The Summer Hikaru Died is The Horror Anime of Your Nightmares

For years here at ComicBook.com, I have been writing about the need for anime to step it up when it comes to the horror genre. Yes, there are solid enough creepy series that don’t have Junji ito’s name attached to them, such as Devilman: Crybaby and Paranoia Agent, but Netflix has done what many might have believed was impossible. The Summer Hikaru Died has three episodes in the tank as a part of the streaming service’s library, with this creepy campfire story not just creating a riveting story but scenes that are still haunting me to this day.

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To start, The Summer Hikaru Died presents us with best friends Yoshiki Tsujinaka and Hikaru Indo, who have run into a little problem, Hikaru isn’t who he appears to be. The opening scene of the anime sees Yoshiki figuring out that his “best friend” is no longer the teenager he once knew. Hikaru is dead, and he has been replaced with a doppelganger that has attached itself to Yoshi. While seemingly having all the memories and personality of his deceased friend, the new Indo has a genetic structure that is far more monstrous than one would think. Perhaps more fearful of being alone than his friend becoming a monster, Yoshiki attempts to maintain his bond with his new “friend” as terror unravels around him.

What Makes Hikaru Scary?

To start, let’s break down brass tacks. The Summer Hikaru Died has scenes in its first three episodes that are still haunting my nightmares weeks after witnessing them. While Hikaru’s “true form” is eerie enough on its own, looking something like a mix between a butterfly, a jellyfish, and an ever-expanding blob, there are other supernatural creatures that are stalking the wilds of the protagonists’ small town. Specifically, episode two has a spirit that is out for Yoshiki thanks to the bond he has formed with the new Indo, and while the design of the spectre is simplistic, it excels in its simplicity. Hikaruo proceeds to “swallow” the ghost in a method that seems fairly cut and dry on paper but becomes more terrifying the more you think about it.

There is also one death in particular that takes place in the season premiere that happens off-screen, but much like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, what isn’t shown is perhaps far more terrifying than what is. When one villager thinks she knows Hikaru’s secret, the monstrous anime character seemingly causes her to “swallow her own fist.” Needless to say, simply hearing that death and letting your imagination run wild might be far scarier than whatever scene the anime could portray.

Specifically, outside of the ghouls that are itching around every corner of this anime adaptation, studio Cygames Pictures has transformed mundane scenarios into scare factories in the episodes we’ve seen. During one specific moment, Yoshiki walks to a convenience store, and the easy task of ringing up purchases becomes a nightmare thanks to the direction employed by the production house. Each item scanned immediately cuts through the scene, acting as an effective jump scare that requires no ghosts or goblins to hammer home the uneasiness of the locale. Transforming regular scenarios into nerve-wracking, skin-crawling nightmares is something that Junji Ito has mastered, but The Summer Hikaru Died has seemingly also cracked the code.

The Themes of Hikaru

Some of the best horror stories have themes attached to them that help the campfire tales resonate amongst viewers. For The Summer Hikaru Died, the anime adaptation dances with themes of isolation, young love, depression, friendship, and more. The fact that Yoshi finds himself unable to truly leave his best friend behind, despite the fact that his real best friend is gone, goes a long way at examining his character. To say nothing of this creature attempting to be Hikaru, which can simultaneously be a warm, caring individual while also holding back a monstrous form that isn’t quite like anything we’ve seen in an anime before.

The Summer Hikaru Died is based on a manga from creator Mokumokuren, still releasing new chapters to this day. Should the anime adaptation be able to keep up this tempo and continue staying true to the source material, it might easily go down as one of the scariest anime series of all time.

Want to stay on top of the year’s biggest new horror anime? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on The Summer Hikaru Died and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.