Anime Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

My anime club here at school is watching this particular show this semester; we've only gotten through the first two episodes, but it's already looking quite good. Has anyone else seen this? I think it may end up creeping (and I mean creeping) into my Top 10 if it keeps it up.

The show (so far) is about a boy who has transferred to a town in rural Japan and made friends with many of the girls in his class. He soon finds out there's more to this town than meets the eye, especially in regards to these schoolgirls. You see, for the past several years now, there's been a death in the town on the Cotton Floating Festival, ever since the plans to build a dam were halted by another death. A gruesome murder, to be exact, in which the body was severed into six pieces, an arm still missing and one of the murderers still at-large...

I seriously recommend this series; if you like twisted and creepy with a ton of cutesy thrown in, this is definitely for you.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, this might do better in the fansub forum if someone deems it necessary to move, as I don't think it's been released in at least the States yet. ^^;

 

It sounds interesting. I like "dark" anime.

Though my computer is down for a bit I can't really download anything.

I will check it out.

So how many episodes have you watched?

 

I personally have only seen the first two episodes; I've been told, however, that even the following two will hook me on the series for good. This is just hearsay, mind you, but I honestly don't doubt it from what I've seen.

 

I have friends that are into this.

I, however, have too little of a spine to ever watch it myself....cause I know I'll be scared silly. D:

and yes, they've told me about some of the scary, disturbing things that happen in the series like:

Spoiler: Eep! o.o

the scene where one character is forced to tear off all her finger nails one by one.

and

Spoiler: OMG O.O

When one of the characters slits her wrists and maggots come out D:!

and many more. T^T

 

What a time to my comp to go down.

Now I am tempted to use Youtube to watch the first episode.

 

Spoiler: eeks...

My friend played over the phone to me the other night a clip from the beginning of one of the episodes, where one of the girls repeitively stabs her head, while another girl - I think Rena- is watching. Then the other girl bursts into maniacal laughter

Eep! >.<

Bashi, one of my aforementioned friends put it on youtube, I believe. It should still be up there...

 

I have decided to make my boyfriend download the first episode. HEHE

I just can't do the You Tube thing because I would be at the computer FOREVER. I need my computer back.

 

I think this would be a great addtion to the fansub forum. We could always use more loving over there. If this hasn't been released in the US yet then which groups are fansubbing this guy? Lets share some of the knowledge so the rest of us can enjoy the wealth.

~W

:Edit: As of yet there doesn't seem to be any US releases and the fansubbing community "Wind" seem to have all 26 episodes subbed. There appears to be a second season or an OVA kinda deal going on with this series as well. More on that as groups start to pick up on it.

:Edit #2: WARNING: Despite how this series appears at first this is an ADULT ANIME. The childish, cartoony themes and characters are meant to throw you off. This is a very graphic and violent series... Not that I'm complaining. This warning is for all those under age and for those who are sensitive to such things.

 

where have you guys been?
higurashi is great but its like one year old.

 

Sen: That is basically true (it began airing in the Spring of '06), but no one in these forums had said anything about it except in the thread announcing series being aired in the Spring of '06. It being the kind of series it is, discussion and propagation seems like a good idea to me.

Wert: That information in your edit is basically correct; it's not been released yet (I don't think it's even been licensed), and I'm pretty sure I remember hearing something about a second season. I'm not entirely certain which group our anime club is watching, but I know it's been picked up by Wind, Triad (only 20 episodes subbed), Ayu (15), and We Are IN Denial (all 26; this is their first series).

 

Sen: It happens. Most people don't know how good an anime is until someone suggests it.

FR: Bah I wanted to see that nail thing but nooo someone didn't say what episode for what.

Spoiler: Episode 1

My boyfriend and myself watched the first episode. The beginning was great. You know where the person is being beat. Reminded me of Paranoia Agent (another Anime I barely watched). My boyfriend didn't care for it to much.

After that the series had a few laughable moments which makes me wonder when those gruesome scenes come in. It has yet to get very dark. The boy got a little spooked by the news of a murder still not caught.

Can't wait to see more.

Bap: If you want it moved you can PM a mod or S-mod of this forum. I believe there isn't any conditions saying it can't be moved. By the looks of things Wert would love it there. You started the thread so it is up to you just follow those rules.

