Horror is somewhat of a hit-or-miss genre when it comes to anime, but Netflix is bringing their A-game this summer with the upcoming release of The Summer Hikaru Died. To promote the new series, Netflix and CygamesPictures have unveiled a new poster and character visuals via a new press release for its two leading characters, the titular Hikaru and his best friend Yoshiki. Prepare for the name Mokumokuren to join the likes of Junji Ito and Masaaki Nakayama if The Summer Hikaru Died gets the anime adaptation fans know it deserves.
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Mokumokuren’s The Summer Hikaru Died was first published in 2021 on Koadokawa’s Young Ace Up website. To date, 34 chapters have been published, and the series is still ongoing. The manga (and Netflix’s adaptation) follows Yoshiki, a high school student who believes there is something strange about his friend Hikaru, who recently returned after mysteriously disappearing in the mountains.



Netflix Reveals New The Summer Hikaru Died Character Visuals
The new visual for The Summer Hikaru Died includes the two friends, Hikaru and Yoshiki while teasing something sinister residing inside the former. Those who have read the manga’s first chapter know that “Hikaru” isn’t secretive about what happened to Yoshiki’s former best friend, and the poster highlights the moral and emotional struggle brewing within Yoshiki about how to handle his friendship with the new Hikaru.
Along with the poster, new character visuals have been released for Hikaru and Yoshiki. The press release also includes official character descriptions for Yoshiki and Hikaru. Check them out below:

Yoshikis is described as, “A high school student living in Kubitachi Village. He struggles with accepting the fact that his childhood friend, Hikaru Indou, has been replaced by something else, yet continues to go about his daily life with it. He has a fondness for animals and insects.”

The description for Hikaru reads, “‘Something’ that appeared in place of Hikaru Indou, who went missing half a year ago in the forbidden mountains. It looks and sounds exactly like Hikaru Indou, but isn’t him. It seems innocent and full of curiosity.”
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The Summer Hikaru Died Will Appear at AnimeJapan 2025
When Netflix’s The Summer Hikaru Died adaptation was announced last May, it came with a gorgeous poster. A teaser trailer was then revealed last November showcasing the ominous vibes that manga readers will instantly recognize. However, since then, fans have seen very little of the upcoming series. Thankfully, we only have a couple of days to wait until more info is released. The Summer Hikaru Died will appear on GREEN STAGE on March 22nd at this year’s AnimeJapan expo in Tokyo.
The series is being directed by Ryohei Takeshita (Jellyfish Can’t Swim at Night), with CygamesPictures in charge of animation. Chiaki Kobayashi is voicing Yoshiki, and Hikaru will be voiced by Shuichiro Umeda. The Summer Hikaru Died releases exclusively on Netflix this Summer. An exact release date has not yet been revealed. Although, it is expected to be announced at AnimeJapan 2025.
H/T: CyberAgent, Inc. Press Release