What this is
This is a retail fair at animate stores across Japan celebrating the release of Volume 9 of the manga series 'The Summer Hikaru Died' (Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu), a supernatural horror-romance manga by Mokumokuren. Running from June 4 to July 5, 2026, the fair offers fans a chance to receive exclusive merchandise with qualifying purchases. For each eligible item bought — specifically Volume 9 of the manga — customers receive one randomly distributed B6-size visual board from a set of 8 designs. The series has built a devoted following for its eerie atmosphere and emotional depth, making release events like this a significant occasion for fans.
Who should go
This fair is ideal for fans of 'The Summer Hikaru Died' manga who want to collect exclusive merchandise tied to the new volume release. It will appeal to anime and manga enthusiasts who enjoy the thrill of random bonus item distribution and building a collection of official artwork. Casual readers curious about the series can also use this as a good entry point to pick up the latest volume. Visit early in the fair period for the best chance that all 8 visual board designs are still in circulation at your local animate store.
Good to know
Purchases can be made at any animate physical store nationwide or through the animate Online Shop, making this accessible even if you are not near a major city. The animate Online Shop accepts some international payment methods, but physical stores typically operate on a cash or Japanese card basis — bring cash to be safe. The bonus visual board is given one per eligible item purchased, so buying the animate set bundle also qualifies. Because designs are random and cannot be chosen, collectors aiming for the full set of 8 should plan multiple purchases. Stock of bonus boards at individual stores is finite and not guaranteed to last the full fair period, so act early.
This event was sourced and translated from Japanese by What's On Japan. Details may change — verify with the official source before attending.