Anime Expo has announced the attendance of The Summer Hikaru Died manga creator Mokumokuren as a Guest of Honor at this year’s event.
This marks Mokumokuren’s first visit to a North American convention, who will participate in a guest panel hosted by Yen Press and sign autographs facilitated by Anime Expo.
#AX2025 Guest of Honor: ✨ Mokumokuren ✨ – a manga creator!
— Anime Expo (@AnimeExpo) May 29, 2025
Mokumokuren is a manga creator who made their serial debut with the series "The Summer Hikaru Died". Their compelling work which artistically injects horror into a coming-of-age story has garnered lots of attention on… pic.twitter.com/RVpu45rZpY
They will also participate in the North American premiere of the first episode of The Summer Hikaru Died TV anime adaptation on July 4, 2025, taking place at the JW Marriott Platinum Ballroom from 7:00 PM PST to 8:20 PST. The episode will be subtitled and main cast member Chiaki Kobayashi will also be present.
🎞️ NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE ANNOUNCEMENT! "YOU TO BE MY SIDE, EVEN IF YOU ARE FAKE…" Don’t miss the stunning new work from the rising studio CygamesPictures, diving into the unknown! This event features appearances by original creator Mokumokuren, voice actor Chiaki Kobayashi… pic.twitter.com/Y3iFdK2G62
— Anime Expo (@AnimeExpo) May 29, 2025
Mokumokuren first serialized the horror manga series on Kadokawa Shoten’s Young Ace Up website on August 31, 2021 and has released six tankobon volumes as of December 2024. A seventh volume is expected to be released on July 4, 2025. A novelization of the manga series was published by Kadokawa Shoten in December 2023. Yen Press releases the manga and novel in English for North America.
A TV anime series from CygamesPictures is expected to premiere in Japan in Summer 2025. Netflix is streaming the anime series worldwide, outside of Japan.
Yen Press describes the main synopsis of The Summer Hikaru Died as:
It has Hikaru’s face. It has Hikaru’s voice. It even has Hikaru’s memories. But whatever came down from the mountains six months ago isn’t Yoshiki’s best friend. Whatever it is, it’s dangerous. Carrying on at school and hanging out as if nothing has changed — as if Hikaru isn’t gone — would be crazy…but when it looks so very like Hikaru…and acts so very like Hikaru…
Source: press release
