Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

[IchigoKurosakiGirl]

Well, my friend recently introduced me to this anime called "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni" and it is amazing!!! No, it is not as popular as Bleach, Naruto, etc. but it is a very brilliant anime and should be more well-known to people! Anyway, I was wondering what you thought about this anime? Does anybody want to share any spoilers? Anything you thought was interesting/confusing/had a question about?

Yea, so, just say what you want to say about Higurashi. You know, whatever, whether it's a question, comment, spoiler, favorite characters, whatever!!! Feel free to talk about Higurashi here! Sorry if this is kinda dumb but I want Higurashi to have some time in the spotlight and I wanted to see how many people know about it...

[Gjallarhorn]

It's not that brilliant, and it gets old quickly. The third series is currently airing, entitled Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei.

I wated the first series, and stopped after the beginning of the second. It lost its appeal very quickly, to me at least.

It's also really held back by the gratuitous gore. I got it, people died painfully. I don't need fountains of blood to tell me that.

[Datenshi]

It's not that brilliant, and it gets old quickly. The third series is currently airing, entitled Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei.

I wated the first series, and stopped after the beginning of the second. It lost its appeal very quickly, to me at least.

It's also really held back by the gratuitous gore. I got it, people died painfully. I don't need fountains of blood to tell me that.

I'm afraid I disagree strongly, but then I'm a fan of Higurashi. Like any good fanatical fan I'm going to start by recommending you play the original game first.

It's a shame that a lot of people think of the gore when Higurashi is mentioned (the anime almost got canceled in Japan because they found a copy of the game in the room of a psychotic teenager; the media introduced it as "a game where the objective is to kill people with axes". Anyone who actually knows anything about Higurashi will know that's totally ridiculous; it's a visual novel game, not Grand Theft Auto.)

Anyhow, it's a shame because a central theme of both the game and the anime is the futility of violence to solve life's problems, as the writer has repeatedly said both in the afterword of the game and in various interviews.

The fact that the summer of 1983 is repeated in a "loop" throughout the story plays a crucial role in illustrating this theme, as it becomes clear in the final episodes;

 

the objective of the game is for the characters to overcome the summer of 1983 without anyone dying; it is the selfish actions of each individual that culminates in the catastrophe that follows, hence the story concludes when each character realizes that the only way to avert disaster is to refuse to resort to violence as a means and trust each other

. In that sense, I believe the excessive violence in the first half of the plot was very necessary to prove that point, but it's unfortunate that people only react to that specific sensational aspect of the anime.

To cite one example,

 

Keichi's well-intentioned murder of Satoko's abusive uncle in each arc of the first half of the plot was a contibuting factor in the inevitable catastrophe at the end; when Keichi realizes this in the final episodes, he rallies his classmates to raise a protest and brings the case to a social worker in the climax of the Minagoroshi-Hen arc.

[MercenaryMERC]

It's not that brilliant, and it gets old quickly. The third series is currently airing, entitled Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei.

I wated the first series, and stopped after the beginning of the second. It lost its appeal very quickly, to me at least.

It's also really held back by the gratuitous gore. I got it, people died painfully. I don't need fountains of blood to tell me that.

I disagree. It was brilliant in my book^^
Ya a little part of it got old fast but thats about it. I am guessing from where you left off is where it got boring. A few "filler" episodes with reason for being there should never make anyone quit watching an anime I think, but heck thats just me.
Held back by the blood? More like let loose by it!!!! Heck ya!!!!

I really did like this anime be4 episode 17 and then I fell in love with it!!!! The end of the first season I saw comeing a mile away. ( As far as everyone still dies and we were like WHAT!)

This anime did what it set out to do....... creep people out and give us a good overall ending........ ( waits for a real season 3)

[Memento Mori]

The anime was appealing at first, but lost it because of all the sick gore that lowered it to the level of a cheesy slasher film.

