Higurashi No Naku Koro ni (When they cry: Higurashi)

[Ammish]

Woo, a sucess. I can type the long japanese name without remembering it or looking it up.

I've known about this anime for quite a while, but were reluctant to watch it because I've heard it's quite controversial (bad spelling =P) because of extreme violence and a certain incident including a girl killing her father with an axe in Nihon =P

But I've managed to watch it because people seem to have love for the series (well, judging by fan openings and such. And there are lots... FF7, KH, Mother versions of Higurashi Season 2)

And... it's a excellent anime imo. It's very confusing sometimes, but I love a confusing anime. The characters as I said range from likable to plain annoying, but my opinion have changed since then. Rena and Shion are my most favourite female characters of the series. Especially Shion... Her kind and caring nature soon disolved and showed that she is a psychopathe who blame everyone for the disapearence of Satoshi

I also love the concept that the events get repeated in every arc, with different directions that lets the viewer get closer to the mystery. Without this concept, then it would be less-satisfying imo. That's the main appeal to me, especially with the 'what-if'.

And people might shun it because it looks 'moe'. But it's hardly, if ever moe at all. In other words, it's the best of moe meets psychopathes and in one episode, it even mocks the Moe Genre in a conservation. So I suggest you watch it and judge yourself. But to me, there's hardly any fanservice apart from maid suits... and that's a rarity.

So yah... One of the best anime I've seen.

 

[Ice Climber]

The whole "moe" opinion probably would have come from when the series was setting up (The Abducted by Demons Arc).

The manga is now being published in English by Yen Press in their Magazine Yen Plus.

 

[rick]

I saw it last year, but never managed to finish collecting the DVDs due to Geneon going bust later on. But now that FUNi are distributing various Geneon titles (Higurashi included), I'll now be able to ge volumes 4-6 pretty soon.

Anyway, I like it; it's certainly a different and clever anime, but it doesn't make a great deal of sense until you've seen Kai (the second series). I actually preferred the first series to be honest, even though Kai wraps things up quite nicely (maybe I just like the way it left you in the dark to think about it for yourself, even if you'd ultimately be wrong because, without Kai, you'd probably have never guessed who was behind the murders and conspiracy etc).

Shion and Mion are hawt, and Satoko is officially the most annoying character ever created. Moe is also more of a design rather than genre. (The anime itself is never moe, only the feeling you get from a character within it).

 

[Will-O'-The-Wisp]

Well it's definatly the best anime series I've seen in awhile. The character designs are a little basic, but the arcs and what happens more than make up for it.

I just remember seeing for the first time. My friend was laughing at the expression on my face and by how taken aback I was when the Oh-so Kawaii characters show their true fangs.

Though, yes, I'd definatly recomend it to anyone who's interested in the series or is considering watching it.

 

[Gacha]

One of my favorites well the first series, it starts of all playful pretty average slice of life so you sit their thinking "well this isn't scary" then all of sudden. "WHOA WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!"