8 Best Anime Titles to Watch if You Liked 'The Summer Hikaru Died'
Set in the dark and dangerous worlds, these titles explore topics of self-knowledge, self-identity, and humanity.
Although Netflix's new hit, The Summer Hikaru Died, is only halfway over, it's already clear that it's one of the best anime series of 2025.
The title raises questions about the boundaries of humanity and self-identity, so if you're looking for similar works, these eight projects are definitely for you.
1. 'Summer Time Rendering', 2022
IMDb Score: 8.2/10
Ushio died while trying to save a drowning child. Shinpei, who would not have otherwise returned to his hometown, attended her funeral.
There, he grieves for the girl he loved and tries to figure out what happened. Some details suggest murder rather than an accident. As if that weren't enough, the locals constantly talk about shadows that can supposedly replace people.
2. 'Parasyte: The Maxim', 2014-2015
IMDb Score: 8.2/10
One summer, strange snow began falling in a small Japanese town. It turned out that the snow was made up of parasitic spores that had invaded Earth.
These alien creatures are driven by one instinct: to find a host, take over its brain, and control its body.
Luckily, the main character, Shinichi, fell asleep with headphones on. This prevented the parasite from entering his head, so it settled in his right hand instead. Now, two different creatures must coexist in one body.
3. 'Another', 2012
IMDb Score: 7.5/10
Koichi is forced to move from Tokyo to the countryside. His single father is constantly away on business trips, and Koichi is sick with pneumothorax.
His first day in his new town begins at the hospital, where he meets a mysterious girl named Misaki. It turns out that they are in the same class. Koichi wants to make friends but notices that his classmates ignore Misaki.
As he tries to adjust to his new school, people around him begin to die. It turns out that a curse has been hanging over his class for 26 years, and it is connected to Misaki.
4. 'Tokyo Ghoul', 2014
IMDb Score: 7.7/10
Ken, a first-year student, goes on a date with a mysterious girl who is actually a ghoul that feeds on human flesh. When she tries to attack Ken, metal beams fall on them both.
Ken receives a transplant of the girl's organs in the hospital, and he himself becomes a ghoul. He is now tormented by wild hunger and cannot stand human food.
Tokyo Ghoul balances between a drama about a young man trying to overcome his nature and find the remnants of humanity within himself and a horror story about a ghoul looking for victims.
5. 'Devilman Crybaby', 2018
IMDb Score: 7.6/10
Akira Fudo was an ordinary Japanese schoolboy who didn't stand out among his peers. Though weak and cowardly, he always strove for justice.
One day, he encountered real demons, the most powerful of whom tried to take over his body. But he could not because of Akira's pure heart. Thus, Akira became Devilman, a powerful creature who protects humanity from evil.
6. 'Blue Exorcist', 2011-...
IMDb Score: 7.4/10
Shiro Fujimoto is a powerful exorcist who retired to raise his two sons, Rin and Yukio. Their lives change when demons appear and kill their father before their eyes.
It turns out that Rin and Yukio are not Fujimoto's biological children but rather the sons of Satan. Yukio was born an ordinary person, while Rin received some of his father's powers.
Motivated by his father's death, Rin seeks revenge, even if it means overthrowing the Devil himself.
7. 'Elfen Lied', 2004
IMDb Score: 7.9/10
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Diclonius are a mutated branch of humanity with psychokinetic abilities. These mutants are captured and placed in special laboratories where they are subjected to cruel experiments.
Lucy, a Diclonius girl, escapes from one of these laboratories. Along the way, she destroys several military units. However, at the last moment, she fails to dodge a bullet and falls into the ocean.
Having lost her memory and the ability to speak, she wakes up on a beach. Two young men find her there and decide to shelter her.
8. 'Pupa', 2014
IMDb Score: 2.6/10
Utsutsu and his younger sister, Yume, are accustomed to relying only on each other. However, after encountering a strange butterfly, they became infected with a new virus.
Over time, Yume's body transformed, turning her into a flesh-eating monster. Utsutsu tries to find a cure for his sister and restore her to her former self.
Pupa is a rare body horror anime. It's not for nothing that many aggregators rate it below average – the series is abstract, violent and surreal.
