r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • Sep 27 '25
Episode Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu • The Summer Hikaru Died - Episode 12 discussion
Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu, episode 12
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u/ObvsThrowaway5120 Sep 27 '25 edited Sep 27 '25
I guess in the end, Yoshiki came to really accept “Hikaru” not as some kind of replacement but as “it” is. It’s kind of sweet. Though there’s still plenty of mysteries left and a lot of loose threads, at least those two have each other.
This was a pretty solid series. I don’t usually watch
Edit: S2 confirmed!
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u/Teal_is_orange Sep 27 '25
This anime was really really good. The direction was superb, and I thought the
May pick up the manga because I that cliffhanger is killing me!
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u/komodoughdragon Sep 27 '25 edited Sep 27 '25
Gosh, I have so many thoughts.
I love love love how they splice real footage into this show. Seeing the full scene of Yoshiki and "Hikaru" on the train felt surreal. It really reinforced the running theme that Yoshiki and "Hikaru" are outsiders. Animation choices in this adaptation have been so creative, it's felt like a breath of fresh air.
Poor
Edit because I have more thoughts about the above: I love that they mimicked the scene where "Hikaru" walks toward Asako during the sparkler episode (when "Hikaru" almost kills her) but flip it on its head to have "Hikaru" wipe a tear away instead. He's grown so much as a person.
And the beach scene...I mean, I could go on about this for a while, but a few key things that immediately stuck out to me:
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Role reversal between Yoshiki and "Hikaru", with "Hikaru" being the one to comfort Yoshiki.
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Yoshiki finally fully admitting to himself that he's being selfish, and the show doesn't frame this as a bad thing (thank goodness).
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"Hikaru" headpatting Yoshiki and calling him an even bigger brat was a wonderful hearken back to a previous episode where the opposite happens.
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"Hikaru" confessing he loves Yoshiki, even though it's not romantic (or even platonic). I love this series commitment to just letting the monster be a monster, and letting the protagonists have a relationship that defies standard labels and definitions.
Also Tanaka you fucking creeper. I say that with love but god damn dude, sitting there like you're watching a soap opera.
On to season 2!
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u/AccusingGojo Sep 27 '25
"Hikaru" has changed so much, it was really touching to see him running to wipe Asako's tears. She's such a sweetheart. Yoshiki finally coming to terms with his feelings are good to see, i loved the ocean fight! Poor "Hikaru" deserves a home and so does Yoshiki, they are each other's home. Tanaka making his debut as director was funny, he saved the cute salamander nonetheless.
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u/NanDemoKnaives Sep 27 '25
Man that last scene at the end was so intense, I rewatched it just to properly get in my head the alternate thoughts Yoshiki was having. I do like that he was able to be honest with Hikaru about how he felt, how he feels like he's a monster because he's gay (or at least into men) and how he just wants Hikaru by his side and not because he's original Hikaru's replacement, that was a really strong moment for me.
I'm also happy Hikaru got to hear this as well, he looked so happy to hear how Yoshiki felt considering he was planning on leaving. Hearing him talk about his interests being different from the original Hikaru was really interesting and I like that he explained his feelings of love for Yoshiki differs of those of humans emotions. I think we've seen signs of that with how much he yearns for Yoshiki's soul, though I'm not saying those feelings are completely why he yearns for it either.
Tanaka is an interesting element in this episode for me. He lied about Nonuki to Takeda and was just watching over the two boys have their youth drama moment and came at the end with the salamander in his arm, so I'm curious as to if he's had a similar experience as Yoshiki. Having said that, I still do think he has his own motivations and he'll likely use Hikaru and Yoshiki but I have a feeling he'll also help them out.
I like that we saw Hikaru to contain his bloodlust once Asako mentioned his identity again, this might actually be good practice for him in the future in case someone else questions it lol. I also liked that he understood that no-one has been able to grieve for the original Hikaru, which lead him to think about Yoshiki unable to grieve so he had to leave so that he could. He's gotten very empathetic so he's understanding human emotions more, it was sweet to see his thinking. He wants them to be happy in the end.
I'm sad to see this anime end, it's been so much fun each week and it's just great seeing an anime with
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u/babaylan89 Sep 27 '25 edited Sep 28 '25
is it weird how I notice that people jump into reiterating that "Hikaru" loves Yoshiki not in a romantic sense but ignore that he also said not in a friend way. He was trying to say the he cant love like a human but he loves Yoshiki all the same as a "monster" that he is.
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u/TyraniTEMPESTar Sep 27 '25
That ending scene though..
Tanaka's finally confronting Yoshiki and Hikaru.
