The Summer Hikaru Died, Vol. 1

光が死んだ夏 [Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu] #1

by Mokumokuren, Ajani Oloye (Translator)

It has Hikaru’s face. It has Hikaru’s voice. It even has Hikaru’s memories. But whatever came down from the mountains six months ago isn’t Yoshiki’s best friend. Whatever it is, it’s dangerous. Carrying on at school and hanging out as if nothing has changed―as if Hikaru isn’t gone―would be crazy...but when it looks so very like Hikaru...and acts so very like Hikaru...

Genres: Manga, Horror, Queer, LGBT, Graphic Novels, Comics, Mystery

180 pages, Paperback

First published March 4, 2022

About the author

モクモクれん

Reviews

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a weird one. It was marketed as a horror BL while it was being serialised online (for free!), but at some point it got published by Kadokawa and the BL tag was dropped. Mokumokuren has also deleted all tweets using the 'horror BL' line. I think the general feel for it is 'bromance' which in Japanese fandoms is similar to what we'd call a 'queerplatonic' relationship. Nothing about the story has been changed though, so the tension and intense emotion Hikaru and Yoshiki feel for each other is still very much there. Other characters also say things like 'About that friend... I thought you're talking about your girlfriend' or Hikaru remembering his dad telling him to marry the person he likes as soon as possible because the mountain is lonely and would steal the person he likes if he's not careful--but he's looking at Yoshiki.

Basically it's a coming of age story, where two boys are coming into terms with the fact that they might have a crush on each other. But Hikaru is dead. He died in the mountains a while back, and the person who came back isn't Hikaru.

Hikaru loves Yoshiki, but he doesn't really understand his feelings because he can feel and remember everything the real Hikaru has felt and gone through. Meanwhile, Yoshiki feels guilty about acting like nothing happened and having fun with this new Hikaru, because the boy he loves is actually dead.

There's a feeling of dread and listlessness, and I think a lot of that has to do with the art style (very horror manga) and the way the sounds of summer (like cicadas etc) spill across the whole page and outside the panels. It's just really beautiful. The balance between childhood first love nostalgia and horror is so good. I'm looking forward to vol2!

[beenis · Rating 5 out of 5]

falling in love with the monster who’s controlling my dead bff’s body 🥰

[Tawfek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't Look at anything but me, The Only thing ya gotta look at is me, and the only thing that should stick to ya is me.

I have received an ARC of This Manga, In exchange for an honest review, Thanks so much To The Writer, Translator, Yen Press for this opportunity.

My eyes about went out of my skull with red hearts, when i discovered i got approved for two manga ARCs, as far as i can remember i passed on on all the opportunities thus far, because was either an advanced volume, or romance and just romance.
The Only Good Romance is Horror Romance.

Reporters : Can we take This quote from you?
Me : Yes You Can!

I think this is my first MM Dark romance read, i did FF, I did movies for both, But MM read must be my first!
So basically the protagonist's best friend died in the woods, and an entity of some sort, took over his body, and it's living through him, tasting things for the first time, experiencing things for the first time.
And it's a scary relationship? the question mark because they are not even romantically involved, they just have this incredible sexual tension between them, they are not true to their feelings, they are not active sexually even though Hikaru keeps saying the most sexual double meaning shit ever!

But even if i won't be taking you, i can always be with you now, I'll just have to make sure no one else takes you...

The art was amazing, the story was what i came to expect from these latest manga flings that are so popular, no real direction, light romance, short lived projects that end by the time they hit volume 6 or something, because the writers seem to be leaning towards, these cutsie stories, where while there is an end goal, All the middle is just filling, random encounters, random scenes between the protagonists, when it could just be finished in two volumes without all that.
I think everyone really needs to start working on the plot more, because at this current phase we are in, it's enough only for really light readers who don't really know better.

If ya want after school, I'll show ya what's inside me!

Why Don'cha try stickin' yet hand in?

Get the double meanings? and this was not even sexual in anyway i swear!
All these quotes by Hikaru the horror protagonist, Who is really cute, let me describe these two, Imagine a protagonist who is looks boring like sword art online guy, or attack on titan guy, but with a terrified look on his face the entire time.
As for Hikaru, Imagine Kilua from Hunter X Hunter, He is a Kilua type for sure, and that will probably the main selling point of this manga lol

[myo ⋆｡˚ ❀ * · Rating 4 out of 5]

homoerotic ass friendship

[luce (cry bebè's back from hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

talk about 𝓮𝓶𝓸𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓭𝓪𝓶𝓪𝓰𝓮

[jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

every time i go into the forest i too come back all wrong


read as part of 202-Queer 🌈✨

[Sava (Fang Runin’s version)]

Gay people can’t have it normal they always need to make it disturbing

[Curious Madra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting BL with Junji Ito vibes to it!

