You had me at Nipah!
It has been a while since the original Higurashi no Naku Koro ni aired so when I heard that there was a new anime adaptation coming, I instantly thought it was going to be another terrible spinoff like Kira was; however, I learned it as a complete and total reboot! That got me excited as I was ready to step back into the world of Hinamizawa once again! However, was it as fond as I remembered it being?
Let’s Go!
First Episode Synopsis
In the quiet town of Hinamizawa, there is a school for all ages. Keiichi, Rena, Rika, Mion, and Satoko spend their days hanging out, playing pranks on each other, engaging in punishment games, and just living it up as children. They like to do everything together from walking home to digging through landfills for hidden treasure. Everything seems to be perfect and harmonious!
As long as you don’t bring up the dam construction project.
As soon as that’s mentioned, a sudden shift in the air changes, and the topic is harshly halted and misdirected to something else. The villagers were against the construction of the dam and protested it to the government… and won; however, there were rumors that there was a murder over the dam. Something about that incident doesn’t sit well with the residents there and the topic is avoided at all costs.
While that’s pretty much it for the very first episode, having seen this series (and owning it on Blu-ray), I can tell you that if this is your first time watching Higurashi… stick with it. Good Lord… stick with it and don’t let this show go. Endure the slow parts. You will be handsomely rewarded.
Worth Watching?
MOST DEFINITE MUST WATCH – In 90 total first reactions (10 away from the big triple digits!), I have never given anything this level of recommendation. Usually, it stops at ‘YES’ but this is a very clear exception.
I, personally, do not know what they are going to adapt. The original series was split between two 26-episode series (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni and Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai). If this reboot is aiming to combine both… get ready for a 52-episode run of greatness. If not, then enjoy what you get and then immediately go find Kai and watch it.
This series will test the limits of your mind and, in some cases, break them. In fact, this series was the reason why so many other shows that followed it were censored. Sure, there was censorship before but not like we have today. Simple wounds are blacked out but Higurashi spared no details in their horror. This series will get dark… VERY dark. It will get gruesome…. MAYBE really gruesome. It is 2020 and not 2006 anymore so I’m not sure how they are going to handle certain scenes. I pray that it doesn’t get censored but, I’m pretty sure it’s going to. Even the opening scene in the first episode attempted to hide some of the hints of what’s to come.
One thing that I am REALLY trying to wrap my head around is the art style. I know 2006 used a different anime style than what we are used to today but these characters… wow… I am struggling to adjust. Like, here’s a side-by-side of Keiichi to give you an idea.
There is quite the stark difference there in just that character alone. I’m sure it will grow on me but it is a bit jarring for long-time fans.
However, there is something that did make me smile from ear-to-ear. For those unaware, the ending song to the first episode is Higurashi no Naku Koro ni by Eiko Shimamiya. This song was also the original opening to the 2006 anime! If you like what you heard, feel free to go get the full version of the song. It’s only been out for 14 years! Whether or not they continue to use the song going forward remains to be seen but I would love a 1:1 opening in the new art style just to see what it would look like.
Be that as it may… this is one of those anime series that can’t afford to be missed! Check it out if you haven’t seen it before… and if you have… relive the painful memories over and over again!
As an added bonus, here is the original 2006 opening…. Enjoy!
