Fans of anime about Eldritch beings beyond our understanding rejoice: this Saturday, we got confirmation that The Summer Hikaru Died will be getting a second season. The announcement coincided with the first season wrapping up over the weekend. Beyond this news, we also got a new illustration from Mokumokuren, the creator of the manga, and another one from Yuichi Takahashi, the show’s character designer and chief animation director.
“Congratulations on the announcement of Season 2 of The Summer Hikaru Died!” said Chiaki Kobayashi, the voice of Yoshiki, in the press release announcing the news. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that the summer of 2025 was defined by this series for me. It was such a meaningful time, and I’m truly happy to see the story continue- and to once again portray Yoshiki Tsujinaka. Even with all of Yoshiki’s struggles and hardships, I’m eager to see where his journey goes next. I hope you’ll stay with us, and thank you as always for your support!”
For those who haven’t watched it, here’s a summary of the story provided in that same press release: “The Summer Hikaru Died is a coming-of-age horror story that follows Yoshiki, an ordinary high school boy, as he experiences a series of mysterious and unsettling incidents in his daily life with Hikaru—a mysterious being that imitates his childhood friend Hikaru Indo.”
The announcement is a big deal because the show’s first season was excellent, pairing animation studio CygamesPictures’ talented staff with Mokumokuren’s storytelling, which skillfully melds small-town horror, queer romance, and slice-of-life moments.
Additionally, while this hasn’t been confirmed, it seems likely that the second season of the show will fully adapt the manga. Last year, Mokumokuren announced that their ongoing series was planned to end at about Volume 10, and the first season of the anime adapted roughly five volumes. The manga currently has seven volumes released in Japan, and at its current release pace, it will likely hit 10 volumes by around December 2026.
You can watch the Season 2 announcement teaser below: