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Even though Higurashi no naku koro ni Kai and Higurashi no naku koro ni are in the same series as a whole, they have fundamental differences. I'm not going to go on about how season one was better or worse, but I will point out some things that were interesting to me.

Story: I was very pleased with the story, and how it really shed some light on questins presented in the first series. As some may know, the Higurashi franchise is divided into question and answer arcs.
With Kai, I was no longer in the dark about why there were arcs, and why there are ... sudden changes and the story seems to restart, as this concept is not explored in the first season. Higurashi Kai takes you through two very exciting answer arcs that are a direct response to the first series. The development of the story was brilliant, and I found it to be very enjoyable. It has a sense of hope that the first season could not provide, but still keeps you on the edge of your seat, and guessing. The way that the questions and mysteries of the first season were answered was amazing. A lot of main plot questions were tied up, with a few mysteries left to the imagination. I also found the development and pacing of the story to be much more enjoyable than that of the first.

Art: The character art for season one felt very rushed. This season seems to improve on that a little bit. It's no "5 Centimeters Per Second" by any stretch of the imagination, but I still felt that the background scenery, at least, was enough to be immersive. It makes you feel like you're really in the story and plays a very major roll in the development of the plot.

Animation: I definitely saw an improvement in animation from the first series. The animation doesn't look like it was pressed for time, and there are less weak animation spots.

Sound: The sound in this Higurashi series, like the first, was absolutely outstanding. The creators have outdone themselves again with music, themes, and jingles that make the series believable and fit it perfectly. I think they used some of the sounds again from the first series, which made it even more enjoyable. I especially like the opening theme. For example, Higurashi no naku koro ni had an opening that created a very unsettling feeling, just like the show. On the other hand, Higurashi Kai's opening invoked a more hopeful feeling in me as a listener. Not to mention that the iconic cicadas chirping in the background of many scenes carries throughout the entire series.

Character: The character development was a lot better in Higurashi Kai, as is true because there were more answers arcs. In Higurashi season one, the characters were built at the beginning with little bits over time. Characters that didn't seem to play a substantial role, ended up being very significant in Higurashi Kai.

Enjoyment: I would definitely say that I enjoyed this series more than the first because it leaves the viewer with enough answers to feel substantiated. I really enjoyed the pacing and the "just for fun" (filler) episodes. This series really shows how the characters can work together to fight for what they believe in and emphasizes the feeling of community in the group of main characters, and side characters they've met along the way.

Overall: The series was very enjoyable, and I find that it meets all the expectations that I would consider for a great anime. All the effects and situations the characters were put in, show how much they really care for each other, which is a big difference from what the first series shows. Higurashi Kai is an anime that I would put as a "must watch" category for any fan of the thriller, suspense, or horror genres.