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Netflix Horror Anime 'The Summer Hikaru Died' Lands Rare 100% Critics' Score

The 12-episode adaptation is now streaming internationally on Netflix.

Overview

  • Critics and viewers highlight its unsettling atmosphere that favors sustained tension over jump scares.
  • Reviewers single out director Ryohei Takeshita’s visual composition, drawing comparisons to Twin Peaks for making the ordinary feel ominous.
  • The story blends supernatural horror with a coming-of-age thread in a rural village after Hikaru’s weeklong disappearance.
  • Audience reception is strong with an 87% Rotten Tomatoes score and social posts calling the series haunting, disturbing, and perfect.
  • Adapted from Mokumokuren’s manga, the Japanese-language series features Shuichiro Umeda and Chiaki Kobayashi as Hikaru and Yoshiki.