The Summer Hikaru Died

Back when the Summer 2025 anime season kicked off, something about The Summer Hikaru Died caught my eye. Compared to some of the other giants in the manga industry, Mokumokuren’s original story was not the most talked-about manga out there, and the production studio behind the anime adaptation, CygamesPictures, was relatively unheard of up until now. However, despite all of the mystery surrounding this anime, I decided to dive in and see what it was all about – nothing could have prepared me for just how much of a lasting impact this anime had on me and, I truly believe, the future of horror in anime in general.

Today, we’re reviewing the first season of The Summer Hikaru Died. There will be spoilers in this review, so please watch the series for yourself before reading ahead. I don’t want to ruin this experience for you at all! With that being said, let’s dive into my review of the show that stole the spotlight for me this Summer.

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The Summer Hikaru Died Review

Image by CygamesPictures

The Summer Hikaru Died is a pretty remarkable anime, which is a conclusion that can be came to before the first episode has even concluded. Before going forward, I do want to acknowledge my love for the horror genre, and how that may influence my reaction to this series. The show is right up my alley, a tragic ghost story filled with some genuine scares, but focused more than anything on the emotional turmoil that goes hand-in-hand with any ghost story. However, regardless of your own personal preferences, I think any viewer could see that The Summer Hikaru Died is filled to the brim with real magic, and has managed to pull off a multitude of things that many other anime have tried and failed at.

On a surface-level, The Summer Hikaru Died is an extremely strong horror anime, though to be fair, the bar is set pretty low when it comes to this parameter. As a horror movie fan, I’ve been disappointed time and time again when it comes to anime’s failed attempts to capture the magic of a good horror story, whether it’s the plethora of abysmal Junji Ito anime adaptations, or shows that failed to pull off any genuine scares despite their intriguing premise, like Another. The Summer Hikaru Died is, when it needs to be, a truly scary show, filled with horrific creature designs, and even the occasional effective jumpscare. These horror scenes often peak when Yoshiki and Hikaru are being actively haunted by some sort of spirit, but the tension carries on throughout the entire show, even when there’s no active threat.

The story of this anime is simple on the surface – a boy dies, gets possessed by some sort of paranormal entity, and returns to his hometown to live alongside his best friend. The Summer Hikaru Died also introduces a strong basis to its plot in its later episodes, tying together what we’ve come to know about the story neatly. Through explorations of old shrines, conversations with townsfolk, and even brief dives into folklore, The Summer Hikaru Died gives solid reason to its central hauntings, allowing the series to thrive on the surface, before the viewer even begins to think beyond this level and look at some of the show’s deeper meanings, allegories, and metaphors. However, don’t be fooled. These deeper meanings are what makes The Summer Hikaru Died a truly special show, and make the difference between a potential 8/10 show, and the 10/10 show that it is in my book.

Image by CygamesPictures

So, let’s dive into those deeper meanings. As has been confirmed by the author, The Summer Hikaru Died is a coming-of-age horror story that draws heavily on queer themes. Watching the series with this in mind opens up a whole new perspective on how the show can be perceived, and adds an emotional weight to the anime that isn’t often felt in this industry. Though the two are only ever considered to be close friends by those around them, it’s clear that, at the very least, Yoshiki has feelings for Hikaru that run way beyond friendship, which adds a new, heartbreaking layer to Hikaru’s death. There’s a whole, massive conversation to be had about queer representation in the anime industry, and how far it is behind where it ideally should be. This is partly what makes The Summer Hikaru Died such a bold and innovative anime. Not only is it an incredible horror anime, it’s an incredible queer love story, the latter of which is so refreshing to see in an anime.

The Summer Hikaru Died also explores the terrifying existence of being a queer person in a small, remote town. The show often leans into the pressures of countryside life, and how invasive people can be on others’ privacy in small towns. Through flashbacks, we learn that Hikaru was Yoshiki’s escape from this judgment. Not only does his death represent the loss of this comforting presence, but the subsequent arrival of the possessed “Hikaru” adds a whole new dimension to the LGBTQ+ allegory. “Hikaru” and Yoshiki, throughout the show, share borderline sexual experiences, and as the series progresses, many townsfolk, particularly Kurebayashi, warn Yoshiki against connecting with “Hikaru”. In some ways, “Hikaru”s descent from the mountain and connection with Yoshiki can be interpreted as a manifestation of Yoshiki’s trauma being a queer teenager in a rural town. It is made clear that the town Yoshiki lives in is largely homophobic when the series refers to the Yasaburo heir being ridiculed as ‘diseased’ because he was a homosexual. Drawing comparisons between homophobia and Yoshiki hiding his relationship with “Hikaru” is not a pointless task.

