The eerie and emotional anime The Summer Hikaru Died will take center stage at Otakon 2025 with an official panel that promises a deeper look into one of the most haunting shows of the year. Scheduled for Friday, August 8 at 5:45 PM at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C., the panel will feature a guest appearance by Shuichiro Umeda, the voice actor behind Hikaru. This marks another major public appearance following the anime’s presence at Anime Expo 2025, where voice actor Chiaki Kobayashi and the original creators discussed the production and themes of the show.
Since its worldwide Netflix debut on July 5, The Summer Hikaru Died has been steadily building momentum with its unsettling story of friendship, identity, and something darker lurking beneath. Only two episodes into its run, the anime has already reached the top of streaming charts in Japan and sparked global fan discussions across social media. Based on the manga by Mokumokuren and animated by CygamesPictures, the series follows Yoshiki, a high school student grappling with the return of his best friend Hikaru, who seems no longer human after a mysterious disappearance in the mountains.
The Otakon panel will give fans the opportunity to witness Umeda perform a live reading and talk about his emotional journey into voicing Hikaru, a character who exists in the uncomfortable space between memory and dread. Attendees will also gain behind-the-scenes insight into the anime’s character development, artistic direction, and sound design. Umeda is expected to reflect on how he approached voicing a character that appears familiar on the outside but harbors something completely unknown within. An autograph session will follow the panel, giving fans a chance to meet the actor in person.
The anime’s production team includes Ryohei Takeshita as director and head of series composition, with character design by Yuichi Takahashi. Music also plays a major role in setting the tone, with the opening theme “saikai” by Vaundy and the ending theme “You Are My Monster” by TOOBOE adding emotional weight to each episode’s close.
Otakon 2025 runs from August 8 to August 10 and promises a packed weekend of panels, premieres, and fan gatherings. For viewers already hooked by The Summer Hikaru Died and those attending Otakon, this event is set to be one of the weekend’s most anticipated highlights.
To stay updated on this panel and more anime news, follow Anime Insider on Instagram and Facebook.
