For a series so overridden by horror elements and the supernatural, it’s easy to focus more on the human core. On things like grief, the overwhelming devastation, and the crisis of morality plaguing Yoshiki (Chiaki Kobayashi). All of which makes The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 5 even more striking. Because there’s no avoiding the horror, evident from the moment “Wig Ghost” begins. And yet, what’s even more applaudable is how the series lets both sides of itself elevate the other. The scares work because of how well established Yoshiki and “Hikaru” (Shūichirō Umeda) are, and the horror brings forth a greater dilemma for the two to work out together, pushing their relationship forward and amplifying the varying tones of Yoshiki’s distress.
“Wig Ghost” makes it clear that Yoshiki has begun to attract other types of entities, with the titular spirit haunting his bathroom and terrorizing his younger sister. The main push of The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 5 comes from Hikaru’s plan to exorcize the spirit, only for that plan to grow new legs as the wig ghost renders Hikaru immobile and possesses Yoshiki. Through this possession, we dive deeper into Yoshiki’s damaged psyche. It’s there where he recalls a memory where he and Hikaru fought as children over a dead crow they were meant to care for.
As always, there are layers to the meaning behind this, through suggestions and the lead-up to the sequence as Yoshiki is barraged by the sounds of townspeople who critique him, visualized as brains. These reverberating critiques highlight one of the major points of the series. The fear of being perceived as “other” in a small town. Tormented by this hailstorm of negativity, plagued by his insecurities, his descent becomes increasingly bothersome. All of which ends in the memory of the fight, which means so much more than a simple blame game.
The adaptation captures Mokumokuren’s vision.
One of the best aspects of the adaptation has been the series’ ability to capture Mokumokuren’s ability to craft tonal dissonance through dialogue bubbles, unusual onomatopoeia, contorted facial expressions, and scene backgrounds. The anime heightens this excess of unease through sonic cues and photorealism, such as the brain imagery. The continued check in on the class choir practice casts a striking melancholy, the song subdued and captured in an unnatural sunny glow. It’s all a visual misdirect – a suggestion of normalcy when the story is anything but.
Aside from the primary relationship, that is. Because while there’s so much going on around Yoshiki and Hikaru, their dynamic, no matter the circumstances, is human. From the moment Yoshiki, once again, places his hand in Hikaru’s chest, to the catharsis of Yoshiki breaking his possession as the two sit submerged in the bathtub, their moments suggest tenderness. No, Yoshiki is yet to reckon with the truth, no matter what he says (and Kobayashi’s guttural wail in Episode 4 will continue to haunt). Still, there’s genuine curiosity between the two, accentuated by these momentary blips where he recalls past versions of Hikaru.
All of which leads back to the flashback of their fight. There’s no question why it’s a crow, a bird that signifies death and transformation. But there are so many ways to interpret what the fight is really about. Yes, the scene signifies death and missed opportunities – but of what in particular? Their human friendship? The potential for more? Or is it simply a memory that tethers itself to this new Hikaru, a memory of death giving way to new life as Yoshiki reemerges, leaving his own mark on Hikaru’s wrist – an imitation of the one Hikaru left on him.
The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 5 continues to prove the series’ brilliance.
There’s some real End of Evangelion energy to the entire sequence that works wonders with the tone. Directed by Wang Chihsia and Ryūta Kawahara, there’s always something off-kilter in any given frame. Even the more wholesome ones, such as when the two sit on the deck following their spiritual encounter. This moment of quiet solitude delivers on the ‘me and my monster versus the universe’ ambiance that cements itself as a core theme of the series. Yoshki knows that he isn’t meant for a small town life – that it doesn’t fit him. But he believes that Hikaru, any version of him, is worth standing by. Even if Hikaru represents both what Yoshiki is running towards and away from.
Because of how engaging Yoshiki and Hikaru’s story is, it sometimes makes it difficult to find just as much enjoyment in the background plots. That said, Tanaka (Chikahiro Kobayashi) is a wonderfully enigmatic character whose B-plot clearly ties to the lore of the story. The writing just needs to better integrate it into the flow of the narrative. That said, his story does give us one of the biggest jump scares of the series to date.
Every aspect of The Summer Hikaru Died continues to work in Episode 5. From the beautifully unsettling score by Taro Umebayashi to the clever direction that makes each frame worth analyzing for hidden depths, the series will leave you speechless. “Wig Ghost” does a fantastic job of marrying the horror with the character-driven narrative, culminating in a tone that defines the series: grief-stricken, unexpectedly playful, and entranced by how supernatural stories expose our humanity.
The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 5 is available now on Netflix.
Images courtesy of CygamesPictures/Netflix.
REVIEW RATING
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The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 5 - 8.5/10
8.5/10
Based in New England, Allyson is co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of InBetweenDrafts. Former Editor-in-Chief at TheYoungFolks, she is a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics and the Boston Online Film Critics Association. Her writing has also appeared at CambridgeDay, ThePlaylist, Pajiba, VagueVisages, RogerEbert, TheBostonGlobe, Inverse, Bustle, her Substack, and every scrap of paper within her reach.
