Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

(When the cicadia's cry)

The infamous anime series based on a series of "audio novel" games, known for its graphic, disturbing violent scenes and complex storyline. Its title is taken from the Higurashi, a type of cicadia in Japan known for its long, mournful "cries" which are only made in the evenings.

OVERVIEW - A series that makes use of the horror styles of both japan (slow building phsycological horror) and the gruesome "slasher" type more common in America, adapted from the series of games with the same name. Set in 1983 in a rural village deep in Japan, the story revolves around a small group of friends, the mysteries of the village and a series of brutal anual murders that started in 1979. Made infamous due to having episodes stopped from being screened after a real life murder that resembled one of the acts in the show, it is still difficult to locate an uncensered version of the show over 6 years after its release. 

REVIEW - One of the most disorientating aspects of this series is due to its original nature as a game. In the game you played through the events, eventually reaching an initially gruesome ending, then you start again, carrying over clues and information as to the truth behind it all, reaching another, different but equally as "bad" an end, repeating over and over untill you piece together enough info to solve all the riddles, reaching the final "good" ending. The series makes use of this mechanic by repeating events of the same time-period over, slowly clueing the veiwer in to the deeper truths hidden in the anual murders as each "time loop" shows something new, or from a different angle. 

Taking place in the small fictional village of Hinamizawa, based on the real-life world heritage site Shirakawa, in June of "Showa 58" by the Japanese calendar system, or 1983 by the western calendar, the main characters are as follows (listing because its complicated to follow XD)

Keiichi Maebara - A recent arrival to the village, with his parents. He is used as the main protagonist for much of the first season as it also allows for easier explination to the locations past, mysteries and tangled politics.

Rena Ryugu - A girl of the same age a Keiichi, Moved into the village a year before him, slightly odd with the habit of using the phrase "kana? kana?" (literal meaning of "I wonder? I wonder?") at the end of any questions she asks, a fetish for anything cute, often proclaiming "kāii! Omochikaeri!" (literally "cute! I wanna take it home!" which she often does, or tries)

Mion Sonozaki - A year older than Keiichi and Rene, Daughter of the oldest, most powerful family in the village and leader of the class, and the after-school club. Has a very tomboy-ish personality in direct contrast to Rena's overly girly behaviour. 

Satoko Houjou - A much younger girl, shown to be crafty and intelligent, she lives with her best friend Rika due to the circumstances of both their families. Enjoys setting traps, often at Keiichi's expense. 

Rika Furude - The head of the once powerful Furude family, a Shrine maiden and the same age as Satoko with whom she lives, speaks in an overly polite and cute manner but often appears to show wisdom and compassion beyond her years. 

All the events seem to revolve around these characters, making them central to the entire overal story, more so in the second season as the anime moves towards what was in the game the final, "good" ending. 

The basic plot is that 5 years previous, during a struggle to stop the village from being destroyed to make a new dam a violent murder happened, and someone vanished, the following year a similar event happened, with the pattern of a death and a dissapearance following every year up to the events of the anime. The superstitious villagers put it down to "The curse of Oyashiro-sama", the local "God" and figure of legend, who was angered at the village almost being destroyed. However the prefectural police are not so convinced, and have been investigating the events from a less supernatural point of view. The anime explores all sides, with a strong grounding in both science and the supernatural and while the first season doesnt tie it all up, it shows enough through its various loops (6 loops, that make up 4 "question" arcs and 2 "Answer" arcs in the first season) to begin to make the viewer question just what really is going on. 

The animation style is very simplistic, very "cutesy" in style, and during the "fun and games" parts of every loop makes plentiful use of "cartoon" physics, faces and styles, however, during the darker moments, its this very technique that lends such a sinister air to the characters, as their normally cute faces twist and distort in rage, maniacal expressions and looks that can chill you to the bone. Production values however are not very high in the first season, especially for 2006, and you can really feel the budget on the piece in places. 

The plot progression and the time loops essentially has all the main characters becoming both killers and killed at various times, and because of this you're never really 100% sure of whats really happening, an intentional aspect of the story. No-one is quite what they seem and each one of them has a dark secret hidden in their pasts, one that drives them into the corners that each loop presents. Adding to the tense phsycological aspects of that is the almost constant, ominous semi-presence of "something" that may just be the vengeful spirit of Oyashiro-sama, while never once seen, which is always there, tugging at the threads of each reality. Many possible scientific explinations are put forward, some plausable, some downright possible and others completely out there (invading alien parasites for one!) but none ever quite fit the bill or provide all the answers. Season one ends with a loop that really opens up a lot of doors, and sets the scene for season two to follow into.

