What Happens in the Hit Shonen’s Finale?

Warning: The following contains spoilers for Kaiju No. 8 chapter #129

With the release of Chapter 129 on July 17, 2025, one of the pillars of Shōnen Jump+, Naoya Matsumoto’s Kaiju No. 8 manga, has officially ended after surpassing the milestone of five years of publication and 15 volumes. This left many fans wondering about the fate of Kafka and the members of the Japan Anti-Kaiju Defense Force at the end of Kaiju No. 8 manga.

In the manga, Kafka Hibino’s arduous battle after becoming Kaiju No. 8 led him to sacrifice even his humanity in the climax of the Last Wave Arc in the fight against Kaiju No. 9 and the Daikaiju of the Meireki Era. Here’s everything that fans need to know about Kafka’s powers, his relationship with Mina Ashiro, and the future of the Kaiju No. 8 franchise.

What Happens in Kaiju No. 8’s Finale

The final chapter reveals that the sacrifice of Isao Shinomiya, who gave his heart to Kafka to replace his Kaiju core, allowed him to become human again, having awakened after sleeping for four months. However, Kafka was able to keep his hybrid powers. Kafka deduced that Isao convinced the lingering spirits of the samurai of the Meiriki Era to keep lending him their power for the sake of humanity.

The manga also explains what happened to Kaiju No. 9, revealing that his body tissue is being restored in the most secure vault. Six eminent class monsters are being preserved for research purposes, with Kaiju No. 12 showing compatibility with the Vice Commander Hoshina. But the decision to turn it into a weapon is under revision due to its risk.

Kafka was reassigned to the Third Division and promoted to platoon leader for a new unit called Field Analysis Support, with his identity as Kaiju No. 8 being kept as a secret for security. As a result, Kaiju No.8 ‘s final chapter ends with Kafka still getting the opportunity to fight as Kaiju No. 8 and continuing in the Japan Anti-Kaiju Defense Force once again alongside his friends.

What Happens to Kafka and Mina in Kaiju No. 8’s Finale

Although it is subtly implied that Kafka continues to fight side-by-side alongside Mina Ashiro and protect the country as he always dreamed, this isn’t exactly the romantic ending some fans had hoped for. Many readers were hoping the ending would develop Kafka and Mina’s relationship with a confession after delving into the significance of fulfilling their childhood promise in Kaiju No. 8 chapter 109.

However, their reunion was rather cold, appealing to Mina’s stoic personality and position as a commander. Yet, this emphasizes how the Kaiju No. 8 manga was always about friendship, with the final chapter focusing on how Kafka kept his promise of returning to the third division, with their friends waiting for him.

Kaiju No. 8’s Finale Sees the Battle of Japan Anti-Kaiju Defense Force Change for the Better

The consequences of the destruction of the Last Wave arc are soon felt, with the manga showing how humanity once again rebuilds the city with a collective effort, just as Isao Shinomiya told Kafka in Kaiju No. 8 chapter 128. However, the fight against Kaiju No. 9 and the Daikaiju of the Meireki Era had a positive effect on the Japan Anti-Kaiju Defense Force’s public perception.

As seen in the last chapter, the number of enlistment applications for the defense force quadrupled in comparison to previous years, with people valuing the work done by the Japan Anti-Kaiju Defense Force. This is a great advance, as the manga shows that the Kaijus keeps emerging, and the fight continues, so the Defense Force will need all the manpower available.

What Happened to the Main Cast of Kaiju No. 8

Kikoru Shinomiya’s contribution to the Last Wave Arc was more than recognized, being promoted to Vice Commander of the First Unit despite being in her second year in the force, and she also helps control Narumi in the absence of Hasegawa, who transferred to the HQ. This shows how Kikoru continues the legacy of her parents and still aims to become the strongest in the Defense Force and surpass Narumi one day.

Additionally, more members of the third division, Leno Ichikawa, Iharu Furuhashi, Haruichi Izumo, and Aoi Kaguragi, were promoted to platoon leaders. Their growth and effort during the last battle was not only worth it, but also put the combat strength of the third division on par with the first, commanded by Gen Narumi.

What’s Next For Kaiju No. 8 As A Franchise

It’s clear that the author, Naoya Matsumoto, struggled with the tight release schedule of Shōnen Jump, which led to many breaks during the manga’s serialization. While this might decrease the probability of Kaiju No. 8 having a sequel on the horizon, it is still a possibility due to the open ending of Kafka’s story and the anime’s popularity.

Moreover, what fans have been wondering the most is more background about the origins of Kaijus and the Meireki Era, which could be developed into a spin-off prequel similar to My Hero Academia: Vigilantes or even in a special chapter in the next volume.Nevertheless, Kaiju No. 8 already has two full seasons, and the franchise also currently has two spin-off manga available for fans to complement the story.

Certainly, as one of the best new-generation shōnen manga, the finale of the Kaiju No. 8 manga has left a void in fans who expected this to be the definitive goodbye to their beloved characters.

Created by

Naoya Matsumoto

First Episode Air Date

April 13, 2024

Cast

Masaya Fukunishi, Asami Seto, Wataru Kato, Fairouz Ai, Kengo Kawanishi, Yuki Shin, Yuichi Nakamura, Tomokazu Sugita, Megumi Han

Current Series

Kaiju No. 8