The Summer Hikaru Died

Overview

The Summer Hikaru Died is a 2025 supernatural mystery anime set in a quiet rural village, where an ordinary friendship takes a deeply unsettling turn. Yoshiki Tsujinaka and Hikaru Indo have been inseparable for as long as anyone can remember, until Hikaru vanishes for a week and then walks back into village life as if nothing happened. Yoshiki is the only one who senses the truth: the boy beside him looks like Hikaru and sounds like Hikaru, but something about him is wrong.

Rather than relying on jump scares, the series builds its dread slowly. Everyday scenes — school, the village lanes, summer evenings — sit side by side with moments that feel quietly off, and Yoshiki’s grief and guilt keep pulling him back toward a friend he knows he may already have lost. It is a story about holding on to someone who is gone, and about what it costs to pretend otherwise.

Quick facts

• Year: 2025
• Type: Series
• Seasons: 1 (12 episodes)
• Genres: Animation, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
• Original language: Japanese
• Main characters: Yoshiki Tsujinaka, voiced by Chiaki Kobayashi; Hikaru Indo, voiced by Shuichiro Umeda
• Based on: Manga
• Status: Returning Series

Watch the Trailer

Watch the official trailer from Netflix Anime’s YouTube channel below.

Where to Watch

In India, The Summer Hikaru Died streams on Netflix, which carries the full first season of 12 episodes.

Frequently asked questions

How many episodes of The Summer Hikaru Died are there?

Season 1 has 12 episodes, which premiered in July 2025 and closed with the finale, “Its Place.”

What is The Summer Hikaru Died about?

After Hikaru disappears for a week and returns changed, his best friend Yoshiki becomes convinced that the person who came back is not really Hikaru at all. The series follows Yoshiki as he tries to understand what happened while clinging to a friendship that may already be over.

Is there a second season?

The series is listed as a returning series, but no second-season details are confirmed in this guide yet. Season 1 stands on its own as a complete 12-episode run.

Where can I watch The Summer Hikaru Died in India?

It streams on Netflix in India, where the full first season is available on subscription.