Masaya Fukunishi (Japanese voice of Kafka Hibino) entered the stage with a bellowing greeting, enthusiastically greeting the crowd. Dressed in a blue cape, snake print shorts, and leopard print leg warmers, Fukunishi was dressed as loudly as his personality. Not to be overshadowed, Nazeeh Tarsha (English voice of Kafka Hibino) came onstage with just as much energy, followed by ADR director Shawn Gann.
While Kaiju No. 8 season 2 is on the horizon, the panel was less about what was to come and more of a retrospective about how the cast came together, as well as their performances and memories from working on season 1.
The excitement from the talent onstage was palpable, and Fukunishi was clearly jazzed to be with the audience. With every question asked, he felt the need to stand up and start pacing around while answering. After the audience shouted their love for the show, he dramatically exclaimed, “No way! It’s a miracle! Me too!I love Kaiju No. 8 and I love everyone here today!” In response to all the cheering, he relentlessly blew kisses into the crowd.
The cast’s affection was overflowing, not only for the fans, but also each other. Fukunishi gazed intently at the other panelists whenever they spoke and always reacted with some kind of gesture like leaning over to pose together. Fukunishi’s touchy feely nature seemed to rub off on the cast, as things seemed to just escalate throughout the panel, and both Fukunishi and Tarsha ended up kissing each other on the cheek. Flustered, even the moderator mentioned he’s never seen this happen before on a panel.
When asked whether their real life selves would join the Defense Force or Monster Sweeper, Tarsha admitted with a chuckle, “With this gut and the fact that I’m out of breath after a flight of stairs, I don’t think we’re doing anything past cleanup.” Immediately, Fukunishi reached out to touch Tarsha’s belly and said, “Yeah, there was a lot to grab there.” Unleashing a hearty laugh, Tarsha responded, “Welcome to America.” As the cast went back and forth, laughter filled the venue.
In a surprise turn of events, Fukunishi candidly shared, “My little act and all of this energy is actually to mask the fact that I’m about to burst into tears.” As the cast reminisced about Season 1 and discussed their gratitude for working on this project together, Fukunishi ended up shedding a few tears, while Tarsha and Gann got emotional.
“I’m so fortunate to be standing here in front of you, a warm warm crowd,” Fukunishi began. “As you know, Season 2 is just around the corner. We poured our heart and soul into it. Not only our voices, but the animation and music as well. The soundtrack is spectacular, and the team that was behind it is just so amazing. We really hope that Kaiju No. 8 reaches your hearts, just as it did for us. Thank you so much for today.”
Teary eyed, the trio hugged once more before leaving the stage, and fans got a sneak peek at a clip from Season 2.
Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 will premiere on July 19, 2025.
