The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 9 Review: Things Are Getting Crazier

The 9th episode of The Summer Hikaru Died is here, and things do not look good for Hikaru. Let’s discover how this episode plays out.

The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 8 Recap

The episode opens with Hikaru and Yoshiki seemingly back to their usual selves, despite the fact that Yoshiki had just tried to kill Hikaru moments earlier. Their exchange is lighthearted on the surface, but beneath the banter lies a pressing concern; they need to uncover the truth about the entity residing within Hikaru. To that end, they turn to a note Yoshiki discovered in the original Hikaru’s room and bring it to his grandfather. Though he offers only scraps of insight, such as the village’s dark reputation as a “village of murderers,” no clear answers emerge.

At school, the tone shifts when Yoshiki learns that Asako has nearly lost her hearing within the span of a year. Wracked with guilt, he lashes out at Hikaru, blaming him for her suffering. Much of the episode then delves into the village’s unsettling past, gradually building a tapestry of mystery and dread.

A particularly eerie revelation comes from an old map suggesting that their village was once part of a larger settlement shaped like a human body, which is a chilling piece of symbolism. We also hear more about Nonuki-sama, a deity once worshipped as a protective god who later became feared as vengeful and cruel. Just as these pieces begin to form an ominous picture, something happens. Yoshiki, while sitting in class, suddenly catches sight of a shadowy figure. The scene is brief but deeply unsettling.

The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 9 Review

Hikaru and Yoshiki find an unlikely ally in Kurebayashi, who saves them from a ghost. She also asks Yoshiki about his relationship with Hikaru, and he comes clean about everything to her. She promises to help them out and even tries to understand what Hikaru actually is. We get to know that her husband also came back from death once, and that incident left their son injured. From then on, she has tried to understand souls and spirits, and now that both Hikaru and Yoshiki are in trouble, she wants to support them as much as possible.

Later, we see that Yoshiki has made a makeshift grave for the original Hikaru, where he prays to his soul. There, the fake Hikaru asks Yoshiki how much he is different from the original one, and we get some interesting answers from him. Hikaru also asks Yoshiki whether he loved the original Hikaru, but he refuses to answer that. But Yoshiki also says that he doesn’t want the fake Hikaru to be more like a human, as he is fully prepared to support him as he is.

While discussing what they must do about the whole ghost situation, Hikaru asks if he goes back to the mountain, maybe all the bad things that are happening in the village will stop. Here, Yoshiki absolutely refuses to think like that and supports Hikaru to stay within the village. But nothing could have prepared me for the absolutely crazy, nerve-wracking second half of this episode.

Verdict

This episode started off pretty normally, but towards the end, the things that were showcased were absolutely insane. We finally get some answers, but they were not properly explored, which is why now there are more questions. I hope we will get more clarity as soon as possible.

Must Read: Explore all our Dandadan articles here!