[Aizen-sama]

Higurashi was anazing when rena was lik COME ON OPEN IMSORRY KEIICHI IM SORRI LET ME HE WAS NO GO AWAY SHE WAS LIKE IM SORRY HE SLAMED THE DOOR ON HER FINGERS AND SHE SAID IT HURTS IM SORRI SORRI OR ALSO THAT TIME WHEN SATOKO-CHAN GOT STABED OVER AND OVER HEHEHAHAHA I LOVE IT OR WHEN RIKA WAS BEATING HER HEAD INTO THE KNIFE HEHEHEHHAH I LOVE IT WAS ALL SO BEAUTIFUL HEHEHHAHA

[Datenshi]

Higurashi was anazing when rena was lik COME ON OPEN IMSORRY KEIICHI IM SORRI LET ME HE WAS NO GO AWAY SHE WAS LIKE IM SORRY HE SLAMED THE DOOR ON HER FINGERS AND SHE SAID IT HURTS IM SORRI SORRI OR ALSO THAT TIME WHEN SATOKO-CHAN GOT STABED OVER AND OVER HEHEHAHAHA I LOVE IT OR WHEN RIKA WAS BEATING HER HEAD INTO THE KNIFE HEHEHEHHAH I LOVE IT WAS ALL SO BEAUTIFUL HEHEHHAHA

No. I don't know, that was the first word that popped into my head when I read that. Just... nope, sorry, try again.

[mississippibaby]

i tought the anime was pretty good both seasons it kept my attention. i havent seen the third season yet so i have a question. is the third season telling the same story as the first two sseasons or has the story line changed?

[Datenshi]

i tought the anime was pretty good both seasons it kept my attention. i havent seen the third season yet so i have a question. is the third season telling the same story as the first two sseasons or has the story line changed?

I assume you're talking about Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei was originally a fan-disc for the game ("Rei" means "thank you" in Japanese; to express gratitude to the fans), and includes 1) an epilogue set after the first two seasons, 2) a new "joke" episode set in a parallel world, and 3) some content that was only included in select editions of the original game.

I haven't seen the anime yet myself, so I don't know how they're going to fit all of that into one season, though.

[diamondust13]

Oh man, Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni one of my favorite animes!
The first I'd ever heard of it was in AMV Hell...4 was it? It was the scene of

 

Rika smashing her head into the knife

to the rythm of "What is Love?"
I was intrigued at how horrified I was to see something of the sort, laughed a little at the ridiculousness of it, and went to look up what the aniem was 'cause I really needed to know what in blazes was going on in an anime that showed something like that.
Sure there's lots of blood and violence and gore and torture; Look past that. By the end of the series, there wasn't a single character that I felt that it could end without. I cared about them all, oddly enough. Usually you get one or two of those characters you don't mind getting knocked around; that wasn't the case here.
Anyway, Higurashi had a really good message to portray and they did it well in an exceptionally (albeit bloody) well-connected way. Every arc had a purpose, the timeline and how it was told was played out great, it kept you guessing and terrified (if you watched it at 3am like me...) and the characters were wonderful.
It's one thing for some live action thing to scare you, it's another for a bit of animation to. It's gotta be good if it keeps you from sleeping a night or two hahaha

[1987]

I finally finished watching the first series of Higurashi earlier on today after having stalled at Episode 5 for about a year until last weekend (meh, I'm easily distracted XD; ). I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved how the cutesy characters would suddenly go into ultra-freaky mode at certain points, like the scene where

 

Shion was shaking the ladder

... gave me the chills!

Despite all the blood and gore, the only scene that actually made me cringe was when

 

Shion had to use that nail-removing device in Episode 17. My own nails were hurting after watching that!

[BleachHime]

I finally finished watching the first series of Higurashi earlier on today after having stalled at Episode 5 for about a year until last weekend (meh, I'm easily distracted XD; ). I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved how the cutesy characters would suddenly go into ultra-freaky mode at certain points, like the scene where

 

Shion was shaking the ladder

... gave me the chills!

Despite all the blood and gore, the only scene that actually made me cringe was when

 

Shion had to use that nail-removing device in Episode 17. My own nails were hurting after watching that!

OMG ME TOO! To this day, that is the only part of Higurashi I can't bear to watch! I felt that...

[Amarhyllis]

I'm actually a really big fan of Higurashi. The first episode had me hooked and I've watched the series (both seasons and the OVA) countless times. I haven't gotten the chance to play the games, but I'm getting the mangas and I have a couple of the little figures (I forget what they're called...)

The story intrigued me and kept me guessing, it pulled me in unlike a lot of other animes. There wasn't a character that I disliked, I liked them all.

I'm currently waiting for Umineko to come out (is it already out? The last time I check -months ago- it was still in development)

But I'm a fan, I love the series, and I can't wait for more.

[diamondust13]

Gah me too, why did you remind me of that scene? xD;
I felt physically uncomfortable watching that lol...
But yeah they had some seriously freaky moments, like that part where Rena's at the door after bringing Keiichi some food when he was "sick." Jumped outta my seat more than once at this anime...

