I really loved this. Yoshiki and "Hikaru" are already beautifully realized characters in just a few short chapters. The dread and yearning fill every page, and the art is gorgeous. The way the two characters interact with each other makes me sad for what could have been if Hikaru had not gone to the mountain. But the stifling small town they live in might not have been conducive to that either. I also like the mystery aspect of the story. There is something else out there, and the new version of Hikaru might not be the looming threat. I can't wait to read more.

The Summer Hikaru Died
-rating: 4.5
-volume 2 scheduled release date October 17

I don’t know why I waited so long to read and review this one!?! Before I knew it I read volume 1 and was already looking when volume 2 releases. Originally when I was approved for this by @netgalley and @yenpress, I scrolled through the ebook but thought “I am not sure how much I”ll like this one and will come back to it when I finish a few of the other series I really wanted to read”. Then it kept getting pushed back with things coming up like our trip then getting sick. Well this week I finally sat down to read it and I will say I am glad I did.

It falls under horror/supernatural and shounen ai. It is a unique series thus far with pretty detailed artwork that kept me drawn in. I enjoyed how we get a sense of Yoshiki’s feelings of despair of losing his friend yet wanting “Hikaru” to be there, yet afraid of what he really is now. We do get a few glimpses of Hikaru’s past that seems to be building up to what we may find out later on, but we do get left with a lot of questions after volume 1. I do hope we get to see more from Hikaru’s viewpoint like what happened to him in the mountains or learning more about his family’s “curse”.

Quick Summary:
One day Hikaru goes to the mountains and disappears for months before returning. However, although he looks and acts like Hikaru, what came back was something different. Yoshiki is able to tell and confronts him about it, but in the end keeps it to himself to not only survive but keep his friend by his side. Now things start changing in the area, could it be because of “Hikaru”? Why did Hikaru disappear? What is he now? How will Yoshiki and Hikaru’s relationship change? There are many more questions that arise and you get a hint that they had very similar feelings toward each other but never shared them with each other.

Yoshiki and Hikaru are best friends. They know each other very well but one day Hikaru decides to go to the mountains, his reason a secret. When he comes back, Yoshiki just knows that this "Thing" that talks and looks and sounds like Hikaru, is not actually Hikaru. But what is it and what happened?
I liked the Manga a lot. The artstyle is great, love the simplicity of the cover.
I am a big fan of mystery and spooky things, so this was just a great read. Also the way the friendship between the two boys is shown is very sweet , you could tell the Hikaru is not just anybody to Yoshiki.There seems to be something very eerie going on on this little village and I am eager to find out what it is! Can`t wait to read more!

I just reviewed The Summer Hikaru Died, Vol. 1 by Mokumokuren. #TheSummerHikaruDiedVol1 #NetGalley

Step into the captivating world of "The Summer Hikaru Died," where Mokumokuren spins a tale that blurs the lines between reality and mystery. Set against the backdrop of a serene town, the story introduces us to Yoshiki, a young individual grappling with the aftermath of his best friend Hikaru's unexpected and enigmatic passing.

Right from the start, the narrative grips us, immersing us in a realm tinged with curiosity. Through Mokumokuren's vivid prose, we follow Yoshiki as he navigates a life turned upside down. You can practically feel the weight of his grief, the confusion, and that eerie sense of déjà vu that blurs the boundaries of what's real. As Yoshiki comes face to face with a haunting doppelgänger that mirrors his friend, the distinction between the tangible and the ethereal quivers like a fragile thread.

"The Summer Hikaru Died" deftly weaves together themes of fragile identity and the lingering presence of loss. The narrative gently nudges us to reflect on the nature of self and the patchwork of memories that shape us. In Yoshiki's quest to navigate a world haunted by his friend's memory, the story morphs into a contemplation of authenticity versus illusion, inviting us to question our own connection to life's enigmas.

The story's rhythm orchestrates a symphony of pacing, building suspense with every page. The tension mirrors Yoshiki's internal struggle as he grapples with the allure of the imposter and the impulse to preserve his friend's true essence. These emotional crescendos echo the ebb and flow of the narrative, culminating in moments that leave us both breathless and lost in thought.

What sets "The Summer Hikaru Died" apart is its seamless blend of genres. It effortlessly combines the grip of a psychological thriller with the profound introspection of a drama, creating a canvas where characters transcend their written words and become complex souls navigating their vulnerabilities. This synergy keeps us engaged, while the story's enigmatic twists keep us eagerly turning the pages.