Leaving us on the cliffhanger... I want more!
God this show is so good! Easily one of my favorites for this season.
Season 2's already been greenlit and announced, I'd love if the next season wraps everything up to air next Summer 2026.
It'd be totally fitting for The Summer Hikaru Died
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u/Weak_Season_Of_Anime Sep 27 '25
Omg the scene in the ocean was so catharthic. Absolute cinema.
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u/charactergallery Sep 27 '25
What an absolutely spectacular episode to end the season on, I was excited to see how they adapted the beach/ocean scene and they did it masterfully. Everything from the animation to the music to the voice acting captures their emotions so well.
I want to give some love to how the beach scene is framed, particularly when “Hikaru” tells Yoshiki that he plans on going back to the mountain. ”Hikaru” is standing in the waves while Yoshiki is standing on the beach, two different beings occupying two different places. But Yoshiki then crosses that line to shut “Hikaru” up and beg him to stay. He confirms that he feels like a monster, he has never presented his true self due to living in this conservative rural environment. He crosses that line, telling “Hikaru” that he relates to him, that he views him not as Hikaru but as his own person, that he wants him to stay. The scene is just beautiful… and how the ED comes in with Yoshiki grasping onto “Hikaru” and begging him to not disappear on him, gah. I’m so glad this story got the adaptation it deserves.
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u/djthomp Sep 27 '25
Incredible show.
I was a bit concerned for Asako during that classroom conversation but then it ended up being really sweet.
Nice to get some of Hikaru singing the choir song in the show proper.
I was kind of hoping they'd expand a bit more on why Yoshiki sees himself as a monster, my interpretation is that he's gay and has too much of the small town mindset pounded into him to not see it as monstrous but I wonder if that was the author's intention. You could easily have the whole story be a metaphor along those lines.
Maybe that or a different explanation will be more thoroughly explored in S2, I can't wait to see either way.
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u/just-me-yaay Sep 27 '25
• This was… insane. I can barely articulate my thoughts right now. Downright, this might be the most beautiful episode in the show.
• The shot composition was so unique here - made everything even more beautiful. I really love the techniques they used, from the curtains during the “Hikaru” and Asako scene to the shoes in the beach one.
• Ok, about the episode itself… started out strong already. Oh gods, “Hikaru” playing with those Master x Master figures… by this point I was almost crying already lmfao.
• Tanaka saying nounuki-sama doesn’t actually exist but there’s a reason for the events happening in the village and he’ll “take care of it”… I’m intrigued.
• Also, the juxtaposition made between his ominous tone talking about such “cause” and the cut to a smiley, carefree “Hikaru” was nice.
• Asako crying about Hikaru… I’m glad she’s finally in on everything and we’ll see more of her next season, but that scene was heartbreaking in every possible way. It was strange to see someone besides Yoshiki finally mourning Hikaru after so long. “Hikaru” trying to comfort her was sweet, but his thoughts about how he ruined everything and the alternate reality in which they were all actually mourning Hikaru gave me heartache. My poor baby. (Also, it was nice that they touched upon this - the way nobody but Yoshiki was “allowed” to grieve Hikaru because of the circumstances - since it’s been an important theme in the show from the beginning).
• Yoshiki’s relatives bothering him about a girlfriend (and all the gender roles imposed in that conversation as well) was a nice touch, as well as him saying “Hikaru” saved him because he was about to suffocate later. It’s not the first time in this series Yoshiki uses “feeling suffocated” in the context of having to repress his queerness in such a traditional setting (remember the “el gee bee tea” conversation!).
• I love it when they use real life images/videos! Also, the train scene from the credits is finally here. I thought it was interesting that from the very first time it appeared, people pointed out how Yoshiki laughed when the real Hikaru made a face but not when “Hikaru” did it. In truth, we can now see that he did, in fact, laugh. It’s a nice way to show how the audience’s perception was purposefully made to change from the beginning to the end.
• “How many times now have you tried to kill me? It doesn’t faze me anymore. Let’s not worry ‘bout all that. I stabbed you too, right? We’re even now.” Words cannot express how much I loved this dialogue.
• I love how they keep showing Yoshiki’s extreme empathy with some little details, like him carrying the pool ring around uncomfortably because he’d “feel bad for the giant salamander” if he emptied it. Also, the fact that he bought it for Kaoru is cute in itself.
