Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu
The Summer Hikaru Died

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On the surface The Summer Hikaru died explores a common fear, and as such it is one that is often explored in horror movies. What if a person you loved changed into something unrecognizable? Do you push them away, or try to connect with the person they've become? Naturally, this fear is twisted into something more threatening in a supernatural horror format. What if they literally died and came back as something else that could potentially harm you and your family? This manga follows teenage boy Yoshiki after his best friend (and one sided crush) Hikaru mysteriously disappears and reappears. Hikaru looks the same as ... ever, but Yoshiki can tell that something is wrong. Following Yoshiki's confrontation with Hikaru about this, the monster that has replaced Hikaru's appearance changes, and it confesses it's love to him. Yoshiki reluctantly agrees to keep Hikaru's replacement a secret. That is the basic summary, but there are plenty of different directions this could go that you should really experience for yourself. Beyond the body horror seems to be themes of grief and repressed homosexuality, as well as subtext to read into. I won't spoil any explicit plot details, but I'd encourage you to stop reading this and check it out it out if a bl with pretty art, toxic but engaging romance, and body horror sounds appealing to you.

So the first thing you'll notice about this manga is that it looks great. The art is a bit uncanny to be sure, but it's drawn skillfully. The detailed background art and visual horror create an oppressive atmosphere. This detail carries over to the character art as well, so much so that even comedic scenes take on a strange grotesqueness. I'd even criticize this aspect for the tonal dissonace that it creates, but it's a small issue. The author draws facial expressions so skillfully that you can glean lots of information on characters from them. Being a body horror manga, that aspect is of course given extra care. When it gets supernatural, it takes on a surreal quality. Strangely, I'd even say that the transformations of Hikaru take on a strange air of eroticism. That sounds out of place, but the author understands that the line between fear and attraction is thin. This plays a big part in what I think is another strength of the manga: characterization.

One of the most best things about this manga, at least by my estimation, is the confidence the author seems to have in the reader. Yoshiki having had feelings towards the previous Hikaru isn't outright stated, but it is assumed that the reader will pick up on it. It's stated that the village Yoshiki lives in views homosexuality as some kind of curse, and the insecurity this creates in him is shown subtly. The camera's gaze and the little things he says all convey this, like his apparent guilt over staring at Hikaru shown through the shadow on his face. His fear of and attraction to Hikaru's transformations also conveys this idea. He's also coping with grief in an unhealthy manner, and this is shown through the almost experimental way he's sometimes drawn. But Yoshiki is not the only important character, and Hikaru also has some depth. His character is harder to parse, but he does have interiority. He's more delicate than his outgoing demeanor would suggest, understandably since being a literal monster means his position in Yoshiki's life is fragile. He's also adorable in a childish sort of way. Our two main characters form a codependent relationship based on a fear of being alone, something very human and compelling in a messy sort of way. The rest of the cast is pretty barebones, but there are some intriguing side characters like Yoshiki's little sister.

At the moment it is unclear where the story will be going so I'm not going to discuss it in depth, but the strength of the characters and art are enough for me to give it a wholehearted recommendation if you have a stomach for horror and some sad subject matter. Very stong first impressions, I give it a 7.5/10

This is the first time I have written a review but I felt that I had to.

The feeling of reading this and just stumbling upon it by chance is amazing as the art, concept, and feelings are all top notch.

This seems like a revelation of genre to me and I hope it proceeds in a great direction and the author continues to create more great works.

The story and art are reminiscent of something by Inio Asano, although this might be easier for me to recommend to someone than his works.

I would absolutely recommend this to someone who is tired of formulaic yaoi/bl and also enjoys ... horror elements.

This story is a masterpiece in the making.
Before I get started, if you are homophobic then this is not for you but if you are normal then please keep reading.

I know I am biased, as a gay person I don't get to read a lot of stories that are written by people who truly understand what it is like to realise that you are gay at a young age. The fear of societal repercussions and rejection by your friends and loved ones is immense.
The author has beautifully weaved these feelings into the character of Yoshida in addition to the horror that we experience ... as he wrestles with his love for Hikaru and the ominous threat that Hikaru represents.

I won't say much more due to spoilers, this is beautifully drawn and well thought out with good horror please read it.

The constant fear that something has replaced a loved one, the claustrophobia of living in a small rural town, the urge to kiss an eldritch monster you have a crush on; all of the tension in the story works well and builds such a dreary, suspenseful atmosphere. The glimmers of hope through relationships and community get snuffed out as the tension rips them to pieces before your very eyes.

With a story this engaging, the biggest crime would be to let down the intense atmosphere before it really gets going, and thankfully the story continues drudging through the mire it created. I love horror stories with ... messy queer relationships/undertones, and The Summer Hikaru Died is easily my new favorite. The combination of a slow country life and constant moral dilemmas and reveals creates the illusion of a long, drawn out struggle while still getting to read a fast-paced and concise story.

The 4 volumes that are currently out are absolutely fantastic and I could honestly recommend them to any horror fan. I'll update this review when the series is finished or if something goes horribly wrong, but for now this is my most anticipated series.

COMPLETELY SPOILER FREE

Such an incredible and heartfelt manga. It’s rare to find manga that completely grips you from the first chapter and continue to have a chokehold on you as it progresses.

The artwork -first of all- is incredible. It’s the first thing you’ll notice when you start reading. The author captures the lonely summer atmosphere with luscious thick colours rarely seen in Japanese manga, and even in black and white the art consistently amazes me. It mixes both surrealism with the familiar manga art style and the results are a blend of unique, unforgettable illustrations.

