Post by Rika Furude on Aug 28, 2008 6:48:41 GMT -5
This my anime review for Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni. At first, I detested it. However, I didn't give up watching and just moved on. So yeah, overall, I love Higurashi! x3 Most info are found in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [site]. Just that it accentuated my point of view of the anime, so I'm sorry if I copied it.
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Story/Plot Overview.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni takes place during June 1983, at a fictional rural village called Hinamizawa (based on the village of Shirakawa, Gifu, a World Heritage Site), which has a population of approximately 2000. The main character, Keiichi Maebara, moves to Hinamizawa and befriends his new classmates Rena Ryuugu, Mion Sonozaki, Rika Furude, and Satoko Hojo. Keiichi joins their after-school club activities, which consist mostly of card and board games (and punishment games for the loser, usually him.) Hinamizawa appears to be a normal, peaceful, rural village to Keiichi. However, the tranquility abruptly ends after the annual Watanagashi Festival, a celebration to commemorate and give thanks to the local god, Oyashiro-sama. Keiichi learns that every year for the past four years, one person has been murdered and another has gone missing on the day of the Watanagashi Festival. Keiichi himself soon becomes drawn into the strange events surrounding the Watanagashi Festival and Oyashiro-sama. In each story arc, he or one of his friends become paranoid, and a crime is committed. Usually, the crime involves the murder of one of their own friends. While it seems impossible to tell their delusions apart from the mystery of Hinamizawa, slowly the truth is revealed.
Story Arcs.
In the anime, there are story arcs, the original eight of which are referred to as either Question arcs or Answer arcs. The Answer arcs generally recapitulate the events of the corresponding Question arc, but from a different perspective, using the change of protagonist to solve various mysteries and come to a different conclusion. Although apart from the main Question/Answer relationship, the stories of the arcs are not directly connected, a multitude of parallels exist which allow the observant reader to gain extra insight into the mystery.
Question Arcs.
These question arcs were meant to give the player a sense of the world where the story takes place and introduce the mysterious circumstances surrounding the village of Hinamizawa.
Onikakushi-hen
This arc introduces the player to the world of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. This shows the simple rural life of Hinamizawa, the after-school club activities, and the friendships of the main characters. However, things take a turn for the sinister after the Watanagashi Festival, when Keiichi discovers what his new friends have been concealing from him. This chapter implies that Rena Ryuugu is the villain.
Watanagashi-hen
Once again, this arc begins innocently, with the Watanagashi Festival again marking the start of the sinister events in Hinamizawa. An ancient curse strikes, and a pair of sisters are not what they seem. Shion Sonozaki makes her first appearance in this chapter, while Mion Sonozaki is portrayed as the villain.
Tatarigoroshi-hen
Tatarigoroshi-hen is longer than the previous two arcs, and it is considered to be the most depressing and confusing. Keiichi attempts to help out a friend with drastic measures, but as more and more people die, it's clear he is not the only one involved in this. This time, the spotlight shines on Satoko Hojo as being the "victim". Despite good (though misled) intentions, Keiichi Maebara is believed by some of the others to be a villain in this chapter.
Himatsubushi-hen
Himatsubushi-hen is both a direct prequel and a direct sequel to Tatarigoroshi-hen. This arc takes place five years before the previous three. In contrast to the first three arcs, this chapter is shown through the eyes of Mamoru Akasaka, a young police investigator from Tokyo who comes to Hinamizawa in order to investigate a kidnapping of a politician's grandchild. Soon, he too becomes implicated into the mysteries of Hinamizawa. This chapter focuses on Rika Furude as being the key part of the mystery.
Answer Arcs.
Finally, the Answer Arcs. This is considered as the second season of the series and has a different title: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai. The four arcs released in the series, were, in contrast to the Question arcs, meant to answer all of the questions presented in the first half of the series. These arcs can be considered the "solutions" of the previous arcs. Note that each Answer arc contains all of the previous Answer arcs.
Meakashi-hen
Solution to Watanagashi-hen. Meakashi-hen consists of the events of Watanagashi-hen told from the perspective of Shion Sonozaki, with only a few minor variations. In this chapter, the audience sees the true reason for the criminal's murderous actions in Watanagashi-hen—a lost love. The first hints of that which ties together the arcs are given.
Tsumihoroboshi-hen
Solution to Onikakushi-hen. Unlike Meakashi-hen, Tsumihoroboshi-hen's story is drastically different from the plot of its Question arc. In Tsumihoroboshi-hen, Rena experiences a situation similar to Keiichi's in Onikakushi-hen, as she makes a terrible mistake and becomes distrustful of her former friends. It is the first chapter with a (seemingly) happy ending, although some tips reveal a sinister twist.
Minagoroshi-hen
On the surface, Minagoroshi-hen is the solution to Tatarigoroshi-hen; however, it answers most of the major common mysteries of the previous arcs. It is told from the perspective of Rika Furude. Most notably, the true identity of the murderer is finally revealed in Minagoroshi-hen. After Minagoroshi-hen, one more effort is needed to seal the story into a happy ending.
Matsuribayashi-hen
In Minagoroshi-hen, the mastermind of the murders was revealed. This time, all the pieces of the puzzle are in place. The last step for the characters to take is putting the pieces together in order to defeat the culprit, obtain the miracle, and break through the barrier of June 1983. Matsuribayashi-hen is a "Good End" in which no major deaths occur.
