Forum - View topic(The) Summer Hikaru Died (TV).
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Edjwald
 Posts: 3510 |
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(The) Summer Hikaru Died (TV) Source: Manga (ongoing @ 6 volumes by Mokumokuren) Demographic: Seinen Animation Studio: CyGamesPictures Genres: drama, horror, mystery, psychological, slice of life, supernatural Themes: countryside, crime, detective, ghosts, mythology, school, small town, spirits, urban legends Plot Summary: Yoshiki and Hikaru have been friends since they were small, as the only two children around their age in the village. One summer though, Hikaru goes into the forest and comes back… different. He looks like Hikaru and has Hikaru's memories, but he's not him. Yoshiki, unsure what to do, decides to embrace the creature wearing his friend's face because even a fake is better than Hikaru simply being gone. But when weird things keep happening around the village, it may not be so easy to pretend that nothing has happened. Air Date & Platform: July 06, 2025 (Sunday) Available on: Netflix Episode Count / Runtime: Pending [EDIT: Fancy opener stuff edited. -TK] |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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The other two horror shows this season have comedy tags (including that cat one), this one does not sound like the funny kind of scary.
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 25599 |
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It sure doesn't but I'm pretty jazzed for this one. Hope it lives up to my expectations.
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#1
Past summer seasons have had their fair share of traditional Japanese horror adaptations, but this quarter has just this offering which is probably why it's more hyped than usual because of the niche it occupies and the lack of direct competition it faces. The source material is popular, and the hook is an interesting mix of Japanese folk horror and Cthulhu inspired monstrosities. For a pilot episode, it certainly sets the scene well. Casual viewers know Yoshiki's best mate Hikaru ended up missing in the local mountain one evening, died and was possessed by some kind of ancient horror (Nounuki-sama by the sound of it) the village locals are terrified of and have taken measures against through ritual in the past. Yoshiki himself realized the truth behind Hikaru some time after his dramatic reappearance with amnesia, but it took him half a year to muster up the courage to confront him about it. Despite being terrified by the revelation, Yoshiki is playing along to maintain the status quo, but he's clearly conflicted and we are not privy to exactly why he's taken the approach he has. It's a good thing Hikaru likes Yoshiki a lot. Perhaps a combination of the inherited memories his new shell provided and Yoshiki being the one person who knows his secret yet chose to treat him like the original Hikaru. Yoshiki might be safe for now, but it seems Nounuki-sama coming down the mountain is a taboo which is starting to lead to gruesome murders. The old lady who was killed knew what was going to kill her, and the middle-aged lady who Hikaru passed by mid-episode also realized something was wrong. The white cat displayed its hostility quite openly, so clearly Nounuki-sama is one of those ancient Japanese supernatural entities which shouldn't be in human settlements and is best kept confined in its mountain. There's also the company from outside of the locality (it's clear they're outsiders since they don't speak the Kansai dialect the locals like Yoshiki and Hikaru use) which specializes in dealing with supernatural entities and is apparently hunting for something for over a century. The operator who smashed that couple's home to root out the intruder is clearly used to such occurrences, but even he is unenthusiastic about going to the Kansai countryside in response to the murder. Like a lot of adaptations viewers are thrown in at the deep end and expected to figure things out while the adaptation fills in the rest of the holes from the beginning of this tale. So far I like what I see, if only because there isn't really anything like it for this quarter and it certainly satisfies my demand for horror in the season most appropriate for it. |
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15852 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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I watched a video essay on this series, but I will try to not remember plot elements. My main memory matches my reaction of the first episode that there is a bit of allegory or direct reference to a queer experience. The guys are/were likely gay, and never got around to being open about it and what they might have thought of each other. The shot of the feminine formed tree had to have some sort of symbolism. And there was something to that conversation of Hikaru saying that Yoshiki could totally get a girlfriend (no mention of himself) and he would stick by him.
