The eldritch horror anime also revealed more cast and its opening theme song in a new promotional video.
Netflix has revealed a second promotional video for the anime adaptation of The Summer Hikaru Died (Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu), a folk horror manga by Mokumokuren. Along with stunning visuals for what could be an incredibly promising body horror tale, the anime revealed a 5 July premiere date, more additional cast members, and an opening theme song performed by artist Vaundy.
“The Summer Hikaru Died” new cast, opening theme song, and more
Two new cast members have joined the lineup, including Yoshiki Nakajima as Yuta Maki, and Shion Wakayama as Yuki Tadakoro.
The rest of the cast is as follows:
- Shuichiro Umeda as Hikaru Indo
- Chiaki Kobayashi as Yoshiki Tsujinaka
- Yumiri Hanamori as Asako Yamagishi
- Wakana Kowaka as Rie Kurebayashi
- Chikahiro Kobayashi as Tanaka
Vaundy is performing the opening theme song, titled Sakai (Reunion), while TOOBOE performs the ending theme song Anata wa Kaibutsu (You are My Monster).
The anime series is being produced by CygamesPictures, with Ryōhei Takeshita (Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night, one episode of Jujutsu Kaisen) writing and directing it. Yuichi Takahashi (Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain, Bubble) is the character designer and chief animation director. Masanobu Hiraoka (one episode of Chainsaw Man, Land short film) is the ‘Dorodoro’ animator.
Netflix is streaming the anime simultaneously, with the Japanese airings starting 5 July.
Written and illustrated by Mokumokuren, The Summer Hikaru Died manga first started serialising in August 2021 in the Young Ace Up website of Kadokawa Shoten. The manga currently has six tankobon volumes as of December 2024. Yen Press licensed the series for an English publication in September 2022, and describes the story as:
Two boys lived in a village: Yoshiki and Hikaru. The two did everything together...until the day Hikaru was encompassed by a mysterious light. That was when everything changed—Hikaru most of all. Yoshiki still wishes from the bottom of his heart to always stay by his side...but is there even a Hikaru left to be with?
It has Hikaru’s face. It has Hikaru’s voice. It even has Hikaru’s memories. But whatever came down from the mountains six months ago isn’t Yoshiki’s best friend. Whatever it is, it’s dangerous. Carrying on at school and hanging out as if nothing has changed—as if Hikaru isn’t gone—would be crazy...but when it looks so very like Hikaru...and acts so very like Hikaru…
