boosting my comment here to request answers from those who have read ahead…

@frenemymine

store-bought is fine

@frenemymine3/27/2024, 1:57 PM

@frenemymine

@frenemymine3/25/2024, 9:48 PM

The Summer Hikaru Died is literally 10/10, I cannot believe I waited this long to read it. Just such a strong atmosphere and sense of place and I LOVE the style they went with for the English dialogue translations. I was reading it outside in the hot sun and I felt like I was right there. Finished the entire volume in one sitting without really trying to lol

#the summer hikaru died #manga #BL #bl manga

@frenemymine3/27/2024, 1:57 PM

boosting my comment here to request answers from those who have read ahead…

I just heard a rumor that after this manga got extremely popular the author kind of rebranded it to “youth horror” rather than BL and also purged her pixiv, which makes me a bit worried. I get that she’s trying to take this opportunity for mainstream success but the eroticism is SUCH an important part of the story that it would honestly be a little insulting to retcon it out in future volumes.

I don’t speak Japanese and just heard this secondhand from my friend, so take this with a grain of salt. Hopefully volume 2 is still good, I don’t need her to go all the way with it but I do need her not to change the relationship she already wrote lol.

Does volume 2 change course significantly or can I expect roughly the same vibe going forward?

#the summer hikaru died #mokumokuren #manga #BL #bl manga

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in reply to @frenemymine's post:

NeckSpike @neckspike3/25/2024, 10:20 PM

that reminds me I want to buy that, amazing book

@frenemymine3/25/2024, 10:48 PM

The physical copy is really nice! It is amazing, I love the supporting cast as well. I’m really looking forward to seeing how they’re developed in subsequent volumes

Octojelly >_<@Octojelly4/13/2024, 2:49 PM

There are some panels that I think were better localised in unofficial translations. I def recommend checking it out as well once you're done with the official ones!!

真人 @shiki3/27/2024, 4:22 AM

ive been meaning to read it... 🤔ty for reminding me

@frenemymine3/27/2024, 1:54 PM

It is very good and well worth reading! I am a little disappointed about something I heard recently where after it got extremely popular the author kind of rebranded it to “youth horror” rather than BL and also purged her pixiv, which makes me a bit worried. I get that she’s trying to take this opportunity for mainstream success but the eroticism is SUCH an important part of the story that it would honestly be a little insulting to retcon it out in future volumes.

I don’t speak Japanese and just heard this secondhand from my friend so take this with a grain of salt. Hopefully volume 2 is still good, I don’t need her to go all the way with it but I do need her not to change the relationship she already wrote lol

真人 @shiki3/27/2024, 2:23 PM

Oh thats really too bad... while i understand worrying a little about your image as a BL mangaka and that overshadowing any horror readers, or that you may be looked down on for it, etc... but i hope she does not feel too pressure as to change a series afterwards out of fear of this... but also i understand the decision even if i dont agree with it...

in reply to @frenemymine's post:

NeckSpike @neckspike3/27/2024, 2:02 PM

Hikaru and Yoshiki's weird tentative relationship is still crucial and a central focus as far as scans are up to

@frenemymine3/27/2024, 2:04 PM

Thank God for that I was about to be so disappointed

NeckSpike @neckspike3/27/2024, 2:05 PM

It's serialized on Young Ace UP which also runs Sk8 the Infinity so they're clearly not afraid of some homoeroticism.

@frenemymine3/27/2024, 2:07 PM

Ah okay, this gives me a good ballpark idea of the range we’re working with here lmao

NeckSpike @neckspike3/27/2024, 2:11 PM

If the marketing has changed that makes sense (I think it can have a lot of appeal to general horror fans who aren't specifically looking for BL) but imo the story hasn't.

@frenemymine3/27/2024, 2:20 PM

Yeah I can fully understand not wanting to leave money on the table here, especially with such a big hit

wretch @wretch3/27/2024, 5:05 PM

i'm nearly caught up on scans! it's still really good, but it does get less erotic and a bit more general horror-y as it goes on i think, especially the most recent volumes. hikaru and yoshiki's relationship is still the central focus and nothing's been retconned exactly, and it's hard to say where it's gonna go in the future, but there's more of a higurashi no naku koro ni ensemble-cast vibe now for sure and the relationship between "hikaru" and yoshiki is skewing more towards "unhealthy friendship obsession" than the more erotic-romantic it was initially. whether it feels like character development or rebranding is gonna be pretty variable from reader to reader i think...
i don't know anything about the marketing/public image side of things, though!

@frenemymine3/27/2024, 5:18 PM

Thank you for advising! Sounds like it’s certainly still well worth keeping up with. Too bad though, I was really excited to see what she was gonna come up with next to top THAT scene lol

Octojelly >_<@Octojelly4/13/2024, 2:45 PM

It still has generally the same atmosphere and it does lean more into the horror aspects. However, the central focus of the manga remains the dynamic between Hikaru/'Hikaru' and Yoshiki. Less physical romance and rather just strong, intense obsessiveness. It's really good I recommend catching up asap!!

@frenemymine4/13/2024, 2:54 PM

Thank you! It still sounds great, maybe I’ll try the unofficial translation for the next one. Although I do love the “folksy” style they went with for the official, I know it’s a little over-the-top but I think it really suits the story.

Octojelly >_<@Octojelly4/15/2024, 9:02 PM

A lot of unofficial translations will still take the time to include the folksy talk!! You won't be missing much and I agree the folksy talk adds a lot to the atmosphere.