DESCRIPTION

CAST

MANGA DramaHigurashi no Naku Koro ni Gou
OVA ComedyHigurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei
ANIME HorrorHigurashi no Naku Koro ni Sotsu
MANGA DramaHigurashi no Naku Koro ni Meguri

REVIEWS

• 

  pixeldesu

  65/100
  Definitely not for newcomers to the franchise, still enjoyable regardless!

  Higurashi Gou...where to start with this one, it's tough.

  First and foremost, also already detailed in the summary: Gou is NOT a remake of the Studio DEEN series. While trailers and initial details seeped through, a lot of people assumed this, and it held on until the second episode released, but Gou is a completely new entry to the Higurashi-line of the When They Cry franchise.

  And that's also where the most problems stem from, in terms of properly rating this. The studio themselves said it'd be newcomer-friendly, but it isn't. This stems from the first half of the series basically being a narrow "re-telling" of the main arcs, and from the second half on parts of the series finale are shown. This is also made pretty obvious with some characters talking about (in relative time) past events that the viewer never witnessed, which due to those statements end up being more or less important details. So, for someone new into the series, you basically end with a half-assed "what really happened in Hinamizawa" by the end of Gou.

  If newcomers who watched through all of this read this review here: While it gave a look into it, there is waaaay more than shown, and it's definitely worth knowing about it. Read the Visual Novel or the Manga until the next season gets released, there's plenty of time!

  If we talk about the presentation, this adaption is really solid. Good character voice-acting, the art style is modern and audio-wise there is nothing to complain with new and old tracks present throughout. Not out of the ordinary but also nothing bad. In terms of good old gore-ish displays of murder and death, of course people are served as well, and with the built-up relationships from previously having read Higurashi, some parts really hit hard here.

  ---

  I'll hide the next paragraph behind spoilers because it concerns a set of points that are not specific to Higurashi, but span the whole WTC franchise. Tread on, but be careful!

  Now this was something that vastly improved Gou, and that is that it starts to draw interconnecting lines between the different series of When They Cry, in ways people probably didn't even imagine happening at all. There always have been speculations, but the latter half of this series made some details painfully obvious, so much so that the community is now craving the answers even harder and new theories are made as episodes came out.

  ---

  Due to the fact that it really is not newcomer-friendly and through that the story-telling can be quite confusing to people not versed in the franchise I'm rating it a bit lower. Regardless of that, it was a enjoyable experience and it definitely put a flame into the community again.

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• 

  KaizokuOtaku

  90/100
  Gou takes what already makes Higurashi a gem, and expands upon it with new new ideas all while retaining the core

  If you stumbled upon this article because you're curious about Higurashi and think you can start from here. This is the place for you. Don't worry. I won't include any spoilers at all. Now let me tell you, this is not a remake, a reboot, a spin-off, or any of that. It's a bonafide sequel. Whoever told you otherwise is a liar and should be ashamed of themselves. When it comes to the haters. Are there what seems to be what you call plotholes, or simply that things don't make sense? What did you expect? If you have watched the prequel and not wandered into Gou just cause, you'd know these things. I want to say I am honestly disappointed in those who dare call themselves fans of the visual novel. Did you even realize that Gou is by far the most consistent Higurashi to date that follows the style of the visual novel to the teeth and Ryukishi's writing? It's answering questions that only true fans are aware of from the prequel, expanding on topics hinted at in Higurashi, all the while establishing a proper connection to Umineko and even the newly WTC (When They Cry) visual novel Ciconia. On top of all that, while building upon the finer details from previous Higurashi. It's giving us a new story that still manages to retain the mysterious and other aspects we love from Higurashi. In other words, if you are a Ryukishi07 enthusiast. It doesn't get any better than this.

  I have seen all kinds of nonsensical reasons to justify the hate. If you are talking about production being a hit or miss or other inconsistencies. I get where you're coming from, even if I don't entirely agree, but having seen all of Higurashi, followed by Gou. All this should have at least told you from a writing point of view that Ryukishi's the kind of writer that likes to confuzzle the audience, make them feel utterly lost, give them a reason to use the mind. Hence leave enough evidence and clues to give them a crack at solving the puzzle pieces. The WTC franchise has always been the kind of story where you have to go through the entire story to genuinely appreciate it because it's designed that way. We only got parts of the pages in the book, but many are still missing, though it will be filled by Sotsu when it rolls around 2021 07/07. Bless you, for that reference, Ryukishi07. Higurashi Gou is first and foremost a sequel. In which case, it means we got five seasons of Higurashi (Rei and Sotsu included). I cannot even begin to express my happiness at the thought of that. Ryukishi is known to write his story in a way where each work influences the other, making the experience richer and even savourier. Hence, reading another work from WTC might give you a completely new perception of what Higurashi as a whole is about.

