
The anime adaptation of Naoya Matsumoto's monster action manga "Kaiju No. 8" is getting a new short spin-off: The original short anime "Narumi no Heijitsu" (freely translated: "Narumi's Daily Routine") will be broadcast starting September 5, 2026, weekly on Saturdays at 8:00 PM Japan time on the YouTube channel "TOHO animation" and other platforms. A total of four episodes are planned. Along with the announcement, the first trailer was released, showing moving scenes from the short anime for the first time.
At the center of the series is Gen Narumi, the strongest man in the Japanese Defense Force, whose daily life is anything but quiet. The story is written by Tsukuru Watanabe, who publishes the spin-off manga "Kaiju No. 8 RELAX" in "Saikyo Jump." The trailer shows Narumi in numerous situations previously unknown from the TV series, and also features characters who have had only a few appearances in the main work so far.
The four episodes will be released on consecutive Saturdays: On September 5, Episode 1 "Shotaicho no Honne-hen" ("The True Feelings of the Small Leader") starts, followed on September 12 by "Fukutaicho no Nayami-hen" ("The Worries of the Vice Commander"), on September 19 "Nishi no Aitsu-hen" ("That Guy from the West"), and on September 26 "Doki no Kizuna-hen" ("The Bond of Comrades") concludes the series.
The production is again handled by the team of the TV series: Direction by Shigeyuki Miya, character design by Tetsuya Nishio, kaiju design by Masahiro Maeda, and music composed by Yuta Bando. The monster design is again handled by Studio Khara, with animation by Production I.G. Koki Uchiyama voices Gen Narumi.
The short anime is part of a franchise that has been internationally successful for years. The manga by Naoya Matsumoto ran from July 2020 to July 2025 in the app "Shonen Jump+" and concluded with Volume 16; in Japan, more than 19 million copies have been sold including digital editions. The first TV season aired from April to June 2024, and the second season followed from July to September 2025. Already at "Jump Festa 2026" at the end of last year, the organizers had announced both the short anime and the production of a final season.
Additionally, new details about the event "Anime 'Kaiju No. 8' – Defense Force Bootcamp in Tachikawa" were revealed, which will take place on October 24, 2026, at the Tachikawa Stage Garden in Tokyo. The accompanying key visual shows the characters in autumn clothing instead of the usual combat suits. The program includes live voice acting, so-called bootcamp activities, and a drama reading written specifically for the evening. Announced guests include Masaya Fukunishi (Kafka Hibino), Asami Seto (Mina Ashiro), Wataru Kato (Reno Ichikawa), Fairouz Ai (Kikoru Shinomiya), Kengo Kawanishi (Soshiro Hoshina), Yuki Shin (Iharu Furuhashi), Koki Uchiyama (Gen Narumi), and Hiroki Yasumoto (Eiji Hasegawa). Tickets cost 11,000 yen for the S category and 8,500 yen for the A category; versions with collectibles are 13,000 and 10,500 yen respectively. The second pre-sale lottery runs until September 6, and general ticket sales begin on September 25.
Furthermore, the franchise celebrates "8 Day" on August 5: On this date, protagonist Kafka Hibino has his birthday. To mark the occasion, a birthday visual was released showing Kafka eating heartily, accompanied by messages from his comrades Reno and Kikoru. Additional birthday visuals for other characters have already been announced.
At the center of the series is Gen Narumi, the strongest man in the Japanese Defense Force, whose daily life is anything but quiet. The story is written by Tsukuru Watanabe, who publishes the spin-off manga "Kaiju No. 8 RELAX" in "Saikyo Jump." The trailer shows Narumi in numerous situations previously unknown from the TV series, and also features characters who have had only a few appearances in the main work so far.
The four episodes will be released on consecutive Saturdays: On September 5, Episode 1 "Shotaicho no Honne-hen" ("The True Feelings of the Small Leader") starts, followed on September 12 by "Fukutaicho no Nayami-hen" ("The Worries of the Vice Commander"), on September 19 "Nishi no Aitsu-hen" ("That Guy from the West"), and on September 26 "Doki no Kizuna-hen" ("The Bond of Comrades") concludes the series.
The production is again handled by the team of the TV series: Direction by Shigeyuki Miya, character design by Tetsuya Nishio, kaiju design by Masahiro Maeda, and music composed by Yuta Bando. The monster design is again handled by Studio Khara, with animation by Production I.G. Koki Uchiyama voices Gen Narumi.
The short anime is part of a franchise that has been internationally successful for years. The manga by Naoya Matsumoto ran from July 2020 to July 2025 in the app "Shonen Jump+" and concluded with Volume 16; in Japan, more than 19 million copies have been sold including digital editions. The first TV season aired from April to June 2024, and the second season followed from July to September 2025. Already at "Jump Festa 2026" at the end of last year, the organizers had announced both the short anime and the production of a final season.
Additionally, new details about the event "Anime 'Kaiju No. 8' – Defense Force Bootcamp in Tachikawa" were revealed, which will take place on October 24, 2026, at the Tachikawa Stage Garden in Tokyo. The accompanying key visual shows the characters in autumn clothing instead of the usual combat suits. The program includes live voice acting, so-called bootcamp activities, and a drama reading written specifically for the evening. Announced guests include Masaya Fukunishi (Kafka Hibino), Asami Seto (Mina Ashiro), Wataru Kato (Reno Ichikawa), Fairouz Ai (Kikoru Shinomiya), Kengo Kawanishi (Soshiro Hoshina), Yuki Shin (Iharu Furuhashi), Koki Uchiyama (Gen Narumi), and Hiroki Yasumoto (Eiji Hasegawa). Tickets cost 11,000 yen for the S category and 8,500 yen for the A category; versions with collectibles are 13,000 and 10,500 yen respectively. The second pre-sale lottery runs until September 6, and general ticket sales begin on September 25.
Furthermore, the franchise celebrates "8 Day" on August 5: On this date, protagonist Kafka Hibino has his birthday. To mark the occasion, a birthday visual was released showing Kafka eating heartily, accompanied by messages from his comrades Reno and Kikoru. Additional birthday visuals for other characters have already been announced.
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This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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