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holy crap is this one GOOD anime. the premise of a small village where the mysterious "oyashiro-sama" inflicts a violent curse on certain people, and the division of a master arc into different subplots with unique setups makes this a bona-fide psychological thriller, with an emphasis on the psychological part. the series makes you constantly question who the villain is going to be for each arc, and how this ragtag group of friends unravel every few episodes. while i'm not usually a fan of supernatural anime since it most often tends to follow a similar trajectory across most, but with Higurashi, the focus is less on the supernatural aspect and more on how the curse itself transforms the individuals it affects, and how their interactions with the people around them begin a chain reaction of events that leads to a violent and bloody conclusion in every arc. since this anime is pretty old, it does stick to the original character tropes and doesn't necessarily have a diverse cast, but it's more than made up for with excellent character development, either through the introduction of trauma or a questionable display of basic human emotions and morality.
verdict? it's not for the faint of heart, but if you're looking for a thriller that WILL keep you on the edge of your seat, then there are few anime better than Higurashi to sate that need. the twisted portrayal of humans and their interactions with each other lead for a complex and terrifying series, and it's most definitely worth watching.
