CyberAgent, Inc. held a panel session for the TV anime “The Summer Hikaru Died” —co-produced by CyberAgent and KADOKAWA—at Otakon, one of North America’s largest anime conventions. The convention was held in Washington, D.C., from Friday, August 8 to Sunday, August 10, 2025.
Shuichiro Umeda (voice of Hikaru) appeared as the featured guest at the panel session, which had a varied program that included a Q&A segment, a playback of the anime’s most memorable scenes, and even a live voice performance by Umeda. The venue was at full capacity with passionate fans of the anime filling the seats.
Q&A Session: Umeda’s Shared “Innocence” with Hikaru and Good Luck Charm
Shuichiro Umeda took to the stage amidst thunderous applause and cheers from the audience. Deeply moved by the fans’ passion, he immediately shared his feelings: “Both the staff and the cast came together with the determination to make this the anime of the summer. I’m truly happy to see that the anime has reached even overseas audiences. I can only say how truly grateful I am.”
With those heartfelt words, the panel began in a warm but lively atmosphere as it entered the Q&A segment of the panel, where Umeda answered a variety of questions about Hikaru. Reflecting on memorable scenes and the response to the anime so far, Umeda also spoke about the challenges of portraying a character that isn’t exactly human.
“Hikaru is ‘something’ that’s in the form of a human body. He can recall human memories, understand human sensations, and even act like a person. But at the same time, he is undeniably not human,” Umeda explained. “Even though he looks like an ordinary teenager, I played him while keeping in mind that his way of thinking and his feelings were fundamentally different from those of a human.”
When asked about his own similarities with Hikaru, Umeda responded with a smile: “Probably his innocence. Hikaru loves Yoshiki for no particular reason, and he pursues that feeling wholeheartedly. I’m also someone who’s very pure about the things I love (laughs).”
Umeda also revealed a behind-the-scenes story: to better embody Hikaru’s mindset, he performed a small “good luck ritual” during the audition. Since Hikaru wears his watch on his right wrist, Umeda deliberately wore his own watch on the right side that day—a symbolic gesture he hoped would bring him closer to the character.
Scene Playback: The Author and Cast’s Iconic Scenes, Reflecting on the Famous Gym Storage Room Scene
The latter half of the panel featured the scene playback segment of the panel, in which the manga’s author Mokumokuren and Chiaki Kobayashi (voice of Yoshiki Tsujinaka) selected their favorite scenes from the anime and provided commentary as to why.
Mokumokuren chose the scene in Episode 2 where a supermarket cashier throws one-sided, rapid-fire questions at Yoshiki. Mokumokuren praised how the anime captured the atmosphere of the scene, noting how the tempo of the jingle from the store’s “Yobikomi-kun” (a common audio promotional device in Japanese supermarkets) and how the animation direction brought out the sense of rural claustrophobia even more vividly on screen.
Kobayashi selected the Episode 2 gym storage room scene, where Yoshiki makes physical contact with the “something” inside Hikaru. He commented: “It’s a scene open to many interpretations—some might find it terrifying, sensual, unsettling, or even beautiful. Even though Yoshiki knows in his mind that this isn’t the real Hikaru, he still finds himself shaken by Hikaru’s exposed —and then feels self-loathing for reacting that way. The psychological portrayal here is incredibly detailed and delicate. It sets the work apart.”
Umeda strongly agreed, calling it “one of the defining scenes of the anime.” Reflecting on the recording for the scene, he added: “It’s a scene that we had to be very careful with. During the voice-over session, we all worked to ensure that Hikaru’s innocence was properly conveyed.”
After that, Umeda turned to the audience and asked, “Does everyone love this scene too?” In response, the hall erupted in applause. “I’ll be sure to tell Yoshiki!” Umeda then promised the audience while smiling, making the moment a highlight for all present.
The panel also featured a special video message from Director Ryohei Takeshita, who praised Umeda’s performance: “He has an exceptional ability to grasp the flow of the story and understand the nuances of direction. He always delivers in a way that preserves the directors’ intentions while also bringing his own interpretation of Hikaru, which makes him an actor we can fully trust.”
To wrap up the panel, Umeda treated the audience to a live voice acting session of several iconic scenes from the anime, drawing a sustained, thunderous applause from the audience.
Umeda’s Message to Fans Everywhere: “Let’s Continue Loving ‘The Summer Hikaru Died’ Together”
As the panel drew to a close, Umeda shared his gratitude in his parting remarks to the audience: “It made me so happy to see the faces of everyone here who truly loves ‘The Summer Hikaru Died.’ I want to take this passion back to Japan and help spread the love even further.”
He then added a heartfelt message addressed to fans that left the venue with a sense of warm excitement: “We [the staff and cast] deeply love this work, too. So, as fellow fans, I hope we can continue loving and supporting ‘The Summer Hikaru Died’ together.”
The TV anime “The Summer Hikaru Died” is streaming worldwide exclusively on Netflix. Don’t miss experiencing an unforgettably chilling yet poignant summer with Hikaru.
Source: Press Release
