This review is based upon both seasons 1 & 2 of Higurashi (When They Cry)
Don’t be fooled by its childish appearance, this anime is VERY complicated and has a exceptionally well written story which does include Extreme Violence, Drama, Conspiracy and plenty of mystery.
Upon watching the first few episodes I was wondering if this was the violent yet thought provoking horror mystery that had shocked so many of my friends as it just seemed kinda boring.
All I will say is watch every episode even if it SEEMS boring and pointless as the story slowly unfolds and you gradually see how deep the rabbit hole goes!
Animation
Hmm a little bit cute for my taste but that can change in an instant when characters get upset (Shion is very VERY scary). I think the animation is average but cute which works well for the shock value that this series uses.
Sound
Sound is pretty good, opening and ending credits are very nice. Character voices are spot on…I have no complaints at all here. I hope the English dub is just as good.
Story
Without giving any spoilers…if I could give this story an 11 rating I would.
At first you think this anime is some pointless and ridiculous violence fest where every couple of episodes a different character becomes a murderer for no apparent reason but by the time you get to the second season you will find there is a reason for everything and there is actually a exceptional and well written story that is very dramatic, traumatic and thought provoking. In the end I was amazed at the direction this anime took and was completely satisfied with the conclusion. In one word the story is Superb.
Character
The characters go hand in hand with the story, as everything may seem childish in the beginning but later you get to understand each character individually. This can be confusing at times because of the way the story always goes back to the past and sometimes shows different sides of the character which may not be their true self. In general character development is what makes the story so excellent but the implementation of the anime may cause some confusion, my advice is to stick with it keep watching and it will all make sense eventually.
Enjoyment
I thoroughly enjoyed this anime because it went through so many seasons of violence and confusion that kept me wanting more and wanting answers to numerous questions.
I’m so glad I stuck with it and watched it patiently as I believe it was probably the best anime I watched in the past three years.
Value
Many people class this as some mad violence anime but the story is just too exceptional to be put in the horror category alone. I will be purchasing this anime when it has finished its US distribution (hopefully thin pack) and I implore anyone looking for a good mystery story to give this a try and watch BOTH seasons before making judgment.
Planet Tyro Rating: Hall of Fame
Planettyro.com
