There was a lot of hype surrounding Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu (The Summer Hikaru Died). I had heard about this series a while ago, and the premise was right up my alley… dark… gritty… and supernatural. So, naturally, it went onto my To Watch list. Of course, a premise doesn’t always guarantee a great show, as a couple of shows from the 2025 Summer Anime season had interesting premises only to get dropped after the first episode. Can this one survive the chopping block?
Let’s go!
First Episode Synopsis
Yoshiki is running through the mountains as a group of people are searching for a boy named Hikaru. We see a brief shot of him on the mountain trail with blood covering the left side of his face. Then, we get some abstract colors and shapes that appear to be a sentient being on the move. Fast forward six months, and Hikaru is hanging out with his friend Yoshiki outside of a convenience store. They are there for some ice cream, but all they have is some sort of soda-flavored ice treat. While the two of them are talking, Yoshiki poses a theory… that Hikaru isn’t who he says he is.
At that moment, part of Hikaru’s face transforms into that abstract thing we saw on the mountain. Hikaru has died, and this thing has taken over his body; however, he has all of Hikaru’s memories and personality. Despite having all of that, he has never experienced the things that are in Hikaru’s memory, so when he has something like konbini fried chicken for the first time, he remembers Hikaru having it, but it’s his first time experiencing it.
As the episode progresses, Yoshiki warms up to the fact that Hikaru is dead, but it doesn’t matter to him, as long as whatever this thing is sticks by his side in Hikaru’s body, he can live with it. At the end, things take a weird turn when a cat, which was normally friendly with Hikaru, runs away from him, scared. An old woman seems to also be frightened to death at the sight of him… and for good reason. Later on that night, whatever the thing is inside Hikaru’s body (presumably) comes back to pay her a visit. This opens up an investigation, and our first episode ends with the local police calling in someone who specializes in what took place!
Worth Watching?
YES – I only went into this show knowing about the hype that surrounded it. I also looked at the synopsis and was generally pleased with what I saw. After two shows turned out to be something not to my liking, knowing that this first episode was incredible from start to finish was a breath of fresh air. I loved the dark overtones of the show with the mixed-in lightheartedness. Yoshiki is a complex character, too, with him mourning the loss of his friend Hikaru, but being oddly satisfied with whatever this thing is that is inhabiting his friend’s body.
At one point, he even asks “Hikaru” if he likes him. Hikaru said yes, and because it was something the real Hikaru never said to him, he sheds a tear and tells whatever this Hikaru is to never leave him ever again. That is a very deep-level coping mechanism, but it also speaks volumes as to how much the real Hikaru meant to him. It also shows that Yoshiki is in a state of shock and/or disbelief, and that the simple form of Hikaru still existing is helping him cope with the denial of losing his friend.
Then, we have the supernatural mystery aspect of the show. Just wondering about what this thing is, what the ritual was supposed to be, how and why it failed, and why some townspeople know who or what is in Hikaru’s body… all of it sets the stage for a thriller. This first episode had the perfect blend of everything you could ask for from a show of this type. Needless to say, this and Takopi’s Original Sin are going to duke it out for Anime of the Season (not counting sequel series or new seasons of previously aired shows).
