The Summer Hikaru Died Release Date Set for July Premiere; Opening Theme Revealed

A new trailer for The Summer Hikaru Died anime revealed that the series will debut on July 6 at 0:55 JST (July 5 at 24:55) on Japanese television. The preview also introduced the opening song, Saikai, performed by Vaundy, setting a haunting tone for this supernatural horror story.

Before the premiere, the first episode will be shown early on June 29 at TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku in Tokyo. Lead voice actors Chiaki Kobayashi (Yoshiki), Shuichiro Umeda (Hikaru), Chikahiro Kobayashi (Tanaka), and director Ryohei Takeshita will attend the event.

The Summer Hikaru Died Release Date Set

Two new cast members joined the show: Yoshiki Nakajima voices Yuta Maki, and Shion Wakayama plays Yuki Tadokoro.

Manga Success and Creative Team

The Summer Hikaru Died manga, created by Mokumokuren, has been serialized on Kadokawa Shoten’s Young Ace Up web platform since August 2021. It currently includes six volumes and has earned critical acclaim. The series topped Kono Manga ga Sugoi!’s male readers’ list in 2023 and has been recognized by multiple awards such as the Manga Taisho, Tsutaya Comic Awards, the Eisner Awards, and the Next Manga Award.

Ryohei Takeshita, who directed Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night, is directing this anime and also writing the series. Studio CygamesPictures handles the animation, with Yuichi Takahashi designing characters and acting as chief animation director. Masanobu Hiraoka, noted for work on Chainsaw Man, contributes as a key animator.

Netflix will offer exclusive global streaming of the series.

Story Overview

The story follows Yoshiki, whose best friend Hikaru disappeared months ago. Something with Hikaru’s face, voice, and memories has returned, but it is not truly him. This mysterious being poses a danger as it continues in daily life, blurring the line between reality and fear.

Yen Press publishes the official English version of the manga, describing the unsettling tension at the heart of the narrative.

Written By Manika Kayal, Intern, India Today Gaming.