Netflix’s new horror anime series The Summer Hikaru Died has a release window – and an unnerving new poster.
The series is based on Mokumokuren’s manga of the same name, which revolves around teenager Yoshiki, whose closest friend Hikaru becomes possessed by a strange, supernatural being.
Netflix has announced the anime will be arriving this year, and the poster, which you can see below, at first glance looks like a pretty idyllic scene featuring Yoshiki and Hikaru – until you notice the disturbing, red-eyed presence that’s overtaking Hikaru on Yoshiki’s back.
Based on the manga by Mokumokuren and animated by CygamesPictures, The Summer Hikaru Died will be coming 2025, exclusively on Netflix.#NetflixAnime pic.twitter.com/lWD27rgUKWMarch 20, 2025
The logline for the series reads: “Two best friends living in a rural Japanese village: Yoshiki and Hikaru. Growing up together, they were inseparable… until the day Hikaru came back from the mountains, and was no longer himself. ‘Something’ has taken over Hikaru’s body, memories, feelings… and everything they know begins to unravel.”
The manga consists of six volumes and has been running since August 2021. CygamesPictures is animating the anime adaptation, and a trailer has previously been released.
“Reading the original work was exciting, and I pondered how to express its frames in animation,” director Ryohei Takeshita told Netflix. “Our team was very dedicated to capturing the delicate emotions of Yoshiki and Hikaru, as well as the manga’s beautiful and innovative structure. We look forward to sharing it with you.”
While you wait for the show to arrive this year, check out our guides to the best anime you should be watching now, as well as the best anime on Netflix to fill out your watchlist.
