The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4: Yoshiki shares a fact about Hikaru’s death as Tanaka closes in on the impostor

Released on Sunday, July 27, 2025, The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4 sees the impostor Hikaru begin to feel disconnected from his surroundings and struggles with his formless nature. As Yoshiki wrestles with his emotions and Rie’s suspicions linger, the summer festival unfolds. Villagers discuss a failed ritual and fear a powerful entity has returned.

Meanwhile, Tanaka investigates a damaged barrier, suspecting the impostor’s presence. Yoshiki finally reveals he saw Hikaru’s dead body before blacking out, confirming Hikaru did die. The impostor, however, promises to stay by his side. A post-credit scene shows Hikaru’s death and his final wish not to leave Yoshiki alone.

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The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4: Hikaru triggers Tanaka’s barrier as they attend a summer festival

Yoshiki and Hikaru in The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4 (Image via CygamesPictures)

The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4, titled Summer Festival, opens with the impostor Hikaru finally getting close to the cat. But the moment he tries to pet it, it flees. He notes just how little he truly understands about the world around him.

The impostor also becomes increasingly disgusted with his original form, especially how it starts seeping out of his body. Yoshiki sees these reactions as signs that Hikaru is trying to change and improve, but Rie’s warning still lingers in his mind.

The focus shifts to the school’s singing practice for an upcoming recital. After school, Asako and Yuki part ways, but Asako feels something’s wrong. She tells Yuki not to cross the railroad tracks again that day. Knowing Asako’s intuition is often right, Yuki takes a different route.

At Yoshiki’s house, Hikaru hangs around while they overhear Yoshiki’s mom and sister Kaoru bickering over yukata for the summer festival. The story shifts to Hikaru and Yoshiki taking Kaoru to the event. They overhear gossip about Kaoru skipping school and criticism aimed at their mother, an outsider from Tokyo. Unexpectedly, Hikaru lightens the mood and lifts everyone’s spirits.

Tanaka in The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4 (Image via CygamesPictures)

Elsewhere, the villagers discuss the situation. They regret trusting the Indos with the ritual’s responsibility, referencing the death of Hikaru’s father, Kohei. They believe the Indo’s ritual likely failed, possibly letting something loose that now threatens the entire village.

According to legend, that entity has been sealed in Kubitachi for over 300 years, and the villagers believe they’re the ones keeping it contained. Tanaka joins the chat, carrying the strange artifact believed to have been someone’s head. He’s certain that the Indos were using it in the rituals. This relic seems to repel strong spirits, and with it, he thinks the mountain has become accessible.

Tanaka learns the ritual was meant for the mountain god. He questions whether the summer festival is also tied to it. He then points out how neighboring villages all have churches, but theirs only has a shrine. That leads him to an unsettling question of what exactly this village is worshipping.

The fake Hikaru runs into the barrier in The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4 (Image via CygamesPictures)

As the festival continues, Yoshiki’s group makes their way to the shrine. But at the gate, Hikaru hits an invisible barrier. Just as he does, Tanaka’s hamster begins to panic. Sensing something has damaged the barrier, Tanaka rushes off.

Meanwhile, Hikaru tells the others to go on ahead. His hand that touched the barrier triggers a reaction. His original form begins separating from Hikaru’s body. The imposter is visibly upset and wonders who created the barrier.

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The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4: Yoshiki reveals the fact about Hikaru’s death as Tanaka’s suspicion grows

Later in The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4, Hikaru and Yoshiki sit by a stream, sharing shaved ice. While they enjoy the moment, Tanaka searches for the source of the disturbance near the barrier. When he reaches the gate and touches the barrier, he senses that whatever he’s been looking for is close.

Meanwhile, Yoshiki notes how the impostor feels different from the real Hikaru. This makes the fake wonder if that’s how Yoshiki figured out he’s an impostor. But Yoshiki replies that he knew the moment he saw Hikaru’s dead body.

Hikaru in The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4 (Image via CygamesPictures)

The scene shifts into a flashback to when Hikaru went missing. Yoshiki’s mother had tried to stop him from joining the search, but he went anyway. Apparently, Yoshiki actually found Hikaru’s cold and lifeless body. But before he could alert the others, he blacked out. The next thing The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4 shows is him returning home. He spent days in bed afterward. By the time he recovered, "Hikaru" had already returned.

In the present, the fake tells Yoshiki that it took him a few days to repair Hikaru’s body, which is why he assumed it had looked normal when Yoshiki found it. Remembering all that, the grief of losing Hikaru consumes Yoshiki once again.

The story gives another flashback. A younger Yoshiki vents to Hikaru how he hates the village because of the nosy people and wants to leave. Hikaru instead tells him to just come live with him instead.

Yoshiki as he finds Hikaru's dead body (Image via CygamesPictures)

In the present, remembering the real Hikaru, Yoshiki breaks down in tears. The impostor tries to step away to give him space, but Yoshiki stops him. The fake says he knows he can never truly replace the real one, but he still promises to protect Yoshiki and do anything for him, no matter what.

Elsewhere, Tanaka informs the village elders that setting up another barrier is off the table; it costs him an internal organ to create one. He confirms that something was there, but it’s gone now. He explains that large crowds attract "impurities," but even among them, this one was too powerful.

As it normally shouldn’t have been possible to go undetected in the crowd, he begins to suspect it might have taken on another form entirely.

Yoshiki in The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4 (Image via CygamesPictures)

The closing scenes of The Summer Hikaru Died episode 4 see Rie standing at the railway tracks Asako had warned about earlier. A supernatural presence begins to appear, but Rie seems to do something to it. Episode 4 gives glimpses of her past as she worries for Yoshiki’s safety.

A post-credit scene shows the real Hikaru when he went to the mountain. In the rain, he slips and falls. As he lays dying, he thinks about not wanting to make anyone sad, especially Yoshiki. He doesn't want to leave him alone. That’s when he sees the being coming closer. He thinks it’s "Unuki-sama." In his final moments, Hikaru wishes for someone to stay by Yoshiki’s side as the entity begins to consume him.

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Edited by Dishani Dutta