Higurashi no Naku Koro ni | |||
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Higurashi no Naku Koro ni logo |
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ひぐらしのなく頃に | |||
Genre | Drama, Horror, Mystery, Psychological thriller | ||
Game: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni & Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai |
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Developer | 07th Expansion | ||
Publisher | 07th Expansion (PC), Alchemist (PS2/DS) | ||
Genre | Dōjin soft, Visual novel | ||
Rating | CERO: D (17+) | ||
Platform | PC, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS | ||
Released | Onikakushi-hen - August 10, 2002 Watanagashi-hen - December 29, 2002 Tatarigoroshi-hen - August 15, 2003 Himatsubushi-hen - August 13, 2004 Meakashi-hen - December 30, 2004 Tsumihoroboshi-hen -August 14, 2005 Minagoroshi-hen - December 30, 2005 Matsuribayashi-hen - August 13, 2006 Rei - December 31, 2006 Matsuri - February 22, 2007 Matsuri: Kakera Asobi - December 20, 2007 Kizuna Daiichikan Tatari - June 26, 2008 Kizuna Dainikan Sō - November 27, 2008 |
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Manga: Higurashi When They Cry | |||
Author | Ryukishi07 | ||
Illustrator | Karin Suzuragi (Onikakushi-hen, Tsumihoroboshi-hen, & Matsuribayashi-hen) Yutori Hōjō (Watanagashi-hen & Meakashi-hen) Jirō Suzuki (Tatarigoroshi-hen) Yoshiki Tonogai (Himatsubushi-hen) Hanase Momoyama (Minagoroshi-hen) En Kitō (Onisarashi-hen & Utsutsukowashi-hen) Mimori (Yoigoshi-hen) Yuna Kagesaki (Kokoroiyashi-hen) |
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Publisher | ![]() ![]() |
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English publisher | ![]() |
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Demographic | Shōnen | ||
Magazine | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Original run | March 24, 2005 – ongoing | ||
Volumes | 21 | ||
Light novel | |||
Author | Ryukishi07 | ||
Illustrator | Yutori Hōjō, Mimori, Jirō Suzuki, Karin Suzuragi, Yoshiki Tonogai | ||
Publisher | ![]() |
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Published | 2006 – ongoing | ||
Volumes | 3 | ||
TV anime | |||
Director | Chiaki Kon | ||
Studio | ![]() |
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Licensor | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Network | Chiba TV, Kansai TV, Tokai TV | ||
Original run | April 4, 2006 – September 26, 2006 | ||
Episodes | 26 | ||
TV anime: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai | |||
Director | Chiaki Kon | ||
Studio | ![]() |
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Network | Chiba TV, Kansai TV, Tokai TV | ||
Original run | July 6, 2007 – December 17, 2007 | ||
Episodes | 24 | ||
Novel | |||
Author | Ryukishi07 | ||
Publisher | Kodansha Box | ||
Published | August 2007 – ongoing | ||
Volumes | 13 | ||
Live action film | |||
Director | Ataru Oikawa | ||
Released | ![]() |
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OVA: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei | |||
Director | Toshifumi Kawase | ||
Studio | ![]() |
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Episodes | 5 | ||
Released | February 25, 2009 – August 2009 | ||
Live action film | |||
Director | Ataru Oikawa | ||
Released | ![]() |
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Anime and Manga Portal |
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (ひぐらしのなく頃に? lit. When the Cicadas Cry) is a Japanese murder mystery dōjin soft sound novel series based on the NScripter engine, produced by 07th Expansion. The series is focused on a group of young friends and the strange events that occur in the village that they live in. The first game in the series, Onikakushi-hen, was released on August 10, 2002 and the eighth and final game in the original PC series, Matsuribayashi-hen, was released on August 13, 2006. In addition to the original series, new arcs have been created in manga form and in video games for the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS in order to expand upon the story further.
The series became very popular and was made into a set of drama CDs; the first, based on the Onikakushi-hen part of the story, was released on in May 2005.[1] A manga series adapted from the games began with eight different manga artists working separately on one to three of the multiple story arcs, and is published by Square Enix and Kadokawa Shoten. The manga was licensed for release in English in North America by Yen Press under the title Higurashi When They Cry and the first volume was released in November 2008. Following the manga's release in Japan, two anime series have been produced by the Japanese animation studio Studio Deen in 2006 and 2007; a third anime adaptation will be released as an original video animation series on February 25, 2009[2] and is directed by Toshifumi Kawase.[3][4][5] The first anime series was licensed by Geneon in English under the title When They Cry - Higurashi,[6] but became unavailable due to Geneon's decision to stop sales and distribution in the American anime market. On July 3, 2008, Geneon Entertainment and Funimation Entertainment announced an agreement to distribute select titles in North America, which includes Higurashi.[7] A live action movie adaptation of the series, directed by Ataru Oikawa, premiered in Japanese theaters in May 2008,[8] with a sequel forthcoming.