  It might make things even easier to follow or hard, depending on how you take it. Regardless, if you're done with Higurashi, I highly suggest checking out Umineko's visual novel or the manga (not the awful anime adaptation). Another masterpiece by the hands of Ryukishi. It'll definitely clear your mind and give you a completely new comprehension. Let me throw this out there the "origin of miracles" and the "origin of certainty." If you've read Umineko already, then you should know what I am hinting at here. I won't include direct spoilers as I want everyone the joy of figuring it out for themselves. After all, part of the fun about any entries of WTC (When They Cry) is being able to predict and theorize to your heart's content. Oh, not to mention witnessing how completely off the mark you are when your ideas fall flat as Ryukishi sneers at you. I will admit it was not cool of Ryukishi to introduce Gou as a remake or a reboot. That even the newcomers can watch it. Considering it spoils major chunks of Higurashi in the second episode. In contrast, in the first episode, things are not as clear. Sadly, not everyone knows that Ryukishi is a major troll that lies as naturally as he breathes. But you have to be lying to me if you said nothing felt off by the second episode. It's true Higurashi is meant to give you a sense of feeling lost, things not making sense, but Gou took that to another level. If you watched it without having seen previous installments, you could tell it was clearly not friendly to newcomers even for a bit, suggesting it might've been a sequel, which it happened to be.

  There's no denying the new art's more lighthearted than the previous Higurashi, which might ruin the atmospheric tone for some. In my case, I love it. Why? Because it's the most faithful style to the visual novel, we've received yet. I adore the good old art-style from the Deen adaptation, too, but when it comes to expressions and comedy, it hits far stronger with this new style. The characters have never been so expressive without looking all messy and off-modeled, which is a recurring issue in the Deen version. Even voice-acting has been absolutely top-notch and cleaner, as you would expect with upgraded software and hardware. No, the production and direction are not perfect, but would you seriously call it terrible? Not even close. I have nothing but praise for Akio Watanabe's gorgeous and rich art-style and Keiichiro Kawaguchi's strong direction, which never made me wonder if I was watching anything but Higurashi. One specific episode was a genuine masterpiece, from the direction to the voice acting, to the shot composition, to the way the colors were used to emphasize the severity of the situation. Oh, let's not forget about the gore and the sound effects, which make you so uncomfortable that you have to turn away or cover your eyes. It was gruesome, but it also illustrated the unstable mind of a certain someone.

  And Most of the few animation inconsistencies here and there can easily be fixed in the BD release. Studio Passione didn't even shy away from gore by giving us an early release of few uncensored episodes. Sadly, haters somehow found a way to insult it even that, failing to notice how good the effects, the tone, and brutality were. Trust me, this was gore without any limitations whatsoever. I was cringing like mad, had to even cover my eyes since it was truly a visceral spectacle. Don't get me wrong here. I loved it, even if it made me hold onto my gut as my life counted on it. Gou also got a manga adaptation that was released at the same time as the anime. It includes more details that anime cut out. The art-style of Tomose Akase is absolutely gorgeous, as is the execution of the tone and paneling. Think of the manga as a supplementary to the anime. It's amazing so far. Chapter comes out on a bi-monthly basis.

  Did you know Higurashi has always been more of a mystery than a horror story, but not many seem to not understand that? Sure, the first part clearly had lots of jumpscares and other terrifying moments that made you jump out of your seat. But Higurashi always has been a circle of tragedies with a big dash of mystery to make you feel lost, question things, and so on. The unfamiliarity of Hinamizawa and the things going on there had us under the influence of paranoia. But at the end of the road, we got our answers, and we knew where and how to connect the dots. In Gou's case, it's trying to sell itself even more as a tragedy than horror. That might be why you don't feel as frightened, but you're straight out lying if you said you're not feeling lost either. An example of this is the iconic main theme of Higurashi. The original version has a more scary and paranoid vibe, while the Gou version sounds sad and emanates a feeling of loss and suffering. In other words, tragedy. Hopefully, you see the point I am trying to make here. Gou is a completely new take on our beloved Higurashi without losing key elements of the prequel. On another note, the soundtrack in Higurashi Gou is phenomenal and nails its relevant themes Gou is trying to showcase. We had Asaka on the opening, blessing us with a bopper track. Ayane returned again with more striking and beautiful tunes. Mind you, both songs include heavy symbolism, foreshadowing, context. Even the dialogue is super important. You can tell Ryukishi was there with Passion supporting them and instructing them as clearly, his fingerprints are everywhere.

