The Summer Hikaru Died

The Summer Hikaru Died is another series we thought deserved a bit of a fanfare, so it was given a First Impressions" article three months ago. Now that season one (season two confirmed a couple of days ago) is finished, how did it end up?

Well, as a quick refresher - Yoshiki is a quiet young man who notices something seems off about his childhood friend, Hikaru. Sitting together at a small shop, he simply asks: "You're not Hikaru, are you?" With that simple question we're thrust into a stylishly directed rural horror that's surprisingly nuanced.

The first thing to note is that the series wastes no time on confirming the central premise - the title isn't being misleading or clever, Hikaru is indeed dead and some "thing" has taken its place. Yoshiki, desperate to have some remnant of his friend remain, accepts the imposter as the lesser of two evils; that the real Hikaru is gone forever or that some semblance remains, no matter how unnatural. 

Over the course of the 12 episodes, we learn more about the village, its myths and legends, historical atrocities and the fear that surrounds the various families that know what transpired. 

Hikaru himself is a wonderful character - new to being human, full of curiosity, playfulness and casual malice, there's plenty to both like and fear in this creature that has come to live among the villagers. The dislocation of this being has knock on effects too, with strange occurrences becoming increasingly frequent, the spirits breaking the barriers between worlds and a very real danger coming not just from Hikaru, but the world he brings with him.

Yoshiki's school friends are a big part of the series' youthful charm

The series works largely because they allow the monster to be exactly that - everything else simply follows. Locals sensitive to this shadowy world are aware that something is wrong. Still others are drawn to the town to deal with whatever is happening, and through it all you have two seemingly normal boys wanting to go to school and grow up together. It's a mixture of charming, chilling and intriguing.

Those friends at school are wonderful characters in their own right too. Bored by their remote setting but finding simple pleasure where they can, even the school choir brings its own excitement. The beautifully rendered corridors of the school, stunning natural vistas and historic buildings all look idyllic until your a young person full of dreams having to live every day in them. I can't think of a single minute I was ever bored during this show, the atmosphere is just all-encompassing and really quite addictive.

Aiding all this supernatural activity is some very skillful directing. There are a few scenes, such as the one where something visits Old Lady Matsuura, that are just brutal and frightening. The cacophonous din calling her name and banging on the door as the intensity increases only to fall silent, followed with a whispered "I'm already inside" is just a masterclass of horror direction. There's plenty more examples but those you should discover for yourself.

Old Lady Matsuura - honestly scarier than Hikaru...

It's certainly not a fast-paced show. One of the "characters" throughout is the rural setting itself, the chirp of cicadas a constant background noise, the long country lanes and forest paths between villages provide all the seemingly innocent entryways for things that are "other" to break in. Having grown up in a similar environment I can confirm that there's nothing creepier than a field at dusk, civilisation miles away and nothing but the sound of nature playing in the background. It can be very unsettling and it comes through here perfectly thanks to the deft hand of director Ryohei Takeshita. 

So much of what makes The Summer Hikaru Died is the visual language used throughout. From the mundane to the monstrous, everything is handled in such a way as to engrain the supernatural into every facet of life. There are live-action shots mixed in with the animation, bizarre camera angles, strange beings and incredible supernatural imagery, but it all feels exactly right when watching. I love that villagers respect this other world on the periphery of our own, and that many characters have their own tragic experiences but understand that the spirit world isn't necessarily malicious. There's a sadness to the way of things and as such the way Hikaru is treated by those that discover him/it is also (mostly) calm and rational. A mature reaction to the immaturity of their guest.

So if it's not clear by now, yes I very much enjoyed The Summmer Hikaru Died. It works on so many levels, but is grounded by the two leads and their intense co-dependent relationship. Again, I don't want to spoil much here, but safe to say that Yoshiki had his own demons long before "Hikaru" showed up, and perhaps one monster just needs another to survive.

Lets see where it goes when season 2 makes a welcome return.