The word higurashi is the name of a kind of cicada.[9] Naku can mean "to make sound" (鳴く?), specifically referring to those sounds made by non-human organisms, or "to weep" (泣く?). It so happens that the English verb "to cry" carries the same double meaning as naku. According to the original creator, Ryukishi07, the red Na (な) in the logo is an official part of the title.[10]
Contents |
Higurashi is a murder mystery game described as a "sound novel" by 07th Expansion. A sound novel is similar to a visual novel in that the gameplay requires relatively little player interaction as most of the game is composed of text dialogues. The original release contained no voice acting for the characters. While a visual novel's basis would be the visual aspect, as the name suggests, a sound novel's basis takes more care in producing an atmosphere via the music, sound effects, and the story itself.
The game utilizes intermissions where the player can obtain several TIPS. These TIPS allow the player to read various supplementary information that may or may not be useful in solving the mystery. For example, one of the TIPS can be as simple as "this is a small village; children who go to this school are combined into one classroom regardless of what grade or year they are in." On the other hand, they can provide valuable hints, such as being able to read the excerpts of the newspaper articles regarding the murders that occurred in Hinamizawa. At the beginning of each of the story arcs, a cryptic poem by someone known as Frederica Bernkastel is read; these reveal some of what is going to happen in the following arc.
The PlayStation 2 port Matsuri differs from the original game series in that it includes full voice acting, redrawn CGs, and integration of the question arcs starring Keiichi into a single branching storyline. Matsuri includes the first seven PC arcs (Matsuribayashi-hen is excluded) and three original final arcs—Taraimawashi-hen, Tsukiotoshi-hen and Miotsukushi-hen. After the original seven arcs are cleared, the first two final arcs become available. Furthermore, when these two final arcs are cleared, the epilogue, Miotsukushi-hen, is unlocked.
The first game of the Higurashi visual novel video game series, entitled Onikakushi-hen, was first released on August 10, 2002. This was the first chapter of the question arcs, which went under the title Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. The fifth game, and first chapter of the answer arcs, Meakashi-hen, was released on December 30, 2004. The games in the answer arcs used the title Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai. The series is divided into eight main chapters — four question arcs followed by four answer arcs — and one more chapter, created as part of a fandisc, known as Rei. Each chapter keeps the same cast of main characters and general premise, but unfolds in a different manner. Each of the chapters give valuable answers, hints, and clues as to the mysteries of the previous installment, while at the same time bringing forth even more mysteries.
Later, a dōjin game named Higurashi Daybreak, based on the Higurashi series and featuring an original scenario by Ryukishi07, was developed by Twilight Frontier, the creators of Immaterial and Missing Power and Eternal Fighter Zero. The gameplay is that of a versus third-person shooter, in which most of the characters of the main Higurashi series are playable. Higurashi Daybreak was first released on August 13, 2006, and an expansion pack followed on April 22, 2007.
A video game console port for the PlayStation 2 was released as Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Matsuri (ひぐらしのなく頃に祭 When Cicadas Cry Festival?) by Alchemist on February 22, 2007.[11] Higurashi is the third dōjin game to be ported to a video game console; the first was Hanakisō by HaccaWorks*,[12] and the second was Melty Blood by French-Bread and Ecole.[13] Although Higurashi was the first to have a video game console port announced, its longer development time made it the third to be released. Due to the popularity of Matsuri, a second enhanced PlayStation 2 port, known as Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Matsuri: Kakera Asobi (ひぐらしのなく頃に祭カケラ遊び When Cicadas Cry Festival: Playing with the Pieces?), was released on December 20, 2007. It was sold as an append disc to the original Matsuri and as a standalone game. It contains all of Matsuri's content, in addition to Matsuribayashi-hen from the original games and other bonus content.[14]
A series of four games for the Nintendo DS under the collective title Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kizuna with new story arcs are being developed by Alchemist.[15] The first, with the added title Tatari, was released on June 26, 2008 containing the first three chapters from the question arcs, and a new chapter entitled Someutsushi-hen, with its story based on the Onisarashi-hen manga series. The second, with the added title Sō, was released in November 2008.[16] The third and fourth games will have the titles Rasen and Kizuna added after the main title.
In Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, there are six main characters who appear in almost every scenario. The main protagonist is Keiichi Maebara, a young boy who has recently moved to Hinamizawa with his family, and begun to adapt to life in the countryside. Keiichi has a natural charisma which allows him to make friends easily. Since Hinamizawa is a small town of about two thousand people, with only a single school, there are not many children around his own age; he easily meets the others his age and becomes friends with them.
One of these good friends is a girl his age named Rena Ryuugu. She, like him, is new in Hinamizawa, having only returned from Ibaraki a year before the story begins. She has an obsession with things she considers to be cute—generally, others do not agree—and will often scavenge for such things at the local dump and bring them back home. Before she met Keiichi, Rena became friends with a girl one year older named Mion Sonozaki, who is looked at as the leader of the group and is the president of their club. Mion has a tomboyish personality, a façade for a girlish side she keeps hidden from the others. Mion has a twin sister, Shion, who lives in the nearby town of Okinomiya. Although their personalities are quite different, she and Mion have switched places in the past; the change is nearly indistinguishable.
There are other girls in the club younger than Keiichi, Rena and Mion. One is Satoko Hojo, a clever girl who is quite skilled at setting traps when playing games with her friends. She usually has an energetic and mischievous personality, but this hides a past full of trauma. Satoko also had an older brother named Satoshi. Her friend, Rika Furude, is revered by the villagers as the heir of the local shrine and plays the role of a miko in the annual Watanagashi Festival. Despite her young age, she sometimes expresses a type of wisdom which would normally be beyond her years, and is quite fond of sake. Rika is also the girl who becomes the central figure, so that Hinamizawa can avoid a tragic end. Helping her is Hanyū who appears late in the story but in fact has been with Rika for a very long time, though only Rika could see her.
Of the remaining cast, there are those such as Kuraudo Oishi, a veteran police officer who is dead set on solving the mystery of the yearly murders that occur in Hinamizawa before his retirement. A freelance photographer, named Jiro Tomitake, comes to Hinamizawa occasionally; he seems to be friends with Miyo Takano, a female nurse at the local village clinic who has a keen interest in Hinamizawa's past and culture. She works with Kyosuke Irie, the head doctor of the clinic and "coach" to the village children. Irie feels a strong connection to Satoko and cares for her deeply. During the Tatarigoroshi-hen arc, Irie expresses the desire to either adopt her, or to wait until she is of age and marry her.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni takes place during June 1983, at a fictional rural village called Hinamizawa (雛見沢?) (based on the village of Shirakawa, Gifu, a World Heritage Site),[17][18] which has a population of approximately 2000. The main character, Keiichi Maebara, moves to Hinamizawa and befriends his new classmates Rena Ryuugu, Mion Sonozaki, Rika Furude, and Satoko Hojo. Keiichi joins their after-school club activities, which consist mostly of card and board games (and punishment games for the loser, usually him.) Hinamizawa appears to be a normal, peaceful, rural village to Keiichi. However, the tranquility abruptly ends after the annual Watanagashi Festival, a celebration to commemorate and give thanks to the local god, Oyashiro. Keiichi learns that every year for the past four years, one person has been murdered and another has gone missing on the day of the Watanagashi Festival. Keiichi himself soon becomes drawn into the strange events surrounding the Watanagashi Festival and Oyashiro. In each story arc, he or one of his friends become paranoid, and a crime is committed. Usually, the crime involves the murder of one of their own friends. While it seems impossible to tell their delusions apart from the mystery of Hinamizawa, slowly the truth is revealed.
In the Higurashi games, there are several story arcs, the original eight of which are referred to as either Question arcs or Answer arcs. The Answer arcs generally recapitulate the events of the corresponding Question arc, but from a different perspective, using the change of protagonist to solve various mysteries and come to a different conclusion. Each of the eight original games for the PC represented separate arcs of the overall storyline. Although apart from the main Question/Answer relationship the stories of the arcs are not directly connected, a multitude of parallels exist which allow the observant reader to gain extra insight into the mystery.
The Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (ひぐらしのなく頃に When Cicadas Cry?) games form the Question arcs. These first four games of the series were meant to give the player a sense of the world where the story takes place and introduce the mysterious circumstances surrounding the village of Hinamizawa. Since there are no concrete answers given to the questions that the story presents in these arcs, the Question arcs allow the player to form his or her own opinions about the events taking place in Hinamizawa.
The Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai (ひぐらしのなく頃に解 When Cicadas Cry Solutions?) games form the Answer arcs. The last four games released in the series, were, in contrast to the Question arcs, meant to answer all of the questions presented in the first half of the series. These arcs can be considered the "solutions" of the previous arcs. Note that each Answer arc game contains all of the previous Answer arcs.
