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Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kaiju No. 8 season 2 release date and streaming platforms confirmed: Anime fans rejoice, call it 'better than Solo Leveling'
Kaiju No. 8 season 2 release date and streaming platforms confirmed: After months of anticipation, Kaiju No. 8 fans finally have something solid to look forward to. The anime's official website and social media accounts confirmed that season 2 is coming this July, which is sooner than fans had expected. The second season will stream globally, just like the first, with Crunchyroll and X carrying the episodes outside of Japan. Along with an announcement, a powerful new key visual showing the Defense Force in full action mode was also released. A look back at Kaiju No. 8's story Based on Naoya Matsumoto's manga, Kaiju No. 8 follows Kafka Hibino, a man who once dreamed of fighting Kaiju but ended up working as part of a clean-up crew instead. His childhood promise to Mina Ashiro, now a Captain in the Defense Force, has long since faded but a chance encounter with a determined recruit named Reno Ichikawa brings back his almost dead passion. What Kafka doesn't expect is the transformation he undergoes, turning into a half-Kaiju himself. As season 1 ended, Kafka's secret was exposed, and he was recruited on a probationary basis to help the Defense Force, which is keeping a very close eye on whether his monstrous side will go out of control. When is Kaiju No. 8 season 2 coming out? Mark your calendars. Kaiju No. 8 season 2 officially premieres on July 19, and for the fans who have been keeping score, that's right in the thick of the Summer 2025 anime season. Where to watch Kaiju No. 8 season 2? The show will air in Japan and stream globally at the same time via Crunchyroll and X. In addition, a new original episode titled Hoshina's Day Off will premiere ahead of the new season on July 5, 2025, as part of the pre-season lead-up. That special was previously screened during the Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon event but is now getting a proper broadcast release, at least in Japan and on X. Fans can't wait to dive back in Reactions of fans have been overwhelmingly positive, with many calling Kaiju No. 8 one of the best action anime in recent years. One user chimed in, 'Better story than Solo Leveling, tbh,' while another excitedly mentioned listening to OneRepublic's Invincible, already treating it like the season 2 soundtrack. The sentiment is clear—viewers are hyped, and July can't come soon enough. 'Eagerly waiting for it,' wrote one fan, while another added, 'About time, one of the best I've seen.' What to expect from Kaiju No. 8 season 2 With Kafka now officially part of the Defense Force, even though he's under a close watch. Season 2 is expected to pick up directly where the first left off, diving straight into the conflict as the Kaiju threat escalates. With Ichiro Okouchi writing the scripts and Shigeyuki Miya directing, the team at Production I.G. looks locked in to deliver something even more intense and character-driven. If the new key visual is anything to go by, we're about to see the Defense Force operating at full strength—and Kafka walking a tightrope between saviour and threat. If you haven't watched season 1 yet, now's the time to catch up. July isn't far off, and from the looks of it, Kaiju No. 8 season 2 is going to be bigger and better than ever. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
What will we get to see in Kaiju No 8 Season 2? Arcs explored
Kaiju No 8 Kaiju No 8 dropped in 2024, and the anime was a masterpiece. And now, the audience is eagerly waiting for the second season to drop, which is going to drop in 2025 itself, most probably. The first season of the show consisted of 12 episodes, and we are expecting to see something similar in the upcoming season. In the first season, we got to see multiple arcs in action, like the Monster Sweeper Arc, Defence Force Recruitment Exam Arc, Defence Force Training Arc, Daikaiju Attack Arc, and Kafka's Integration Arc. Now, it's time for the second season, and here we are with the list of arcs that you will possibly get to see in Season 2. But before that, let's have a look at a recap of Kaiju No 8 Season 1. Kaiju No 8: Story so far In the first season of Kaiju No 8, we got to see Kafka Hibino as a clean-up worker with all hopes lost of joining the defence forces. However, his encounter with a young lad named Reno ignites the fire again. And then the story moves forward with Kafka becoming a Kaiju and adopting the code name Kaiju No 8. He then joins the Defence Force along with Kikoru and Reno. His goal in the first season was to hide his identity and focus on eradicating all the threats that came in the way of the Defense Force. However, the cover is blown when he goes on to save the Tachikawa base from a disaster. Kaiju No 8 Season 2 expectations and arcs In Kaiju No 8 season 2, we may get to see the Kaiju Weapon Arc and the Compatible User Arc. The Kaiju Weapon Arc deals with the deployment of weapons made from the remains of the Kaijus in a battle. Moreover, this arc also focuses on the internal conflicts in the Defence Force, leading to a lot of chaos. Next in the line is the Compatible User Arc , where we will get to see the characters testing their compatibility with the weapons made in the previous arc. All in all, the next season is going to be a little mature and solid than the previous one for sure. Also Read: Does Naruto die in Boruto? Explained with facts Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
