You’ll Never Believe it But Netflix Just Released the “Peak” Scariest Show of Summer
There’s a specific kind of Japanese horror that just feels really cozy to me. It’s often rural, punctuated by the cacophonous buzzing of cicadas, and more often than not centered around some kind of unspoken curse. I love the lore of it all and the sheer commitment to history. Where most Western horror releases tend to overexplain their scares, J-horror in particular throws audiences right into the middle of it. It’s matter of fact, simply there to be reckoned with or overcome.
Higurashi: When They Cry might be the definitive anime example of what I mean, though live-action Japanese horror movies work much the same. The Grudge, Dark Water, and Pulse have deep mythos that might alienate some viewers, but wisely don’t take the remaining audience for granted. They’re great, cozy scares, and I can say with full confidence that Netflix just stealthily dropped your latest horror obsession. Learn more about the new series, The Summer Hikaru Died, below:
Per Netflix: Based on Mokumokuren’s hit manga, this ominous anime follows a teen grappling with the unsettling truth that something is very wrong with his best friend.
Of the two episodes available right now, I can say they’re both absolute bangers. They’re terrifying, tender, and just so profoundly confident and assured. Sure, I’m biased as a massive fan of the source material—I consider it among the best horror manga ever—though even unfamiliar audiences will immediately find themselves enraptured with Ryōhei Takeshita’s Netflix adaptation. The animation is stunning, the tone pitch-perfect, and the scares uncompromising. As cute as this might seem, rest assured, it goes to some pretty gnarly places.
The show has already been a smash hit for the streamer. Viewers can’t seem to get enough of its perfect melding of romance and scares, and as the season carries on, I’m certain The Summer Hikaru Died will attract even more viewers. There’s very little else out there like it right now, and I urge you to not let the anime medium dissuade you. This is classic horror storytelling at its best. Check out what some fans are saying about The Summer Hikaru Died below:
What do you think? Any plans to check out The Summer Hikaru Died? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins, where I’ll almost certainly be live-tweeting my reaction to each new episode. I’ve been looking forward to this all year.
Categorized: News