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Favorite Episodes:
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni episode 24.
All Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni Kai episodes.
--
Story/Plot Overview.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni takes place during June 1983, at a fictional rural village called Hinamizawa (based on the village of Shirakawa, Gifu, a World Heritage Site), which has a population of approximately 2000. The main character, Keiichi Maebara, moves to Hinamizawa and befriends his new classmates Rena Ryuugu, Mion Sonozaki, Rika Furude, and Satoko Hojo. Keiichi joins their after-school club activities, which consist mostly of card and board games (and punishment games for the loser, usually him.) Hinamizawa appears to be a normal, peaceful, rural village to Keiichi. However, the tranquility abruptly ends after the annual Watanagashi Festival, a celebration to commemorate and give thanks to the local god, Oyashiro-sama. Keiichi learns that every year for the past four years, one person has been murdered and another has gone missing on the day of the Watanagashi Festival. Keiichi himself soon becomes drawn into the strange events surrounding the Watanagashi Festival and Oyashiro-sama. In each story arc, he or one of his friends become paranoid, and a crime is committed. Usually, the crime involves the murder of one of their own friends. While it seems impossible to tell their delusions apart from the mystery of Hinamizawa, slowly the truth is revealed.
Story Arcs.
In the anime, there are story arcs, the original eight of which are referred to as either Question arcs or Answer arcs. The Answer arcs generally recapitulate the events of the corresponding Question arc, but from a different perspective, using the change of protagonist to solve various mysteries and come to a different conclusion. Although apart from the main Question/Answer relationship, the stories of the arcs are not directly connected, a multitude of parallels exist which allow the observant reader to gain extra insight into the mystery.
Question Arcs.
These question arcs were meant to give the player a sense of the world where the story takes place and introduce the mysterious circumstances surrounding the village of Hinamizawa.
Onikakushi-hen
This arc introduces the player to the world of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. This shows the simple rural life of Hinamizawa, the after-school club activities, and the friendships of the main characters. However, things take a turn for the sinister after the Watanagashi Festival, when Keiichi discovers what his new friends have been concealing from him. This chapter implies that Rena Ryuugu is the villain.
Watanagashi-hen
Once again, this arc begins innocently, with the Watanagashi Festival again marking the start of the sinister events in Hinamizawa. An ancient curse strikes, and a pair of sisters are not what they seem. Shion Sonozaki makes her first appearance in this chapter, while Mion Sonozaki is portrayed as the villain.
Tatarigoroshi-hen
Tatarigoroshi-hen is longer than the previous two arcs, and it is considered to be the most depressing and confusing. Keiichi attempts to help out a friend with drastic measures, but as more and more people die, it's clear he is not the only one involved in this. This time, the spotlight shines on Satoko Hojo as being the "victim". Despite good (though misled) intentions, Keiichi Maebara is believed by some of the others to be a villain in this chapter.
Himatsubushi-hen
Himatsubushi-hen is both a direct prequel and a direct sequel to Tatarigoroshi-hen. This arc takes place five years before the previous three. In contrast to the first three arcs, this chapter is shown through the eyes of Mamoru Akasaka, a young police investigator from Tokyo who comes to Hinamizawa in order to investigate a kidnapping of a politician's grandchild. Soon, he too becomes implicated into the mysteries of Hinamizawa. This chapter focuses on Rika Furude as being the key part of the mystery.
Answer Arcs.
Finally, the Answer Arcs. This is considered as the second season of the series and has a different title: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai. The four arcs released in the series, were, in contrast to the Question arcs, meant to answer all of the questions presented in the first half of the series. These arcs can be considered the "solutions" of the previous arcs. Note that each Answer arc contains all of the previous Answer arcs.
Meakashi-hen
Solution to Watanagashi-hen. Meakashi-hen consists of the events of Watanagashi-hen told from the perspective of Shion Sonozaki, with only a few minor variations. In this chapter, the audience sees the true reason for the criminal's murderous actions in Watanagashi-hen—a lost love. The first hints of that which ties together the arcs are given.
Tsumihoroboshi-hen
Solution to Onikakushi-hen. Unlike Meakashi-hen, Tsumihoroboshi-hen's story is drastically different from the plot of its Question arc. In Tsumihoroboshi-hen, Rena experiences a situation similar to Keiichi's in Onikakushi-hen, as she makes a terrible mistake and becomes distrustful of her former friends. It is the first chapter with a (seemingly) happy ending, although some tips reveal a sinister twist.
Minagoroshi-hen
On the surface, Minagoroshi-hen is the solution to Tatarigoroshi-hen; however, it answers most of the major common mysteries of the previous arcs. It is told from the perspective of Rika Furude. Most notably, the true identity of the murderer is finally revealed in Minagoroshi-hen. After Minagoroshi-hen, one more effort is needed to seal the story into a happy ending.
Matsuribayashi-hen
In Minagoroshi-hen, the mastermind of the murders was revealed. This time, all the pieces of the puzzle are in place. The last step for the characters to take is putting the pieces together in order to defeat the culprit, obtain the miracle, and break through the barrier of June 1983. Matsuribayashi-hen is a "Good End" in which no major deaths occur.
--
Favorite Episodes:
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni episode 24.
All Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni Kai episodes.