In a world where masks conceal and identities evolve, Mokumokuren invites us to peer into the unknown. The narrative beckons us to dance between fear and fascination, revealing the mysterious nature of imagination. "The Summer Hikaru Died" isn't just a story—it's a mirror reflecting our fears of losing ourselves and our longing to explore the uncharted.

To conclude, "The Summer Hikaru Died" isn't a mere literary escape; it's an opportunity for introspection. Mokumokuren crafts a narrative that lingers, sparking contemplation and curiosity. As the story's themes of memory, identity, and the allure of the unknown linger, we're left with an irresistible invitation to explore our own reflections in the depths of life's mysteries.

I really REALLY liked this manga. It kept me so interested in the mistery allong all the book; I understood the problematic feelings between them, and the conflict the principal character is having about his "new" best friend. The only thing that distracted me from the reading was the contractions of every word in every dialogue, it was unnecessary and annoying.

Review to come October 11th. I didn't get this book until August-ish, my blog is all full in September and getting fuller for October. The review will be posted on blog, goodreads, amazon.

I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

I am so so excited that I could read this one! I was already curious about it and now I can read it! And this one would be absolutely perfect for this Halloween season!

What happens when your best friend (and I kind of think something more) disappears... and then returns... but it is not them? Will you stay with them? Will you let them go? Will you die? What is in the body of your friend? It was an exciting read and I loved it every page. I loved that Hikaru seemed so human at times and seemed to be a great person.. but then things would happen or said and you would know that this is NOT Hikaru at all. That this is something else. Something terrifying that may just bring doom and horror to the small town. Because while this being (let's call it that) has been around for years (if we have to believe the woman who Yoshiki meets), it has been stuck on the mountain. But now it is here.

I loved that Yoshiki stayed close to Hikaru (then again, did he have any options) but also tried to figure out things.

We also get backstories, photographs of Hikaru, flashbacks, and more. I loved that those were added so we could see the real Hikaru.

I really loved the whole small town setting, that always works so well with horror. I love seeing the little roads the kids have to take to get home/to school. And see the scary paths through tunnels and forests to get anywhere. And believe me, you don't want to go through the forests. Oh heck no. I really loved how the author drew the town and also showed that there is something dark lurking there.

Plus, I do love the sound effects that were on a lot of the pages. From the cicadas buzzing like mad to other sounds. We do get those in other manga and comics at time, but in here they really felt like part of the story, part of something bigger.

And I loved the art! I loved how spooky it was. I loved that the mangaka was able to really capture that spooky feeling and make it terrifying at times. Like with how Hikaru was drawn at times, or that scene near the end of the volume. With swirls and such.

All in all, this is one book I would HIGHLY recommend. I cannot wait for the next volume because Yoshiki has some big decisions to make and with that ending, oh boy oh boy.

Manga is becoming very popular at our library. We are trying to build our collection and this one will definitely be added!

Thank you to NetGalley, Yen Press, and Mokumokuren for the opportunity to read this manga in exchange for an honest review.

The creep factor of this drew me in, though the story itself is a bit lacking. Basically, the thing that looks like Hikaru is using what was once the boy's body, though Hikaru is dead. Something strange now possesses the body of the once-boy. Hikaru's best friend, Yoshiki, knows something is amiss even before the entity shares that it is not Hikaru. It is interesting to watch it experience the human world while trying to determine just what is going on with the thing possessing Hikaru.

In terms of plot, it feels like not much is going on, and there is definitely some BL bits here. The artwork is nice, I just wish the story was more focused. That being said, there is a lot of potential for this to get vastly more interesting. It had its creepy moments, of which I sought, but there were times that just fell a bit flat. The strangeness of what possesses Hikaru is what will continue to drive this series. I wonder how creepy/gory it might get? Hmm...

"The Summer Hikaru Died" has a simple premise and I wasn't sure what to expect going into it. As someone who doesn't consume much horror, I was worried it would be too much, but it had the perfect spooky vibes and I was both thoroughly creeped out and invested in the story.

This is just the first volume, so it sets up a lot of the mystery and the world, while also starting to establish the characters. It was an excellent start and I definitely need to know what happens next! Also, there was nothing explicitly BL in this manga, but I get the feeling that there's more between Yoshiki and Hikaru to be explored.

I'd definitely recommend this manga for an excellent spooky read this summer (or autumn!)

This is giving Junji Ito, but with gay undertones (maybe not so under 👀) and I’m HERE for it. An interesting first volume for sure and piqued interest really well. Curious enough to venture into volume 2.

