Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu Episode 9 Discussion

I like that anime only flashback at the beginning of the episode. It shows what Yoshiki means when he says Hikaru was adult-like. Even when mourning his father Hikaru quickly turns the moment into a joke to move on from the tough stuff. Maybe I'm wrong but I think kids this young rarely deflect in such a way, and usually just let their feelings out (hence why "Hikaru" is often describes as being a bit like a child - he struggles to hide his emotions and they spill out involuntarily). Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Hikaru learned about the great responsibility of his family from a young age?

Even when facing death, he wasn't thinking about how scary it is, he was thinking about the people he leaves behind and how to make sure they don't suffer grief over his death. We don't know much about OG Hikaru, but what we do know is actually really tragic, like damn this poor kid...

I tought I was 1 week delayed with this anime, but apparentaly last week's episode didn't air? Well, good for me, because now I'm up to date with the most recent episode I guess xD
Although I was excited to be able to watch 2 episodes...

What an episode this one was though... That ending with Tanaka slicing Monster Hikaru's head...

But before that, can we appreciate the lore dump we got this episode? We got explained what's happening in the village, why Monster Hikaru leaving the forest made all that happen, why the Indo family (Hikaru's family) had that ritual, that lead to both Hikaru and his father deaths, and what's really the vision Yoshiki has towards this Monster Hikaru.

We are still not sure what Monster Hikaru is, but I'm sensing a sad backstory is, they teased that some episodes ago. It's giving me AoT vibes, if you know what I mean by that.

Seeing Yoshiki mourn Hikaru's death is still sad, but it's also confirmed he has this affinity to Monster Hikaru, because it makes him always remember his Hikaru :(
I hope he realises he doesn't need an entity like Nonuki to remind him of his best friend/first love. But I'm glad to see he knows they are different things, as he doesn't even see Monster Hikaru in a romantic nor sexual way anymore. I guess little by little, Yoshiki is being able to mourn his friend, and the truth is that this Monster Hikaru helped him in this path. Who knows what would have happened to Yoshiki if he didn't have this "friend".
This whole scene was probably one of the best, especially when Monster Hikaru asks Yoshiki if he liked Hikaru, and when Yoshiki talks more about Hikaru, who we never got to know actually.

Rie's backstory was tragic honestly, losing a child like that... That's why she was so keen on making Yoshiki leave Nonuki's side some episodes ago. But even to the impurity, you could see there was still a bit of the father left, since the impurity cried when Iori was killed.
But Rie is actually going to help Yoshiki and Monster Hikaru finding a way to save the town (preferably without having to throw Monster Hikaru into the mountain again).

Now, will Tanaka have the same approach? Seeing in how he just went and cut Hikaru's head off, it doesn't seem so. I doubt that was enough to kill Monster Hikaru, but it sure was a shock to Yoshiki, losing Hikaru for a 2nd time is not something he's capable of going through (at least for now, because we all know how this anime is called...). I wonder if the old man was possessed by the impurity due to the fact he made contact with Yoshiki and Monster Hikaru (that attract a lot of impurities) or if he was already possessed before.

I always wondered what would happen to Monster Hikaru for it to have a scar on its neck in the ending, and now we know why, nice foreshadowing.

Honestly, this episode is probably one of the best of the anime so far (episode 7 still is the best episode, but that one is hard to top), and it explained a lot of stuff, that honestly needed to be explained at this point for the plot to move foward.
I now can't wait for next episode! I need it now! I was expecting to watch 2 episodes today, but I guess that isn't happening now.

Edit: Quick reminder we only have 3 more weeks of The Summer Hikaru Died... :( I'm not ready to depart ways with this anime, now I'm the one in negation.
Also, what did the Indo family do to cause all that suffering? Does it have anything to do with what Hikaru's father said to him some episodes ago.

Finally got my doomed yaoi back after a week away and holy fucking shit they came back with one of the craziest episodes. Ton of lore, world-building, homoeroticism and your usual LGBT analogies, but that ending is crazy. These last few episodes are going to be insane.

