Anime Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

I Double Post With IMPUNITY

DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED HIGURASHI NO NAKU KORO NI

Yes, I finished this monster! I take back everything I said about the second Cycle. It has become one of the best cycles this series offered.

Spoiler: Higarashi

WHOO HOO! I'm glad I sat through this beast. One hell of a ride, lemme tell you. The manner in which the creator developed the story was fantastic. Talk about a wheel, and with every passing more and more pieces fell into place until finally...

OK!

I'm happy that my prediction of the eventual climax in relation to the graphic opening scenes was correct. They were part of the cycle that involved Mion losing her marbles and coming back to kill Keiichi from the dead.

What's more is the role that Rika plays. The whole time she was in on what was happening. With each cycle she was trying to stop the revolution, trying to prevent the inevitable from happening. When the true story behind Mion in the second Cycle comes out it becomes apparent she's trying to protect everyone.

Then the final Cycle comes to pass and the pieces click. I was right in that Oyashiro did in fact exist, however his true nature appears to be muddled yet. Is Rika really his reincarnation or is she something else fighting against him. Is Oyashiro-sama fighting for Keichi and the others, trying to stop something else from repeating the cycle, or is Rika another being fighting against Oyashiro himself?

It was mentioned numerous times that Rika was the Reincarnation of Oyashiro-sama, and in the final Cycle Oyashiro-sama was revealed to be a benevolent character trying to help stem the tide of a disease.

Everything is cycling over and over again. Whom ever is kiting Rika around seems to be enjoying this game. However at the conclusion of the final Cycle there are a few important things different than from the beginnings of the rest of the cycles in the series-

#1: Rika is fighting with her friends to stop the cycle, breaking them away from the wheel...

She knows what's going on, and...

#2- ...More importantly, she knows how to win.

She has ammunition, the attitude and personality to change things. For the first time in the series they have someone with the secret to surviving the nightmare walking along side with them. You could tell she was upset with what happened in the previous Cycle when she tried to stop Shion and failed. They're not alone anymore.

Her ability to remember what had happened is what allowed her to feed those predictions to the investigator, detailing the deaths of in the years to come as well as predicting her own fate. Once more she was labeled as a reincarnation of Oyashiro-sama, but not following in line with the negative light developed by what we knew of the demon, she did everything in her power to protect the man from the knowledge of what was going to happen to his wife. She even warned him, so that she could prevent that tragedy from happening. She knew that his presence there wouldn't change any of the outcomes.

Once again, Rika, the reincarnation of Oyashiro-sama tried her best to protect Keiichi from the wrath of the 'angry dog' hunting down the two 'cats'. Though she failed, this avatar of the demon that's haunting thier town was doing quite the opposite of what we'd come to expect.

This leads me to believe that Oyashiro-sama is indeed Rika (or at least some aspect of him is) and that some higher power is spinning this wheel.

Hmmm... Possibilities :3

Episode 25- 15:00 - 15:10 Probably the most powerful scene in the series for me. It destroys one of my earlier predictions and brings to light something that I never even considered- Keiichi really was going insane. Perception is reality.

Right there the series literally shows us that it wasn't a syringe that Mion was holding in her hands... but a felt marker. However in Keiichi's paranoid and stricken mind all he saw was a syringe. They really were just trying to help him out, and in a state of blitzed panic he murders both of them, unaware they were trying to reach out to him. The entire time he'd been seeing things. His own mind was warping what he percieved to be threats coming from the girls. There was nothing wrong with them at any point in time. He was genuinely falling apart, and as a result was genuinely hurting them (I'm infering emotionally up until the climax), it wasn't a facade developed by the evil Oyashiro-sama in some plot to murder him.

Which leaves the door open throughout the rest of the series. Things that we percieved to be real based upon what we were watching were results of the character's stressed minds creating what they feared they would see. Now that the secret is out it might be worth a second watch to see what we know to be a result of thier fevered minds and what's actually part of the curse.

Case in point- Satoshi and his relationship with Shion after his death. She thought that she heard him in the hell speaking to her from beyond. However we as viewers with our relatively stable viewpoint on the whole matter knows that Mion was not lying about what happened him. He couldn't have been down there. Everything had been in her head.