Regarding the main context of the show, of a monster having taken the form of a regular person, and some element of society are terrified of him. I don't know how much of that might also meant to be allegory of queers being feared and hunted for being different. The show is on Netflix, and Netflix already has Nimona, an animated movie about a shapeshifting monster that was wrongly assumed as inherently evil for being different. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#2
The OP and ED songs don't really stand out, but the visuals certainly do. The OP has one of the most visually unsettling montages I've ever seen to date, while the ED interposes Hikaru and Yoshiki into a real-life video montage. Definitely a unique pairing, and in some ways mirroring the story this adaptation is trying to tell. The gap between source material readers and casual viewers is huge at this point. The former knows what's going on, but the latter are only given scraps to work off regarding the central mystery. Even if casual viewers have a basic knowledge of traditional Japanese horror stories, there's a lot which is left unexplained. It is increasingly clear that the being adopting the form of Hikaru is not only outside of its traditional confines, it is unintentionally causing the murders of village folk who draw its unwanted attention. Yoshiki's dilemma is increasingly apparent; he is the only one aware of Hikaru's true nature but is increasingly torn between maintaining the friendship he had with his best mate and fighting the urge to keep his distance from this unknown entity which this episode proves to be both guardian and predator. His encounter with the woman who can "see" Hikaru's presence and recognises it for what it is gives him a lifeline out of his present dilemma, but it is a tenuous one and if he upsets Hikaru in the course of seeking help it could be a messy end for him. Hikaru on the other hand is not without opposition. The mysterious man who works for the Company dealing with supernatural incidents is now on-site and starting his investigations. He and the village elders are well aware of what is behind the murders, but the details of the ritual are obscured for now. This ritual together with Hikaru's family bloodline are the main reasons behind the Hikaru being leaving its grounds when the original intention was to keep it sealed within its mountain confines. Exactly how all this is achieved will have to wait for later episodes; the visiting investigator's main role appears to be enlightening casual viewers on the unique nature of this village and the supernatural entity which neighboured it. The woman is not the only one who is attuned to the supernatural. Hikaru and Yoshiki's classmate Asako is another who can sense the supernatural more keenly than most. The instant Hikaru absorbed the roaming spirit which had Yoshiki in its sights she was the first to response to the sound like a gunshot had gone off. She immediately panicked and ran out of the path with her oblivious classmate, but Hikaru's ability to read minds indicates he knows she might be able to sense his true nature. He can drop his guard around Yoshiki, but if she's around he might want to curb his natural curiosity in order to maintain his cover. I can see more murders taking place as Hikaru unconsciously seeks more victims. Yoshiki's one ally might be a target, but that depends on whether Hikaru meets them both without his knowledge. It will be interesting to see what Yoshiki does now that he has someone he can confide in, although he's probably adopting a wait-and-see approach while he can keep his terror in check. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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I will readily admit that I am not great with horror but having heard so much positive buzz I decided to check out the first episode. Besides it looking gorgeous I was hooked by the almost slice of life seeming calm that shows moments that are not at all relaxing. I get where Yoshiki is coming from but to stay close to something you know isn't human and potentially dangerous is something else. Given how some people in town react to it I am guessing it is not a simple monster either. Add a company which deals with supernatural happenings to that and I am very interested to see more (yet slightly wary too).
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 25599 |
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I was a little leery of DP's reference to a potential gay allegory after just one episode, but the second episode strengthened the possibility a lot. The "exploration" scene in the school gym storage room was pretty gay. Not sure what gay men think about Cthulhu horror being used as an allegory for queerness, but here we are.
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15852 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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I think we just saw some kind of fisting in episode 2.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 25599 |
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Of course, YOU'D go there, DP
 Perv. 
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#3
Yoshiki and Hikaru go way back, to the extent they only had each other for company as children. Unsurprisingly it is difficult for Yoshiki to maintain the relationship he had with the real Hikaru before whatever it is which is assuming his appearance took over. Humans can only adapt to so much deceit before the strain buckles their mental equilibrium. At least Yoshiki took up Kurabayashi's offer to let him speak of his dilemma. That conversation, together with his outburst in the classroom, gives Yoshiki something else to cling to when the strain of maintaining the facade threatens to overwhelm him. If nothing else, Yoshiki needs information about what he's got himself into and the risks he faces the longer he keeps company with Hikaru/Nounuke-sama. It's interesting that their classmates, blissfully unaware of what has really happened to Hikaru, point out that Hikaru has become much more attached to Yoshiki compared to the usual benchmark. Just as well Hikaru/Nounuke has developed an unhealthy emotional dependence on Yoshiki, since that dependence is literally the only thing keeping Yoshiki alive and not reduced to another mysterious death corpse. Even if Yoshiki tries to treat the current Hikaru as some kind of virtual pet which needs guidance, he runs the real risk that Nounuke overcomes the host memories to the point where Yoshiki becomes a kill target. Yoshiki has plenty of issues of his own in addition to Hikaru, and from what is shown so far he doesn't have any qualities which suggest he can defend himself or bargain his way out should Nounuke turn hostile. I suppose it will depend on how Yoshiki interacts with Hikaru moving forward, and whether the external investigator representing the Company is going to become the wild card which sunders the uneasy equilibrium between the pair. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#4