Starting us off with Kurebayashi-San whose backstory we finally get to hear. So her husband came back as a spirit and lived in their house before accidentally hurting their son one day. It’s clear he didn’t intend to do that as we see a tear drip from his eye, it’s probably the same situation as when Hikaru accidentally hurt Yoshiki when he touched him, but because the husband was a lower impurity/spirit, he couldn’t communicate with Kurebayashi the same as Hikaru can explain to Yoshiki. Extremely unfortunate. Understandable that she’d warn Hikaru about getting too close and potentially hurting Yoshiki.

“Did you like him” ahhh, what a question to spring on Yoshiki. The way you can see all the color drain from his face and his eyes go so wide because he never got to tell OG Hikaru how he felt 😢

Yoshiki later tells Hikaru “I don’t even want you to be like a human” which in-universe is a multi faceted response, he doesn’t want Hikaru to try and be something he’s not because they’ve established a unique relationship, but he also doesn’t want Hikaru to start acting too human as it would remind him of OG Hikaru and make him sadder. This conversation and the subsequent one where the boys are going over a plan of action serve as a metaphor for homosexuality as well. Hikaru says “ if I go back to the mountain everything will go away” in the same sense that gay people often feel all the issues they’re facing would go away if they stay in the closet or try to be straight etc. Hikaru is torn between wanting to live his newfound life and not wanting to hurt anyone or make them uncomfortable, again something gay people often struggle with.

Then we get more lore in the form of our meeting with Takeda. So the Indo family apparently asked entity for something and it backfired, but what? Why did it cause the famine??

HOLY SHIT TANAKA KNOWS! Cat’s out of the bag. Hikaru being a supernatural entity is now no longer a secret. Cutting off his head without even asking questions is crazy tho, I need that next episode BADLY. Another banger.

can you guys stop traumatizing Yoishiki

FOR FIVE FKING MINUTES 💀💀💀💀💀

I keep expecting Hikaru to eventually snap and go on a killing spree but I guess that isn't going to happen. To much time spent on the weird relationship between Hikaru and Yoshiki and not enough horror.

Finally got my doomed yaoi back after a week away and holy fucking shit they came back with one of the craziest episodes. Ton of lore, world-building, homoeroticism and your usual LGBT analogies, but that ending is crazy. These last few episodes are going to be insane.

Starting us off with Kurebayashi-San whose backstory we finally get to hear. So her husband came back as a spirit and lived in their house before accidentally hurting their son one day. It’s clear he didn’t intend to do that as we see a tear drip from his eye, it’s probably the same situation as when Hikaru accidentally hurt Yoshiki when he touched him, but because the husband was a lower impurity/spirit, he couldn’t communicate with Kurebayashi the same as Hikaru can explain to Yoshiki. Extremely unfortunate. Understandable that she’d warn Hikaru about getting too close and potentially hurting Yoshiki.

“Did you like him” ahhh, what a question to spring on Yoshiki. The way you can see all the color drain from his face and his eyes go so wide because he never got to tell OG Hikaru how he felt 😢

Yoshiki later tells Hikaru “I don’t even want you to be like a human” which in-universe is a multi faceted response, he doesn’t want Hikaru to try and be something he’s not because they’ve established a unique relationship, but he also doesn’t want Hikaru to start acting too human as it would remind him of OG Hikaru and make him sadder. This conversation and the subsequent one where the boys are going over a plan of action serve as a metaphor for homosexuality as well. Hikaru says “ if I go back to the mountain everything will go away” in the same sense that gay people often feel all the issues they’re facing would go away if they stay in the closet or try to be straight etc. Hikaru is torn between wanting to live his newfound life and not wanting to hurt anyone or make them uncomfortable, again something gay people often struggle with.

Then we get more lore in the form of our meeting with Takeda. So the Indo family apparently asked entity for something and it backfired, but what? Why did it cause the famine??

HOLY SHIT TANAKA KNOWS! Cat’s out of the bag. Hikaru being a supernatural entity is now no longer a secret. Cutting off his head without even asking questions is crazy tho, I need that next episode BADLY. Another banger.