  Yes, I loved Higurashi Gou as if it was not obvious already, plus evidently, I am biased with it, but that's fine. I am not forcing you to take things I am writing her for granted. If I can offer you a new perspective and give you some value, then that's enough for me. I don't like seeing one of my favorite writers being insulted when haters aren't even able to provide logical reasoning to support their rant. So here I will state who Higurashi and WTC franchise as a whole is truly meant for. Are you on the lookout for a puzzle that might seem hazy not make sense at first, but gradually as the pieces get revealed, it falls in places? Do you love the idea of been giving the room to theorize and predict events? Then there you go. It's also worth noting, you need to patient, have your brain on at all times, be open-minded, able to think outside of the box. Higurashi is not meant for your average watcher or reader. What's so good about Higurashi? It's the fact Ryukishi utilizes details from his enormous WTC collection to build upon and expand the story further. Plus, he somehow makes things always connect when it seems impossible and does a wonderful job of explaining it. He writes the works to also gives out a very meaningful and emotional message that is relevant in the current day and even the past. If you are curious about more of those takes, I suggest reading my first Higurashi review, which also includes no spoilers and delves into characters, among other things. Since I mainly wanted this review to show you why Gou was always meant to be a thing, should you watch it and dispel some of the hate it's been received by others.

  In any case, Higurashi Gou is my favorite anime of the 2021 Spring season, and with Sotsu right around the corner. This new installment of Higurashi most likely will be my AOTY of 2021. My hats off to Ryukishi-sensei and the entirety staff off Passione. They killed it. If you have not already started Higurashi. I highly recommend it. Whether it be the superior visual novel, solid manga adaptation, or the a-okay but not even close to terrible anime. Sure, it's low-cost, but Deen nailed the atmospheric tone, even if many details from the manga and especially the visual novel got cut out. It's completely worth your time and a good way to dip your toes into WTC verse, even if it's not the best way and definite way to experience Higurashi. I didn't include any spoilers since Gou is so fragile that slipping some can ruin it completely. I want everyone to watch Higurashi and the second part of Higurashi, starting with Gou, ending with Sotsu. As blind as possible, you don't want to ruin this unique gem's once-in-a-lifetime experience. By the subtext, hints, even the writing, it's clear a lot of time and effort went into writing Gou. If you go ahead and reread Higurashi, you could see that it was even planned.

  It should be noted, my score encompasses my enjoyment and the faith I have in Ryukishi when everything is complete, that's why it's already so high. Despite so, I also had moments where I was not entirely on board and failed to understand things in Gou, but in the last two arcs, I was completely absorbed into the story. I should've expected as much since I was lost during the very first Higurashi. Still, I was addicted the deeper I went into it. It tells me on a new rewatch, I will be able to appreciate it far more since now some key things do make sense. We know whodunnit, whydunnit, howdunnit, but clearly, there is a lot more story to tell. We have some of the keys to grasp certain details and comprehend them, even if the puzzle got holes left to fill. That's what makes Ryukishi such a brilliant writer since you know it's all intentional. There are hints of the events of Gou in the prequel even before it was a thing. You'd most likely only realize it first now since your perception will once again increase, alongside your passion for WTC. After all, this franchise is the kind of story that revisiting would be much more rewarding than the first time. Plus, reading other WTC works will again influence your feelings about other products from the WTC franchise.

  At last, I want you to know Higurashi Gou (karma) is playing out like Kai because it answers parts of the questions but leaves the rest for a sequel. You might be confused about what's going on, but this will clearly be answered in Sotsu. All your worries will be laid to rest. The anime adaptation of Kai had two answers arc, so does Gou. But like prequel Higurashi, we might have eight arcs in total. Four of which are questions and the remeaning being the answers. In other words, Sotsu is the answer to all our questions. Plus, it will be the graduation, the ultimate closure to the whole Higurashi franchise. It's been going for over 20+ years, but Ryukishi can finally complete the whole puzzle at last. This is again hinting at Higurashi Gou always being planned. Don't even get me started on how Gou might be the segue into the events of Ciconia. If my words were able to pique your curiosity even slightly, take this chance to dip your toes in WTC, starting with Higurashi. Welcome to Hinamiazwa.

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• 

  medievalknight12

  60/100
  Ryukishi fumbled on this sequel. What a disappointment to the franchise.

  Man Ryukishi has disappointed me hard. Where do I begin? I’ll first talk about the fact that he spoiled new fans the whole franchise of Higurashi. Why did he think false advertising was such a good idea? He really spoiled the hell out of newcomers the whole mystery of the OG series and stated that it was newcomer friendly. WHAT PART OF IT WAS NEWCOMER FRIENDLY?? This was a whole sequel and should’ve been advertised as that in the beginning. He spoiled with no warning whatsoever.