Yoshiki and Hikaru have the dangerous, paralleled dynamic crafted ... delicately by incredible environmental storytelling and profound inner thoughts. The way the manga deals with loss is clever and beautiful (Think the Babadook but if the Babadook was your friend whom you may or may not have homoerotic tensions with) , with the dialogue being almost poetic, and those paired with the immaculate illustrations is what makes the manga stand out not just as a manga, but as a piece of art.

10/10 highly recommend, and highly recommend to go in spoiler-free. A really, really profound manga that excels on almost all fronts, from art to character dynamic to plot.

I usually don't write reviews, but I feel compelled to share my thoughts on this masterpiece. The Summer Hikaru Died has left such a deep impression on me that I can't help but recommend it to people.

Ever since I saw a post regarding the manga, I just had a feeling that it's something I can't pass on

18 chapters in, I have to say I do not regret a thing. The story is enticing and the main characters are quite endearing. As someone who does not like to read horror material, this manga still somehow draws me in!! Not to mention the mesmerizing art style.

I really ... adore the interactions between Yoshiki and "Hikaru", and how their relationship evolved over time.

Furthermore, the manga also delves into deeper themes like grief and the journey of moving on. This is not a work that can simply be categorised as a "bl" or "horror," it is a beautifully haunting and well-crafted piece of fiction that the readers can immerse themselves in.

Bumped into this and at first I just wanted to read a horror manga with 2 boys as MC hoping to ship them but it turns out this has BL/Yaoi genre mixed into this.
The horror and uncertainness genre is widely present. the exaggeration of the effects and BG noise adds the feels to it.
I am in still in the early chapters but I already like everything there is to it - Art, Story, Pacing, Telling of the everyday life, the scene.
Even when I look at each panel it feels clean. Idk but there is something in each page/panel.

The feeling of mystery and uncertainness makes ... me want to keep on going iin the story.
I can feel each of the characters emotions.
It feels that the entirety of the manga is seeping through me thru each panel and each chapter I read.

Art is very well made, the details on each character and panel. I can see it coming alive while I read.

This is my favorite manga so far. Probably I can't put it in words properly but in my opinion Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu is simply an experience. One of the artworks that you can love or hate but definately FEEL it. Characters are well written and there is not a bit of boredom in their personalities.

What's also worth mentioning, is the realism in the manga. Everything is just really believable despite the horror genre. I really like that contrast, and all contrasts in the story too. The grothesque in the plot is unique, well balanced. And the most important of all, the relationship between ... Yoshiki and well, "both" Hikaru. Realistic, strong bond with a touch of this creature innocent child-like behaviour, really touched me and left inner conflicted at the same time. The idea for their history is in my opinion exceptional. Whats also worth mentioning, the creatures drawn in the comic book are really... interesting, so to say. I admire shading, fractal-like shapes and the whole idea for them.

What I can say more... I'm definately one of a people that loved this manga so far. Author made a great piece of work when it comes to main body of a scenerio and dialogues. Graphics are really beautiful and disturbing. I don't have pretty much any major problem with this manga. Maybe, sometimes is a bit too weird and some things seems somehow not right and unlogical so far. I really hope that volume 3 will finally be able in my country because I only read Hikaru online...

My final score is 10/10 (it might change when more chapters will be aired tho)

This manga starts off with us following this young boy's loss of a friend, yet nobody knows about it. This is because what our protagonist sees before him is something else completely. I urge you to read it if you love a good mystery with many emotional moments.

Going to get this out of the way because, for some reason, people have problems with this topic. There is boys love in this manga. Not something sadistic/twisted as some, or quirky and over-the-top as others. It doesn't feel fake nor feel like it's used as a hook for readers. It feels natural where you can insert yourself ... or anyone; what would you do if someone you love and care about comes back from the dead, with the same memories and personality, but not the same person?

The manga creates dilemmas that aren't easily answerable, both for the characters and for readers. This also helped with the mystery of this 'creature', as we try to understand its purpose. The hook of it all really is following our bereaved protagonist, as he's being consumed by his loss and yearns to find a replacement for any resemblance.
Sadly, the mystery surrounding them gets slightly ruined due to some characters. There are definitely some characters that heighten this mystery and don't make you less engaged, but another that follows a trope far too much that usually kills off any character's personality remotely deep. But it's only a trope, and hopefully will change as the story progresses. If it does, I'll rewrite/remove the review.

The art is fantastic, not overly subtle but amazing expressions and metaphors using art to express and evoke a certain emotion. While they do use the traditional anime look for characters, the character's facial expressions are incredibly powerful.


It's too early to tell if the manga gets rushed or ruined in some way, as of right now there are only 14 chapters. Writing this review has mostly been to help the manga get more readers.
What I think it's accomplished right now has been thus far, something I think has been exceptionally done well. The story as of right now has been incredibly engaging with its dilemmas, and I hope it'll continue that way.

Preliminary review

I don't understand what's so nice about this manga that it got into the rankings for top manga or something. Firstly, the 'horror elements' aren't even that scary. One part of it is super cliche. Or maybe it's because i only read the first few chapters.

Secondly, the characters are boring, i can't even tell that there is romance. Even the 'horror element' character is boring. ALSO, the suspense is boring. Again, maybe it's because i only read the first few chapters. perhaps it gets really good later on.

The art is not bad though.

I don't recommend this but neither do i discourage people ... from reading this. (Mixed feelings)

edit: a reader told me that it "really starts to get good" at chapter 6, but I even tried to continue to 7 and it is so boring i'm sorry i can't like it at all..

edit 2: LMAOOOO THEY REMOVED THE ROMANCE TAG I TOLD Y'ALL I TOLD Y'ALLLLLLLLL