The Summer Hikaru Died Volume 1 Review

 

The Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren tells a beautiful but horrific story about what it means to lose someone while also having to adjust to a new version of that person. 

The story starts before the pages with a boy who went missing in the mountains of a rural town, eventually, he comes back, but something is not quite right. When Yoshiki asks if this entity is the real Hikaru, despite already having an inkling that he isn't, he accepts this new supernatural entity as a new version of his friend. It's almost the same as it was before, except this new Hikaru is experiencing things for the first time while the real Hikaru has already lived through the movie, and is eating his favorite foods. But not everything is great, old women, cats, and single mothers warn Yoshiki about the entity he is friends with, and his friend doesn't quite know how to react to everything. 

 Beyond the plot, the story is captivating and both Hikaru and Yoshiki have compelling story arcs. Watching this new Hikaru experience food, feelings, and pain for the first time is interesting and makes this terrifying entity seem both all too human and not at the same time. This new version of Hikaru has all the same memories with none of the context or feelings, so each experience is new, and he can't help but be excited and sad, but there are other moments where he can't quite be the Hikaru from before. As for Yoshiki, he is fascinating, as he is afraid of this new Hikaru and is willing to listen to the people who tell him to stay away, while at the same time wanting to keep this Hikaru around despite all the evidence, this is still the body of his friend, and he doesn't want to have his friend die again. Their relationship is both fun and tragic to watch, Yoshiki has his friend back but not really, and this new Hikaru has real emotions for Yoshiki. Are they healthy? Probably not, but it is all too human. 

As for the art style, it is beautiful, and while some of the horror elements are subtle but look amazing. I can't wait for more!