[Zenga]

I stayed strictly for the killing, the story got old real fast. T.T

[Neddog]

This third season is looking really good. The second episode is getting us back into Higurashi-style suspense, and I'm loving it...

The first episode was out-of-place and felt like a filler, but it was fun nonetheless. According to wiki, it was supposed to end the last season, but was felt to be too out of place with the rest of the story, so they held off on adding it.

One of the things I love about Higurashi is that in getting used to so many tragic endings, we get a real feeling of suspense when we're not sure what's going to happen (like at the last arcs of the seasons). You can't just think, "that's the main character, so of course (s)he's gonna survive/win/etc" like you do in a lot of other animes. Instead, there are times through the story that you honestly have to question, "can they really pull it off this time?"

[Squishy_blob]

I think it's genius, but it is definitely a girl's anime because of the characters (cute lolis) and horror without the action. And the reason it isn't popular on a huge scale is that it isn't accessible enough for a wide audience- there aren't as many people who love mystery, horror and suspense as there are juvenile-ninja-fighting lovers. Not that I don't like Naruto. Cough.

[Datenshi]

I'm currently waiting for Umineko to come out (is it already out? The last time I check -months ago- it was still in development)

Umineko is a work of genius. I'm still waiting for the anime to come out as well. The official date only says it'll be released sometime during 2009; since it hasn't come out yet, I'm assuming it's going to air in Autumn.

One of the things I love about Higurashi is that in getting used to so many tragic endings, we get a real feeling of suspense when we're not sure what's going to happen (like at the last arcs of the seasons). You can't just think, "that's the main character, so of course (s)he's gonna survive/win/etc" like you do in a lot of other animes.

I guess I wasn't the only one who was traumatized by the end of Minagoroshihen.

I think it's genius, but it is definitely a girl's anime because of the characters (cute lolis) and horror without the action

That may be true in the West. Of course, Japanese males love cute lolis. Let me enlighten you on the way the anime industry in Japan works:

The target demographic for Pretty Cure (a magical girl anime for pre-teens):

[Neddog]

That may be true in the West. Of course, Japanese males love cute lolis. Let me enlighten you on the way the anime industry in Japan works:

The target demographic for Pretty Cure (a magical girl anime for pre-teens):

lol... I don't watch Pretty Cure but I know of it, and those stats are hilarious.

There are a number of cute loli shows I watch myself, as long as they hold my interest with fun storylines and humor. For instance, To Love-Ru (which is just now releasing OVAs), Minami-ke, Lucky Star, K-ON!, etc...

Some of them I'm a little more embarrassed to admit to. Like for instance, I've watched D4 Princess and Steel Angel Kurumi from start to finish. Mostly though, I like Shonen and Seinen animes with more dark drama.

[megaman1]

This anime may not be for everyone with the different story arcs and all but I would say that the first 5 episodes are worth watching for everyone.

[Aizen-sama]

Higurashi is to amazing i find i am demented just like every and i would to force someones nails to break or stab them multiple times to feel the blood splatter on my body hahaha

[yakman1692]

I really liked the first season of Higurashi, but the first few episodes of the second season were a little boring for my tastes. I personally don't mind the gore, epsecially after watching some really gorey anime. I'm actually suprised the gore is such a big problem with people, cause aside from like one episode every four or five, there isn't much gore.

[Shion Sonozaki]

I was pretty scared at first but got used to it and finsiehd up to the second season. I also have the manga. I like this series alot despite how sad it is but hey... I like sad stuff for some weird reason (excludes certain stuff dealing with Bleach)...

[Ipsilon V]

This was amazing, i got it without knowing what it would be about. I started watching not knowing what was going on. I had no Idea why people came back to life at first (for a short period). I was so enthralled in it, I wanted to know what the hell was going on! I've never had an anime do this to me before, it seemed all so surreal that it was awesome. When I watched the second season, and it was explained, It became a different anime. When I watched the first episode of Kai, I felt so bad for Rica. It became more about that emotion of trying to get out of that nightmare. It like those dreams where you wake up inside your dream, and it become a cycle where you can't wake up into the real world. It was an awesome experience. I understand why some people might not like it... but the way I experienced it was priceless, I have yet to see an anime do this to me again.

That being said, I wish the animations and art were better, it could have made this anime 100 times better. Also, the story had a lot more potential than what was achieved, although also great.

[Suzaku Kururugi Zero]

Higurashi? I think I just might love Higurashi. By episode 4 on Season 1, it beat Death Note on my top 10 animes list. On episode four I was getting wierd sensations in my neck. That's normal, right?