Last Updated on December 2, 2024 by Angel Melanson
Horror anime series The Summer Hikaru Died gets an eerie new trailer today from Netflix, teasing a release date of “soon”.
Directed by Ryohei Takeshita, known for Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night, with character designs and chief animation direction handled by Yuichi Takahashi, The Summer Hikaru Died is produced by CygamesPictures.
Adapted from a manga series, which currently consists of five volumes, by writer and illustrator Mokumokuren, The Summer Hikaru Died is set to air on Japanese television during the summer 2025 anime schedule.
Netflix tease the plot synopsis for The Summer Hikaru Died as follows:
A chilling blend of slice of life and the supernatural, Yoshiki’s life is thrown upside down when his best friend Hikaru is replaced by “something” that looks and acts just like him. The newly released teaser trailer offers a glimpse into Yoshiki and Hikaru’s eerie world.
Prominent Japanese voice actors Chiaki Kobayashi and Shuichiro Umeda play Yoshiki Tsujinaka and the titular Hikaru Indou respectively.
Speaking with Netflix, the pair expressed their excitement for taking on these new roles:
“I'm thrilled to voice Yoshiki. From the audition, I felt a whirlwind of emotions — fear, comfort, and uncertainty. My goal was to capture all of Yoshiki’s feelings and melancholy.”
“Playing Hikaru was like peering into darkness. Despite uncertainties, my desire to stay connected with Yoshiki was clear, and I approached the role with that strong feeling.”
Adds director Takeshita:
“Reading the original work was exciting, and I pondered how to express its frames in animation. Our team was very dedicated to capturing the delicate emotions of Yoshiki and Hikaru, as well as the manga's beautiful and innovative structure. We look forward to sharing it with you.”
Check out the new teaser and poster for The Summer Hikaru Died and keep your eyes peeled for a concrete release date.