As far as the maggots are concerned they seem to be a byproduct of the curse. I can only say that it seems that when the guilty party have done thier misdeeds Oyashiro or whomever is incharge disposes of them by making them believe in the maggots, thereby tearing thier own throats out. The series danced around this topic and never really yeilded an answer. I don't believe in the parasite deal- those infected went ballistic against those closest to them. Based upon what we see its likely to draw the conclusion that the berzerked actions of the protagonists are a direct reflection of this. However thier actions were the result of distrust and fear building and building to the boiling point.

Besides, as Wind, the fansubbers who supported my copies of Higarushi, put it- Maggots only eat dead flesh. It could have been forshadowing of the curse, that they were dead-men walking, but I see it as yet another byproduct of thier strained minds and the relationship with the curse.

Interesting points to note:

~When Rika is injected with her own poison she heaves and wheezes like Keiichi did before he tore his own throat out. However Rena had no such injections to deal with. Once more the curse spins its wheels.

~Shion + Keiichi = <3 It seems that Shion and Keiichi might indeed be made for one another. During both visits of the Second cycle is interesting to note that in each one, the other person is the one who saved the day, with regards to the bikers. First it was Shion, then it became Keiichi. And Keiichi is so much like Satoshi...

~Oniba (Mion and Shion's grandmother)- There was she in the first and last Cycle? She seems to be a character who influences Mion in the worst possible way and brings forth the demons that drive her and her sister to do thier terrible acts. However she's not present in the first and last Cycles. Instead we have a green haired woman who seems to be in charge. This takes all the flack out of the Sonozaki household being like a Yakuza. Also remember kids: Low volts when you stungun grandma. Learn from Shion's mistake with Oniba

~Friendship was the strongest point this series tried to drive home. It was the premise that built up all the cycles and was a key factor into both the terrifying depths of hell the children plummeted into time and again, as well as their ability to rise above it all, spit in the face of fate and change inevitability. The lack of, as well as, the constant pursuit of friendship was the vessel that carried them through thier trials. As they lost sight of that, thier vessel sank in the worst kind of way. Once they managed to take hold of it, wouldn't you believe it, Keiichi becomes Rena's maid.

I still got a few questions though-

The photographer- Why keep killing the poor guy. He never does anything the entire time. Takes some pictures and stands watch infront of the shed. He doesn't even really go inside!

The doctor's blonde assistant Miyo. Everytime she dies the coroner says she'd been dead for 24 hours prior to the festival. Rena blames it on aliens, but I don's see it like that. It seems that somehow she's directly tied with whatever malevolent force is behind this whole wheel. She's the temptress, the 'friendly' driver who gives Keiichi a ride home, she's the one providing all the 'information' to Rena in the final episode, driving her over the edge. Miyo is a villian and I'd love to debate that with anyone who says otherwise. However, what's the real story with her? There's still so much mystery as to who or what she really is.

Rika and Oyashiro-sama - Thier bond and the role each one plays in the other's life. Who is Rika really?

I'm sure that I'll think of more as time passes.

For the love of god, if you've seen this lets discuss. This series has me all kinds of excited! What starts out as brutal and random develops into a tale about trust and friendship. Each cycle getting worse than the last until finally the breakthrough. It was an intense ride that had its fill of disturbing scenes and intense images (everytime one of the young girls' or even Rena were hurt or tourtured, the way the voice actresses played thier roles left me feeling haunted and genuinely disturbed. To me it seemed like it could have been the real thing), but as it all came together the pieces fit into place and from that came an ending that was great. It's wide open for an OVA or a second season. I can only hope. :3

NOW DISCUSS

~W

:Edit: Baphi- You MUST finish this series.

 

Maybe someone *coughs Wertie* should learn to read my post. There is a second season being made. Release is later this year.

I plan on finishing this weekend. I can't believe you watched it all so quickly.

 

Hey, that's a lot of information for me to dissimenate. Animenfo already has the groundwork laid for the new season/ova. Unfortunately there's no actual information at all. Same timeframe? Same kids? Same villiage? Does it pick up where we left off or does it go down a different tangeant? Who knows~ I'll be glad to continue the story if they head that direction. So many unanswered questions...

I usually grind out a 24 episode season in one 8 hour sitting, but this one had me so on edge I needed to break it up. Not to mention work and the like got in the way.

No matter no matter. I can't wait to start discussing this with the other members here. I think we'll have a lot to talk about.

~W

 

Wert:

Spoiler: Oyashiro-sama

For starters, "he" is actually a "she".

Considering I still don't have the guts to continue on the series, it'd be useless for me to just repeat what I read about this, so instead, I'll give you the link so you can read for yourself. These are some of the friends I mentioned earlier:
Scroll down to the second post by the member Koinu. Best read all 3 spoilers.

