The Creator Mokumokuren and Chiaki Kobayashi (Voice of Yoshiki Tsujinaka) Share Behind-the-Scenes Stories! Anime "The Summer Hikaru Died" AX Stage Report

At "Anime Expo 2025," one of the largest anime conventions in North America, held in Los Angeles from Thursday, July 3 to Sunday, July 6, the North American Premiere and Talk Panel for the new TV anime "The Summer Hikaru Died," which began broadcasting at 24:55 on Saturday, July 5, was held, where Episode 1 was screened ahead of its official release.

The event featured original creator Mokumokuren, Chiaki Kobayashi (voice of Yoshiki Tsujinaka), and producers of the anime. The venue was packed to capacity, and before an audience of about 2,000 anime fans, the panelists talked about the charm and behind-the-scenes secrets of this highly anticipated title of the summer.

"The Summer Hikaru Died" is based on the popular manga by Mokumokuren, which has surpassed 3.5 million copies in circulation. It is a coming-of-age horror story revolving around high school student Yoshiki Tsujinaka and a mysterious being taking on the appearance of his childhood friend, Hikaru Indou.

Thunderous Applause for the North American Premiere of Episode 1

The event kicked off with the screening of Episode 1. The story follows high school student Yoshiki Tsujinaka, living in a small rural village, as he experiences various mysterious incidents in his life with Hikaru, a mysterious entity imitating his childhood friend. The palpable tension from the very start and the overwhelming visual beauty drew in the attendees, and immediately after the screening, the venue was filled with applause and exclamations of awe.