[grayi ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yoshiki's emotions are portrayed beautifully as he struggles with the uncertainty of who or what has taken on the form of his best friend, and even in the face of the unknown, Yoshiki readily accepts this uncanny doppelgänger, finding Hikaru's presence both unnerving and comforting. His grief and longing are that great.

"Hikaru" embodies the wonder of a child experiencing things for the first time. Yet, he's undeniably unsettling, even more so in his need of being everything Yoshiki wants. He needs Yoshiki to love him, to accept him.

I loved it. It's just the right dose of a ton of things that I like.

[Ricarda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anime coming in summer 2025?! My prayers have been answered.

[bea ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

QUEER HORROR YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS!!!!!

this was a very intriguing start of the story, can't wait to continue reading it!

[sarah سارة ꫂ᭪ · Rating 5 out of 5]

so this is like casually some of the most beautiful artwork I've ever seen. like I've never seen manga that looked this utterly majestic and it literally makes me wanna make fanart or smth.
I love yoshiki and "hikaru" sm 🥹 and yes the rumors are completely true, they are in fact overly freaked out in a not so subtle way.... "i've never been touched there before" ...PAUSE.
also this is just too emotional and sad for volume one like why am I already feeling depressed

❝ i'm crazy for you.❞
❝ he never said anythin' like that before. not once.❞

❝ fact of the matter is, we're the ones who're desperately clingin' on to the dead.❞

❝ i know it ain't right, but i still like you! and i can't stop my feelings!!!❞

also they're both so fine. enough said.

5/5 🌟

[Phu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Either way, Hikaru is aldready gone...
So even if it's fake, i still want him to be with me...

Sau nhiều ngày mất tích trên núi, cậu bé Hikaru đã trở về - trông vẫn bình thường và không ai nhận thấy điều gì lạ. Tuy nhiên, chỉ duy nhất bạn thân của Hikaru, Yoshiki, nhận ra Hikaru vẫn còn đó, nhưng có một "thứ gì đó" đang sống dưới vẻ ngoài của Hikaru.



Okay, điều đầu tiên mà mình nghĩ tới quyển manga này, nó hầu như đều được nhắc tới trong cộng đồng BL. Thậm chí mình bất ngờ vì nó hot đến mức số lượng in bán chạy, bản quyển được mua và sắp được phát hành ở các nước khác nhau. Nhưng khi đọc xong mình tự hỏi, tại sao quyển manga này lại hot đến vậy?

Mình thích nét vẽ của tác giả, một vài cảnh thiên nhiên và ngôi làng được vẽ rất đẹp.

Đây là manga Horror có yếu tố BL, nhưng khi đọc mình đặt yếu tố Horror lên hàng đầu. Một vài phân đoạn tác giả có tạo nên không khí, nét vẽ đáng sợ - có gì đó đã xảy ra ảnh hưởng đến ngôi làng vốn yên bình của Hikaru và Yoshiki đang sống.



Nhưng cũng phải nói là hời hợt, bởi ngay từ đầu người đọc được biết, rằng Yoshiki đã biết "thứ gì đó" đang sống dưới hình dạng Hikaru, và chính "thứ gì đó" cũng không ngại che giấu với Yoshiki điều đó :)))



Bản thân mình mới hiểu ra, đa số review khen quyển manga này họ đều đọc hơn những gì Vol.1 có. Mình viết review này về những gì có trong Vol.1, nên nếu sau này đã mua sách giấy Vol.1 review của mình vẫn vậy. Mình cũng không thích thú gì yếu tố BL của nó, có phải mình hơi khó chịu vì mọi thứ không rõ ràng không? "thứ gì đó" với hình dạng Hikaru liên tục làm những thứ như tán tỉnh Yoshiki, Yoshiki rõ ràng quan tâm Hikaru - cậu ấy bị giằng vặt giữa việc chấp nhận sống với "thứ gì đó" chỉ để được bên cạnh Hikaru. Chỉ mới có Vol.1 nên mình cũng không hy vọng gì, cả yếu tố Horror chưa thỏa mãn mình. Đợi có Vol.2 khi nào hứng mình đọc.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Umm….

