You might not be familiar with The Summer Hikaru Died just yet, but once you catch a glimpse of the first trailer, it will likely find its way onto your Netflix watchlist.
Typically, slice-of-life and horror aren’t genres you’d expect to see combined, yet that’s precisely the appeal of The Summer Hikaru Died. This intriguing manga started serialization in 2021 and continues to capture readers with new chapters. The story centers around Yoshiki and Hikaru, two friends living in a small Japanese town, navigating the mundanity of daily life—until one fateful day, Hikaru dies and an otherworldly entity takes his place. Yoshiki is left grappling with the unsettling truth that his best friend is gone, raising the stakes in this eerie narrative. After much anticipation, the first trailer for its anime adaptation has finally dropped, and it delivers all the eerie vibes fans have been hoping for.
You can watch the trailer above. It doesn’t reveal too much, but it certainly sets the mood. This adaptation is being helmed by Ryohei Takeshita, who previously directed Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night. Playing Yoshiki is Chiaki Kobayashi, whose voice you might recognize from Hell’s Paradise and Reynatis, while Shuichiro Umeda, known for Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, takes on the role of Hikaru.
Takeshita shared his thoughts on the project, stating, “Reading the original work was thrilling, and I contemplated how best to translate its frames into animation. Our team has been deeply committed to capturing the subtle emotions of Yoshiki and Hikaru, alongside the manga’s beautiful and innovative structure. We’re eager to share our work with everyone.”
Sadly, there’s no specific release date as of now, but it’s slated to hit screens in the latter half of 2025, so you won’t have to wait too long to experience it.