The Guardian
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Kaiju No 8: Mission Recon review – the fury and rawness of battle as monsters keep coming
Kaiju, as Japanophiles will know, are Godzilla-style giant monsters that double up as A-bomb and/or natural disaster metaphors, and Naoya Matsumoto's YA spin is a smart addition to the outsized genre. This film is an omnibus recap of the 2024 TV anime's first season, directed by Tomomi Kamiya and Shigeyuki Miya, and tacking on a new 20-minute episode. Taking place in a high-school-style training academy for anti-kaiju troops, it plays like Pacific Rim meets Starship Troopers meets The Incredible Hulk. Kafka (voiced by Masaya Fukunishi) wants to join the Defense Force like his childhood buddy Mina (Asami Seto), who has become the kaiju-reaping star of the outfit. But having flunked the entrance exam, he is stuck as part of the cleanup crews who dispose of city blocks' worth of gore after the battles – and is normally assigned intestine detail to boot. After newbie faeces-mopper Reno (Wataru Kato) encourages him to reapply and they both scrape through, Kafka is invaded by a parasite that allows him to transform into a hench skull-headed kaiju; an alter ego he must, of course, conceal from his new colleagues. From the power fixation (they are assigned special suits that augment them in proportion to their natural abilities) to the petty rivalries between recruits, there is little that is new here for connoisseurs of the likes of My Hero Academia. But it is underpinned by a pressing social anxiety, with thirtysomething 'old dude' Kafka desperately playing catch-up to join the warrior elite; his specialist knowledge of kaiju anatomy swings things in his favour. And Kamiya and Miya execute it all with an addictive punky relish, starting with a bestiary – from human-headed spider-demons to wyverns and proliferating fungal colonies – unfailingly eviscerated with maximum overkill. Though the character work is at times rudimentary, Kamiya and Miya keep things interesting by mixing up animation styles: sophisticated 3D urban fly-bys (the studio is Ghost in the Shell's Production IG), kaomoji-style cutaways for extreme emotional reactions (there are many), and an almost expressionist rawness in the fury of battle that meshes with Yûta Bandoh's strident score and the odd LOL proclamation from Kafka: 'I'm gonna try punching it as hard as I can!' After 90 minutes of this fast-forward kaiju-trouncing, the bonus episode – about deputy captain Hoshina's day off – is soothing, if sentimental, respite. Kaiju No 8: Mission Recon is in UK cinemas from 16 April.
Asia Times
17-03-2025
- Business
- Asia Times
Australia lacks a good Plan B if Trump scraps AUKUS
Following the recent imposition of steel and aluminum tariffs, the Australian government is coming to terms with the reality of engaging with a US ally that is increasingly transactional. The Trump administration's approach may signal some inclement weather ahead for the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine project. But it's far from game over. A flurry of opinion pieces, including one penned by a former chief of the Defense Force, has questioned US capacity to deliver on its commitments under the security pact. AUKUS skeptics are calling for a 'Plan B.' Policymakers should always reassess their foreign policy decisions as new information comes to light. However, at present, there is little conclusive evidence that AUKUS is veering off course. Worrying about what may or may not happen to AUKUS under Donald Trump is insufficient reason to take a wrecking ball to three years of unprecedented, generational investment in Australia's most important defense partnership. Certainly, AUKUS deserves scrutiny. But clutching for alternatives, including the resurrection of the long-defunct French deal, is counterproductive for several reasons. First, it disregards the enormous investment and political will the partners have sunk into AUKUS since it was announced in September 2021. No convincing evidence has been produced to show alternative sub deals could be delivered significantly cheaper or faster. Nor would they be politically viable. Secondly, it would destabilize an initiative that helps tether the United States to the Indo-Pacific. Australia's defense strategy is predicated on the United States remaining essential to a favorable regional balance of power. AUKUS has become central to Australia's deterrence strategy, in a way that alternatives would struggle to replicate after a sudden change in course. Steadfast continuity with AUKUS seems most likely to inspire ongoing commitment to the region from the Trump administration. Thirdly, calls to abandon AUKUS overlook the broader benefits this cooperation unlocks for Australia in the US alliance. The political momentum generated by AUKUS has created new opportunities for Australian businesses in