The psychological horror and slice-of-life anime series, “The Summer Hikaru Died” (Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu), officially premiered on July 5, 2025, bringing the unsettling tale of friendship and the supernatural to screens. The highly anticipated adaptation of Mokumokuren’s acclaimed manga is now available for streaming globally on Netflix, with new episodes releasing weekly.
A Chilling Premise Unfolds
The series centers on Yoshiki and Hikaru, two inseparable childhood friends living in a tranquil rural Japanese village. Their peaceful lives take a dark turn when Hikaru disappears into the mountains and returns a week later, but he is no longer himself. Yoshiki gradually realizes that “something” has taken over Hikaru’s body, memories, and feelings, forcing him to navigate a changed relationship with his best friend amid escalating supernatural dangers in their village. This chilling blend of everyday life and eerie occurrences promises to emotionally wreck viewers, echoing the intense atmosphere of the original manga.
Global Availability and Episode Schedule
“The Summer Hikaru Died” launched in Japan on Nippon TV and its affiliates on July 5, 2025 (effectively July 6 at 0:55 JST). For international audiences, the anime is streaming worldwide on Netflix, with new episodes arriving every Saturday. The season is slated for a 12-episode run.
As of July 19, the first three episodes have already been released, with episode 4 scheduled for July 26. Subsequent episodes are expected weekly through September 20.
Production and Creative Team
The anime adaptation is produced by CygamesPictures. Ryohei Takeshita, known for “Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night,” serves as the director and is also handling series composition. Yuichi Takahashi is responsible for character designs and chief animation direction, while Masanobu Hiraoka handles the “Dorodoro” animation.
The main voice cast includes Chiaki Kobayashi as Yoshiki Tsujinaka and Shuichiro Umeda as Hikaru Indo. Both voice actors have expressed their dedication to capturing the complex emotions of their characters, with Kobayashi aiming to convey Yoshiki’s fear, comfort, and uncertainty, and Umeda describing his role as “peering into darkness.”
Music for the series is composed by Taro Umebayashi. The opening theme song, “Saikai” (“Reunion”), is performed by Vaundy, and the ending theme song, “Anata wa Kaibutsu” (“You Are My Monster”), is by TOOBOE.
Acclaimed Source Material
The anime is based on Mokumokuren’s highly praised manga series, which began serialization on Kadokawa Shoten’s Young Ace Up website in August 2021. The manga quickly gained popularity for its unsettling plot, unique mix of psychological horror, and supernatural themes. It has received significant critical acclaim, topping Kono Manga ga Sugoi!‘s list for male readers in 2023 and earning nominations for prestigious awards such as the Manga Taisho Award and even the Eisner Award. As of July 2025, the manga has seven collected tankōbon volumes. Yen Press holds the license for English publication of the manga.
Fans of psychological horror and supernatural thrillers are encouraged to tune into “The Summer Hikaru Died” for what promises to be a deeply unsettling and emotionally resonant viewing experience.
