The Summer Hikaru Died coming-of-age horror TV anime revealed the Episode 1 preview images and trailer, revealing the episode’s staff and synopsis. Studio CygamesPictures is handling the animation, while Netflix will exclusively stream the anime worldwide. It is set to premiere on July 5 and is one of the most anticipated Summer 2025 new anime.
The first episode is titled “Replacement” (or “Substitute”), and it’s described:
On a sweltering summer day, Yoshiki realizes that his best friend “Hikaru,” who always smiles beside him, is no longer the same. Though the being before him looks and sounds just like Hikaru, it’s something… different.
In a stifling, remote village where they had grown up together since childhood, Hikaru was Yoshiki’s only trusted companion. Unwilling to lose that bond, Yoshiki chooses to accept this fake Hikaru—and vows never to tell anyone.
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The main trailer previewed an opening song by Vaundy earlier this month. The first episode’s staff includes:
- Script: Ryohei Takeshita
- Storyboard: Ryohei Takeshita
- Episode Director: Ryohei Takeshita
- Animation Director: Yuichi Takahashi
You can also see some additional preview images below:
The voice cast for the anime includes:
- Shuichiro Umeda as Hikaru Indo
- Chiaki Kobayashi as Yoshiki Tsujinaka
- Yumiri Hanamori as Asako Yamagishi
- Wakana Kowaka as Rie Kurebayashi
- Chikahiro Kobayashi as Tanaka
CyberAgent previously confirmed that The Summer Hikaru Died anime will make an appearance at Anime Expo 2025, set to take place July 3-6 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It will be featured prominently at the CyberAgent Group booth (E-65), which will offer an immersive photo experience designed to capture the series’ “distinctive aesthetic,” along with a display of production materials revealed to the public for the first time.
The Summer Hikaru Died (Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Mokumokuren. It began serialization on Kadokawa Shoten’s Young Ace Up website in August 2021 and has been compiled into 6 volumes as of December 4, 2024. Volume 7 is set to release on July 4, 2025.
The manga topped the 2023 edition of Takarajimasha’s Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list of best manga for male readers, and it was also nominated for the 16th Manga Taisho. Yen Press licensed the manga in English.
Source: The Summer Hikaru Died Official Website
©Mokumokuren/KADOKAWA/The Summer Hikaru Died Partners
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