Hikaru went up the mountain. Something else came down, wearing his skin. Hikaru’s best friend, Yoshiki, knows he’s talking to an imposter. But he prefers illusions to harsh truths. The Summer Hikaru Died is an ambitious mix of horror, coming of age and BL genres. I enjoy the concept more than the execution. The lads repeat the same conversation every episode. It isn’t till they start investigating their towns’ underlying mysteries that I grew invested.
Hikaru was brave, loyal and headstrong. A typical shōnen protagonist. But he’s dead so we’re stuck with Yoshiki. Poor Yoshiki is sullen, self-loathing and deeply depressed. He’s swallowed his grief, and unspoken feelings, for Hikaru. He tends to freeze, or pass out, at the sight of danger. This proves challenging when he’s tasked with taming dangerous spirits. As episodes pass, and Yoshiki remains emotionally paralyzed, the show begins to stagnate. The imposter claims he’s learning compassion from their time together. But there’s more telling than showing.
When Yoshiki decides to play detective, he comes to life. Researching legends and untangling puzzles taps him into his left-brain skills. The life of a small-town homosexual can be brutal and strange. It forces you to grow up fast. To battle chaos with logic. Yoshiki’s heavily implied queerness is seldom discussed. But it offers context for his behavior.
The supporting cast of cheery teens and shifty adults are underwritten. They move the story along, and little more. The supernatural threats are creepy and creative. They jolt us awake when the pace is getting drowsy. The imposter is the star. The writers maintain a mix of fascination and menace whenever he is present. The animators go all in on the creatures’ transformations.
I bounced off this show early, but fans encouraged me to try more. The pace picked up in the second half, carrying me through to the finale. I would watch a second season to learn more about the imposter. But I may fast forward through Yoshiki’s, perfectly justified, moping.
You can read more of my reviews on The Avocado, Letterboxd and Serializd. My podcast, Rainbow Colored Glasses, can be found here.