Hikaru ga shinda natsu is about two adolescent boys, Hikaru and Yoshiki, who grew up together in a village. One of them went missing in the mountains for a week and when he appeared again he looked and acted normal, however, his friend Yoshiki noticed that was far from the truth and when he confronted his "friend" he discovered an unkown creature took Hikaru's place. As time passes, strange things are happening in the village product of the creature being there so Yoshiki has to face his conflicting feelings about still being friends with this creature inside Hikaru or try to make it go back to the mountains.

Mokumoku Ren's debut online manga is very promising, the artstyle is more akin to the horror genre than BL which makes it stand out. The colored pages are very beautiful, and overall this story has everything i like about romantic horror so can't wait to read the next volume.

I hope this gets an official English license.

I liked the story and how creepy it was. Not much happened but it still seemed like a good start to something. I wouldn't mind if it got even more spooky either. I thought the art style itself was fine, but didn't like the style of shading. It looked like someone dropped that screen-tone paper all over the pages. There was too much of it imo and it was chaotic to look at. The giant BZZZT BZZZT everywhere on every other page was also a bit much to look at. But yes, the story itself piqued my interest

The Summer Hikaru Died is a great horror manga. It's another fascinating example of comics and horror used as storytelling devices for the changes brought forth by puberty and being the "other". The pacing was good; what starts out as a possible depression from grief slowly grows into unease at all the changes since Hikaru "died." The more we find out about the new Hikaru, the creepier it gets, and I squirm more while our lead character just acts relatively unbothered by all these developments. He's really trying hard to hold it together, between the traumatic events of losing a friend and facing a mostly unknown danger. By the end of the volume I am disturbed yet I want to read more. A minor issue with this book is the distracting typesetting of the background sound effects used to convey the racket of cicadas during a Japanese summer, which probably just followed what was in the original version. (I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.)

Yoshiki knows that what came back from the mountains isn't his friend Hikaru. But even with that knowledge and constant reminders to stay away, Yoshiki continues to hang out with Not Hikaru as if nothing has changed.
The first volume of a new spooky manga will leave you with goosebumps. It is super atmospheric and engaging. And holy wow, I couldn't put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Yen Press for the eARC for an honest review.

The first volume of this manga was so well done! It was spooky and the atmosphere gave me goosebumps. I really enjoyed the story and I cannot wait to read the next volume! If you are a fan of creepy manga then you should defintely give this one a try. It's fantastic.

The dark and twisty relationship between two boys who were friends, until Hikaru went missing then reappeared, but there is something amiss and his friend knows it. It's confirmed once Hikaru himself tells the friend that he is in fact in the body of Hikaru, but not the "original" Hikaru-- that boy didn't come back from the woods so the new Hikaru is enjoying all of the pleasures the old Hikaru enjoyed but with a fresh set of tastebuds, eyes, pleasure, which is a unique way to look at any experiences we have.

But I love the darkness of it all when Hikaru's face shifts or when Yoshiki reaches into Hikaru's body through his chest. It's equally goofy (how Hikaru reacts and then makes Yoshiki feel weird) and truly spooky.

I don't know where it's going but I'm interested in buckling in for the ride.

overall i really liked this manga. even though i’m only one volume in, i am already obsessed and can’t wait to read the next volume. the art style was clean and consistent, it reminded me of inio asano’s art with the unsettling amount of detail. it had the perfect horror atmosphere, something consistently felt off in the universe and in the way the characters acted but i could never put my finger on it (sort of like uncanny valley) and it was so interesting. i definitely recommend this series for people who like manga like Goodnight Pun Pun and Summertime Rendering :)

I really liked this and I’m interested to see volume 2, I don’t think I would buy it a this stage, but if it keeps me hook I would probably buy it as an ebook. Love the artwork.
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'd heard about this title through the grapevine, and reading it did not disappoint! This first volume starts of strong. Our main character's friend went into the mountains and didn't come back. What did is a strange entity wearing his skin. He seems mostly harmless for the moment, but that could easily change as the story goes on, because strange things are happening around the town. The new Hikaru can be seen as a literal cosmic horror, or metaphor for secrets, change, and loss. So far, this story has blurred the line nicely. It's a good, uneasy sort of horror. I hope the "love" theme sticks around in later volumes.

I'll preface this by saying that i got to read this early thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this one, it's a good start, and I'm curious to see where the story goes. I'm not quite sure yet about where exactly the titular character's doppelganger will go with this newfound affection, but I am impressed that the best friend new immediately and didn't play dumb. I look forward to the next volume.