akacya 's review for:

The Summer Hikaru Died, Vol. 1 by Mokumokuren

5.0

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2025 reads: 191/300

it’s been six months since yoshiki’s best friend, hikaru, disappeared in the mountains. though something resembling hikaru was found a week later, yoshiki isn’t so sure this thing is his friend. sure enough, it’s something much worse. but it’s hard to reconcile this fact when he moves, talks, and acts just like hikaru…

i’ve been wanting to read this for so long, but after watching the first few episodes of the anime last week, i knew i had to get my hands on this ASAP. luckily, my library hold came in somewhat quickly, so i immediately picked this up and didn’t move until i finished it. this has such an interesting depiction of grief—logically, yoshiki knows hikaru is gone, but it’s hard to deal with that since hikaru’s standing right in front of him. he tries to accept this new “hikaru,” but the more differences he notices, the harder it is. the art style was phenomenal and added so much to this haunting story. i can’t wait to read volume 2!