When They Cry - Higurashi Review
4 - 10 - 07 at 6 : 35 : 00 pm
(Higurashi no Naku Koroni)
Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni ~ When Cicadas Cry has quickly become an instant hit. After watching even a few episodes of the show, it’s easy to see why. Higurashi has everything you could ask for: mystery, cute girls, secret organizations, gruesome deaths, and murderous grade schoolers. The show revels in its crazy amounts of violence, like any good slasher should. And that’s exactly what this show is: a slasher with (some) depth. It also mixes the cuteness of a harem show with excessive violence of a horror show, and the results are fantastic.
Higurashi tells the story of Maebara Keichi, a city-boy who moves to the small town of Hinamizawa. He attends school with local girls Mion, Rena, Satoko, and Rika. The five friends make up an after school game club and each gets their own story arc which displays their dark secrets. The town itself has a dark past. A dam project that would flood the town caused a series of grisly murders of people associated with the project. The residents are also said to be descendants of demons, and those who are true natives, the Three Great Houses, are said to still contain this blood.
The series is split into several arcs; some tell the same story through different characters, others are told in slightly different realities. Each arc is like a puzzle piece that, when put together, tells the major story. These varying storylines make it very difficult to review the show, as the series is so rich in story. You will be captivated with each and every character to which you’re introduced. These children, and don’t let their depravity fool you, they are children, each sink into insanity, and their journey is documented extensively. Paranoia fuels the characters and brings them each to the edge of their will until it finally breaks them, and makes them do things they almost always regret. I loved how well Higurashi managed to portray the characters’ descent into madness. Without it, the show’s violence would be senseless. While the way the show is told is interesting don’t, expect an exceedingly deep plot or characters.
It should be noted that Higurashi is based on a doujin game of the same name. Basically a choose your own ending game, Higurashi was released in question and answer arcs. The question arcs would show the story from one perspective, leaving the answer arc to fill in the plot holes. The series was broken up similarly, which made for an interesting narrative, but one that can get frustrating at times, especially towards the end of the series.
Every inch of this show is stained in blood. You cannot discuss this show without talking about its ridiculous murders. Characters get gutted, drive their heads into knives, and get hacked to bits. They even claw their own throats open. In almost every case, the murderers’ faces lights up with a sickly smile while killing their victims, and the audience can’t help but enjoy the deliciously twisted events that are taking place before them. There are definitely times where Higurashi will make you squirm; personally the nail removal scene was the one for me. If you are squeamish, I would stay away from Higurashi, but for those of you who can enjoy some carnage I highly recommend it.
The music of Higurashi is simply there to add atmosphere. It consists of entirely instrumental pieces that are totally forgettable. The opening, “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni,” is a mix of some kind of tribal chanting and moody J-pop. While the ending, “Why, or Why Not,” is a moody J-pop song sung in Engrish. The acting, on the other hand, fairs better. Satoko’s voice is the only of the casts that is sub par.
The animation in Higurashi is passable. It never really draws attention to itself, but is never sub par. The character designs are typical of any harem show with very cute girls with multicolor hair, and a handsome boy. A lot of detail was given to the menacing looks on the characters faces. When characters finally snap, and trust me they almost all do, there is a chillingly evil look on their face. Some characters express a primal rage, while others show a satisfaction in the carnage they are causing. Being a centerpiece of the show, I think it was only fitting that such attention was paid to the characters when they’ve completely lost grip of their sanity.
Higurashi’s one major flaw, is that it leaves ends with many questions unanswered, and the few answers it does provide are muddled and seem almost tacked on. I’m assuming this was done to leave room for Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni Kai, which should be out some time this year, and will follow the events of the remaining few arcs. Even with its faults Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni is a good show. It appeals to a very broad audience, and with its no frills, easily accessible storyline, can be appreciate by almost any anime fan.
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