This is actually the one aspect that made me want to get into the series in the first place, and I'm still conflicting about whether or not I should attempt watching the rest >>

Oh and look...there's me being a baby in that thread... ><

Hrmmm...part of me really wants to watch the whole series, cause the Oyashiro-sama bit really intrigues me...but the other part of me is scared that I may start to have one of my paranoia attacks again...My boyfriend keeps on insisting I watch it tho. >.< (it's one of his all time favorites....so he yaks about it alot. o.o)

 

Apparently that information was gleaned from a game of some sorts.

Ok, that brings several things together and helps solve some of the mystery, but there's still a few things I have a bone to pick with

Spoiler: wtf

Rika DOES save everyone in the final arc of the series. Why were they forced to run it again? If Oyashiro-sama is really so nice and friendly then who's going around screwing everything up- i.e. Making bodies dissapear, or even reincarnate them to torment lonely little girls, killing off Rika and fatally warping the perceptions of those whom ever it touches, Granting death wishes, hovering over Rena and haunting her while she lived outside of the village, cursing those who try to leave and live elsewhere, this vengeful, wrathful demon god... All compacted into a smaller, cuddlier, bite sized, gray haired eight year old. There's got to be more than what meets the eye here.

Still Fushigi should probably skip this series if she get's squeamish easily. Bad things happen because the protagonists forget thier promises to one another and simply lose control. The rumors you were told were true, and while shocking at the time, come together as the story progresses. What made this series special for me was the way they chose to close up shop. The way the wheels turned to bring everything together was amazing.

Spoiler: And even if...

...The ending had a little 'twist' there's still that light at the end of the tunnel. Rika knows how to fight and can influence her friends into doing the same.

Spoiler: Making Fushigi cringe

Fingernails, the maggots, the suicide by the little girl with the knife, the murder of her blonde little friend, close of the first Cycle, Shion's violent revenge, it's all true. But, with every cycle the sins were erased and they were afforded another opportunity to make things right. So no matter how bad things became, they could reset time and try it again. Rika was the only one who knew this. However if Oyashiro-sama is losing her powers then the real drama starts. 100 years is a long time to relive the same few years, or even the same few weeks.

Spoiler: AND in summary...

Thing is that each of the characters started off as innocent people and through the mainipulations of whatever is tying Oyashiro-sama up and through the folly of thier own mistakes they led themselves astray and collapsed into eventual insanity. Thusly they were afforded a second chance through the intercession of Rika and her ties with the diety Oyashiro-sama.

...The footsteps were an indication that they could hear but not SEE Oyashiro-sama? I don't know why but that rather creeps me out. To be so far past the point of sanity that you can actually hear the footsteps of a strange diety watching and following you. Does that bug anyone else out or am I full of it.

~W

 

We heart you wiki.

She basically got that info from the original games =)


Btw, it's not so much that I'm squemish on the violence thing (I can handle animated violence just fine, it's some live action stuff that makes me sick) I'm more concerned that there may be something in the storyline that will trigger my paranoia and keep me up at night. >>

I'm thinking about trying to watch it again...mostly because my boyfriend won't stop insisting that I do. XP (It's one of his four all time favorite series)

 

If that's the case then what will keep you up all night would be how dramatically the plot plays itself out. It really is a fantastic series (intense violence aside).

~W

 

So all of them were. I wasn't quite sure. Moin and Rena were probably more so though.

What arc was that in? I know the first one was with Rena.

Ditto. It is an interesting idea.

I got that too but there was one arc that didn't fit it.

Spoiler: Arc didn't fit

The one where the little girl who dress as a miko I think Rika stabs herself with a knife while Mion looks on. I think it is at the 2 or 3 episode arc start.

 

Spoiler: Higurashi

Actually the series winds up and tells us that they weren't. It was all in his head. He was going bonkers.

Spoiler: Higurashi

It was in the first arc, when Rena and Mion visited Keiichi and gave him the box of food with the 'happy' needle, which could have also been in his head. Remember he lost it later on down the road?

