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35
8
Finished
Jun 22, 2008 to Apr 22, 2011
10.0/10
Average Review Score
100%
Recommend It
1
Reviews Worldwide
Quick! Whatâs a typical horror movie of the last thirty years like!? âLet me think...Stupid Young Peopleâą do stupid shit that attracts a killer man/demon/monster/alien/Muppet that kills everyone in really gruesome ways for no apparent reason, all while loud noises and âscaryâ images keep popping up at an annoying frequency until either the luckiest young person escapes, or somehow overcomes the killer flea/boss enemy/weather pattern.â Okay, whatâs Higurashi like? âIt is a complex, interwoven tale that explores many different issues such as friendship, guilt, redemption, domestic abuse, romance, lies, paranoia, disease, pride, religion, corruption, revenge, perseverance, and uncompromising scenes of death.â Iâve had people asking mein person, âWhy? Why do you hate (insert either Friday the 13th/Final Destination/Scream/some other slasher here) so much!?â And I usually say, âBecause theyâre not Higurashi.â There are great works of horror out there. There does exist great horror literature, cinema, and video games. The problem is that the creators and fans alike forget that the really strong works of horror, the ones that stick out in your mind for years to come, are the ones that do more than just scare the audience. They still tell a meaningful story. Even among people dying in inhumane ways, of frightened people screaming in hysterics, they still remember the fundamentals of telling a good story. Ryukishi knows this; itâs why heâs become a renowned name among Japanese authors of recent years. So why then did I skip a review of the other Higurashi arcs, all the way to the 8th and last of the âoriginalâ arcs, and why did I wait 4 years to do another review? Because when I reviewed the first 3 arcs back in 2011, I was naĂŻve. I was both naĂŻve and simple-minded. I had tried to review something I had not finished. How could someone who had just come to Hinamizawa understand the history, the culture, the camaraderie of an isolated Japanese village? Keiichi certainly couldnât have known what weighty issues awaited him and his family when they moved into this quiet country town. Itâs incredible how different the series feels once youâve gotten this far down into this Hell of violence and suspicion. Just like him, I knew there was something unpleasant going on, but I could never be ready for what was really happening. âThis canât be real!â âItâs all a joke, right!?â âItâs just a dream! It has to be!â And it stays this way, for both him and the audience, right up until this final arc. Donât believe me? Look at how this arc starts. Itâs about Miyo Takano, the nurse of Hinamizawa, her past, and how she became who she is today. Much like everyone else, her past is filled with both darkness and light. Could you know what her life was like just from seeing her in the clinic, dressed in her uniform? Thatâs one of the many things that Higurashi is known for; no one is who they appear to be at first glance. A cursory glance at the surface shows little of what truly makes up a person in this setting. The same is true of Irie; we learn where he came from as well. All of the lingering questions from the previous arcs are finally answered, and an explosive confrontation ensues. Unlike the previous cases, -will- there be anyone left alive this time? The manga, unlike the anime, preserves more of the original visual novel text. As such, even if youâve seen the anime, if you havenât read this or the VNs, there is still new content to explore. Indeed, just in this arc alone, Irie as a character makes much more sense than he did in the anime. Youâre doing yourself a disservice if youâve only seen the Higurashi anime, as even this far into the series, the manga is a much stronger adaptation of the source. Granted, there is still content cut out from the original VNs, but the manga is truer to Ryukishiâs vision than the anime, and even with some missing material, it moves faster thanks to that and manga imaging making up for the VN text. As for the artwork, Karin Suzuragi, the artist of the 1st and 6th arc, returns for the 8th arc. While I still prefer the art of the 2nd, 5th, and 7th arc, here, Suzuragi is more experienced than she was back in 2005 for the 1st arc. While the manga still lacks motion, as well as color in most of the pages, the character and background designs are still leagues beyond Deenâs attempts at drawing Hinamizawa. One other difference from the anime is the violence and gore is more detailed here. If youâve come this far, you know a strong stomach is needed; steel your insides once again for this gruesome finale. VN authors have attracted more attention in the anime world as of late. Not just Ryukishi, but names like Gen Urobuchi, Kinoko Nasu, Jun Maeda, and Romeo Tanaka, among others, have branched out to other mediums too. Anime producers have caught on to the fact that VNs, while still largely niche, can attract customers beyond hentai-obsessed otaku. Some producers will even bank an entire anime around the reputation of a VN author doing the script of a new series or movie. Itâs easy to see why, as many VN authors do have considerable talent, but out of all of them, Ryukishi stands above them all. Few authors have the capacity to bring together the elements of an engaging hook, world building, distinct character voices, pathos, and uniqueness needed to start a new franchise, and fewer still can do that while still being engaging for the audience from beginning to end. Higurashi is proof that Ryukishi is capable of both feats. And you know whatâs even crazier? Higurashi isnât even my favorite of his works! If you think my gushing of the Higurashi manga is enough to draw you into this series, then you -need- to check out the Umineko series of VNs as well. Then again, thatâs an unfair comparison to make, given that he was less experienced making Higurashi than when he made Umineko, but keeping that in mind, Iâd say Higurashi turned out fairly well, all things considered. Enjoy your stay in Hinamizawa, just, mind the psychosis.
Miyoko Tanashi lived a charmed life with her parents, but after losing both of them in a devastating train accident, the life she knew was suddenly ripped away. Sent to a secluded orphanage in the mountains, she is subjected to inhumane abuse at the hands of her caretakers; escape is not an option since runaways are met with a fate far worse than death. But eventually, Miyoko manages to flee and receive aid from her father's mentorâa researcher named Dr. Hifumi Takano. Adopted by Hifumi and finally free from her hell, Miyoko takes on a different identity to go along with her new life. When Hifumi's research on a mysterious disease in a mountain village is ridiculed, Miyoko makes it her life's work to prove that the disease truly exists. However, her mission soon turns into a deadly obsession once she arrives in the village, as she is more than willing to prove the doctor's findings by any means necessary... In the conclusion to the Higurashi story, warring fates and indomitable wills clash in this final confrontation in June of 1983. [Written MAL Rewrite]