Summer Time Rendering (Japanese:サマータイムレンダ,Hepburn:Samā Taimu Renda[a]), also written asSummertime Rendering, is a Japanesemanga series written and illustrated byYasuki Tanaka [ja]. It was serialized onShueisha's digital magazineShōnen Jump+ from October 2017 to February 2021, with its chapters collected in thirteentankōbon volumes. Ananime television series adaptation produced byOLM aired from April to September 2022. Areal escape game and a video game have also been released, and alive-action project has been announced.
Summer Time Rendering takes place in Hitogashima, a fictional island based onTomogashima located inKitan Strait inWakayama Prefecture. While Tomogashima itself is an uninhabited island, Tanaka imagined how it might have been if it were an inhabited island.
In the story, Hitogashima is set as an island with a population of about 700 people. The village is depicted based on the Kada district of Wakayama City andOgijima inKagawa Prefecture. The places names in Hitogashima, such as "Takanosuyama" and "Torajima", are taken from the real Tomogashima.
The Shadows (影,Kage) are mysterious creatures similar toDoppelgängers, who act as the main antagonist of the story. They are able to copy the appearance and memories of humans, impersonate them, and then try to kill them and take their place. They are also able to copy inanimate objects, to some limitations. These creatures are led by Hiruko, a god enshrined in Hito Shrine that they call "mother".
Following the death of his parents, Shinpei Ajiro grew up with the Kofune sisters, Ushio and Mio, before heading to Tokyo to live alone. Two years later, on July 22, 2018, he returns to his hometown of Hitogashima to attend Ushio's funeral, following news of her drowning. However, Shinpei becomes suspicious when he receives news of strangle marks around Ushio's neck, implying that she was murdered. Mio confessed to Shinpei that a few days before Ushio's death, the sisters met Ushio's doppelgänger, something that the locals dub as "Shadow", a legend passed down at the island. Assisted by Mio, Shinpei tries to find the answers to what really happened to Ushio and possibly save the residents from a strange dark enigma.
Shinpei is a 17-year-old kind-hearted teenager who once lived on Hitogashima with the Kofune family following the death of his parents. He later moved to Tokyo to become independent. His return to the island for Ushio’s funeral draws him into uncovering the island's dark secrets. Shinpei has the habit of thinking objectively when he loses his composure or is upset. He is a fan of Ryūnosuke Nagumo, a writer who wrote mystery novel set in Wakayama. At some point before July 22, his right eye turned light blue, marking the beginning of his ability to loop by dying.
Mio's older sister, as well Shinpei's adoptive sister who died by drowning after saving a little girl, her death prompts Shinpei's return to Hitogashima. Being half-French, her blond hair was often ridiculed when she was younger. She is bold, brazen, and hot-tempered, though this makes her capable of acting quickly and responding to sudden situations. After her death, a Shadow of her appeared in front of Shinpei. Other Shadows dub her as defective. Shadow Ushio is often seen withschool swimsuit, as she copied her original while wearing one.
Mio is Ushio's younger sister who has a crush on Shinpei. Unlike Ushio, Mio is shy and meek, and it is these personality and physical differences that have led Mio to harbor much self-hatred. Her Shadow, unlike the human Mio, has few facial expressions. She has a cold and cruel personality. She always wears the sailor uniform that Mio was wearing when she was scanned, and she mainly uses a kitchen knife as a weapon.
A horror-mystery writer under pen name Ryūnosuke Nagumo, Hizuru is intelligent and level-headed, capable of making accurate deductions and detailed planning. She is also a trained combatwoman and this skill is compounded by how the data of her younger twin brother, Ryūnosuke's, Shadow exists in her, allowing her to detect Shadows and move at their speed albeit with much strain on her body. She was a local of Hitogashima who left the island 14 years prior to the story after Ryūnosuke's death. She came back after receiving a mysterious voice note from Ushio. One of her novel, "Swamp Man", is actually based on Shadows.
Sō Hishigata (菱形 窓,Hishigata Sō)
Voiced by:Kensho Ono[6] (Japanese); Jason Jin (English)
Shinpei's best friend on the island who is in love with Mio. He is the oldest child of the Hishigata family, who runs the Hishigata Clinic on the island. Sō is soft-hearted, passionate and cares deeply about human life, wanting to be a doctor to save people. He joins Shinpei in the fight against the Shadows.
An elderly hunter on the island and ally of Hizuru against the growing conflict on the island. Like Hizuru, he is skilled with the use of firearms, specifically with him being a talented sniper.
The local priest and one of Hizuru's childhood friends. In reality, he is the founder of the Hishigata clan from centuries ago, the first Shadow Haine has ever created and procreated with, making him a human–Shadow hybrid.
Hizuru's younger twin brother who was murdered by Haine 14 years ago. When Haine tried to scan a Shadow for Ryunosuke, she went berserk and a chunk of his Shadow went to Hizuru, causing him to inhabit his older sister's body as a second personality as the fighter of the group and manifests whenever needed.
Tetsu Totsumura (凸村 哲,Totsumura Tetsu)
Voiced by:Yōji Ueda[8] (Japanese); John Choi (English)
The local and only police officer on the island, the sleazy Totsumura is also a relative of the Kofune family.
Seidō Hishigata (菱形 青銅,Hishigata Seidō)
Voiced by:Akio Otsuka[8] (Japanese); Sean Burgos (English)
Sō and Tokiko's father, the local doctor and coroner.
Ushio and Mio's father who is French origin, as well as Shinpei's adoptive father. He runs a bistro called "Bistro Kofune". He lost his wife when giving birth to Mio.
Written and illustrated byYasuki Tanaka [ja],Summer Time Rendering, was serialized inShueisha's digital magazineShōnen Jump+ from October 23, 2017,[15] to February 1, 2021.[16] The series was also simultaneously published on the app and websiteManga Plus.[17] Shueisha collected its chapters in 13 individualtankōbon volumes, released from February 2, 2018,[18] to April 2, 2021.[19]
In North America, the manga was licensed for English release byUdon Entertainment.[20] They released the series in a six-volumepaperback omnibus edition from June 1 to September 6, 2022.[21][22] They also announced a simultaneoushardcover edition which was delayed,[23] and ultimately released on December 20, 2022.[24][25]
A two-partspin-off, titledSummer Time Rendering 2026: The Room that Dreams of Murder (サマータイムレンダ2026 未然事故物件,Samā Taimu Renda 2026 Mizen Jikobukken), was published onShōnen Jump+ on April 14–15, 2022.[26] It was published in English onManga Plus.[27] Shueisha released the collected volume on July 4, 2022.[28]
Areal escape game was announced at the end of the series' 139th and final chapter in February 2021.[43] The game, produced byScrap [ja], took place on the island ofTomogashima, which inspired the setting ofSummer Time Rendering, for one day only on July 22, 2021.[44][45]
Ananime adaptation was announced at the end of the series' 139th and final chapter in February 2021.[43] It was later confirmed to be a 25-episode television series.[46] The series was produced byOLM and directed byAyumu Watanabe, withHiroshi Seko overseeing the series' scripts, Miki Matsumoto designing the characters, and Kusanagi handling the art.Keiichi Okabe, Ryuichi Takada, and Keigo Hoashi composed the music at MONACA.[47][48] It aired from April 15 to September 30, 2022, onTokyo MX,BS11, andKansai TV.[1][6][b] The first opening theme is "Hoshi ga Oyogu" (星が泳ぐ; "The Stars Swim"), performed by Macaroni Enpitsu, while the first ending theme song is "Kaika" (回夏), performed by cadode.[50][8] The second opening theme song is "Natsuyume Noisy" (夏夢ノイジー; "A Noisy Summer Dream"), performed byAsaka, while the second ending theme song is "Shitsuren Song Takusan Kiite Naite Bakari no Watashi wa Mō" (失恋ソング沢山聴いて 泣いてばかりの私はもう。; "I've Listened to Many Songs About Broken Hearts, It's Too Late For Me Who Only Cries"), performed by Riria.[51][52]
Disney Platform Distribution acquired the series for global streaming;[53] it became available in South Asia and Southeast Asia during 2022,[54][55][56] and became available onHulu in the United States, in Japanese with English subtitles and with an English dub, on January 11, 2023.[57]
Summer Time Rendering 2026: Nagumo Ryūnosuke's 100 Views (サマータイムレンダ2026 小説家・南雲竜之介の異聞百景,Samā Taimu Renda 2026 Nagumo Ryunosuke no Ibun Hyakkei), a light novel by Hotori Handa and a continuation ofThe Room that Dreams of Murder manga, was released on October 4, 2022, under Shueisha's Jump J-Books imprint.[58]
Avisual novel, titledSummer Time Rendering: Another Horizon (サマータイムレンダAnother Horizon,Samā Taimu Renda Another Horizon) was announced byMages in July 2022.[59] The game retells the events of the anime, and also follows six original stories, with an original ending. In addition to the characters in the series, the game also features an original character designed by the series' author Yasuki Tanaka, named Kaori Koyuba (voiced byYui Ogura).[60] The cast members from the anime reprised their roles in the game. It was released forPlayStation 4 andNintendo Switch in Japan on January 26, 2023. The limited edition of the game includes an official guidebook and an original soundtrack CD.[60]
In a review of the first volume,Erica Friedman, writing forAnime News Network called the series a "can't-put-down kind of read", praising its art and story, adding as well that it has a "nice balance between the people, the setting, the action, and the horror." Friedman, however, criticized itsfanservice, stating that "[it] can be distracting".[61]
^Alverson, Brigid."Manga Pick Hits - May 2022".ICv2.Archived from the original on March 2, 2022. RetrievedMarch 2, 2022.A supernatural mystery with time-travel elements and a teenage cast, set on a remote island.
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