List of Theme Songs for Anime “Kaiju No. 8” | Both OP and ED Are Handled by Popular International Artists!

The first season of the anime “Kaiju No. 8” aired in Spring 2024. The original work is a shonen manga of the same name by Naoya Matsumoto, serialized on the web manga platform “Shonen Jump+”.

The story begins when the protagonist, Kafka Hibino, who once dreamed of joining the Japan Defense Force to exterminate kaiju, awakens to the power to transform into a kaiju himself after a mysterious small kaiju enters his body.

“Kaiju No. 8” stands out as an anime where both the opening and ending themes are performed by international artists—an unusual characteristic for anime. This article compiles information on the theme and insert songs for both Seasons 1 and 2 of “Kaiju No. 8”.

What is the synopsis of “Kaiju No. 8”?

Japan is a “kaiju superpower” with one of the highest kaiju occurrence rates in the world. Kafka Hibino, aged 32, once aspired to join the Japan Defense Force, but has since given up on his dream and now works as a cleaner, disposing of kaiju remains after they are defeated.

Upon learning that the age limit for Defense Force recruitment has been raised to 33 due to depopulation, Kafka resolves to try again for his dream. However, after a mysterious small kaiju enters his mouth, Kafka awakens to the power to transform into a kaiju. Though he strives to join the Defense Force, he becomes known as “Kaiju No. 8” and ends up being pursued throughout Japan.

The anime is produced by Production I.G, known for works such as “GHOST IN THE SHELL” and “PSYCHO-PASS.” The soundtrack is composed by Yuta Bandoh, who produced music for the drama “My Dear Exes” and co-composed music for the anime film “Belle.”

Anime “Kaiju No. 8” Season 2 Opening Theme: “You Can't Run From Yourself”

The Season 2 OP theme for “Kaiju No. 8” is “You Can't Run From Yourself” by AURORA, a singer-songwriter based in Norway. This is her first time providing an anime OP theme in Japan.

AURORA commented, “I feel truly honored to have created this song for ‘Kaiju No. 8.’” She shared that she had a wonderful time meeting the staff when visiting Japan and wrote, “I hope this song brings me back to Japan once more. My heart always flutters when I’m there.”

Who is AURORA, the singer of the Season 2 OP theme?

AURORA is a singer-songwriter raised surrounded by forests and mountains near Bergen, Norway. She debuted with her EP “Running with the Wolves” in 2015, which won Best New Artist at Spellemann, known as Norway’s equivalent of the Grammys.

Her 2016 album “All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend” received acclaim from many music media and debuted at #1 on the Norwegian album chart. Artists such as Katy Perry and Billie Eilish have praised AURORA’s music.

A self-professed anime fan, AURORA has said, “My love for anime will never change.”

She featured as the mysterious voice in the 2019 Disney film “Frozen 2” and took part as a featured vocalist on the song “Into the Unknown.” She also performed “My Sails Are Set,” Nami’s theme song for the live-action drama “ONE PIECE.”

In February 2025, she released the collaboration track “Some Type Of Skin (ft. ATARASHII GAKKO!)” with the Japanese dance and vocal unit ATARASHII GAKKO!

Anime “Kaiju No. 8” Season 2 Ending Theme: “Beautiful Colors”

The Season 2 ED theme is “Beautiful Colors” by the American rock band OneRepublic.

OneRepublic continues from handling the Season 1 ED and the special edition “Hoshina’s Day Off” ED. Upon announcing the new song, the band commented, “The style of the track is very different, but we hope you can feel the emotion we poured into this season and this work.”

Who is OneRepublic, responsible for the ED themes in Seasons 1, 2, and the special?

OneRepublic is a pop-rock band formed in 2002. Their 2007 debut album featured “Apologize,” which was nominated for a Grammy and established them as popular artists.

Their 2013 release “Counting Stars” surpassed 3.9 billion views on YouTube. In 2022, their song “I Ain’t Worried” from the film “Top Gun: Maverick” drew significant attention.

Vocalist Ryan Tedder has also written and produced for artists such as Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Ariana Grande.

Anime “Kaiju No. 8” Season 1 Opening Theme: “Abyss”

The Season 1 OP theme, “Abyss,” is sung by British solo artist YUNGBLUD. The song, grand and punk-tinged like a film score, centers on Kafka’s inner struggle after suddenly turning into a kaiju.

