Warning: The following contains spoilers for Kaiju No. 8 manga chapter 128!!
WhileKaiju No. 8’s anime adaptation is gearing up for its second season, scheduled to premiere on August 08, 2025, fans already have confirmation of when its manga will end. Fans will have to saygoodbye toKaiju No. 8’smangawith the release of chapter 129 on May 25, 2025. But even if all great stories must come to an end, the rocky path towards its finale may havedecreased fans' expectations ofKaiju No. 8manga having a satisfying conclusion.
The news aboutKaiju No. 8’s manga being close to wrapping up didn’t come as much of a shock for fans, as its author, Naoya Matsumoto, announced the story had reached its climax almost a year ago. However, rather than successfully closing on the character’s narratives,the last stretch ofKaiju No. 8has some sticking issuesthat are hard to overlook, with the recently released chapter 128 making one of the biggest plot points in the final arc of the manga feel underwhelming.
The Ending of Kaiju No. 8’s Final Battle Feels Anticlimactic
Kaiju No. 8 Final Arc Has Glaring Pacing Issues
One of the things that has been emphasized during the final arc ofKaiju No. 8is the consequences and sacrifices that come along with fighting the Kaijus. This theme reaches an ultimate point in chapter #118 whenKafka gains a new Kaiju form after replacing his heart with a core, giving up his own humanityfor the sake of saving everyone. This became an emotional, charged moment as it seemingly erased the possibility of Kafka returning to being a full-fledged human again. However, this was scrapped inKaiju No. 8chapter #128 in a lackluster way by having Isao Shinomiya give his heart to Kafka.
While this doesn’t go againstKaiju No. 8’s story because it was established that making contact with kaiju tissue could create an interface which would have allowed Isao to transfer his heart tissue to Kafka, the fact that the resolution came by the only character who was already established to be death felt lackluster andtook away the tension and weight of Kafka’s decision.
This makes the end of the final battle feel anticlimactic, and that its ending lacked enough impact. Furthermore, this adds to howKaiju No. 8’s final arc has been characterized by its awkward pacing, dragging key scenes for too long by including several characters' reactions or many panels for a single attack, which felt even more disconcerting for readers due to the manga not having a fixed schedule.
Kaiju No. 8’s Manga Ending Is Shaping Up to Be Disappointing
The latest developments signal thatKaiju No. 8’s manga will end with Kafka becoming a normal human again without experiencing any kind of consequences or many casualties and rebuilding the city and with the Defense Force continuing to protect the country in the future. While this won’t be a bad finale, givenKaiju No. 8’s lighthearted tone and that it was stated by Kafka that his only dream was to fight side-by-side with Mina, which has already been fulfilled, it’sa lackluster and generic shōnen ending despite the incredible potential and popularity of the series.
However, there’s also the possibility ofKaiju No. 8’s last chapter revealing that Kafka is now capable of wielding a number of weapons due to his new connection with Isao Shinomiya or that his initial 0% unleashed combat suit’s power was due to him trying to suppress his hybrid nature or his kaiju part interfering with the results. Furthermore,Kafka may still return to being a Kaiju hybridas a result of its replaced core, which will still be an optimistic final and will tie in with the story’s connection withTheMetamorphosisby Franz Kafka.
Kaiju No. 8’s Story Has Potential To Continue
Kaiju No. 8’s manga ending may leave several plot points in the air, like how little fans know about the Kaijus, as even though they have been mentioned as being a global threat, these were just scratched on the surface without revealing how other countries battle them, as well as the number weapons 3, 5, and 7 that were only mentioned but never shown in the story.
This could have led to another arc that expanded the series' world-building, highlighting the potential ofKaiju No. 8’s story for a possible spin-off series. Still,Kaiju No. 8isn’t the onlyShōnen Jump series with a divisive final arc. Furthermore, despite its problems,Kaiju No. 8is still a great story that fans should continueeven more thanks to the anime adaptation, which could address the issues in its final arc and maybefurther extend the manga’s ending.
Kaiju No. 8
Cast
Kaiju No. 8 follows Kafka Hibino, who dreams of joining The Defense Force alongside childhood friend Mina Ashiro in a world beset by Kaiju. Kafka’s path diverges as he works cleaning up post-battle, but his encounter with Reno Ichikawa reignites his vow to defend humanity. Released in 2024.
