Fresh details about the previously announced anime adaptation of Mokumokuren’s The Summer Hikaru Died came in particuarly hot today, as the psychological horror series’ first teaser trailer confirmed a fitting summer 2025 release in Japan, alongside a worldwide Netflix release (noted as “coming soon”), along with key cast and staff members.
As previewed below, Chiaki Kobayashi (Gabimaru in Hell’s Paradise) voices Yoshiki Tsujinaka and Shuichiro Umeda (Akira in Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead) voices Hikaru Indo.
The Summer Hikaru Died Teaser Trailer
The Summer Hikaru Died Teaser Visual
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RELATED: The Summer Hikaru Died Anime Adaptation Officially Announced
Mokumokuren’s The Summer Hikaru Died manga is serialized on Kadokawa Shoten’s Young Ace Up web imprint since August 2021 and currently spans five collected volumes. The series topped Kono Manga ga Sugoi!’s list for male readers in 2023, and has also been ranked/nominated for the Manga Taisho award, the Tsutaya Comic Awards, an Eisner Award and the Next Manga Award.
Ryohei Takeshita (Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night) directs the anime adaptation at studio CygamesPictures and serves as series composer, while Yuichi Takahashi (Vivy -Fluorite Eye’s Song-) serves as character designer and chief animation director and Masanobu Hiraoka serves as “Dorodoro” animator (Chainsaw Man episode director).
Yen Press publishes an official English version of the manga and describes the story:
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…