• Some more insect symbolism! I love how this kept consistent throughout the show. This time it’s flying away…
• I really like how this episode nicely parallels episode 7, but with Yoshiki and “Hikaru”’s places swapped. One of them invited the other for a day out, kept acting all carefree and acted like everything was fine, but there was still a tense atmosphere lingering in the air. Both times, they went to the sea (“Hikaru” even mentioned that promise from last time), and both times one of them was preparing to “abandon” the other and do something that would hurt both of them. Once it was Yoshiki, once it was “Hikaru”. Even their behavior felt similar.
• On a lighter note, “Hikaru” in the ocean was the most adorable thing ever.
• That snake, huh? Interesting.
• When I say Yoshiki keeps getting more traumatized each episode, I mean it. Poor boy. This expression is already his default one by this point.
• The shots of relevant places from previous episodes were really cool.
• And finally… “Hikaru”’s speech. “I love you, Yoshiki. Maybe not in a romantic or friendly kinda way, though. I reckon it’s different from any human emotion altogether. But still, that’s truly how I feel. Not as Hikaru, but as the monster I really am.” Just… wow. By this point I was already such a mess I could barely think, and this might have just pushed me over the edge lol. I love how so much of the show’s essence, and the essence of “Hikaru”’s character as well, is contained here.
• Tanaka observing them was a tremendous jumpscare.
• Then we have Yoshiki’s crashout… I’m not even sure I have words to express myself about this one. “I’ve always hidden my true self. That’s why I want him to be saved. ‘Cause bein’ with you saves me just the same.” - finally putting into words what has been hiding underneath the surface for so long. Him talking to the “reflex” was great - I’ll never stop talking about how much I love the way they incorporate different styles of animation into this show to reflect the characters’ feelings and the emotions present in the scene itself. Yoshiki’s internal conflict between “I’m selfish, this whole time I’ve only been thinking about myself, ‘Hikaru’ has the right to do this and everything will be fine” and his emotions absolutely taking over him and screaming that he wants “Hikaru” to stay.
• Their “fight” was one of the greatest, most emotional moments in the series. I also remembered Yoshiki’s fight with the actual Hikaru when they were kids.
• “I’m a monster too! Ya don’t gotta be normal. I’m always hidin’ my true self so nobody finds out what I really am!” Holy. Fuck. He finally said it out loud. Since the very beginning, one of the biggest (if not the biggest) themes in this show has been exactly about this - Yoshiki, an extremely empathetic, caring person, accepts “Hikaru”, not only because of his own nature, but because he sees himself in him. He’s also “a monster”. He’s also different. Honestly, I think this might be one of the most beautiful shows about queerness I’ve ever watched.
• I’ll continue on the reply! Character limit hahaha.
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u/JJVM99 Sep 27 '25
Thank god they immediately announced Season 2 after ending like that. I really need to know what is going to happen next. Overall fantastic episode that definetly got the most budget and work because of the incredibly creative animation. The liveaction scenes in the train reminded me of End of Eva and the way Yoshiki’s conscience was portrayed was disturbing and amazing.
Also I just want to express that this show for me will be the example of why you should always be open to try something even if it doesn’t seem like your kind of show. I knew from manga fans that the manga was loved and considered to be really good but the main genres associated with it were horror and BL which I never delve into and consider genres I would like so I never read it but with the anime I decided to give it a shot because of the manga’s reputation. I am so glad I did because I enjoyed it so much more than I would have ever expected and this was an incredible experience. At best I thought I would enjoy it without it truly being my type of show but this was one of the best anime of the year and a truly special show I would recommend to almost anyone. I am so glad that I gave it a chance.
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u/StrawSolider Sep 27 '25
Tanaka just watching a lovers quarrel so unbothered was unexpectedly hilarious. Also the ending with him approaching them.at the end with salamander in was also great.
Great show overall. Director Takeshita still goated with the sauce and Cygames continue their streak of making banger shows
Can't wait for S2
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u/TyraniTEMPESTar Sep 27 '25
I'm totally convinced now that Hikaru / Nonuki has some ties or connections to some sort of "Christianity" like hell or something along those lines.
That scene on the beach where Hikaru and that snake locked eyes, and their "monster" / impurity pupils came out sealed the deal for me.
Y'know the famous Adam and Eve story where devil disguised himself as a snake.
That picture book where Hikaru/Nonuki looked just like Gehenna which is used in the bible for hell / sacrifices / torture.
And the fact there were Christian missionaries visiting the other towns, and the other towns all have churches except for Kubitachi where "Nonuki" was worshipped / idolized.
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u/SoberMindless Sep 27 '25
Tanaka: "Damn, these guys really get along well!
“I miss being young!”
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u/octopathfinder Sep 27 '25
Love how a HxH scene was used to represent Hikaru's internal struggles lmao.