Three extra chapters were included in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei (ひぐらしのなく頃に礼 When Cicadas Cry Gratitudes?), two of which were newly created. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei was released on December 31, 2006.
These side stories are original chapters serialized in manga form which supplement the games and partially continue the story.
Three original chapters were created for the PlayStation 2 version Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Matsuri, by Alchemist.
There were two official sets of drama CDs released, one by Wayuta,[1] and the other by Frontier Works. Wayuta has released seven CDs since May 27, 2005 starting with Onikakushi-ken and going through the main story arcs from the visual novel series to Tsumihoroboshi-hen on February 22, 2008.[20][21] Two more drama CDs will be released by Wayuta to cover Minagoroshi-hen and Matsuribayashi-hen. Wayuta has already released two bonus drama CDs named Append Disc 01 released on December 29, 2005 at Comiket 69, and Append Disc 02 released on October 26, 2007.[22][23] Wayuta also released two drama CDs covering a new arc named Kataribanashi-hen (語咄し編?), the first on April 25, 2007, and the second on May 9, 2008.[24][25] Frontier Works released two CDs, starting with an anthology piece called Anthology Drama CD 1 on December 22, 2005, followed by a sequel entitled Anthology Drama CD 2 on March 24, 2006. There have also been numerous drama CDs released during special events such as at Comiket or through magazine subscription.
There are eight main titles in the Higurashi manga series, spanning the four question arcs and the four answer arcs. Each question arc manga are compiled into two bound volumes. The four answers arc manga are to be compiled at least into four volumes which are still ongoing. One of the most notable things about the manga at first glance is the use of multiple artists. Karin Suzuragi draws Onikakushi-hen, Tsumihoroboshi-hen, and Matsuribayashi-hen, Yutori Hōjō draws Watanagashi-hen and Meakashi-hen, Jirō Suzuki draws Tatarigoroshi-hen, Yoshiki Tonogai draws Himatsubushi-hen, and Hanase Momoyama draws Minagoroshi-hen. Another manga entitled Kokoroiyashi-hen (心癒し編 Heart Healing Chapter?) is drawn by Yuna Kagesaki and began in Kadokawa Shoten's Comp Ace on August 26, 2008.[26] The manga series has been licensed by Yen Press for English distribution in North America under the title Higurashi When They Cry. The manga was initially serialized in Yen Press' Yen Plus anthology magazine, the first issue of which went on sale on July 29, 2008. The first English volume of the manga was originally planned to be sold in early 2009,[27] but will now be released in November 2008.[28]
There are three side stories related to the main Higurashi story, but with new characters. The first, named Onisarashi-hen (鬼曝し編 Demon Exposing Chapter?), is drawn by En Kitō and was serialized between March 2005 and July 2006 in Comp Ace. The next, entitled Yoigoshi-hen (宵越し編 Overnight Chapter?), is drawn by Mimori and was serialized between in GFantasy between 2006 and 2007. The last side story known as Utsutsukowashi-hen (現壊し編 Reality Breaking Chapter?) is also drawn by En Kitō and was serialized between in Comp Ace between 2006 and 2007.
Three light novels of Higurashi were released as a bonus to those who bought the manga.
In July 2007, Kodansha Box announced that starting with their August 2007 titles, the first of a series of novelizations of the original games will be published.[29] The first four story arcs were released in seven novels in the next seven months, each adapted by Ryukishi07 himself,[30] who is calling the books the final edition of the series.
The first anime series, produced by Studio Deen and directed by Chiaki Kon, covers the four question arcs as well as the first two answer arcs. The original Higurashi no Naku Koro ni anime adaptation aired in Japan between April 4, 2006 and September 26, 2006, comprising twenty-six episodes. In Japan, most of the characters were voiced by the same voice actors that voiced their respective characters in the drama CD series. The series has finished airing and is currently only available on DVD in Japan, France, and North America (following Geneon's licensing of the series). However, in September 2007, Geneon's U.S. division announced that it would discontinue all ongoing anime projects, including Higurashi, effective November 6, 2007.[31] Only three of a planned six DVDs of Higurashi were released, under the title When They Cry: Higurashi. On July 3, 2008, Geneon Entertainment and Funimation Entertainment announced an agreement to distribute select titles in North America. While Geneon Entertainment will still retain the license, Funimation Entertainment will assume exclusive rights to the manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution of select titles. Higurashi was one of several titles involved in the deal.[7] People in Japan who had bought all nine of the DVDs of the first season had the chance to receive a special anime DVD entitled Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gaiden Nekogoroshi-hen, based on the short story that was given to those who had bought the manga.[32] Despite being a bonus for the first season, Nekogoroshi-hen featured the updated animation style featured in the second season.
