Ranked #343

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei

Sea-bears and Skylines

Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Rei [Rei] is the third installment of the Higurashi series based on the games created by 07th Expansion. Like the game, Rei covers the events after Furude Rika had finally escaped the meandering halls of fate, breaking the cycle of repetition.

Rei serves as more of a side story, giving small view into life after reiterating summer. The first and last episodes of the set OVA's are for purely comedic purposes. Nothing really happens and the only insight we get into any of the characters is that Rena finds Keichii's 'sea-bear' cute. Yes folks Higurashi went there... they implied our brunette buxom wanted Maebara's little friend.

The episodes in-between, 2 through 5 or the Dice Killing Chapter, serve as a more serious side story. Rika one day wakes up in yet another world where everything is seemingly perfect. Everyone she sees is spared of their sin's from previous realities, their souls not torn into shards waiting to be duck taped back together.

It's an interesting setup, but it fails in it's execution. The three short episodes lack any sort of engaging drama, and the story is squeezed down your throat in slabs of monologue. I commend the tale for trying to shade in some background on Hanyuu, Rika's goddess companion, but I didn't find myself caring.

Production

Rei is more of the same. The art hasn't improved much from 2006 when the original Higurashi premiered. The animation was cleaned up a bit, and the colors a bit more vivid. It's somewhat disappointing considering this is an OVA.

The sound work is still the same. The seiyuu remain untouched and the music is largely forgettable. The OP didn't really set an ominous tone like the first two shows did. No special effort seems to have been made in the production of Rei.

Watchability and Enjoyment

The two comedic episodes are hilarious. Funny has always been a part of the Higurashi formula, and it was refreshing to watch an episode focusing on Humor.

Rika's side story on the other-hand is about as engaging as wading through a swamp filled to the brim with molasses compared to the first season. Though it made the fifth episode all the more entertaining. After the dull chapter, the comic finale let me leave the realm of Higurashi with a sweet taste on my lips.

Themes

The Dice Killing chapter, through all it's faults, posed an interesting dilemma: Which world would you pick, one you toiled endlessly to create yourself or a perfect one handed to you on a silver platter. The reality you molded from fate is imperfect but yours, you own it. Which do you keep?

Closing Thoughts

Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Rei is a mixed bag. If you enjoy Higurashi's brand of comedy then check out Episodes 1 and 5. I couldn't recommend The Dice Killing Chapter except to the most rabid fans who care to know even the palest of brushstrokes on Hinamizawa's canvas. But if your that crazy your better off getting the sound novels. read more

Story: 8

For the most part, the storyline is good. It is well thought out, and even original, and rather enjoyable. However, there is a thing about the first episode of Higurashi no Naku ni Rei. It doesn't quite fit with the rest of the Higurashi no Naku that we know.

How to put it, it seems more like something we might see from "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya." Or maybe one of the random Omake from the end of Bleach This isn't a bad thing, but if one has come to expect something from a fandom, it might come across as an actual shock to the system.

It doesn't quite fit, and one might feel that there were things let out, and that some things are overly exagerated. Enjoyable, yes, but probabbly not one expected. The thing is, before one makes the judgement of the OVA, don't drop it on the first one simply because it is different. It becomes more familiar as one goes.

Art 8:

The art is very good, what one expects from Higurashi.

Sound 7:

To me... the sound... was awsume, but... it wasn't the same as Higurashi, or it was to simular. It kind of bothered me.

Character 10:

This is one of the reasons I stuck around past the first episode. I love the characters. They are well developed and have their own personalities. One also sees a huge what if situation here too, seeing an alternative world that one could see and get ahold of.

Enjoyment 8:

As much as I enjoyied the whole thing, I found the first episode, not what I had expected.

Overall: 9

It's a good series. Yes, I knocked down way low on some things, but really... it was for things that were very particular, and mostly dealt with that one first episode. Don't get me wrong, it was good, and did lead up to the next episode, but it was also odd... so be forewarned.

NOTE: If you are wondering how the two "no Naku" worlds tie in, there is a clue dropped in the OVA. read more