Kaiju No. 8 could be the next big anime franchise heading into live action. Sony is reportedly developing a live-action adaptation of Naoya Matsumoto's hit series, according to scooper Daniel Richtman.
Richtman first shared the claim with subscribers earlier this month, describing it as "a live-action adaptation of Kaiju No. 8, based on the popular manga and anime series created by Naoya Matsumoto." He brought it up again on social media over the weekend.
It is important to stress that this is a rumor for now. Neither Sony nor Crunchyroll has confirmed a live-action Kaiju No. 8, and the report does not say whether the project would be a movie or a series. No writers, directors, producers, or cast members have been named either.
From Shonen Jump+ Hit To Anime Smash
Matsumoto's manga launched on Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ platform in July 2020 and quickly became one of the app's signature series. It follows Kafka Hibino, a man in his early thirties who cleans up the remains of giant monsters for a living after giving up on his childhood dream of joining Japan's Defense Force. Everything changes when he gains the ability to transform into a kaiju himself, forcing him to hide his new power while finally chasing the promise he made to his childhood friend, Mina Ashiro.
The manga wrapped up in July 2025 with 16 volumes and has more than 20 million copies in circulation. Viz Media publishes it in English.
The anime adaptation from Production I.G, with kaiju designs supervised by Studio Khara, premiered in April 2024 and streamed worldwide on Crunchyroll. Its first season ran from April to June 2024, and a second season followed from July to September 2025. In December 2025, a conclusion arc was announced to adapt the end of the manga, though it does not have a premiere date yet.
Sony Already Has A Big Stake In The Franchise
If the report pans out, a live-action version would keep Kaiju No. 8 under one corporate roof. Sony owns Crunchyroll, which streams the anime, and the companies have already taken the series to theaters once before.
In 2025, Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures released Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon, a compilation film that condensed the first season and added an original new episode, Hoshina's Day Off. The film had a limited theatrical run in North America and other regions, giving fans a taste of the series on the big screen ahead of Season 2.
Crunchyroll Storyworks Could Be The Home For It
The rumor also lines up with a new move Sony made earlier this month. At Crunchyroll's Anime Future Forum in New York, held the day before New York Comic Con, Sony Pictures Entertainment launched Crunchyroll Storyworks. The new division is set up to turn stories from around the world into anime and to develop live-action versions of Japanese anime.
Storyworks is led by 25-year Sony veteran Tohru Iokibe and will work closely with Japanese creators, with the goal of keeping their original vision at the center of each adaptation. Sony did not name any of the division's first projects, so there is nothing officially tying Kaiju No. 8 to it. Still, it is easy to see why a franchise that Sony already streams, distributes, and promotes would be a natural candidate.
What Fans Should Keep In Mind
Richtman's reports have a mixed track record, so it is best to treat this one with some caution until Sony or Crunchyroll says something official. Live-action anime adaptations also have a habit of spending years in development before anything gets made, if it gets made at all.
A Kaiju No. 8 adaptation would face some obvious challenges, especially the need for convincing giant monsters and Kafka's transformation scenes. Done right, though, the series' mix of workplace comedy, underdog heart, and huge kaiju battles could translate well to live action.
Would you rather see a live-action Kaiju No. 8 as a big-screen movie or as a streaming series?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.