Jump Back to 2007 with me for a moment and we'll have a look at the sequel to one of my favourite anime series' Higurashi no Naku Koro ni.

So, if you're reading this review and you've never seen Higurashi, go back and watch Higurashi and stop being a moron, you're going to get spoiled otherwise. Higurashi Kai sets us in the world representing almost every arc of the original series. In this world all of the various occurrences we witnessed in Higurashi appear to have come true. The town has been cordoned off for over 20 years and it's only now that a voice from the (two episode) past comes back to take us through things.

Rememeber me? I'm that investigator from the kidnapping case.

Of course one of the few who we'd expect to be a returning character in this situation is also the cuddly/evil (depending on which iteration you believe) Officer Ooishi to help us through things.

Domo!

The shell of Hinamizawa is a sad and desolate picture that barely outlines what the town once was as they tour it in search of possible answers as to what really happened there. The old swamp has been filled in with concrete in order to "prevent volcanic gasses escaping".

This used to bubble and froth, now it just gathers a layer of dirt.

Everything in town is in a state of detrimental disrepair and leaves no real evidence of what truly happened here though it seems that the effect of volcanic gasses would have caused all kind of things not present here.

Sad, sad falling apart hospital.

At one time this school house was bustling with children of all ages.

Of course Rena (Shoujo A: get it?) 25 years later is still as pretty as ever and is the only remaining survivor of the Hinamizawa incident. Even with her help, the question of what exactly happened with the town seems as though it may remain eternally unanswered and the truth will rot away with the dirty husk of it's past.

Just the same scared little girl as she always was.

On the whole episode one of Higurashi Kai answers a lot of questions and poses yet more and in such a way that you will undoubtedly come back next episode with a lust for knowledge. If there's one feeling that ep 1 will leave you with here, it's that Higurashi no Naku Koro ni really did have a story holding it all together and over time we might find out just what it actually is. As an episode alone it doesn't really leave much room for a follow up but I get the feeling this is just a lead in to something much stranger.
As a side note the animation style might not suit everyone but any returning fans of Higurashi won't be let down by any loss of quality and the OP single, while it may take a few listens, is definitely a good one as well. Overall, for the start of a sequel, I was not unimpressed. I look forward to more of this.

Animation: 8

Plot: 8

Voice Acting: 8

Soundtrack: 8

Overall: A good solid 8

Halo


Mamiko Noto: No