The Summer Hikaru Died horror TV anime revealed a new key visual, along with character visuals for the main duo. Studio CygamesPictures (Princess Connect! Re:Dive) will handle the animation, while Netflix will exclusively stream the anime worldwide in 2025. An ominous figure known as “DORODORO” and Hikaru’s face appear on the back of Yoshiki. You can see the new key visual below.
The main voice cast for the anime includes:
- Shuichiro Umeda as Hikaru Indo
- Chiaki Kobayashi as Yoshiki Tsujinaka
You can see the character visuals for the two below.
Hikaru, who went missing in the mountains of the forbidden area six months ago, is replaced by a “something” that looks and sounds identical to Hikaru but is not actually Hikaru. It appears innocent and curious.
A high school student living in Kubitachi Village. After his childhood friend Hikaru is replaced by a “something,” he struggles with the conflict, but continues to spend his days alongside this new version.
The Summer Hikaru Died will appear at a special booth at the AnimeJapan 2025, which will take place through March 22-23 and feature the latest information on the anime. The booth will be held at the KADOKAWA booth titled “KADOKAWA ANIME CARNIVAL,” where visitors will also be able to buy original goods. The anime will also appear on the GREEN STAGE on March 23, which will feature the main voice cast of Chiaki Kobayashi (Yoshiki Tsujinaka) and Shuichiro Umeda (Hikaru Indo).
The Summer Hikaru Died anime staff:
- Director and Series Composition: Ryohei Takeshita
- Character Design and Chief Animation Director: Yuichi Takahashi
- DORODORO Animator: Masanobu Hiraoka
- Studio: CygamesPictures
Official synopsis:
In a certain village
Since their childhood, they have grown up together.
Yoshiki and Hikaru, childhood friends.
The sun shining down on them
The chirping sound of a crypto tympana facialis
Ice cream on the way home
Laughing over trivial things
One day in summer, no different from any other day
…… You’re not Hikaru after all, are you?
Half a year ago, Hikaru went missing in the mountains.
A week later, he came back on a whim.
The voice, the figure, the thing that looked like Hikaru
What was stirring inside…
“Hikaru is no longer with us. …… if that’s the case.”
Starting the days with “something” in the form of a friend,
The “same as usual” everyday life.
But at the same time…
Strange incidents begin to plague the village.
Falling into the unknown “something”
The curtain rises on a coming-of-age horror story.
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. 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, and they describe the story:
Source: Press Release, The Summer Hikaru Died Official Website and Official X, Netflix Official X
©Mokumokuren/KADOKAWA/The Summer Hikaru Died Partners
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