The breakout manga series Kaiju No. 8 hit a new milestone with 4 million copies in circulation, making it the new record holder for the fastest Shonen Jump+ manga to reach that number.
According to the Japanese entertainment news site Comic Natalie, the series has now achieved over 4 million copies in circulation as of the release of the fourth collected manga volume. While Kaiju No.8 is now the fastest series to ever reach that milestone in the history of the online magazine, the record does not include titles published in Shueisha's print magazines. The circulation figure represents copies that have been printed and distributed, and is not representative of the number of copies actually sold.
The release of the fourth volume was also accompanied by a new video showcasing the events of the series. The series was created by Naoya Matsumoto and recently celebrated its one year anniversary in July. The series' first manga volume was officially released in December 2020. By the time of the third volume was released, the series' popularity had been cemented, and it similarly broke the record for the fastest Shonen Jump+ manga to hit the 3 million circulation milestone. Viz Media has licensed the manga and has scheduled its first physical volume for print this fall.
While the series is only growing in popularity, its publication schedule has undergone many changes in recent months. At the end of June it was announced that the series would be switching to a biweekly publication schedule. That schedule was further altered several weeks later, when it was announced that the manga would now be published three times a month.
Matsumoto's manga, which is sometimes translated as Monster #8 in certain regions, is the most popular series on the Shonen Jump+ website, surpassing other hit series such as Spy X Family and Fire Punch. The series tells the story of Kafka Hibino, a man who once dreamed of joining Japan's kaiju-battling defense force. However, Hibino fails to make the cut, and after accidentally ingesting a small kaiju, he discovers he can now transform into one of the monsters the defense force is trying to eradicate.
Kaiju No.8 was nominated for the 14th Manga Taisho Awards in January. The series also claimed first place in the web manga category at the seventh annual "Next Manga Awards" in August. Despite the series' popularity, a manga adaptation has not yet been officially announced. The next chapter of the manga will be released on Sept. 9.
Source: Comic Natalie via Anime News Network