This review contains spoilers
>girl who tries to kill me tells him, "Hey, the next time you see me, I might kill you."
>cool
>a day or two later
>see same girl outside my window
>ecstatic
>run outside
>get stabbed
what did i do wrong, bros?
>cool
>a day or two later
>see same girl outside my window
>ecstatic
>run outside
>get stabbed
what did i do wrong, bros?
This review contains spoilers
Right after the chilling conclusion of Onikakushi - a visual novel which I loved going through - the complete reset of Watanagashi was utterly jarring. Resetting the time back to Keiichi's first forays into Hinamizawa completely baffled me at first. I started going through the more slice-of-life sections - club activities, walks home with Rena, the works. Everything seemed just as it was, until the introduction of the mysterious twin sister, Shion Sonozaki.
I love the way Shion is played for the first few chapters after her introduction. Both Keiichi and the player take her as some scheme made up by Mion to express herself as a woman to a greater extent. This is supplemented by past interactions with both Rena and Mion; even referring to herself as "[this] old man" on various occasions. Her femininity seems caged up if existent at all and even when Shion is revealed to be a seperate person from Mion later on, the seed of Mion's crisis have already been planted in your head and are not easily torn out for the remainder of the game.
This is perhaps the first thing that jumps out at me about Watanagashi, the cause-and-effect of the plot is felt far more strongly here than Onikakushi. Both are high-quality, slow-burning horror experiences that slowly inundate you in their world, but Watanagashi feels less like a sequence of events than the climax of hundreds of years of slowly boiling societal conflict, all concentrated onto the shoulders of one school-age girl. Even the most despicable villains in the game manage to make you feel for them - though Oyashiro's curse is definitely a plausible explanation which manages to fill in some narrative gaps, much more emphasis is placed in the scarier sections on how characters interact and intersect, whereas this was more largely relegated to the slice-of-life segments in Onikakushi. I like how the lines are drawn differently as well; in Onikakushi it's Keiichi against the world for the most part - as everyone who can leave him does until he is forced to act drastically as he is backed into a corner. Mion is the victim of this coalescing tragedy in Watanagashi - and as such Keiichi ends up with a lot more allies; this both results in the game not repeating ideas that Onikakushi expresses and results in the moments of character interaction feeling like more emotionally resonant interactions that contrast with the horror segments rather than another medium to express Keiichi's psychological breakdown.
On a wider thematic level, Watanagashi builds on Onikakushi excellently as well. The overarching plot theme; the mystery of whether Oyashiro's curse is a result of the supernatural or the man-made is explored deeper here to great effect. In the supernatural department, the mythology of Hinamizawa, its people, customs and families are built upon excellently and explain the town's relationship with its mythos excellently. And if you lean towards the man-made theory - believing the curse to merely be a symbol of familial/societal traumas as they build through generations - the same history gives you glimpses of the spite Hinamizawa's citizens have had to deal with; the way the prominent members of the community clawed their way to the top and how desperate its figureheads are to avoid the social image of the savage and sub-human Hinamizawa citizen of old.
In short, Onikakushi is an amazing horror visual novel - if it weren't, I wouldn't play the second part - but Watanagashi manages to keep the snowballing horror while introducing a depth of character the first game laid the foundation for but didn't quite deliver upon.
I love the way Shion is played for the first few chapters after her introduction. Both Keiichi and the player take her as some scheme made up by Mion to express herself as a woman to a greater extent. This is supplemented by past interactions with both Rena and Mion; even referring to herself as "[this] old man" on various occasions. Her femininity seems caged up if existent at all and even when Shion is revealed to be a seperate person from Mion later on, the seed of Mion's crisis have already been planted in your head and are not easily torn out for the remainder of the game.
This is perhaps the first thing that jumps out at me about Watanagashi, the cause-and-effect of the plot is felt far more strongly here than Onikakushi. Both are high-quality, slow-burning horror experiences that slowly inundate you in their world, but Watanagashi feels less like a sequence of events than the climax of hundreds of years of slowly boiling societal conflict, all concentrated onto the shoulders of one school-age girl. Even the most despicable villains in the game manage to make you feel for them - though Oyashiro's curse is definitely a plausible explanation which manages to fill in some narrative gaps, much more emphasis is placed in the scarier sections on how characters interact and intersect, whereas this was more largely relegated to the slice-of-life segments in Onikakushi. I like how the lines are drawn differently as well; in Onikakushi it's Keiichi against the world for the most part - as everyone who can leave him does until he is forced to act drastically as he is backed into a corner. Mion is the victim of this coalescing tragedy in Watanagashi - and as such Keiichi ends up with a lot more allies; this both results in the game not repeating ideas that Onikakushi expresses and results in the moments of character interaction feeling like more emotionally resonant interactions that contrast with the horror segments rather than another medium to express Keiichi's psychological breakdown.
