After much anticipation, Kadokawa’s anime adaptation of Mokumokuren’s The Summer Hikaru Died series is finally here. The Summer Hikaru Died blends supernatural elements with slice-of-life for a can’t miss series, and Final Weapon has everything you need to know about anime’s weekly schedule and release timing.
In The Summer Hikaru Died, two best friends, Yoshiki and Hikaru, live peacefully in a rural Japanese village. They grow up together and are basically inseparable until the day Hikaru comes back from the mountains. Hikaru is no longer himself, and something has taken over his body, memories, and feelings. Everything is about to change for Yoshiki.
The Summer Hikaru Died Release Dates, Exact Premiere Time and Schedule
New episodes of The Summer Hikaru Died will premiere on Saturdays at 8:55 a.m. PDT / 11:55 p.m. EDT on Netflix. In Japan, the anime airs at 24:55 JST, or effectively 00:55 JST after midnight. Exact timing for releases outside Japan may vary, however. The anime will be streaming with English subs, and 12 episodes are expected to air this season.
Here are the release dates and schedule for The Summer Hikaru Died (subject to change):
- Episode 1 – July 5
- Episode 2 – July 12
- Episode 3 – July 19
- Episode 4 – July 26
- Episode 5 – August 2
- Episode 6 – August 9
- Episode 7 – August 16
- Episode 8 – August 23
- Episode 9 – August 30
- Episode 10 – September 6
- Episode 11 – September 13
- Episode 12 – September 20
New episodes of The Summer Hikaru Died will premiere at the following times (subject to change):
- Pacific Daylight Time (PDT): 8:55 a.m.
- Mountain Daylight Time (MDT): 9:55 a.m.
- Central Daylight Time (CDT): 10:55 a.m.
- Eastern Daylight Time (EDT): 11:55 p.m.
- Greenwich Mean Time (GMT): 3:55 p.m.
OP/ED, Cast and Staff
Vaundy performs “Saikai (Reunion),” the opening theme song for The Summer Hikaru Died. TOOBOE performs the ending theme song “you are my monster.”
The cast of The Summer Hikaru Died includes:
- Chiaki Kobayashi as Yoshiki Tsujinaka
- Shūichirō Umeda as Hikaru Indou
- Yumiri Hanamori as Asako Yamagishi
- Wakana Kowaka as Rie Kurebayashi
- Chikahiro Kobayashi as Tanaka
- Yoshiki Nakajima as Yūta Maki
- Shion Wakayama as Yūki Tadokoro
The staff includes:
- Original story: Based on the comic “The Summer Hikaru Died” by Mokumokuren originally serialized in the YOUNG ACE UP published by KADOKAWA Director/Series
- Composition: Ryohei Takeshita
- Character Design/Chief Animation Director: Yuichi Takahashi
- DORODORO Animator: Masanobu Hiraoka
- Prop Design: Ryunosuke Oji
- Sub Character Design: Mai Watanabe, Hiroko Seigan, Shoko Nagasawa
- Art Setting: Shuhei Tada, Takeshi Takahashi, Yoshihiro Sono
- Art Director: Kohei Honda
- Color Design: Naomi Nakano
- Assistant Color Design: Yuko Koshida
- 3D Supervisor: Yoshinori Nakano
- Director of Photography: Tomohiro Maeda
- 2D Design: Yusuke Nagara, Yuri Tsue
- Editing: Kashiko Kimura
- Sound Direction: Koji Kasamatsu
- Sound Production: dugout
- Music: Taro Umebayashi
- Animation Production: CygamesPictures
Where Can I Watch The Summer Hikaru Died?
The Summer Hikaru Died will be streaming on Netflix outside Japan. In Japan, The Summer Hikaru Died will air on the NTV channel and ABEMA streaming service.
What is The Summer Hikaru Died About?
Lastly, here’s a story synopsis for the TV anime:
In a certain village
Since their childhood, they have grown up together.
Yoshiki and Hikaru, childhood friends.
the sun shining down on them
the chirping sound of a crypto tympana facialis
Ice cream on the way home
Laughing over trivial things
One day in summer, no different from any other day
…… You’re not Hikaru after all, are you?
Half a year ago, Hikaru went missing in the mountains.
A week later, he came back on a whim.
The voice, the figure, the thing that looked like Hikaru
What was stirring inside…
“Hikaru is no longer with us. …… if that’s the case.”
Starting the days with “something” in the form of a friend,
The “same as usual” everyday life.
But at the same time…
Strange incidents begin to plague the village.
Falling into the unknown “something”
