Netflix is coming in hot this Summer with the next big thing in horror anime. Over the past few years, the streamer has slowly built up its library of original anime to become a strong contender with Crunchyroll, and it’s finally making the leap to the horror genre with The Summer Hikaru Died. The new series blends a BL romance with grotesque body horror, creating a unique effect. Fans of Mokumokuren’s manga can’t wait for the show to premiere this July, especially after the newest promo.
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The Summer Hikaru Died is set to premiere on Netflix this July, although an official release date hasn’t yet been revealed. Even against major returning series like My Dress-Up Darling, Dandadan, and Kaiju No. 8, The Summer Hikaru Died is one of this Summer’s most anticipated releases. Manga readers know there isn’t a series quite like Hikaru‘s uniquely unsettling tone and vibe, and it’s almost time to see it brought to life in animation.
The official The Summer Hikaru Died X (formerly Twitter) account has been treating fans over the past few weeks with sneak peeks, snapshots, and behind-the-scenes looks at the upcoming anime. But the newest promo might be the best, and most unsettling yet. The new promo is a still from the anime that depicts the titular Hikaru’s duality.
As you might have guessed from the title, Hikaru’s death is the catalyst for the manga’s story. The eponymous character died during a trip to the mountains, but when he returned, his best friend, Yoshiki, knew that something strange had replaced him. The still depicts both the duality of Hikaru’s character, as well as the juxtaposition of the show’s Summer setting and horrific story.
In the still, Hikaru looks back at Yoshiki after being confronted about being replaced. Half of Hikaru’s face is lit by the gorgeous sunset, with the other half in pitch black silhouette. The shot reflects the ominous and uncertain morality of the thing that has replaced Hikaru. Fans of the manga will remember this shot, and the manga is filled with similarly striking imagery depicting the two sides of Hikaru’s new character. To see it given the animation quality it deserves in the promo is a great sign.
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What Is The Summer Hikaru Died About?
We’ve already given a brief description of The Summer Hikaru Died above, but the series is about so much more than the creature possessing Hikaru. Yoshiki realizes straight away that the person he sees before him isn’t his best friend. But he struggles to fight against his own feelings for the old Hikaru, which he displaces onto the new version. Much of the manga is told from Yoshiki’s perspective as his emotions battle with his logical thinking about the creature in front of him being dangerous.
The Summer Hikaru Died has been animated by Cygames Pictures under director Ryohei Takeshita. Shuichiro Umeda will voice Hikaru, and Chiaki Kobayashi will voice Yoshiki. The official synopsis reads, “It has Hikaru’s face. It has Hikaru’s voice. It even has Hikaru’s memories. But whatever came down from the mountains six months ago isn’t Yoshiki’s best friend. Whatever it is, it’s dangerous. Carrying on at school and hanging out as if nothing has changed—as if Hikaru isn’t gone—would be crazy…but when it looks so very like Hikaru…and acts so very like Hikaru…”
