The Summer Hikaru Died Manga is Ending

One of the best horror manga in recent memory is coming to a close. The official X account for The Summer Hikaru Died has announced that the story will end in the next two chapters. Chapter 50 is scheduled for Oct. 13, while Chapter 51 is scheduled for Oct. 20. The announcement is not a complete surprise, as author Mokumokuren previously said they planned to wrap up the story in 10 volumes total.

For those who have not read the series or watched last year’s anime, it is a queer horror story centered on two boys, Yoshiki Tsujinaka and Hikaru Indo, who live in rural Japan. Despite having very different personalities, the pair are inseparable. That is until Yoshiki realizes something: Hikaru is no longer Hikaru. Hikaru died in a freak accident, and an unknowable entity from the mountain now controls his body. The story follows Yoshiki and Hikaru as they navigate a fraught relationship while trying to uncover the dark mysteries behind their small town.

Mokumokuren writes and illustrates the series. Serialization began in Young Ace Up on Aug. 31, 2021, after the magazine editorial department saw Mokumokuren early concept drawings on Twitter. The Summer Hikaru Died has been collected into nine volumes so far, covering the story through chapter 46.5. The remaining five chapters will likely make up the tenth and final volume. Yen Press has handled the manga localization and distribution in North America, where it has released the first seven volumes. The eighth will be released on Oct. 27. As of June, the series had 5 million copies in circulation. It has also been nominated for numerous accolades, such as the 2026 American Manga Awards.

The first season of the anime adaptation ran from July 6, 2025, to Sept. 28, 2025, for 12 episodes on Netflix. Cypic, known for Umamusume: Cinderella Gray and Apocalypse Hotel, adapted the series. The first season covered the first half of the story, and Cypic has announced a second season to handle the rest.

Source: Polygon