“Abyss” was co-produced with Dan Reynolds, the frontman of the Grammy-winning rock band Imagine Dragons. When chosen to sing the anime’s OP, YUNGBLUD promptly booked a Tokyo studio and crafted the song while reading the story.

YUNGBLUD remarked, “This was a challenge for me, and I think the song really brings out the atmosphere and feeling of this work.”

Speaking about “Kaiju No. 8,” he said, “I’m truly honored to provide a song for the series. I’m honestly glad to be part of it. I’m so excited for the anime broadcast, and from what I’ve seen so far, it looks absolutely amazing—I hope everyone enjoys it. Something crazy’s about to start—are you ready?”

Who is YUNGBLUD, the singer of the Season 1 OP theme?

YUNGBLUD is a singer from England. Born August 5, 1997, his real name is Dominic Richard Harrison. His albums have twice topped the UK charts. The world tour announced in 2019, spanning 52 shows in Europe and America, sold out completely—testament to his popularity.

A next-generation British rock star, YUNGBLUD’s genre-crossing collaborations, including tracks with Marshmello and Avril Lavigne, have stirred significant buzz.

He first visited Japan in 2022 to perform at the “Summer Sonic” rock festival and held his first solo concert in 2023. In a 2023 interview, he revealed he is considering a collaboration with Japanese female unit BABYMETAL.

Anime “Kaiju No. 8” Season 1 Ending Theme: “Nobody”

The Season 1 ED theme for “Kaiju No. 8” is the song “Nobody” by American rock band OneRepublic. “Nobody” is a poppy, catchy track that evokes the comical scenes from the anime.

Vocalist Ryan Tedder expressed a deep fondness for Japan, saying that Japanese anime, manga, and culture provide him with great inspiration.

Tedder described a collaborative process with the “Kaiju No. 8” team beginning in spring 2023, involving meetings, video, and storyboard analysis to craft music apt for the series and its characters. He noted that “Nobody” incorporates the inspiration he drew from Japan to its fullest.

Commenting on handling the anime’s ending, Tedder said, “Since childhood I’ve been fascinated by superheroes, and even now I want to be as strong as Kafka, so I’m extremely thrilled to be involved in ‘Kaiju No. 8.’”

Anime “Kaiju No. 8” Episode 5 Insert Song: “Scream feat. (sic)boy”

The insert song used in Episode 5 is “Scream feat. (sic)boy.” This track was played in the later scenes of the episode where Kafka trains and eats with his Defense Force peers. While Episode 5 covers chapters 10 and 11 from Volume 2 of the original manga, the scene accompanied by “Scream” is an anime-original sequence.

“Scream” is a collaboration between Yuta Bandoh, who composes the show’s soundtrack, and rapper/singer-songwriter (sic)boy, who also wrote the lyrics and provided vocals.

The song features a heavy sound and (sic)boy’s emotional vocals. (sic)boy commented, “Yuta Bandoh and I exchanged ideas and trialed various approaches to create this work. I hope the message to believe in your comrades and overcome formidable obstacles gets through to everyone along with the animation.”

Who is Yuta Bandoh, responsible for the soundtrack and insert songs?

Yuta Bandoh, who produces both the soundtrack and insert songs for “Kaiju No. 8,” is a composer who won the Akutagawa Music Award (regarded as a stepping stone for young composers) in 2015.

His anime music credits include collaborating on the soundtrack for “Yuri!!! on ICE” and “Belle.” For television drama, he composed music for “My Dear Exes” written by Yuji Sakamoto.

His composition “Voices” has been used since October 2021 as the opening song for TV Asahi’s news program “Hodo Station.”

Who is (sic)boy, the guest vocalist on Episode 5’s insert song?

(sic)boy delivers a rare presence with a style that infuses hip-hop with alternative, emo, and loud rock elements. In 2021, he was selected for Spotify’s “RADAR: Early Noise 2021”—next-generation artists expected to rise.

Internationally, he gained attention as the first Japanese artist reviewed by the major US hip-hop media “Lyrical Lemonade.” The music video for his collaborative song “Heaven’s Drive feat. vividboooy” with DJ KM surpassed 19 million views on YouTube as of May 2024.

