The Summer Hikaru Died anime is something I’ve been patiently waiting for ever since one of my manga page buddies, Subways Manga, started posting about it.
The wait for the anime adaptation was the correct move
The Summer Hikaru died manga sounded perfect to me. Two boys (in love), one gets possessed or, to be more precise, his dead body gets revived by a strange life form, form a tumontulous relationship as one tries to cope with losing a loved one while the other learns how to live, and it’s all set in a village full of sinister secrets. What more do you need from your horror anime?
But I stayed away, since there were 20000 other manga to catch up on, and so I waited. Who would have known, the wait was worth it. The Summer Hikaru died anime announcement arrived. I was ecstatic, especially since the studio behind the adaptation is Cygamespictures, the people behind that horse girls racing anime. You know, the one with INSANE production. Since the panels from the manga had a HEAVY otherworldly feel, a studio that likes to play around with colors seemed perfect for the job, and I was correct.
The shot composition, the use of lighting to darken or lighten the scene, the freaking EYES in this anime. Cygamespictures took a good approach with The Summer Hikaru Died anime adaptation, especially since it’s their first horror show.
You can feel the intensity/serenity of each scene, and the mini touches, like how a bitter smile fades away from Yoshiki right as he’s about to cry. The studio nails the weight of Yoshiki’s emotions in the scenes, but it also nails Hikaru’s reactions to, well, everything. He is a being that’s alive for the first time, so his facial expressions tell us a LOT about how he’s feeling, and the production house nails every moment, from his crying while watching a movie, to him realising he has to kill an old grandma because she knows he’s not human.
Love, Death, and Monsters?
Is The Summer Hikaru Died bl? I see that question popping up everywhere, and I think the answer is yes, yes it is. The first episode immediately establishes a love between Yoshiki and Hikaru that goes way beyond platonic, at least from Yoshiki’s perspective. He loved Hikaru, and he loved him dearly, so you can imagine how fucked up he must feel when he notices that Hikaru is not human. Whatever this creature is, it’s just a copycat that’s wearing Hikaru’s body, has his memories, but that’s it. Just a cheap knock off…
I’m getting heavy Lovecraftian vibes from Hikaru. From his design (that looks like some sort of parasitic organism, or something prehistoric and ancient), the way it described how it came to live, and most importantly, how certain people from the town reacted when they saw him.
And, of course, Yoshiki’s constant psychotic episodes due to Hikari being a supernatural being instead of the boy he loves add to that overall atmosphere of complete doom and insanity. There’s an OVERWHELMING SENSE OF DREAD in this anime, and the sound and visual design increase it IMMENSELY. I can definitely see Junji Ito fans loving this anime.
Should you watch The Summer Hikaru Died anime?
Just going off the first episode, yes. I know how beloved the manga is, and I know how good Cygamespictures are, and judging from the first episode, this one is going to be a banger.
For bl fans, horror fans, and just your standard anime enjoyers, The Summer Hikaru Died anime looks like a spectacular watch already. I’m very excited to see where the story goes, especially the relationship between Yoshiki and Hikaru.
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If you watched The Summer Hikaru Died episode 1, share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!
