The Summer Hikaru Died is looking to shake up the horror genre when the new anime series is released on Netflix later this year. To promote the debut season of the anime adaptation, a brand new poster has been released, and we now know when more details about the series will be unveiled. The Summer Hikaru Died is based on the eponymous manga by Mokumokuren, which was first serialized in August 2021 on Kadokawa Shoten’s Young Ace Up.
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The Summer Hikaru Died‘s anime adaptation will premiere on Netflix this Summer, with an exact release date still to be confirmed. CygamesPictures is in charge of the animation, with Ryohei Takeshita directing the series.
The Summer Hikaru Died Unveils New Poster & AnimeJapan 2025 Announcement
Ahead of the show’s debut season, a new poster has been released depicting the two leading characters, Yoshiki and “Hikaru,” at a carnival. The pair are wearing black and white harlequin shirts and holding kitsune masks. Those who have read the manga will instantly recognize the sense of joy and wonder on the face of “Hikaru,” while Yoshiki looks characteristically terrified and unsettled.
The poster celebrates that The Summer Hikaru Died is hosting a special booth at AnimeJapan 2025. The special booth is part of Kadokawa’s wider booth, titled “KADOKAWA ANIME CARNIVAL.” Additionally, The Summer Hikaru Died will be part of a Green Stage panel, featuring voice actors Ciaki Kobayashi (Yoshiki) and Shuichiro Umeda (“Hikaru”). A new trailer is expected to be revealed during the panel.
AnimeJapan 2025 takes place through March 22nd and 23rd in Tokyo. Alongside the panel, exclusive merch will be available to purchase from the booth. However, the designs have not yet been revealed.
[RELATED – AnimeJapan 2025 Reveals Schedule With Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, And More]
What is The Summer Hikaru Died About?
The Summer Hikaru Died expertly blends horror trappings with slice-of-life moments, to tell a uniquely unsettling story. The manga follows Yorichi, who suspects his best friend, Hikaru, has been replaced by an evil creature after coming back from the summer holiday. But, instead of dragging out the mystery, “Hikaru” outright tells Yorichi his old friend is dead. Yorichi then struggles with his newfound emotions for “Hikaru,” who could be a danger to him, his family, and his friends.
Per Yen Press, who licensed the English translation of the manga, the official synopsis reads, “It has Hikaru’s face. It has Hikaru’s voice. It even has Hikaru’s memories. But whatever came down from the mountains six months ago isn’t Yoshiki’s best friend. Whatever it is, it’s dangerous. Carrying on at school and hanging out as if nothing has changed—as if Hikaru isn’t gone—would be crazy…but when it looks so very like Hikaru…and acts so very like Hikaru…”
For those looking to catch up on the manga before the anime is released later this year, now is the perfect time. The Summer Hikaru Died is only four years old, meaning there aren’t too many chapters to catch up on at the moment. At the time of writing, 29 chapters have been released. For those that enjoy collecting print editions, four volumes have been released in English, so far, with the fifth volume set to release this March.
H/T: Anime Corner