Anime “Kaiju No. 8” Episode 7 Insert Song: “Warcry feat. Taiiku Okazaki”

The insert song for Episode 7, “Warcry feat. Taiiku Okazaki,” was composed by Yuta Bandoh, with singer-songwriter Taiiku Okazaki as guest vocalist.

To rescue Reno Ichikawa and Iharu Furuhashi from Kaiju No. 9, Kafka transforms into Kaiju No. 8. “Warcry” plays during the ensuing battle between Kaiju No. 8 and Kaiju No. 9, with its driving sound and Okazaki’s vocals energizing the action.

Okazaki commented, “Writing and recording this was a refreshing experience, different from my usual songwriting.” Regarding his participation as guest vocalist, he added, “I am proud to have been a part of such a great work.”

Who is Taiiku Okazaki, guest vocalist for Episode 7’s insert song?

From Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, Taiiku Okazaki is a singer-songwriter who debuted in May 2016 with “BASIN TECHNO.”

His song “MUSIC VIDEO,” which humorously references music video clichés, garnered attention and won the New Face Award in the Entertainment Division at the 20th Japan Media Arts Festival. Its music video exceeded 48 million views on YouTube as of May 2024.

Beyond music, Okazaki has appeared as a TV guest, and as an actor in drama series like the NHK Morning Drama “Manpuku” and the Taiga drama “What Will You Do, Ieyasu?”

Notable anime tie-up songs by Okazaki include the OP theme “Kimi no Boken” and ED theme “Pose” for “Pokémon Sun & Moon,” the main theme “Mago no Daimade” for “Ahare! Meisaku-kun,” and the Season 1 OP theme “Knock Out” for “Mashle: Magic and Muscles.”

Anime “Kaiju No. 8” Episode 10 Insert Song: “Never Break Down feat. LEO IMAI”

Episode 10’s insert song, “Never Break Down,” is an arrangement of the “Kaiju No. 8 Theme,” a BGM that had been used since Episode 2. The music was composed by Yuta Bandoh, with lyrics co-written by Bandoh and LEO IMAI, who also provided vocals.

In Episode 10, after defeating Kaiju No. 10, numerous residual kaiju converge in midair to form a massive kaiju bomb. Kafka transforms into Kaiju No. 8 in front of the Defense Force members to protect them, delivers a powerful punch to blast away the massive bomb, and saves his comrades. “Never Break Down” is played during this sequence.

Featuring lyrics expressing Kafka's feelings, heavy bass sounds, and LEO IMAI’s strong vocals, “Never Break Down” stands out. The lyrics are in English, but a Japanese translation is available in the lyric video distributed on TOHO animation's official YouTube channel.

Who is LEO IMAI, guest vocalist for Episode 10’s insert song?

LEO IMAI, guest vocalist for “Never Break Down,” is a singer-songwriter who captures the cosmopolitan daily life of cities with an alternative sensibility.

Alongside his solo career, he has released music as a member of METAFIVE, led by Yukihiro Takahashi of Yellow Magic Orchestra (Y.M.O.), and as a member of TESTSET, a band formed with Yoshinori Sunahara, former Denki Groove member.

He has previously sung the anime tie-in “Bite,” the OP theme for Season 1 of “MEGALOBOX.”

“Hoshina’s Day Off” Ending Theme: “Invincible”

“Hoshina’s Day Off,” a special episode shown in theaters alongside the Season 1 compilation on March 28, 2025, features “Invincible (from Kaiju No. 8)” by OneRepublic as its ED theme. Following their work on Season 1’s ED, this new original track was written specifically for “Kaiju No. 8.”

Summary of the Theme Songs in the “Kaiju No. 8” Anime

The opening theme for Season 2 of the anime “Kaiju No. 8” is “You Can't Run From Yourself” by Norwegian singer-songwriter AURORA, who also performed as the mysterious voice in the Disney film “Frozen 2.”

The ending theme for Season 2 is “Beautiful Colors” by American rock band OneRepublic, who have also been responsible for the Season 1 ED and the “Hoshina’s Day Off” special ED.

(C)JAKDF 3rd Division (C)Naoya Matsumoto/SHUEISHA

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