Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 Cast & OP Song

It has been revealed that Yasumoto Hiroki will play the role of Hasegawa Eiji and Hanazawa Kana will play the role of Shinonome Rin in the TV anime “Kaiju No. 8 (Season 2)” which will begin airing on July 19th. It has also been decided that Norwegian singer-songwriter AURORA will be in charge of the opening theme song, and the main PV “New Threat Edition” has been released.

The original work, which is being serialized by Matsumoto Naoya on Shueisha’s manga app “Shonen Jump +”, is a popular monster battle action manga that has exceeded 18 million copies in total circulation. Set in Japan where monsters appear one after another, it depicts the struggles of 32-year-old Hibino Kafka (CV: Fukunishi Katsuya), who has been transformed into a monster, as he works hard as a defense force member who protects the peace he has always dreamed of. The first season of the TV anime, animated by Production I.G, known for the “Ghost in the Shell” series, was broadcast in 2024 with a total of 12 episodes. The special episode “Hoshina’s Holiday” will air on July 5th, just before the start of the second season.

Hasegawa, played by Yasumoto, is a deputy commander of the Japan Defense Force 1st Unit, Japan’s strongest anti-monster force, and serves as a good assistant to Narumi Gen (Uchiyama Kouki), the commander. Hanazawa plays Shinonome, a platoon leader of the 1st Unit who is adept at using large firearms.

The title of the opening theme song sung by AURORA, who played the mysterious voice role in the animated film “Frozen 2” and participated in the song “Into the Unknown”, has been decided to be “You Can’t Run From Yourself”.

The main PV “New Threat Edition” uses “You Can’t Run From Yourself”, and Hasegawa and Shinonome appear with their voices. The video shows the strengthened 1st Unit, which has added Kafka and Shinomiya Kikoru (Fairouz Ai) to its members, facing off against Kaiju No. 9, which has a different appearance from the first season.

It has also been decided that an advance screening of episodes 1 and 2 will be held at TOHO Cinemas Hibiya in Tokyo on July 13th. After the screening, Uchiyama, Yasumoto, Seto Masami who plays Ashiro Mina, and Kawanishi Kengo who plays Hoshina Soushirou will give a speech on stage. Advance ticket lottery applications will begin on June 28th.

The full comment from AURORA is below.

[AURORA (Opening Theme Song)]

I’ve always loved anime, and I don’t think my love for it will ever change. I feel so honored to have been able to create this song for “Kaiju No. 8”. When I went to Japan, I met all the wonderful people who support “Kaiju No. 8” and had a wonderful time. I even met Godzilla (at Toho). I hope this song will take me to Japan again, because being in Japan makes my heart flutter.

TOHO animation channel

Channel subscriber count: 3.68 million

Main PV for the second season of the anime “Kaiju No. 8” [New Threat] | Broadcast and distribution starts every Saturday from 23:00 on July 19th

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Hiroki Yasumoto, Kana Hanazawa Join the Cast; AURORA to Perform OP Theme for New Threat Arc

The announcement of Hiroki Yasumoto and Kana Hanazawa joining Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 adds significant depth and star power to the upcoming arc. Yasumoto’s commanding voice and Hanazawa’s emotional range suggest that their characters will play crucial roles in the unfolding threat.

Furthermore, the involvement of AURORA, known for her ethereal and cinematic sound, as the opening theme artist, indicates a tonal shift toward something darker and more epic. The newly released “New Threat Edition” PV also reinforces this, showcasing intense action and ominous visuals.

Season 2 seems poised to elevate the stakes dramatically, pushing Kafka and his allies into a more dangerous and emotionally complex battlefield. The anticipation is now higher than ever for fans of the series.