What in the hell did I just read?!?

[Lauren Lanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

NETFLIX PICKED THIS UP OH MY GOD!?!?!! The teaser trailer looks phenomenal, with the distorted bits feeling faintly reminiscient of Junji Ito's Uzumaki. I haven't been this excited about an anime in forever... I can't wait to re-experience this story on screen. Yoshiki and (not) Hikaru my beloveds <3

before reading

I wanted to buy a manga in Italy that I'd never seen/heard of before, and ended up with a copy of this one, barely able to fully translate the title (my italian is beyond rusty). It was wrapped up because it included a student ID card for one of the characters, so I couldn't take a peek at the inside panels to get an idea of the story. With just the cover and title to go off of, I suspected this would be a heartfelt or vaguely sad slice of life, so imagine my shock when I looked it up in the hotel and found out it's actually a psychological horror?? The surprise makes me really excited! Can't wait to brush up on my italian w this one.

[jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is incredible.

[gi · Rating 4 out of 5]

OH MY GOD?????

[Moon_child31 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s so creepy knowing your friend is dead but also knowing that something is using their body and “living” with/in it ☕️😦

[Ben Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

yup vols 2-5 have been ordered and vol 6 pre-ordered.

[Brigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

So unsettling, and so so intriguing. Love the art.

[Bella ♡ ✧.* · Rating 5 out of 5]

the horror elements. the insanity. the relationship between them. god its all so good. this is my taste

[Corn8lius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je viens de terminer l’anime (que j’ai adoré) et donc j’enchaîne avec le manga !
C’est vraiment excellent !

[rory (jess' version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

08/20/2023: THE ART IS SO GOOD WHAT THE HELL not only that, but the storyline is intriguing as well! yoshiki really has it rough. imagine knowing that your friend is dead and the current one you've been spending time with is a clone of some out-of-this-world monster. it's mentally deep how his grief towards his dead friend makes him impassive towards the imposter monster that took his friend's identity. the monster also gives yandere vibes like LOOK AT THIS

it's not that creepy yet, for me, but i am hoping that it will be in the next volumes. i want this to make me uncomfortable enough for me to not be able to sleep at night, because what is horror if it's not like that 🤷‍♀️

12/25/2023: they still got me on the chokehold istg this manga is just insanely good

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GAWD!!!

YOU!! YES YOU!! THE READER OF THIS REVIEW🫵🏻👁👁 THIS IS YOUR SIGN TO NOW GO READ THIS BOOK!! AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY READ THIS BOOK GO READ IT AGAIN!!🫵🏻👁👁😁😁😁😁😁

[Marureviere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mokumokuren really fired up the often-neglected stove of the queer body horror subgenre and got COOKING

[Miki_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queer horror never misses

The chest fisting was crazy work though

[Saranya ⋆☕︎ ˖ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't your a lemonade-stand summer... it's more like the summer where the lemonade is suspiciously cloudy and tastes vaguely of formaldehyde.

We are introduced to Yoshiki and Hikaru, a pair whose friendship is so tight that it practically has its own theme music. Except... umm... Hikaru isn't quite Hikaru anymore. Or rather... he's very much not Hikaru, but a... well, a something else inhabiting Hikaru's familiar form. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to hang out with your best friend, only to realize he's been body-snatched by an entity that's simultaneously terrifying and eerily devoted to you, then buckle up, buttercup. This manga is your jam!!!

The art is gorgeous – evocative, atmospheric and capable of shifting from idyllic countryside to chilling horror with the seamlessness of a ghoul shedding its skin. One second, I was admiring the picturesque rural landscape and then I was questioning myself whether that shadow in the corner is just a shadow or something with far too many teeth.

Yoshiki's unwavering commitment to the "thing" that is now Hikaru is both heartwarming and utterly disturbing. He's not running screaming (most of the time). He's trying to figure out if his best friend's body-snatcher still likes his favorite snack:)

[fatherofdragons113 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this! the art is beautiful and the writer captures the eerie creepy atmosphere perfectly

[Mon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Qué buen manga de terror, con una de esas relaciones tóxicas que se disfrutan porque no están romantizadas.

[tig :3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

love !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! ! !!! !!