Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu

This anime-The Summer Hikaru died is by far the best I've ever seen. I am invested in the characters and the storyline. It's full of angst, heartbreak, mystery, longing and horror.

I love the message it is conveying, I can relate with it on several levels which makes it that much better. I'm sure so many people are able to relate to one or both of the characters in some form or fashion.

There are so many layers to it and it leaves so much room for thought, there's so much meat to each episode to dissect.

By episode three I was so obsessed that I had to run and out purchase Mangas 1-3 of the Summer Hikaru died. I highly recommend!!

The Summer Hikaru Died lingers long after you put it down. What begins as a quiet, almost nostalgic slice-of-life about two boys in a rural town slowly unravels into a deeply unsettling, emotionally charged horror story that cuts straight to the heart.

The horror here isn't just supernatural - it's existential. The dread builds not from jump scares, but from the unbearable question: what if someone you loved came back... but wasn't them anymore? Yoshiki's inner conflict, his denial, his grief, and his quiet desperation are portrayed with haunting subtlety.

The art is beautiful and atmospheric, often sparse but loaded with feeling. Every shadow feels intentional. Every panel carries weight. And the pacing is masterful - slow, deliberate, with a constant sense of something not quite right.

This isn't just a horror manga. It's a meditation on identity, attachment, and the quiet horrors of change. It's intimate. It's terrifying. It's tender. A must-read for anyone who wants more than just gore and monsters - this is horror with a soul.

Just beautiful. Until now (first two episodes), the mystery and the horror aspects are both great. Also the relationship between "Hikaru" and yoshiki is very interesting. I wonder where the story, their relationship and the horror and mystery aspects go. Other than that, the visuals are STUNNING, animation wise and in terms of style. It reminds me of high budget anime movies like your name by makoto shinkai a little bit. But what I enjoy about the visuals are two things. 1: the characters and 2: the atmosphere. All characters look unique and different without looking unrealistic like in most animes with weird hair colors and weird proportions. And the summer atmosphere is just spot an as well. Perfect.

I really enjoyed the horror aspect; it builds tension through atmosphere rather than relying on predictable jump scares. The emotional bond between the main characters also adds a heartfelt layer that balances out the creepy tone in a meaningful way. It's refreshing to see a horror story with actual depth and character development. I'm definitely looking forward to what the upcoming episodes bring, hopefully even more intensity, deeper storytelling, and maybe some unexpected twists along the way.

Hats off to the voice cast, the writing and editing team behind the anime, and of course, to Mok-sensei for their outstanding work!

Technically speaking, 3 episodes isn't enough to proclaim this is a masterpiece, but as a big fan of body horror mixed with queer subtext (and straight up text, I mean-) this is really everything I've ever wished for in a beautifully animated package. Sound design? Amazing. Voice acting? Stellar. You can't ask for much more perfection, really - the complexity is well captured even if the content is undoubtedly less lengthy than the manga. I wonder what emotions they'll be able to pull out of me in the next episodes but so far, this is beautiful and should already be scheduled for a second season.