by With the summer 2025 anime season coming to an end, fans are buzzing with illustrations posted on social media by the original author, animators, and even artists. The final episode illustrations posted on X serve as a kind of “after-fireworks” that further enhances the impact of the series.
The final episode of “Fragrant Flowers Bloom Dignified,” which aired on September 28th, first garnered attention. The story centers on Rintaro Tsumugi, a student at the prestigious Tokyo Metropolitan Chidori High School, a low-ranking all-boys school, and Kaoruko Waguri, a student at the prestigious private girls’ school, Kikyo Academy, as they overcome the divide between their schools and form a connection. Shortly after the final episode aired, the original author, Saka Mikami, posted an illustration of Kaoruko and Rintaro smiling at each other on her account.
The scene of Kaoru and Rintaro, dressed in yukata and smiling as they face each other, evoked sympathy from viewers, with comments like “so precious…” and the comments section overflowing with gratitude and farewells. Animator Kohei Tokuoka, who worked on character design for “Fragrant Flowers Bloom Bravely,” also posted an illustration on his account, Tokuoka X.
The illustration features Kaoru and Rintaro, alongside other characters, Shohei Usami, Saku Natsuzawa, Kento Yoda, and Subaru Hoshina. The image captures the expressions and personalities of the characters, as if they were moving as they did in the original work. The image, featuring all the main characters, warmed the hearts of fans, who thought, “This cast truly colored our youth.”
The official “CITY THE ANIMATION” account, X ( @city_anime_info ), also posted an illustration to mark the final episode. Set in the city of “CITY,” this work is based on the girls’ run comedy manga “CITY,” which centers around the penniless college student Nagumo Midori. The events that occur around her ripple out, engulfing the entire town.
The vibrant composition, featuring the word “dream” in the night sky and the characters emerging from it, encapsulates the world of “CITY.” Fans likely smiled at the all-star cast, including Nagumo Midori, Nikura, Izumi Wako, and even Makabe Tsuruhishi, who described it as “CITY-esque right to the end.” The final episode of the anime “The Summer Where Light Died ” aired on September 27. Mokumoku Ren, the original author, also posted an illustration.
“The Summer Where Light Died” is a coming-of-age horror story in which “Something” takes over the high school boy Hikari. Mokumoku Ren’s account, X (@mokmok_len), posts Polaroid-style illustrations of the main characters, Yoshiki and Hikari, who have been taken over by “Something,” as they enjoy their youth. Photos of a moment during choir practice, an after-school photo, and everyone enjoying sparklers are lined up on the desk. It seems that “Something,” Hikari, also thoroughly enjoyed her summer. The most surprising moment was the participation of Vaundy, who sang the theme song. Posted to his account (@vaundy_engawa), the illustration depicts Hikari turning over her body, with a black vortex swirling from within. It’s a truly ominous and horrifying work. It perfectly encapsulates the theme of “The Summer the Light Died,” and we’re amazed at Vaundy’s versatility, not only as a musician but also in expressing the world of the work through visuals. He showed his deep love for “Hikari no Natsu.” A second season of “The Summer the Light Died” has also been confirmed. Even though the 2025 summer anime season has come to a close, the illustrations continue to linger and connect fans and creators.
The youth and stories nurtured on the other side of the screen will likely continue to be passed down through social media for some time to come. The illustrations created by the creators have truly etched the passing of summer in our memory. Embracing this feeling, we wait for the autumn and winter tales to be projected onto the screen.
