Summer Time Rendering

Summer Time Rendering (Japanese: サマータイムレンダ, Hepburn: Samā Taimu Renda) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yasuki Tanaka. It was serialized on Shueisha's digital magazine Shōnen Jump+ from October 2017 to February 2021. An anime television series adaptation produced by OLM aired from April to September 2022. A real escape game and a video game have also been released, and a live-action project has been announced.

Synopsis

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 in July 2018, he returns to his hometown of Hitogashima Island, Wakayama Prefecture 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 intentionally. Now haunted by her "ghost" and 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.

Characters

Shinpei Ajiro (網代 慎平, Ajiro Shinpei)

Voiced by: Natsuki Hanae (Japanese); Stephen Fu (English)

Shinpei is a kind-hearted teenager who used to live on Hitogashima with the Kofune family after his parents' death, but moved away to Tokyo to become independent soon after. Returning to attend Ushio's funeral leads him down a path of dark secrets on the island. He discovers his ability to loop by dying.

Ushio Kofune (小舟 潮, Kofune Ushio)

Voiced by: Anna Nagase (Japanese); Emi Lo (English)

Mio's older sister and Shinpei's adoptive sister. Unlike Mio, Ushio is bold, brazen and hot-tempered, though this makes her capable of acting quickly and responding to sudden situations. She is often seen wearing a school swimsuit.

Mio Kofune (小舟 澪, Kofune Mio)

Voiced by: Saho Shirasu (Japanese); Merk Nguyen (English)

Ushio's little 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 harbour much self-hatred. She has a Shadow version; whereas the Shadow version wears white panties, Mio wears striped panties.

Hizuru Minakata (南方 ひづる, Minakata Hizuru) / Ryūnosuke Nagumo (南雲 竜之介, Nagumo Ryūnosuke)

Voiced by: Yoko Hikasa (Japanese); Jenn Wong (English)

A horror-mystery writer, 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.

Sō Hishigata (菱形 窓, Hishigata Sō)

Voiced by: Kensho Ono (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.

Tokiko Hishigata (菱形 朱鷺子, Hishigata Tokiko)

Voiced by: Maki Kawase (Japanese); Jennie Kwan (English)

Sō's reserved little sister and Mio's close friend.

Ginjirō Nezu (根津 銀次郎, Nezu Ginjirō)

Voiced by: Jin Urayama (Japanese); Tim Dang (English)

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.

Masahito Karikiri (雁切 真砂人, Karikiri Masahito) / Shidehiko Hishigata (菱形秀彦, Hishigata Shidehiko)

Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi (Japanese); Kaiji Tang (English)

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.

Shiori Kobayakawa (小早川 栞, Kobayakawa Shiori)

Voiced by: Rie Kugimiya (Japanese); Giselle Fernandez (English)

The suspicious young daughter of the Kobayakawa family whom Ushio saved from drowning.

Hiruko / Haine (ヒルコ / ハイネ, Hiruko)

Voiced by: Misaki Kuno (Japanese); Risa Mei (English)

The goddess of the island, Hiruko-sama, and the mother of all Shadows, who takes on the appearance of a young girl.

Ryūnosuke Minakata (南方 竜之介, Minakata Ryūnosuke)

Voiced by: Yūko Sanpei

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 (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 (Japanese); Sean Burgos (English)

Sō and Tokiko's father, the local doctor and coroner.

Alain Kofune (小舟 アラン, Kofune Aran)

Voiced by: Tesshō Genda (Japanese); Ping Wu (English)

Ushio and Mio's father, as well as Shinpei's adoptive father.

Media

Manga

Summer Time Rendering, written and illustrated by Yasuki Tanaka, was serialized in Shueisha's digital magazine Shōnen Jump+ from October 23, 2017, to February 1, 2021. The series was also simultaneously published on the app and website Manga Plus. Shueisha collected its chapters in 13 individual tankōbon volumes, released from February 2, 2018, to April 2, 2021.

In North America, the manga was licensed for English release by Udon Entertainment. They released the series in a six-volume paperback omnibus edition from June 1 to September 6, 2022. They also announced a simultaneous hardcover edition; however, it was delayed, and the hardcover volumes were released on December 20, 2022.

A two-part spin-off, titled Summer 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 on Shōnen Jump+ on April 14–15, 2022. It was published in English on Manga Plus. Shueisha released the collected volume on July 4, 2022.

Volumes

Japanese release

English release

Real escape game

A real escape game was announced at the end of the series' 139th and final chapter in February 2021. The game, produced by Scrap, took place on the island of Tomogashima, which inspired the setting of Summer Time Rendering, for one day only on July 22, 2021.

Anime

An anime adaptation was announced at the end of the series' 139th and final chapter in February 2021. It was later confirmed to be a 25-episode television series. The series was produced by OLM and directed by Ayumu Watanabe, with Hiroshi 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. It aired from April 15 to September 30, 2022, on Tokyo MX, BS11, and Kansai TV.

The first opening theme is "Hoshi ga Oyogu" (星が泳ぐ, "The Stars Swim") by Macaroni Enpitsu, while the first ending theme song is "Kaika" (回夏) by cadode. The second opening theme song is "Natsuyume Noisy" (夏夢ノイジー) by Asaka, 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。) by Riria. Disney Platform Distribution licensed the anime. The international release dates vary between regions, starting from May 4, 2022, in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand; June 1, 2022, in Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, and Taiwan; July 20, 2022, in South Korea; and on October 19, 2022, in India via Disney+ Hotstar. On January 11, 2023, Udon Entertainment announced via Twitter that the series became available on Hulu in the United States.

Light novel

Summer Time Rendering 2026: Nagumo Ryuunosuke'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 of the The Room that Dreams of Murder manga, was released on October 4, 2022, under Shueisha's Jump J-Books imprint.

Video game

A visual novel, titled Summer Time Rendering: Another Horizon (サマータイムレンダAnother Horizon, Samā Taimu Renda Another Horizon) was announced by Mages in July 2022. 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 by Yui Ogura). The cast members from the anime reprised their roles in the game. It was released for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in Japan on January 26, 2023. The limited edition of the game includes an official guidebook and an original soundtrack CD.

Live-action

A live-action adaptation was announced at the end of the series' 139th and final chapter in February 2021.

Reception

Kōhei Horikoshi, My Hero Academia's author and Tanaka's ex-assistant, made positive comments about the series.

In a review of the first volume, Erica Friedman, writing for Anime 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 its fanservice, stating that "[it] can be distracting".

Notes

References

External links

• Summer Time Rendering official website at Shōnen Jump+ (in Japanese)
• Summer Time Rendering official anime website (in Japanese)
• Summer Time Rendering (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia