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Netflix is releasing an anime adaptation of Mokumokuren’s award-winning horror manga, The Summer Hikaru Died. The anime will debut as part of the Summer 2025 line-up after being announced in May 2024. The manga debuted on August 31st, 2021, and is still ongoing with several awards under its belt, including the Traditional Chinese Global Special Prize at the eighth Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Awards in 2022. Additionally, the manga also ranked first in Kono Manga ga Sugoi! for the Male Readers division in 2023. The animation studio CygamesPictures, is famous for producing anime based on their gaming IPs, including memorable anime series like Uma Musume and wild originals like Brave Bang Bravern!
They have also released a few series based on a few manga series, including Princess Connect! Re: Dive. Netflix just released the second main trailer of the anime, introducing the opening theme song, “Saikai” by Vaundy. Meanwhile, the ending theme, “You are my monster,” by TOOBOE, was already revealed in March 2025. As the anime adaptation of this supernatural mystery gets closer to its release date, Anime Expo 2025, the largest anime convention in North America, is holding a special premiere for the anime.
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Anime Expo 2025 Will Hold a Special Premiere for The Summer Hikaru Died
The anime convention will premiere the first episode of the anime on July 4th, 2025. The anime hasn’t announced its release date yet, but it will likely drop in July. The manga creator Mokumokuren and Yoshiki Tsujinaka’s voice actor, Chiaki Kobayashi, will also make their appearance in the event. The story takes place in a small village, following Yoshiki Tsujinaka, who grew up with his best friend Hikaru Indou. They were inseparable since childhood until one day Hikaru disappears and returns after a week as if nothing happened. No one except Yoshiki noticed that the boy who has the same appearance and voice as Hikaru is someone else.
Yoshiki’s world turns upside down when he realizes that not only has his best friend died, but a strange creature is impersonating him and confessing his love. Overwhelmed by grief, Yoshiki even plans to accept the creature as his friend, until he starts noticing the strange occurrences happening around him. The once peaceful village is plunged into chaos, and somehow it’s tied to the fake Hikaru’s appearance.
H/T: The Summer Hikaru Died Official YouTube Channel, Anime Expo on X
