The Summer Hikaru Died episode 7 review: Tension between Yoshiki and Hikaru’s imposter is brilliantly captured with CygamesPictures’s adaptation

Released on Sunday, August 17, 2025, The Summer Hikaru Died episode 7 delivers another fascinating installment. CygamesPictures’ direction once again blends emotion with unexpected twists in flawless execution. Though it begins with a light tone, a subtle sense of unease lingers throughout.

Yoshiki and the impostor’s fragile bond reaches a dramatic peak in the second half as Yoshiki tries to end the creature posing as his late friend. However, the very incident also unintentionally deepens their bond more. The seamless direction and perfect narrative create a peak audiovisual excellence that heightens CygamesPictures' consistent production quality.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s personal opinion and contains spoilers. Reader discretion is advised.

The Summer Hikaru Died episode 7 review: Yoshiki and Hikaru’s complex dynamic progresses with perfect direction

The Summer Hikaru Died episode 7 summary

The Hikaru impostor in this episode (Image via CygamesPictures)

The Summer Hikaru Died episode 7, titled Determination, sees how deeply Yoshiki is shaken by the incident between Hikaru’s impostor and Asako. The next morning, he arrives to walk Hikaru to school as usual. Yoshiki tells the impostor he isn’t upset and suggests skipping school, instead taking him on a movie outing.

At school, Yuki and Asako notice their absence, but their recital goes well despite their absence. The story briefly flashes back to the night after the incident, when Yoshiki apologizes to his parents and Kaoru while staring at a family photo.

During the outing, the impostor keeps wondering if Yoshiki is mad at him deep down, though Yoshiki keeps denying. They spend the day together, seemingly carefree. At one point, Yoshiki suddenly calls his mother to thank her and leaves a message for his father, asking him to take care of himself, before abruptly hanging up.

Yoshiki and the impostor (Image via CygamesPictures)

The impostor, however, remains oblivious and continues planning future outings, enjoying his time with Yoshiki. Yoshiki agrees to the plans, but his demeanor suggests that something is troubling him. In The Summer Hikaru Died episode 7, Yoshiki eventually brings Hikaru to his house. The reason for his strange behavior is revealed when he suddenly stabs the impostor with a knife.

The impostor is in disbelief while Yoshiki realizes that stabbing alone can’t kill the "being" that now lives as Hikaru. Since his plan failed, Yoshiki asks it to kill him instead. "Hikaru" is initially conflicted, but then comes to a realization. While death means nothing to it, for humans, it’s terrifying. That gap is what stops it from truly becoming human.

With that understanding, it tears away half of its main body despite being in pain. The impostor shinks the torn half, shrinks it, and hands it to Yoshiki, explaining that it can no longer kill easily in this weakened form. Yoshiki doesn’t understand why it would go that far for him, but the impostor confesses that Yoshiki’s acceptance gave it a sense of belonging for the first time.

Yoshiki takes the impostor to watch a movie (Image via CygamesPictures)

Over time, Yoshiki became someone important to it. Yoshiki acknowledges that they come from different worlds and that he shouldn’t expect it to view life the way humans do. Yet, deep down, he wishes it could. So he accepts half of the being, essentially accepting the impostor once again. However, since the being doesn’t belong in this world, Yoshiki suggests they start researching what it truly is.

This suggestion intensifies the atmosphere once again. The impostor seems shocked hearing Yoshiki’s idea. The Summer Hikaru Died episode 7 ends as a strange distortion appears, and the impostor’s real body seems to edge closer to Yoshiki and engulf him.

The Summer Hikaru Died episode 7: Narrative, animation, music, and overall review

CygamesPictures again delivers steady quality with The Summer Hikaru Died episode 7. Ryōhei Takeshita’s direction and series composition skillfully weave lighthearted moments with emotional weight and sudden, unsettling turns. Yoshiki’s unusual behavior creates a sense of lingering unease from the beginning.

The apology to his family as he gazes at their photo is another subtle foreshadowing of the drastic action he’s about to take. His abrupt phone call to his mother proves he’s preparing something final behind a supposed carefree day with the impostor.

The Summer Hikaru Died episode 7 develops tension around his demeanor. His calm, nonchalant attitude right after the incident with Asako makes things all the more suspicious. The calm shatters in the second half as Yoshiki’s true intentions are revealed.

The attempt to kill the impostor pushes their fragile bond to its breaking point, while also driving the creature to confront a question it already had: what truly separates it from humanity. This moment of reckoning highlights their differences but also their shared desire to coexist. Yoshiki, though conflicted, accepts it once more, while his curiosity about its otherworldly origins deepens.

Yet the closing moments suggest that this very curiosity may expose another side of the impostor, raising eerie questions about whether it truly seeks answers, or if it wants Yoshiki to uncover a truth it already knows.

CygamesPictures balances these threads with remarkable finesse, pacing the developments with precision while sustaining the series’ trademark unease. The production continues to impress across the board. Striking animation, art direction, and visual composition amplify the tension, particularly in the stabbing scene and its aftermath. Lighting and framing further amplify the eerie mood.

The voice performances remain strong as always, and the music enhances the experience, adding depth to each scene. The Summer Hikaru Died episode 7 stands out this season with its significant developments and well-executed storytelling.

Final thoughts

Hikaru in this episode (Image via CygamesPictures)

From plot to production, The Summer Hikaru Died episode 7 excels across the board, bringing Mokumokuren’s manga to life in its best possible anime adaptation. The unease intensifies as the story progresses, with each development adding to the heavy atmosphere that draws viewers deeper into Yoshiki’s conflicted state and the impostor’s struggle for identity.

Although Tanaka has been absent for the past two episodes, the spotlight on Yoshiki and Hikaru, or rather, the being wearing his body, feels deliberate and rewarding. Their fragile dynamic, the main interest of the story, remains the series’ emotional core, and this episode gives it the attention and care it deserves.