The thing about fear and romance is that they both rely on tension; under Mokumokuren’s brilliant pen, that tension is exploited. Is Yoshiki gasping beneath not-Hikaru because he is terrified, or because he is aroused? Is it both? Is not-Hikaru desperate to coat his beloved friend in his creepy innards to smother him in darkness, or in affection? When Yoshiki gazes at raw chicken during home economics class and remembers how those innards felt like cold meat, is he sweating at an uncomfortable memory or, well, a horny one? If all this weird speculation is making you uncomfortable, that’s perfect. Then you’ll have some inkling of how these characters feel.
Leah Thomas, "The Summer Hikaru Died and the Desperate Terror of Queer Adolescence," reactormag.com, August 7 2025.


