A continuation of the series, based on one new story arc and the final two original answer arcs of the franchise, entitled Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai, aired in Japan between July 6, 2007 and December 17, 2007, containing twenty-four episodes. The second season featured different character designs than the first season.[33]
A three-arc, five-episode original video animation series, entitled Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei, will be released starting February 25, 2009,[2] and is directed by Toshifumi Kawase.[3][4][5][34] The OVA will contain three story arcs, Hajisarashi-hen, Saikoroshi-hen, and Hirukowashi-hen, with Saikoroshi-hen concluding in three episodes, and the other two arcs concluding in one episode each. Hirukowashi-hen was originally a light novel included with the limited edition of the PlayStation 2 game Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Matsuri, and took the place of Batsukoishi-hen from the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei fandisc.
As the result of a murder case in September 2007 in Japan involving the murder of a police chief by his sixteen-year-old daughter with a hatchet, as well as the Japanese media relating the case to anime such as Higurashi, the latest episode screenings of both Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai and another anime, School Days, were canceled by a number of Japanese TV stations; however, AT-X, TV Saitama and Sun TV announced that they would be airing the episodes as planned. Later, TV Saitama announced that they had ceased broadcasting of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai from episode thirteen onwards.[35] Additionally, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai had its opening altered when it re-aired. Originally, a bloody bill hook cleaver (as used by Rena) was shown halfway through (at timestamp 0:50) the opening; it was replaced with an image of a van from the series' fictional junk yard.
A live action movie adaptation of the series, directed by Ataru Oikawa, premiered in Japanese theaters on May 10, 2008.[8][36] The movie is an adaptation of the first story arc, Onikakushi-hen.[37] Gōki Maeda plays Keiichi, Airi Matsuyama plays Rena, Rin Asuka plays Mion, Aika plays Rika, and Erena Ono plays Satoko.[38] A sequel, also to be live action,[39] will be released in Japanese theaters in May 2009 and is entitled Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Chikai (ひぐらしのなく頃に誓?).[40]
Unlike visual novels created by established companies, 07th Expansion did not create the music found in the Higurashi games. The music for the Question arcs consists of license free songs found on the Internet, while the music for the Answer arcs was provided by dōjin music artists that were fans of Higurashi. Later, a CD album called Thanks/you was released by the dōjin music artist, dai; many of his tracks were used in the Answer arcs. Fans initially referred to this album as the official soundtrack, however the actual official soundtrack has since been released for the series, featuring a majority of the songs featured in the Answer arcs. This two-disc set is, to date, the most complete collection of songs from the games.
The first season's opening theme was "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni" sung by Eiko Shimamiya; it went on sale in Japan on May 24, 2006. The ending theme was "Why, or Why Not" sung by Rekka Katakiri; it was released on June 28, 2006. There have been two original soundtracks released for the anime adaptation. The main composer for the tracks was Japanese composer Kenji Kawai and the albums were produced by Frontier Works. Volume 1 was released on July 21, 2006 and volume 2 was released on October 6, 2006 in Japan. Character song CDs were also released, sung by voice actors from the anime adaptation; the first went on sale on March 28, 2007.[41]
The second season's opening theme was "Naraku no Hana" also sung by Eiko Shimamiya. The first season's opening theme, when played backwards, could be noted to include the words Nigerarenai (逃げられない [You] can't escape?). This 'backwards' portion of the song is also included in the second season's opening theme.[42] The ending theme was "Taishō a" performed by anNina.
For the live-action movie, a short version of the film's theme song was released on December 22, 2007, in Japan. Once again, Eiko Shimamiya lended her voice to sing the song, entitled "Wheel of Fortune" (運命の輪 Unmei no Wa?). Shimamiya also performed the ending theme entitled "Diorama" (ディオラマ?).
Over 100,000 copies of the original games were sold in Japan,[43] a feat not attained by a dōjin game since Type-Moon released Tsukihime. Many fans attribute the game's success to the suspense and horror the novel portrays, with no definite answer provided. Fan-based community boards emerged where fans began discussing their own theories. The popularity of the games grew exponentially as many took interest in their well-outlined script and story, which eventually led the game to be showcased in large gaming magazines with positive reviews. With the announcement of the live-action movie adaptation of Onikakushi-hen came the news that over 500,000 copies of the games have been sold.[44]
The enhanced PlayStation 2 port, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Matsuri, has sold over 140,000 copies to date,[45] and has received a total review score of 31/40 (out of the four individual review scores of 9, 8, 8, and 6) from the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.[46]
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