I must also mention the shock and gore factor, while many version available out there censor a lot of the blood (with dark shadows covering large parts of the screen or by sudden cuts) if you're fortunate to get an uncensored version be prepared for some brutally graphic scenes. The season opens with a bloody murder-by-bludgoning, shows graphic torture scenes and plenty of violent and blood-soaked deaths. There's a large emotional impact shown too, as much of the violence is directed at the main characters by their friends, who have gone crazy/been possessed/become paranoid in that particular loop. One particularly harsh scene involves the torture of one of the young girls by one of the older girls, not just because its gruesome but because of the emotional connection between them that is twisted and turned inside out in the process. I also find it hard to watch the scene involving the removal of fingernails.. This is NOT an anime for the squeamish, or those easily disturbed by such graphic and gruesome scenes. 

(I'll be honest, when I reviewed Elfen Lied I had read about the "shocking opening 10 minutes" with its graphic and gory depictions of death, but having watched this anime a few years ago, what happens at the start of Elfen Lied is like watching an episode of Pepper Pig...)

In all honesty, This is an anime who's story is so compelling, so gripping and complex that its almost "impossible to put down", the mystery behind the murders, the force that drives people to insanity and murder, the dark history of the village itself and the hidden meanings in its festival, the strange group of apparently military-trained men who lurk in the shadows and why the group of school kids are so central to the whole story really gets into your head, gets you thinking, exploring possibilities inside your own imagination and makes you want to get to the bottom of it all. 

Part thriller, part murder-mystery, part slasher/gorefest, part ghost story and all grippingly well put together to reveal just enough to keep you guessing and wanting more, this is a series that transcends its poor production and becomes a must-see. 

SUMMARY -

Story -  A simple tale, twisted, turned and re-created endlessly into a marvellously complex piece that will push and pull you in so many directions in trying to solve its mystery that dizziness may just be the result. The endless loops bring new facts to light, even when they start to present answers to some of the older questions. Overly sappy in some places, it can be forgiven to a degree as its that very quality that acts as a "key" to unlocking a lot of the mysteries. Season one does not really resolve anything, but it presents the majority of the questions that are answered in season two. 10/10

Production - Sadly awful. Obviously produced with a small budget the animation is overly rushed, with distortions popping up all the time (at one point its actually impossible to tell who people are, its that bad) giving the series an almost "made from fan-art created by 4yr olds" look in places. That said, they put the "cute" character designs to excellent use with the lighting, twisting faces and vocal aspects to give a very sinister feel when its needed. Voice acting is excellent, with the voice actors really bringing the emotions in the piece to life. If it had been a big-budget production, it'd get a perfect score. 7/10

Music - The original game was billed as an "Audio novel", similar to a "Visual novel" but using sound and music to create the tension, set the scene and provide insight and clues rather than visual methods. The score is small, not exactly a large amount of music present, but is excellently used, hightening and influencing dramatic moments perfectly. The opening theme is a dance-pop style piece, with a delightfully dischordant aspect between the (played) melody and the (sung) tune that really sets and keeps the dark, twisted feel of the story, while the ending theme is gentler, like a mournful ballad of regret, giving a sad touch to a tale that deals with so much death, loss and pain. My only fault with the music is its not really anything that sticks with you, no real "amazing" pieces, just well suited music used well. 9/10

 

Accessability - The Anime is set in 1983, in a rural part of the countryside of Japan, it would be easier to list the aspects of it that are NOT strongly japanese.. which would be none. 1/10

Overall Impression -   Another anime I would love to see redone with a huge budget, though I think that boat has sailed now thanks to two lackluster live-action movies. Marred by its low production values, this little hidden gem of a series will really spur the mind, shock/upset/offend some and keep you guessing all the way, presenting two new questions for every one it answers. With the promise of a resolution assured by the existance of the second season its likely to grip you with every moment, always leaving you wanting more. 8/10

Final Score - 35/50