I'm completely in love with The Summer Hikaru Died. It has the perfect blend of horror and love. The characters are incredibly deep and realistic, and the psychological tones of the story are crafted with such care and affection that it really stands out. What’s most beautiful is the relationship between the characters. I'm honestly tired of queer series and films that tackle the subject in a shallow way, where it's also the only topic (a boy likes another boy, they become a couple, and people don't want to see them together). That’s why I think many of us don’t feel truly satisfied with these representations. At least for me, I want to see a series with an original plot that casually—or at least not as the only focus—has LGBTQ+ characters.
We like non-canon ships in stories not because we're desperate for "queer stories," but because we want stories with queer representation. On the other hand, the narrative of TSHD has a richness that’s hard to find, especially nowadays when, thanks to the instant nature of streaming services, most series have lost the freedom to develop characters subtly and beyond just the central conflict.
Yes, the queer relationship and the metaphor it brings are some of the most important parts of the story, but it’s also about horror, about a spirit possessing a body and a “cursed” town. That alone is a story in itself.
Today, I want to talk specifically about Episode 3 of the anime, so SPOILERS AHEAD!!
We’re finally starting to see the beginning of the true relationship between Yoshiki and “Hikaru.” The ending of this episode was one of my favorite moments in the manga. While it felt a bit rushed in the anime, I was still very happy they kept the sweet, beautiful tone.
Yoshiki is scared, yes, but for reasons we’ve already seen. He’s not capable of staying away from “Hikaru.” The problem is that even though he’s not entirely the same as the original, he’s not human, he’s supposedly a threat to both Yoshiki and the town. “Hikaru” isn’t exactly a monster, at least not in the entirely evil sense of the word. His desire isn’t to hurt or kill, it’s to be with Yoshiki and to experience human life.
He’s a morally grey character because he does kill to achieve his desire, but what motivates him isn’t inherently evil. So, even though Yoshiki knows he should hate him, what he sees beyond the body of his friend is a being with a cheerful, playful personality, with everyday interests and a childlike curiosity.
Yoshiki’s mind says, “This isn’t right” “He’s not Hikaru” “He’s dangerous!” But what he sees in front of him doesn’t match those ideas.
Yoshiki wants to hate him, because he knows that would be the morally correct thing to do. But in real life, things aren’t black and white like we’re taught in theory. If “Hikaru” is a dangerous, evil monster, then why does he get excited? Why does he cry? Why does he apologize? Why doesn’t he actively try to hurt anyone? Why does he desperately want Yoshiki not to hate him? And why doesn’t Yoshiki really feel hatred when he looks at him, when he spends time with him?
What shakes Yoshiki isn’t hatred for “Hikaru” it’s the fear of his own feelings towards him. Not attraction per se, but his emotional reaction to not feeling threatened by someone he should feel afraid of.
So when Yoshiki sees “Hikaru” fragile, wrapped in blankets, crying, aware of his mistake and apologizing, it’s then that he realizes “Hikaru” is a being with feelings, one that awakens the need to care for him. Not just because he wants to keep seeing his friend, or because he’s attracted to him, or because he’s not in danger anymore (since “Hikaru” even tells him at the start not to say anything because he doesn’t want to kill him).
It’s in this moment that Yoshiki begins to care for “Hikaru” for who he really is.
That’s when we get the sweetest scene in the whole story (so far): Yoshiki touches “Hikaru’s” cheek gently, speaks to him tenderly, holds his hand (and in the manga, we even see him caress it).
It’s then that the roles reverse, just for a moment. Now “Hikaru” is the one who can’t live without Yoshiki, and Yoshiki is the one caring for “Hikaru.”
It’s a turning point in the story. Before, their dynamic was uneven, one was obsessed, the other a protector. Now, they’re mutually obsessed and need each other in the same way they protect and look after each other.
Maybe for those of us who’ve never been in a serious relationship, this kind of intense need between two people seems strange, or even toxic. But the truth is, from the testimonies of people who’ve truly fallen in love, their relationship makes sense. When two people fall in love, their need for one another is almost irrational, beyond what’s expected in a “normal” relationship.
It’s actually not that common to meet people who have really been in love. Even married people often just “care deeply” for each other or share a special bond, but love is much stronger. It’s a physical and emotional need for the other person.
Think of it like the love a mother has for her child, or between two siblings. You can’t call that just affection, because the connection we feel with those people is almost inexplicable, like they’re another part of ourselves. That’s what these two characters feel.
Because the obsession isn’t completely selfish, in fact, it’s mentioned several times that “Hikaru” doesn’t mind who Yoshiki talks to or spends time with. He just wants to be part of his life. He wants Yoshiki to be happy. It’s a desire “Hikaru” himself begins to discover throughout the story, but especially in this scene.
When you adore someone so much that you just want to be part of their life no matter how, and want them to be happy, that’s no longer a selfish obsession. That’s love (no matter how cheesy it may sound).
The reason Yoshiki initially accepted “Hikaru” was entirely selfish, he didn’t want to accept his friend’s death, even if it meant putting himself and others in danger. And beyond the reality of the profanation of a dead body that should be respected, Yoshiki didn’t care to know this new being. He didn’t even want to.
At first, he was just clinging to the memory of his friend. But it’s this moment, when the “fake” Hikaru opens up emotionally, that he sees him for the first time as someone real, separate from who his friend was, and from the malicious image he had of the spirit.
From here on, Yoshiki and “Hikaru” begin to change, so their relationship can develop more freely and deeply.
That is the essence of the final scene of Episode 3 of the anime.
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