On a wider thematic level, Watanagashi builds on Onikakushi excellently as well. The overarching plot theme; the mystery of whether Oyashiro's curse is a result of the supernatural or the man-made is explored deeper here to great effect. In the supernatural department, the mythology of Hinamizawa, its people, customs and families are built upon excellently and explain the town's relationship with its mythos excellently. And if you lean towards the man-made theory - believing the curse to merely be a symbol of familial/societal traumas as they build through generations - the same history gives you glimpses of the spite Hinamizawa's citizens have had to deal with; the way the prominent members of the community clawed their way to the top and how desperate its figureheads are to avoid the social image of the savage and sub-human Hinamizawa citizen of old.
In short, Onikakushi is an amazing horror visual novel - if it weren't, I wouldn't play the second part - but Watanagashi manages to keep the snowballing horror while introducing a depth of character the first game laid the foundation for but didn't quite deliver upon.
turning into the joker bc my friend didn't give me a My Little Pony Classic Rainbow Ponies Twinkle Eyed Collection Sky Rocket Doll Playset, 2 Pieces - Buy Now On Walmart
terrible pacing where pretty much nothing happens until the last few hours, but the ending is great
I'm technically only on sub-chapter 9, but the scene where Mion is crying on the phone to Rena made me bawl my eyes out so hard I had to run here and give it 5 stars. I don't care how this chapter ends or what the twist is -- being able to relate to a character who struggles with their own gender identity (or at least how others perceive them in accordance with established gender roles), but puts on a brave-face in order to maintain group cohesion despite harboring immense pain and sadness... Yeah, that shit gutted me.
Maybe it's something you may have interpreted differently, or maybe you just didn't care, but that personally struck a chord with me. You don't see many games talk about what it's like to be happily perceived as a tomboy while simultaneously ridiculed and chastised for not behaving femininely. You feel this pressure to conform to how your friends see you, and that can take its toll. Where do the lines of femininity and masculinity stop and where does the line of myself even begin? I feel like this chapter captured Mion's frustration and pain extremely well, and her sobbing while realizing that even resolving the minor offenses made against her won't absolve her of the pain she feels. It's just all too real...
I'm only more or less 2 chapters in of what is an 8 chapter series, and I can already tell that this is a game about love and identity. Not necessarily romantic love, but most definitely the platonic love we feel for our friends, the people we see at school, work, and the strangers we pass by. Love for the people with names we know and names we don't. And identity? Doesn't have to be solely with regards to gender, but moreso regarding a sense of belonging. Higurashi, to me so far, is about finding a place you can call home -- a place where you can truly be yourself. Maybe this game takes a bit of a morbid take on it, but you call tell that Keiichi thinks nothing but the best of his friends no matter what.
Anyways 5/5 chapter. Mion best character (they're all great, though).
Maybe it's something you may have interpreted differently, or maybe you just didn't care, but that personally struck a chord with me. You don't see many games talk about what it's like to be happily perceived as a tomboy while simultaneously ridiculed and chastised for not behaving femininely. You feel this pressure to conform to how your friends see you, and that can take its toll. Where do the lines of femininity and masculinity stop and where does the line of myself even begin? I feel like this chapter captured Mion's frustration and pain extremely well, and her sobbing while realizing that even resolving the minor offenses made against her won't absolve her of the pain she feels. It's just all too real...
I'm only more or less 2 chapters in of what is an 8 chapter series, and I can already tell that this is a game about love and identity. Not necessarily romantic love, but most definitely the platonic love we feel for our friends, the people we see at school, work, and the strangers we pass by. Love for the people with names we know and names we don't. And identity? Doesn't have to be solely with regards to gender, but moreso regarding a sense of belonging. Higurashi, to me so far, is about finding a place you can call home -- a place where you can truly be yourself. Maybe this game takes a bit of a morbid take on it, but you call tell that Keiichi thinks nothing but the best of his friends no matter what.
Anyways 5/5 chapter. Mion best character (they're all great, though).
Fruki Guarana the videogame.
This review contains spoilers
The final hours of Watanagashi are my favourite part of the question arcs. Keiichi’s character in this episode is like a foil to himself in Onikakushi. In that chapter he is consistently paranoid and mistrusting of his friends, while Watanagashi shows a Keiichi who is intensely trusting and loving. Throughout the chapter he prioritizes the other over the self, experiencing intense guilt over what is essentially a silly action. It’s easy to look at Keiichi’s decisions in this chapter and make fun of his stupidity as many have, but I think this is missing the climax’s point. Keiichi’s decisions are questionable when looked at with reason, but Keiichi is operating on the principle of faith. One of the themes in Higurashi is applying this religious faith in the secular worlds of love and friendship, and from my memory this finale is the first time where it becomes especially evident. Keiichi’s journey with Mion into the basement of the Sonozaki house is a leap of faith, and Keiichi maintains this faith even when he is confronted with what appears to be pure evil. Even when he is told that he is being deceived he continues to have faith in his friend, outright denying the murderer in front of him as Mion. The whole climax is basically Keiichi being tested to maintain his love. Higurashi creates a really interesting mix of childish innocence and total bleakness. They’re often viewed as separate, but the series’ best moments are when these two modes synthesise into one.
