A new anime project for the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (Higurashi: When They Cry) visual novel was announced by doujin circle 07th Expansion on Monday. Kadokawa simultaneously opened an official website, revealing a key visual (pictured) and an announcement video.
The new anime project is being produced by animation studio Passione (Rokka no Yuusha, Joshikousei no Mudazukai). Akio Watanabe (Bakemonogatari, Grisaia no Kajitsu) is in charge of the character designs. Infinite is credited for production.
Synopsis
Keiichi Maebara has just moved to the quiet little village of Hinamizawa in the summer of 1983, and quickly becomes inseparable friends with schoolmates Rena Ryuuguu, Mion Sonozaki, Satoko Houjou, and Rika Furude. However, darkness lurks underneath the seemingly idyllic life they lead.
As the village prepares for its annual festival, Keiichi learns about the local legends surrounding it. To his horror, he discovers that there have been several murders and disappearances in the village in recent years, and that they all seem to be connected to the festival and the village's patron god, Oyashiro. Keiichi tries to ask his new friends about these incidents, but they are suspiciously silent and refuse to give him the answers he needs. As more and more bizarre events occur, he wonders just what else his friends might be keeping from him, and if he can even trust them at all.
When madness and paranoia begin taking root in Keiichi's heart, he will stumble straight into the mysteries at work in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, a story that is told across multiple arcs. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Geneon Entertainment USA originally licensed the first season in North America and released it on six DVDs before going defunct in 2007. Funimation re-released it on DVD in 2009 and 2010, but did not renew the license due to poor sales. Sentai Filmworks reacquired the anime series in 2015 and shipped the first and second season, as well as the original video anime on Blu-ray and DVD in March, May, and July 2016, respectively. The licensor also released a complete Blu-ray collection of all three installments in December 2017.
07th Expansion released the first chapter of the psychological horror visual novel, Onikakushi-hen (Demoned Away Chapter), in August 2002. The eighth and final chapter in the original series, Matsuribayashi-hen (Festival Accompanying Chapter), was published in August 2006. Three extra chapters were released in a fandisc in December that year. The latest installment in the franchise, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Hou (When They Cry: Gift), was released in August 2014.
MangaGamer released the original visual novel in English from 2009 to 2010. The company also plans to release Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Hou in 14 chapters. The seventh chapter launched on July 18.
I wonder if they will try to actually make it a new metaseries for this decade, something that will expand the way Nasuverse, and Monogatari series did.
Wow ok. This is some interesting news to wake up to. Hopefully this’ll pave the way for a readaptation of the Umineko series as well. This is honestly so random lol. I never expected this to get revived.
What? Well that is unexpected, I'm really interested though
Passione being on the production list worries me though....
-miraiiJan 6, 2020 9:10 AM
"In the past few months since we met, I've shared many memories with Nagato. Though I've also shared memories with Haruhi, Asahina-san and Koizumi, I found that I've experienced more events with Nagato in particular. In fact, every situation seems to involve her. I might as well mention this, she's probably the only person to cause the bell within me to shake the most vigorously..." ~ Kyon, TMOSH
My heart skipped a beat when reading the title. God fucking damn, that's brilliant news, it's so good to see Higurashi series is getting something. I hope there's a chance for Outbreak continuation. It's also great news that Watanabe is in charge of character designs, I really love the look of his characters.
Nice, remaking Higurashi when Umineko is by far the superior When they Cry work and is also much more deserving of it... Higurashi's adaptation by DEEN is already fine lol, what a fail. And it's by a studio that usually only does ecchi series, can't see what even made them think about adapting Higurashi.
shanimebib said: Say WHAT?!! I guess it could be one of those OVAs but if this is a sequel then Nypa~h hype! And you cannot stop me!
But that chopper Rena! Goosebumps!
Don't see how it could be a sequel when they already adapted the whole VN
Gotta be either a spin off or a remake
Think it would've been much more worthwhile to remake Umineko instead in that case though lol
I have not played the VN but it could enter another route? I dunno. I am not a big fan of Umineko but that is probably because of the botched adaptation.
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shanimebib said: Say WHAT?!! I guess it could be one of those OVAs but if this is a sequel then Nypa~h hype! And you cannot stop me!
But that chopper Rena! Goosebumps!
Don't see how it could be a sequel when they already adapted the whole VN
Gotta be either a spin off or a remake
Think it would've been much more worthwhile to remake Umineko instead in that case though lol
I have not played the VN but it could enter another route? I dunno. I am not a big fan of Umineko but that is probably because of the botched adaptation.