  Spoiler Warning for the Whole Show

  Now onto the show. I'm not going to cover the main things because the other reviewers pretty much covers what I thought. This is going to be more focused on the inconsistencies, conveniences, and minor flaws. This sequel is filled with plot holes, plot devices, and plot conveniences. It has poorly written characters and a poorly written story. It's also filled with unnecessary episodes that isn't relevant to the second cour. What was the actual point of episode 23 and the first 14 episodes? They didn't even explain the first few arcs or showing what Satoko and Rika were doing in those arcs (I know that Sotsu is going to be the answer arc but I’m reviewing how it is now).Wait actually nevermind about Satoko, I have a general idea what she was doing but RIKA? I gotta talk about her.

  Poor use of characters

  Another problem I have are the poor use of characters. They are badly written. In the first 3 arcs, Rika did nothing in any of those loops. She didn't get suspicious of anyone and didn't do anything to prevent it. She just kept spamming the word ‘fate’ to Keiichi without actually doing anything about it. She just let it play out every single time. You would think Rika would do something because her perfect world was ruined. She didn't investigate either even though in episode 2 she said that she knows who's the culprit. According to her, it was Takano. You would think she would at least investigate Takano but she didn't from what we saw. There was no mention of what were her results of her investigation at all. We also didn't get a big reaction of her when she saw Hinamizawa again. I wanted to see her break down after she once thought it was all over and got dragged back to the place she wanted to move away the most. Also the rest of the cast wasn't too special since they stopped being relevant in the 2nd cour.

  Abusing their Archetypes

  Don't get me started on the fact that Passione likes to abuse the hell of their archetypes every single minute. You know how much information they could've put in instead of doing all that?

  The Snapping

  That snapping plot device is such an asspull. They can go to another world by just snapping? What the hell is the point of dying if you could just snap. They really introduced this snapping mechanism out of nowhere and it wasn't even stated in the previous seasons. I bet they introduced that mechanism to look "cool" which it doesn’t. For some reason, Satoko can activate her traps at will by the snap of her fingers. Which happened in the episode where she killed Rika for the first time in St. Lucia. In episode 24, Satoko was trying to get the right combination for the number pad to get the H173 syndrome liquids and then every time she got the combination wrong she just snapped and BOOM she changed into a different world to try again without even having to die. That is taking plot convenience to the next level. Someone told me that the animators were lazy to animate her deaths. I understand that they didn't want to go to the trouble to do all that but why was she also snapping when she was playing the matching card game? She would snap and a card would flip over. I don't understand why she would snap in that situation. If it was because she's switching worlds, there was no need to do all that in a card game.

  Another Plot Convenience

  Then here's the other major plot convenience. Your telling me in each world it was the exact same circumstances?? Takano literally left the box on the table every single time. You would think she would at least change the positions cause her memories might be affected or she would have different circumstances each time.

  The Horror Aspect

  There's also another big issue and that's the psychological/horror element of the show. My god just fire the director that's directing those moments of the show cause they're not scary at all. If anything it's funny because of the facial expressions that the characters be making. An example of that would be when Akasaka was under the influence of the syndrome and kidnapped Rika. That was one of the funniest moments of the show for me. An example would be the famous usoda scene from Rena, they literally try too hard to be scary. It didn’t even feel natural either. They made the audio separate for the usoda line and the VA screamed at the top of her lungs which made it feel so unnatural. The camera also panned up to her face with the typical white sidelines added. Compare that to Studio Deens version. You can see the difference between the scary and eerie factor. Deen's was more natural and didn't interrupt the flow. It was also better executed. Three words to sum up the scare department for Passione is “Trying Too Hard.” There other moments that those words apply to but I'm not going to list every single one of them.

  Other problems

  The art style also ruins the tone and atmosphere. Specifically, It’s bright colors and it's half-baked monogatari character designs. When they go crazy it doesn't hit as hard as Deen's version. Also what was the point of the Mion/Shion arc? They built up all this and made it so anticlimactic. Mion locked up Keiichi in the cell and everything else happened off screen. Bro what? All the other arcs didn’t happen that way. The first few arcs were literally pointless and were half-baked remakes of the spectacular arcs in the OG series. It showed barely any relevance to the 2nd cour of the show.

  The Good Parts

  Even after all that, I still liked the opening and endings. I didn't expect it to be that good but they blew my expectations. Another thing I liked was the Satoko plotwist being the culprit of it all Not a big fan of her reasoning tho because she could have quite a connection with this new character that might be introduced in Sotsu. I feel like they can build something grand and make the payoff worth it in Sotsu so I'll be looking forward to it.

  Conclusion

  Overall, there’s too many problems and inconsistencies in the show but I don’t feel like listing every single one of them. But you get my point right? It has weak direction and execution and some flaws in its writing. The show is not terrible like Mirai Nikki level but it's not the best. I would call it slightly above mid. Hopefully in Sotsu it will explain most of these plot holes and inconsistencies. Until then I'll review it as is.

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