Wert: Thanks for the info. Hopefully they do sub the next part.

 

I watched the first episode, but then heard about things in the next, and decided it was best for me to try another series. ><

 

I'll sum this up in three words:

WTF

Spoiler: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

Lemme get this straight...

The first thirty seconds of the first episode is the lead character beating the cr*p out of the dead bodies of the ultra cute little girls with a club about the same size as he is. Lots of blood and nifty sfx.

Then it goes into ultracute-cardcaptor-yay-funtime-anime-for-children-goofiness for the duration of the episode minus close to the end where his psychotic girlfriend brings an oversized meatcleaver to a junk yard to unbury Col. Sanders to take home with her (btw, I bet that's the first time anyone ever said that in the history of ever).

Then in the second episode the more demonic nature of the girls seem to come out. I am genuinely creeped out by that whole eye thing that they do when they start to trip. They off the photodude by seemingly having him tear his own throat out and proceed to 'demon away' the woman he was with. The morbid little girls continue thier Clue-style cardgame in school. Keiichi realizes he's not the first transfer student to arrive and that there were mysterious circumstances behind the dissapearence of the last one.

Never mind the bloody intro/intermission/ending, the fact that one of the arms on a mutilated corpse is still missing AND the entire theme of this series is set to a bunch of pre-teen, ultracute, mini-morph, school girls with a dude who, for the most part, is completely clueless, in a wild, green, bouncy, happy little smiley world.

Did I miss anything?

Rena's eyes creep me the hell out. I feel like I'm watching someone getting mauled by a giant pandabear. It's cute enough to make me sick but so intriguigingly (sp) horrifying that I'm unable to do anything but keep watching. It's like Shoujo meets Friday the 13th.

Seriously... This is disturbing.

...Time to watch the third episode.

~W

:Edit: Ok, I'm going to make this as clear as I can- If you're not over the age of 17 or you're squeamish around blood or intense/graphic muders/suicides aren't your thing do NOT watch this series. Bashi, this one is right up your alley.

 

xD

Spoiler: Episode 1

So I wasn't the only one who thought that the boy was the person beating that body in. I didn't notice who it was though.

It makes me wonder if the boy did "horrible things" like that exactly how bad are the girls.

I am going to watch a few episodes tonight. Maybe I will report back. Who knows.

So how is episode 3? I will watch it tonight also.

 

It's like falling down a rabbit hole. I'm through the second cycle already (about 8 or 9 episodes) and starting on the third. In so far the first one was the worst (and the most twisted).

Spoiler: Higurashi

There's so much more interaction with the demon itself in the first cycle. It's more possessive and more dangerous. The second cycle is a little better as the demon only affects one person, but still... It starts off all happy and campy and quickly turns to hell for all the characters.

I'm watching, not for asthetic value, but because the little sadist inside me says I need to find out what happens next. Crazy...

~W

 

Having only made it that far myself, I must agree. The second arc finishes at episode 8, and it is certainly twisted, but there's just a certain something special about the first. I think it's mostly the paranoia factor.

A big reason I'm still watching, too.

 

Spoiler: Clawing out their throats

I mentioned this already, but in a scene in later episodes, in fact this was the first scene in Higurashi someone told me about, a character -I'm sure Rena- slits her wrists and maggots come out.

This is why some people claw out their throats. I forget what the maggots are exactly. You'll have to find that out for yourself.

...I know quite a bit about this show, even why time resets itself and all that, thanks to the numerous freinds who watch it. >> This is why I chickened out. I wanted out before it got really effed up ><

And one last thing, you'll all get a kick out of this XD

 

I believe I am on episode 9. (The next part is 5 episodes maybe?)

Yeah it appears there will be lots of repeats of the “event.” Though by accident it won’t keep doing it. At least from what I saw. Or it could just go into the story more. Only watching it will tell.

I watch it because what can I say…I like things that…creep and disturb people out.

I plan on telling my real life buddy about this one.

I am going to start by telling him what happens in Episode 1.

Letting him know that this is only a 26 episode Anime.

Spoiler: Part 1/Episode 1-4

Starting right off where the main character (Keiichi) beats the two girls to death with a bat.

Did anyone notice his eyes changed? They came kind of creepy but no where near the other girl’s eyes.