Spoiler: Werts Response

It did. You just havent finished that arc all the way. The second arc is incomplete, until you find out the full events of what actually happened. It sounds like you haven't gotten all the way to the end yet. :3

 

Spoiler: Higarashi

Spoiler: Higarashi

Something I didn't notice until the Shion cycle was running. I am glad that we got this view. It explains a lot. Something was just off about it. Keiichi believed it was Mion acting as Shion. When he first talked to Shion and found out she confessed to the head person he believed it was her. Then he really thought Mion was the culprit. I felt something off there. So this cycle was enlightened on the whole story. We also got to see the grandma and how she plays a part in it all.

Spoiler: Rika

In the Shion cycle she didn’t look possessed. So we should have noticed that. Well until she was drugged.

Spoiler: Higarashi

It hasn’t been said really. Why does she stand apart?

Spoiler: Higarashi

Thanks. The last 9 min or what is after 15:11 isn’t playing for me right now. I plan on using another computer to watch it.

Spoiler: Higarashi

Spoiler: Me answer

It was a wake up for the series and helps Keiichi join into the fight against it

Spoiler: Higarashi

Spoiler: Me answer

Have ya hrd of the tricksters. There are many in legends. Maybe Oyashiro placed her in there and then when she was not needed offed her of. Or maybe she decided to try and solve it. Or stop it.

So let's discuss

So who would like to play the PS2 game?

 

I felt like digging this topic back up merely to declare that the anime club here has finally finished this show this evening. Absolutely glorious, and I can't wait for series two, or for Geneon to finally release this to DVD. I am completely open for discussion; actually, as much as we're trying to prune the forums right now, I wonder if it might not be a good idea to make a forum based on this show? There is a ton of material there, plenty of room for speculation on the truth of events, what's going to happen next, and even who your favorite characters are or which story arc you liked best. Then again, I'm tired and rambling, so I don't know. I'd be willing to mod it, anyway. Thoughts?

 

Loved this show. Looking forward to the second series, and the last two arcs.
My favourite arcs were probably the first and last, as the whole paranoia deal is really well done.

EDIT: Can't figure out this whole "blocking spoilers" deal, so I guess I'll be keeping my opinion on the plot to myself.

 

Geneon provides a release date.

The first DVD is coming to the States June 5. I am so completely psyched over this. XD

 

Reposting for two reasons:

1. Got the first DVD last week; frigging awesome. They didn't include much in the way of extras, so the quality is amazing. Just, don't watch the dubs; the writers did a poor job, and as such the acting feels very forced to me.

What's so awesome about this show is, it has tons of replay value. For those of you who watched the show once through, watch it again, this time paying close attention to everything you already know as a result. It's amazing how much sense the first arc makes.

2. The second season, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai, has begun airing in Japan as of yesterday. The opener is already on YouTube (raw, no subs yet), and there are several groups (Otacon, Wind, Ayu) already working on fansubs. Can't wait to see it. XD

 

Awesome. Now that is music to my ears. I cant wait to delve back into this wormy and twisted world to see where they go once again.

~W

 

The pictures I saw of the DVD boxes are the most deceiving covers I've ever seen. XD

 

What are you talking about, this looks like a delightful shojo anime.



How bad can it be considering it's rated PG in the UK (FMA and Elfen lied both came in at 15+ ratings). Honestly, the way people were talking about it I was expecting something 18 rated or at least 15+.


Screw it, I'll have to give it a look see if only for the twins.

 

It really should be 15+; a lot of the scenes are much worse than many other shows of that rating.

And yes, the covers are horrendously misleading; there are already several individuals writing to Geneon about that. ^^;

 

Well Hauu released episode 1. Have yet to see it myself. But I am glad it is coming out so soon. xD

Though the boxart is missleading the actually discription doesn't seam to be.

Product Description:It's tough being the new guy in town, having just moved into the small rural village of Hinamizawa, but when Keiichi joins an after-school club and befriends four cute girls, life doesn't seem too bad. That is, until he learns about demonic cults and a failed dam construction project, plus the grisly murders and disappearances that have occurred every year on the day of the town festival.

As shocking past events are unveiled through different viewpoints, Keiichi learns that things and even people aren't what they appear to be. How many of his club "friends" are involved and what are their plans for him?!


See what I mean. I think they did it to "appeal" to those who like shoujo ones. I wished they wouldn't have. But I am one of those who got a nice surprise when thinking that this was a shoujo anime when it turn out to be very dark.

So Higurashi no Naku Koroni means "The Moment the Cicadas Cry" but "When they cry" was used. What does Kai mean? Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai "The Moment the Cicadas Cry Again?"

 

"Kai" in this sense means resolution, or ending. Basically, letting you know this is where all the answers come in.