The Summer Hikaru Died is a horror series, but the story mostly unfolds while keeping its two protagonists at the center. Hikaru and Yoshiki are the main focus of the story, and it is via their interactions that the audience can get a sense of what is going wrong. Thus, choosing the right voice actors is integral to its anime adaptation.

Thankfully, director Ryohei Takeshita was able to find the perfect voice actors for the roles. He was extremely satisfied with their work and even excitedly narrated an incident that convinced him they were the best ones for the roles.

An Incident Cemented the Director’s Trust in the VAs

The bond between Yoshiki and Hikaru was present in their voice actors as well | Credits: Cygame Pictures

Since the relationship between Hikaru and Yoshiki is a central aspect of the story, their unique chemistry needed to be recreated for a successful anime. Hikaru is voiced by Shuichiro Umeda while Yoshiki is voiced by Chiaki Kobayashi.

Both of them are renowned voice actors. Umeda has previously voiced Akira Tendo from Zom 100, while Kobayashi is the voice actor of Frieren‘s Stark. Takeshita revealed that Kobayashi is a very passionate voice actor, and his ability to express explosive emotions matched the character of Yoshiki perfectly.

Yoshiki is an introverted and somewhat repressed character, and Kobayashi was able to capture the essence of it. Umeda, on the other hand, is also versatile and can intuitively adjust his performance, which was perfect for the eeriness associated with Hikaru.

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Takeshita was extremely satisfied with their balance during recording sessions and even narrated an incident (in an interview) which made him think they had the perfect cast.

One day after a recording session, I saw Kobayashi-san and Umeda-san walking home together. They were walking side by side, and I thought, “Wow, they really get along.” Seeing that made me think, “Yes, we chose the right cast.”

Hikaru and Yoshiki often walk home together with their bikes and have essential conversations during this time when they are alone. Thus, seeing the voice actors being the same way with each other must have restored the director’s faith in them even more.

Getting the Protagonists Right is Essential for The Summer Hikaru Died

Hikaru and Yoshiki aren’t just the protagonists of the story; they are also the characters surrounding whom the horror actually unfolds. Yoshiki and Hikaru are best friends, but one day the latter goes missing, only to return with absolutely no memory of what had taken place.

As Yoshiki starts spending time with Hikaru, he suddenly starts feeling that this boy wasn’t actually his friend.

Thus, Yoshiki tries to uncover what had actually happened when his friend went missing and what has actually returned in his place. The boundaries between the known and the unknown will have to be crossed several times as Yoshiki questions what is right and what is not. Due to his closeness with the new Hikaru, Yoshiki will also get entangled in various supernatural incidents.

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Hikaru’s introverted yet inquisitive character and Yoshiki’s eerie nature need to be captured perfectly for the anime to work. Thankfully, the director is extremely happy with the work of the main voice actors, which means the audience might be satisfied as well.

The Summer Hikaru Died anime will be streaming on Netflix from July 5, 2025.
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