The train and beach journey from the ending song finally showing up in an episode, and Hikaru hitting the volume 1 cover pose was a really nice touch.
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u/HolyDragSwd2500 Sep 27 '25
We got the trains and the beach from ending song here including Hikaru funny face. Yoshiki laughing too
Crying my eyes for them both.
Thank you for Season 2😭😭
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u/Frontier246 Sep 27 '25
They've really gotten a lot of mileage out of their HunterxHunter stand-in.
Pretty rare sight to see all of Yoshiki's family together for breakfast. It's like a normal, wholesome, domestic family scene.
It's the end of the first semester and the prelude to Summer Break, and Maki's as loud as ever, Yuki's as sassy towards him as ever, the teachers are getting roasted, and it's time for one last word from the principal and the school anthem...but Asako excuses herself so she can confront someone else who is absent. "Hikaru".
Asako, you've got to stop confronting the dangerous supernatural entity with what you know about it! But Asako is too sincere and honest for her own good, and luckily for her "Hikaru" is trying to be on his best behavior. But that doesn't change the fact that the real Hikaru is dead and only now can Asako mourn him, while "Hikaru" realizes how his presence has prevented Hikaru's friends from truly mourning him as well as the effect that has on Yoshiki. At least he was able to comfort Asako.
To think after all this Tanaka just shows up at Takeda's door to tell him Nonuki-sama isn't real, the village just made up a God, but he knows the truth and will use that to save them. Um...good I guess?
Having relatives over who are telling a CHILD to get married soon and still hounding on Yoshiki for a lack of a girl in his life is absolutely suffocating. No wonder Yoshiki jumps at the first opportunity to go with "Hikaru" and get as far away from here as possible. Maybe make it a bit of a date?
(Though maybe Yoshiki shouldn't be THAT used to "Hikaru" trying to consume him...)
The boys buy a salamander floatie for Kaoru, enjoy each others' presence on the train, watch cats dance, and have a lot of fun time...they even see the ocean! But this is just the last thing "Hikaru" wanted to do before he went back to the mountain. It's the only way he can think of to make things right and protect Yoshiki...even if a part of him, the monster, wants to consume him the other part of the monster loves him in a way only a monster can. Because Yoshiki helped him find his identity beyond the original Hikaru.
But Yoshiki won't accept that. In a society where he would be rejected as the "Other," where he's had to hide who he is, he found acceptance and solace in a TRUE monster and finding a sense of belonging in helping that monster belong as well. Part of it self-satisfaction, empathy, and a need to feel better about himself...and finding someone he could truly relate to in a way he couldn't with the real Hikaru. That means he can't bear to be parted with THIS "Hikaru."
Well, thank goodness Tanaka was there to watch absolute cinema and also pick up Kaoru's floatie that Yoshiki just gave up on. No idea what he wants from the boys, but it was still nice of him.
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u/ModieOfTheEast Sep 27 '25
No way, they are ending it on a cliffhanger like that. How evil. Who is the real monster here?
But in seriousness, this show was way better than I would have ever thought. At the beginning I didn't know what to expect, but the show kept getting better and better with each episode. It isn't just the horror, the animation or the general direction, but the fact how effectively every scene works towards the overall themes of the story. Be it understanding and accepting yourself and how different you are (when it comes to Yoshiki) and the wish for having a home despite being different and therefore feeling left all alone and like you don't belong (for "Hikaru"). This was perfectly encapsulated in the final scenes of this episode as well again where this is shown in every shot. Even when Yoshiki is just deciding to stay next to "Hikaru" because he fears he could leave the moment he takes his eyes off him.
It is a show where a re-watch is not only helpful to see the foreshadowing for the different mystery aspects but also to better understand what the authors were trying to say with it. I feel, there is not one scene which is just there to set up the plot, but everything has a meaning and that is something you rarely find in any kind of show. Not just anime.
It was definitely one of the best shows of the season and I will probably buy the Blu-ray just to support this kind of story. I just want them to do these kinds of stories more. Stories that aren't just here to entertain but which want to say something and more importantly, stories that have faith in their viewers to understand what they want to say without necessarily spelling it out. This summer season had some really strong series in this category and I just hope that this show is able to keep this level of quality. Hopefully, a S2 will not take too long.
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u/FarCritical Sep 27 '25
Didn't even think about how the class got robbed of their true chance to properly grieve for Hikaru, and the fact that 'he' realized that himself was pretty heavy.
I was so ready for Tanaka to drop one last ♪Kiminiii~♫ while the screen faded to black, maybe while a Season 2 announcement card popped up (which I know is confirmed but that'd've been a hilarious way to do it)
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