Higurashi is linear. There is only one route and all of it was animated... so yeah. Granted Deen's artwork in it isn't exactly stellar so I guess that's one reason to remake it but compared to the Umineko anime which was not only butchered but also wasn't even close to covering the full story anyway, that would definitely have needed it more
A cuddle a day keeps the pouting away~
"Holding hands is just the first step to getting pregnant"
Will it be a Sequel or Remake ? Or a different route ?
And I love Higurashi but If it is going to be a remake I would have prefer Umineko instead, Higurashi was decent while Umineko was shit and İt didn t even cover the half story
With Akio Watanabe as the character designer and Studio Deen out of the picture, there's hope that the production of this season will be a complete overhaul compared to the previous adaptation. I've been re-watching the 2006 anime over the holidays... and the art & animation are both horrible! Honestly! Off-model character designs, dull backgrounds, just a lack of fine detail overall. It's one of those situations where, as a young anime fan, you simply don't pay attention to. My first experience with Higurashi dates back to 2008; I didn't give much of a damn about the production side of things but rather the story itself, which is still pretty good and the reason the franchise blew up in popularity in the first place.
I'm holding out hope that the rest of the staff with be good too. But with anime, you just never know lol. Wonder who the director with be, though?
Little children and excessive violence. This cringe again. Just when you thought international terrorism was the worst way to begin the decade, the gift keeps on giving... Stay strong people, the trials are coming.
Daniel_Naumov said: Little children and excessive violence. This cringe again. Just when you thought international terrorism was the worst way to begin the decade, the gift keeps on giving... Stay strong people, the trials are coming.
Daniel_Naumov said: Little children and excessive violence. This cringe again. Just when you thought international terrorism was the worst way to begin the decade, the gift keeps on giving... Stay strong people, the trials are coming.
Daniel_Naumov said: Little children and excessive violence. This cringe again. Just when you thought international terrorism was the worst way to begin the decade, the gift keeps on giving... Stay strong people, the trials are coming.
I haven't read or played the VN but I hope this is a remake, i can't see how they can continue the story honestly.. and the animation of the old anime is quite questionable at times so i'd like to see what they can do now after 10+ years.
Now the real question is, Umineko remake and full adaptation when..?
Daniel_Naumov said: Little children and excessive violence. This cringe again. Just when you thought international terrorism was the worst way to begin the decade, the gift keeps on giving... Stay strong people, the trials are coming.
What in the goddamn hell are you talking about?
You will know when you see it.
You’re scaring me man
It is not me, it is the age we are entering, accelerating towards uncertainty with alarming speed. All we can do is hope the friction does not catch up to us. Speed and friction, of the new decade.
Higurashi is good, but I don't think I can or should be excited with no available information
And umineko still needs an actually good adaptation. It's too good for it not to get one if this is. Maybe the re-release of the novel and that english release that is still in limbo will bring the needed demand.
That's good news.
But I'd like it more when Umineko also get animated in better way.
"When they're alive, you can enjoy watching them struggle. When they're dead, you can enjoy tearing out their guts. Tales are things you get to enjoy twice."
then I may watch it since I never read the manga for it. However if this is a reboot done by a good studio I'm probably going to watch it because the original When They Cry went downhill when
Kecchie remembered the other worlds without any explanation whatsoever.
The word elitist is stupid since it's just used by people who can't defend their favorite shows and use it on people who criticize their favorite shows.
-Panda_Hero- said: What? Well that is unexpected, I'm really interested though
Passione being on the production list worries me though....
My guess this show is probably going to be rated on MAL as low as OPM s2 or lower.
The word elitist is stupid since it's just used by people who can't defend their favorite shows and use it on people who criticize their favorite shows.
All these people saying that Umineko needs a remake and failing to understand how monumental of an undertaking that actually is. The Umineko VN is almost 400,000 words longer than the KJV Bible (cementing its place as the longest work of mystery fiction ever penned), and in order to properly do the series justice in anime form, it'd require at least a 200 episode adaptation (lowballing of course, as that would still be cutting quite a bit of content).
"I am not sure that I exist, actually. I am all the writers that I have read, all the
people that I have met, all the women that I have loved; all the cities I have visited."
― Jorge Luis Borges
-Panda_Hero- said: What? Well that is unexpected, I'm really interested though
Passione being on the production list worries me though....
My guess this show is probably going to be rated on MAL as low as OPM s2 or lower.
Which is sad because Higurashi is a good franchise... I won't have my expectations high just in case but at least Infinite studio is also named as Producing and they have good series under their belt so there's that.
We can't say much without further information though.
"In the past few months since we met, I've shared many memories with Nagato. Though I've also shared memories with Haruhi, Asahina-san and Koizumi, I found that I've experienced more events with Nagato in particular. In fact, every situation seems to involve her. I might as well mention this, she's probably the only person to cause the bell within me to shake the most vigorously..." ~ Kyon, TMOSH