The two’s connection also speaks to The Summer Hikaru Died‘s focus on the theme of love being used as a weapon. Funnily enough, love is used as a weapon in both directions when it comes to the dynamic between Yoshiki and “Hikaru”. “Hikaru” uses Yoshiki’s love for him to stay alive – were it not for the two’s relationship, then the former would likely have been exorcised before the show even kicks into gear. However, Yoshiki also weaponises “Hikaru”s love for him in Episode 7, when he leads “Hikaru” on to eventually lure him into lowering his guard and getting stabbed. Part of what makes The Summer Hikaru Died so special is that, unlike other horror fiction, fear is not the primary method used by anyone to get what they want. As frightening as the series can be, it is a series grounded in love, which in many ways is a far more powerful, and far more effectively used, tool than fear.

Image by CygamesPictures

The Summer Hikaru Died is also effective in how loveable it makes “Hikaru”, to the point that Yoshiki not wanting to exorcise him, despite him possessing the body of his deceased best friend, is completely understandable. The few times in the show where “Hikaru” finds himself in danger, the viewer doesn’t actually want him to be killed. From the first episode, we’re let in on the fact that “Hikaru” has killed people in this town, so it takes some really masterful writing to make us sympathise with him in the same way Yoshiki does. However, The Summer Hikaru Died rises to the task, and manages to place the viewer in the exact same dilemma that our central character faces himself. The series also achieves this by blurring the lines between Hikaru and “Hikaru”, despite fundamental differences between the two occasionally shining through. The writing in this series is top-notch, particularly when it comes to its characters.

On that note is where my one, small criticism of The Summer Hikaru Died comes in. The supporting cast of this series is strong, particularly Yoshiki and “Hikaru”s classmates, so I wish we got to see more of them throughout the show. We see very little of Yuuta, and practically none of Yuuki. When Asako is eventually brought into the narrative, she breathes a truly interesting new life into the story. Unfortunately, after the two episodes focusing on her end, she once again fades into the background. I hope that future seasons will draw on the existing strengths of the anime’s minor characters a little more – the groundwork of making them enjoyable characters is already done. Now, we just need to be allowed to enjoy them a little more.

From a production standpoint, The Summer Hikaru Died is absolutely excellent. The music is both unnerving and emotional, particularly during character-focused scenes. From an animation perspective, CygamesPictures deserve some serious props for what they’ve done here. The horror element of this show could have been completely undercut were these scenes handled badly. However, through their visuals, CygamesPictures manage to craft a season that is unsettling from beginning to end, even when all that’s on our screen is a clicking cicada. I hope that the studio will start to get some more work going forward, in particular horror work. The Summer Hikaru Died speaks for itself when it comes to the level of quality they can pull off.

Image by CygamesPictures

Through its themes, production, and overall story quality, everything about The Summer Hikaru Died screams ‘passion project’. There’s nothing particularly mass-appealing about the show, and it doesn’t have the support of a big production studio name behind it. However, it is fully committed to making magic with its touching source material, and ends up being one of the most remarkable anime series I’ve seen in a very long time. The show is certainly a slow-burn, but never feels dragged out. Rather, The Summer Hikaru Died is taking its time with its story, making the inevitable future payoffs all the more exciting to imagine.

Personally, this anime was my favourite of the Summer 2025 season, and I can pretty confidently name it my anime of the year so far. I’m always down for an anime to play it safe and put out amazing content. However, it’s really a special moment when an anime takes a risk like this, and it pays off to the fullest. I’ve never seen an anime like The Summer Hikaru Died, a show that, on the surface is an incredible ghost story, and beneath the surface, is a masterful exploration of queer identity and forbidden love. A masterpiece that I cannot wait to see return to our screens in the near future.

Have you watched The Summer Hikaru Died? If so, do you agree with my review? Did you love this series as much as I did? Be sure to let us know what you thought of this anime in the comment section, and thank you for reading!

See also: The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity Review

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Where to Watch The Summer Hikaru Died?

Image by CygamesPictures

You can stream The Summer Hikaru Died on Netflix in the U.K and worldwide, with the exception of China, where the series streams on BiliBili. If you haven’t seen it yet, give this series a try. It’s well worth your time.

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