While the climax is the standout, the rest of the chapter is also great. I don’t think it’s quite as gripping as Onikakushi’s second half is, which comes down to Keiichi having a much-needed ally in Rena this time around. That doesn’t mean it’s worse though - this chapter is where I really began to love Rena as a character. Here she continues to get more complex than her cutesy “hauuuu!” persona without ever betraying Keiichi like in Onikakushi. She’s also really fun in the detective mode, especially when she basically pulls a Columbo bit on Mion near the end. One thing I love about Higurashi’s time loop setup is how we learn more about the characters in their different variations, and how these variations suggest that the characters’ actions are driven by circumstance rather than anything innate to them. The paranoid Keiichi of Onikakushi and the trusting Keiichi of Watanagashi are not two different people, despite the apparent contradiction. For a first time reader I think the most key thing to pay attention to is the differences in characterisation between chapters. I think the most important thing to ask is what circumstances could resolve these contradictions.
While the climax is the standout, the rest of the chapter is also great. I don’t think it’s quite as gripping as Onikakushi’s second half is, which comes down to Keiichi having a much-needed ally in Rena this time around. That doesn’t mean it’s worse though - this chapter is where I really began to love Rena as a character. Here she continues to get more complex than her cutesy “hauuuu!” persona without ever betraying Keiichi like in Onikakushi. She’s also really fun in the detective mode, especially when she basically pulls a Columbo bit on Mion near the end. One thing I love about Higurashi’s time loop setup is how we learn more about the characters in their different variations, and how these variations suggest that the characters’ actions are driven by circumstance rather than anything innate to them. The paranoid Keiichi of Onikakushi and the trusting Keiichi of Watanagashi are not two different people, despite the apparent contradiction. For a first time reader I think the most key thing to pay attention to is the differences in characterisation between chapters. I think the most important thing to ask is what circumstances could resolve these contradictions.
Holy hell, this took me around 5 tries to finish in the span of several months. One thing of note is that I've read dozens and dozens of VNs, so I'm used to slow starts and a lot of SoL before the true plot begins, but it is the absolute worst here for me.
For me, good slice-of-life in a VN has to be one or more of:
1) funny (ex. Majikoi, Little Busters, Grisaia no Kajitsu)
2) meaningful with characterisation or themes (ex. White Album 2)
3) relaxing/atmospheric (ex. Mahoutsukai no Yoru or slice-of-life anime like Bocchi the Rock)
4) all of the above (ex. Utawarerumono 2 and 3)
And Higurashi 1 and 2's SoL isn't any of these. I can't speedread because I keep expecting some important info, so I end up fully focusing on school club, maid cafe or Satoko classroom prank moments, expecting some kind of reason for that, but getting no payoff. It was a lesser problem in Onikakushi because there were fewer lengthy stretches of it, but in Watanagashi it was so dull and boring that I, who usually has no trouble binging entire VNs where the beginning is a lot of SoL before the true story begins, had to take numerous breaks, eventually finishing this arc. When you're used to people shooting each other into the stratosphere for jokes, having unhinged humour or genuinely relaxing and/or thought-provoking conversations in SoL from the numeous VNs you've read, this is bound to not be very impressive. When you have someone who's read as many VNs as I have, the fact that I struggled to continue this is worth mentioning.
Yes, the last part is good. Yes, the psychological stuff is pretty good (though I'd argue not as good as in Onikakushi, it's often drawn-out). Yes, arc 3 is better than this so far. But it's just less impactful when my enjoyment was impacted this much by other elements of the story. And so I have had Higurashi stalled for a very long time just because of this one arc.
Also, I want to talk about Higurashi's weird lolicon tendencies in this one. If you've seen my profile or know me, you know that I personally dislike sexualisation of characters in media, let alone young-looking ones, and I expected better from Ryukishi after reading Umineko and assuming that this kind of shit was anime-original for the Higurashi anime. It's a big reason why I read the all-ages version of an originally eroge VN if it doesn't impact the story negatively. I'm not 100% on which of these are console arc inclusions (if any), however not only is Irie weird, but there is also a scene where Keiichi is comparing Rika's (an elementary schooler's) chest to another girl's. WTF. It's really weird to see this when When They Cry (and there weren't many occurrences of this in Umineko, Onikakushi and Watanagashi alone have already surpassed it in terms of times this happens), because they're often cited as "non-weird VNs" in some circles, but then you have this, or other instances where you would be fully justified in considering Ryukishi to be a l*licon (I've seen the Higurashi anime years ago, so I know a few other instances, and IIRC they were approved by Ryukishi or in the original novels).