US supply chains. Australia's efforts in advanced technologies and guided weapons have also been empowered. AUKUS is bigger than a single arms agreement. The broad implications of revising, or even dumping, the deal must be understood accordingly. US President Trump's apparent confusion about AUKUS, and his treatment of European allies, has understandably fomented hand-wringing about the future of the deal. Still, an undertaking this central to Australia's long-term defense merits a pragmatic approach, rather than alarm. There is cause to feel cautiously optimistic about AUKUS under Trump. Key personnel across the administration – including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio – have expressed their support. Trump has promised renewed focus on growing the US industrial base by establishing a new White House shipbuilding office and a maritime action plan. These could set the United States on a firmer footing to meet the production targets tied to the Australian submarine sales. US Studies Centre analysis reinforces the willingness of key figures in Congress to reform export controls and acquisition policy to see AUKUS succeed, pending improvements to US industrial capacity. The effectiveness of recent investment cycles in the US submarine base is still to be determined. But Canberra has agency here. Washington is looking, in part, to Australia for answers to prevailing challenges. Numerous components for US submarines are currently sourced from a single supplier. Achieving supply chain resilience will depend on seeking out alternate manufacturers, including from Australian industry, for valves, pumps, steel and beyond. From the Australian government's recently announced A$800 million (US$508 million) investment in the US industrial base to the 129 Australian shipbuilders undergoing specialized training in Pearl Harbor, AUKUS will benefit the US in ways that have perhaps been understated. At present, there is little evidence to suggest the Trump administration will tear up the pact. Nonetheless, Australia must remain alert to obstacles that may arise in the partnership. Trump may seek to elicit additional financial contributions from Australia by trying to cut a better deal than his predecessor. Unanticipated costs could be absorbed by an existing contingency fund. However, greater investment in AUKUS would risk crowding out competing programs in the Australian defense budget. In addition, any potential breach between the collaborative spirit of AUKUS and the administration's transactional instincts could create headaches for Australian stakeholders. Perceptions that AUKUS could be leveraged in strategic competition with China may buoy support for the pact in Congress. But Australian policymakers must communicate a broader strategic rationale for AUKUS that resonates more strongly here at home. The Australian government will need to adapt its approach to AUKUS cooperation to weather the new political climate. To minimize risks, Australia should continue to strengthen other defense partnerships and embrace greater defense self-reliance, as the 'Plan B' commentators suggest. AUKUS isn't perfect. But it will endure and continue to be Australia's best bet. Alice Nason is research associate of foreign Policy and defense at United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Guyana's military chief says 6 soldiers injured in suspected gang attack on Venezuela border
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — Officials say six soldiers in Guyana were injured after armed men in neighboring Venezuela opened fire in an attack expected to further heighten tensions between the two South American countries. Two of the soldiers are in critical condition following Monday's attack, according to the head of Guyana's army, Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Omar Khan, who blamed suspected gang members. The soldiers were on a resupply mission along the Cuyuni River when they were confronted by armed men positioned on the Venezuelan side of the riverbank, according to officials. There was an exchange of fire, but it was not clear if any of the attackers were injured or killed, Guyana's Defense Force said. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. 'The force remains committed to protecting its borders and will take all necessary measures to address any threats to national security,' it added. The injured troops were airlifted to Georgetown, Guyana's capital, for medical treatment. The attack comes as Guyana and Venezuela continue to feud over land and maritime borders. Venezuela claims that an 1890s boundaries commission cheated it out of the mineral rich Essequibo region, which represents two-thirds of Guyana's territory and lies near big offshore oil deposits. The area, which was administered by Britain for more than a century, has been under Guyanese control since 1966, when the nation gained its independence from the United Kingdom. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has threatened to annex the region by force. In late 2023, the leaders of both countries attended an emergency summit where they promised to not use threats or force against each other. However, they did not reach a deal on the dispute over the Essequibo region.
