Naoya Matsumoto is a Japanese manga artist from Hyōgo Prefecture. He graduated from the Asagaya College of Art and Design and has cited Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball as a key inspiration for his decision to become a manga artist. His professional career began in 2005 when he became a finalist for the 22nd Jump Twelve Newcomer Manga Award with the one-shot SPIRITUAL PEOPLE. Later that same year, he won the 27th Jump Twelve Newcomer Manga Award’s Twelve Grand Prize for his work Nekoromansā, which was published in Akamaru Jump in 2006 and is considered his official debut.

Matsumoto’s first serialized manga was Neko Wappa!, which follows his 2009 one-shot of the same name published in Weekly Shonen Jump as part of the JG1 One-Shot Festival. The series ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2009 to 2010. His next serialized work, Pochikuro, began as a one-shot in Shonen Jump NEXT! in 2013 before being serialized on the Shonen Jump+ platform from 2014 to 2015.

Matsumoto is best known as the creator of Kaiju No. 8, which began serialization on Shonen Jump+ on July 3, 2020. The manga concluded on July 18, 2025, after a five-year run, with its chapters collected into 16 volumes. The series became a flagship title for the platform, breaking readership records and accumulating over 18 million copies in circulation. Kaiju No. 8 was adapted into an anime television series by Production I.G, which first aired in April 2024. Matsumoto was actively involved in the production of the anime adaptation, following its development closely. He was also deeply involved in the creation of Kaiju No. 8 The Game, where he provided crucial advice and support to the development team, approved the original storyline, and helped define character designs to ensure they fit the world of the series.

Beyond the main series, Matsumoto’s work has expanded into several related media. He provided the original character designs for the light novel Kaiju No. 8: Exclusive on the Third Division. The franchise also includes spin-off manga such as Kaiju No. 8: B-Side and Kaiju No. 8 Relax. The anime universe was further expanded with an original episode titled Hoshina’s Day Off, which is featured in the omnibus film Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon, alongside a recap of the first season. A short-form anime series, Minute! Kaiju No. 8, also exists within the franchise.

Thematically, Matsumoto’s work on Kaiju No. 8 is heavily influenced by tokusatsu media, particularly the Ultraman series. He has expressed a desire to tell a story about a protagonist who pursues a goal while concealing his identity from a hostile organization, a concept he found particularly entertaining. The struggles of the main character, Kafka Hibino, were partly inspired by Matsumoto’s own experiences in the manga industry. His artistic identity is also defined by his direct and hands-on involvement in adaptations of his work, ensuring that his vision is carried across different media.