I will tell a little bit about the town which could also be more episodes about it.

Anyway next will be what the Cotton Floating Festival is about and the death/missing person there. I will not leave out the fact that they guy started clawing out his throat for some unknown reason. There was no drug evidence in his system.

Isn’t the whole meaning to the Cotton Floating Festival a little strange? It tells the fact that there is history there or at least the people have history. The past sins or wrong doings gets absorbed by the cotton. The river takes them away. It makes me wonder… I think Episode 5-8 explains much about the town.

Next I will explain the cop, the girls, and how Keiichi goes a little crazy. The fact that he was acting like a pervious boy that got “spirited away” will be a bonus. Honestly here I thought that Keiichi would be spirited away.

Next paranoia sets in by all means necessary. The girls strange mechanically like laughter whenever they do mean things like knowing what he is done or say someone is lying or when they keep secrets.

Last will be when Keiichi gets hit and is taken back home. The two girls are checking up on him. How they try and drug him. He then ends up beating them to death.

I don’t think that the other two girls were processed by the ogre. Are they in Part 1?

Also I noticed this Anime had a big climax then it steady grows then it’s like bam. Keiichi claws at his throat and it starts all over again.

Comparing the two parts I think the second has more simplicity. It also goes into details about the town. I did like the second though it wasn’t a steady incline. It was more like wham here is this and wham here is all the rest. Though the ending was…different. It added another wham in.

Spoiler: Part 2 ending

The dead girl walking around and killing people was a nice touch.

The fact that Keiichi wanted to die over Mion not so much that great. I don’t know about you lot but my processed history pretty much means that the person can’t control their actions so maybe it would be a good thing to RUN.

Pulling out the intestines when the person is still alive is disturbing.

To FR:

Spoiler: Clawing out Throat

Correct me if I am wrong but I think it was from the unknown/untracable drug. Did they think there was maggots in it?

Which means we could see more of it.

The fact is that Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is disturbing. And I want to finish watching it.

Also I can’t wait until Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 2. Coming this year. xD

 

I won't spoil it by saying what's actually going on, but I will say this: I love this series for its plot. Generally, I don't like gore / horror stuff because the plot is fairly weak.

Spoiler: general

For this reason, I honestly don't much like the stand-alone story arcs. The plots seem highly contrived, with the ogre Oyashiro-sama possessing at least one of the kids or one of them being descended from the original ogres themselves; it's very generic gore genre for that. But no, the overarching story is what's keeping me riveted to the series.

Also, FR, that video is made of win. XD

 

Several things to note about this series

Spoiler: More Higurashi ibberish

#1- I feel that the girls are indeed posessed by the demon in the first cycle, but that it seems to come and go, and they don't seem to realize it, which is why they're as emotionally driven as they are when they aren't going psychotic. The eyes are a clear indication of some other force at work.

#1.5- The door at Keiichi's house, as it was shutting and Mion stopped it to warn him to show up at school=Nicely done. I saw it coming and I was still creeped out.

#2- The story cycles over and over again revealing more and more about the characters and the background plot. As it cycles you find yourself falling deeper into the rabbit hole as more and more is revealed. Despite the final turn of events changing with each cycle, the basic facts that it lays remains common. I think that's delightfully clever in its implementation. I've never seen a plot revealed in such a manner before.

#3 The start of each cycle seems to portray a very negative, very chaotic scene depicting the traumatic death of one of the girls (often the girl who's going to 'star' in that particular cycle). After that first Cycle I was lead to believe that it was the climax of that arc, but as the cycles have been repeating I've been realizing that the storys have very little to do with how the girls actually died. However as the tales have been progressing everything is starting to weave together as we gain a greater understanding of the plot as a whole. ...Which leads me to this conclusion:

The beginning previews are an indication of how things will eventually turn out. We're being tipped off to future events. Shion seems to be a large part of this eventual conclusion. The rest of the girls seem to be hosed. Frankly I felt Keiichi's plea at the end of the first arc left things feeling a little incomplete, which has me wondering if they will revisit it down the road.

To Baph: So it seems that there's a method to this apparent madness that we're unaware of right now. >3 Lets just leave things at that for the moment.

I'm finished with the third Cycle as well as the subarc revolving around Rika. Oh how this tangled web weaves itself.

~W