This is a slow burner of an adaptation; the pacing has slowed down dramatically after the opening episodes. On the other hand, the slow pacing means the adaptation can focus on generating an increasingly unnerving atmosphere of horror for its uninitiated viewers. That said, there's enough in this episode to confirm Yoshiki has been wrestling with his dilemma for over half a year because of more than just friendship. His brief outburst about the family friend's child being "ill" when it's a cover for the boy's sexuality indicates as much. It's a traditional village literally in the mountains and otherwise cut off from main civilization were it not for modern roads and rail. The village has its 300 years of history and a ritual that has been kept going for just as long to keep Nounuke-sama confined within its mountain domain. Now that Hikaru as Nounuke is up and about, it won't be long before the outsider tracks him down having figured out Nounuke has infiltrated the village in disguise. Then there's Yoshiki actually discovering Hikaru's corpse, not reporting it, then finding out his friend is recovering from hospital while he was out cold. His instincts being one thing, actually discovering Hikaru's corpse is enough for a PTSD trigger on his part. The question is why he actually put up with the situation for half a year before broaching the topic with the new Hikaru. It's not just Nounuke-sama that the village coexists with; even the railroad crossing has unpleasant entities hovering over it. Yoshiki's classmate with her Sight warns her best friend to use another crossing while it is active, while Kurabayashi seems to have the ability to interact with it in some manner. The outsider being forced to use one of his organs for a barrier doesn't reflect well on the Company he works for. Those gifted with the Sight don't have to pay as high a price to generate barriers, but his lack of it means each time the barrier is damaged he not only feels it but also knows he cannot easily replace it unless the Company sends reinforcements. A lot of questions this episode, but not a lot of answers for now as the adaptation plays the long game. Atmosphere alone it's definitely doing well with casual viewers, but it can't keep playing stalling tactics like this for much longer before viewers start getting bored. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15852 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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My reading of him saying that he doesn't like his company's methods has me thinking that maybe they sacrifice the organs of other people. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#5
Another episode with the surreal horror this franchise is adept at recreating. I don't know why, but it feels significant we are told about Yoshiki's sudden affinity for the supernatural (due to repeated close contact with Hikaru and his irresistible urge to feel his Cthulhu insides) and how Hikaru has to protect him by absorbing the intruders with varying degrees of success. Yoshiki has not taken the warning from Kurabayashi to heart, how much will he regret it now that even he knows the "connection" between him and the new Yoshiki is getting stronger? Although Hikaru claims he got the "wig monster" in the end, he didn't absorb it like he did with the other aberration they met in the forest previously. Hopefully he's right, since Hikaru seems to have issues the stronger the opposition is. Besides the usual daily life antics between HIkaru, Yoshiki and their classmates, the only thing I found noteworthy about this episode came in the post-credits scene. Tanaka (the Outsider) has decided to use a supernatural bloodhound to hunt down Hikaru. Considering he used his blood as some kind of catalyst, it looks like the pacing should speed up provided the tracking bell picks up the scent. Yoshiki might well be targeted, since this episode showed how much Hikaru essence he's been exposed with leading to a false positive. If that happens, things will get interesting. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#6
The storyline slowly moves along, albeit from a different angle now that viewers know what Asako is capable of and how her inherent talent for exceptional hearing might prove either to be her undoing or Yoshiki's salvation further down the line. As far as Hikaru/Nounuke is concerned, so long as it's just Yoshiki who knows his secret and he can continue to blend in with human society and experience it firsthand he's happy to maintain the charade. Anyone who gives even the slightest hint of figuring out he's not who he seems to be (like the old woman killed earlier in episode one) is silenced, albeit most likely not consciously by Nounuke. Asako came very close to being victim #2, and she's ironically saved by Yoshiki appearing just before Nounuke can do the deed with zero witnesses around. It's problematic, but Nounuke being what it is means it has no empathy with the human concept of death and the parting it entails. Nounuke has never experienced it, and just relying on Hikaru's memories isn't enough to make it understand why humans like Yoshiki are so averse to the concept of murder. As supernatural entities very much rooted in the Shinto tradition of animism, Nounuke isn't too bothered about Asako dying since it just means Asako becomes something else after death but the soul is still Asako. This of course is NOT what Yoshiki or anyone wants, so huge disaster averted there. Whether or not Asako stops at thinking Hikaru is possessed by some kind of wraith is another matter; the closer she gets to the truth the more danger she'll inadvertently find herself in. The "Swamp Man" question at the start is literally Hikaru/Nounuke's story in a nutshell, which is why Yoshiki feels so compelled to ask the classmates closer to him about their opinion. I don't think Asako will think back to this and realize the significance behind Yoshiki's series of questions, but if she does it's going to be personally dangerous for her. Hikaru/Nounuke remaining undercover is encapsulated by that skit with the elder giving a lift up the hill when the bike tires puncture. The very thing he and his colleagues are worried sick about is sitting at the back of his truck, yet he didn't sense anything. The outsider might well pick up something should they meet up again, but that's for another episode. Nounuke being out of the prison appears to have drawn other supernatural entities to the village like a magnet. That scene with the really "tall" aberration is more frightening than it should be, especially when juxtaposed against the briefly flickering street lights. How Yoshiki deals with Hikaru/Nounuke after the near-miss with Asako bears watching, since Yoshiki might think himself capable of reining in Nounuke from its primal instincts. His position is special though, since Hikaru's memories are essentially the only thing keeping him still separated from whatever it is that makes up Nounuke. Asako is just the beginning; once the outsider Tanaka picks up the scent Yoshiki is going to have to wrestle with his dilemma more directly as Nounuke's primal instincts start collapsing the equilibrium established since he broached the topic in episode one. |
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