Overall, I think I would think more highly of this if it wasn't dragged down by the issues I mentioned.
For me, good slice-of-life in a VN has to be one or more of:
1) funny (ex. Majikoi, Little Busters, Grisaia no Kajitsu)
2) meaningful with characterisation or themes (ex. White Album 2)
3) relaxing/atmospheric (ex. Mahoutsukai no Yoru or slice-of-life anime like Bocchi the Rock)
4) all of the above (ex. Utawarerumono 2 and 3)
And Higurashi 1 and 2's SoL isn't any of these. I can't speedread because I keep expecting some important info, so I end up fully focusing on school club, maid cafe or Satoko classroom prank moments, expecting some kind of reason for that, but getting no payoff. It was a lesser problem in Onikakushi because there were fewer lengthy stretches of it, but in Watanagashi it was so dull and boring that I, who usually has no trouble binging entire VNs where the beginning is a lot of SoL before the true story begins, had to take numerous breaks, eventually finishing this arc. When you're used to people shooting each other into the stratosphere for jokes, having unhinged humour or genuinely relaxing and/or thought-provoking conversations in SoL from the numeous VNs you've read, this is bound to not be very impressive. When you have someone who's read as many VNs as I have, the fact that I struggled to continue this is worth mentioning.
Yes, the last part is good. Yes, the psychological stuff is pretty good (though I'd argue not as good as in Onikakushi, it's often drawn-out). Yes, arc 3 is better than this so far. But it's just less impactful when my enjoyment was impacted this much by other elements of the story. And so I have had Higurashi stalled for a very long time just because of this one arc.
Also, I want to talk about Higurashi's weird lolicon tendencies in this one. If you've seen my profile or know me, you know that I personally dislike sexualisation of characters in media, let alone young-looking ones, and I expected better from Ryukishi after reading Umineko and assuming that this kind of shit was anime-original for the Higurashi anime. It's a big reason why I read the all-ages version of an originally eroge VN if it doesn't impact the story negatively. I'm not 100% on which of these are console arc inclusions (if any), however not only is Irie weird, but there is also a scene where Keiichi is comparing Rika's (an elementary schooler's) chest to another girl's. WTF. It's really weird to see this when When They Cry (and there weren't many occurrences of this in Umineko, Onikakushi and Watanagashi alone have already surpassed it in terms of times this happens), because they're often cited as "non-weird VNs" in some circles, but then you have this, or other instances where you would be fully justified in considering Ryukishi to be a l*licon (I've seen the Higurashi anime years ago, so I know a few other instances, and IIRC they were approved by Ryukishi or in the original novels).
Overall, I think I would think more highly of this if it wasn't dragged down by the issues I mentioned.
Ryukishi should just start writing horror novels instead of magical meta bullshit. True Peak Fiction material.
This review contains spoilers
Killing my family and friends cause I didn't get the McDonalds toy #vibes
Also was funny when Keiichi was like actually I think I deserve all this because I trespassed once, should've known that demons would kill everyone I care about if I entered this shack.
Also was funny when Keiichi was like actually I think I deserve all this because I trespassed once, should've known that demons would kill everyone I care about if I entered this shack.
This review contains spoilers
mfw my new favorite game is part 2 of an 8 part visual novel. feel stupid writing about this until i've at least finished the question arcs, and have had some additional distance. this series has made me seriously want to start writing.... i just gotta start doing it lol. absolutely baffling ending to this one, had already wrote to my buds "really glad keiichi got to survive this one" like less than 1k words before his ass got murked again. ryukishi the god
I will forever be indecised if I like Mion or Shion better.
Even though it's still a really enjoyable chapter, it didn't hit nearly as hard as Chapter 1 did. The Slice of Life content is still really good and entertaining and so is the more serious and eerie stuff, but it lacked impact compared to Chapter 1 (it may not be fair to compare it as much but oh well). Considering giving it a 8 due to the weird pacing at times and the lack of impact, but it still deserves a 9. Still great with the introduction of new characters and further setting up the mystery.
Mion Sonozaki
men should just treat women like goddesses
This review contains spoilers
Accompaniment: Televisions by Current Joys
It's becoming more clear that attempting to treat these chapters as if they were their own self-contained entity is folly, but I think I'm still able to say a few words on it as its own story.
For one thing, it's obvious that you should be playing Chapter 1 first to get introduced to all the characters and put you in the right mindset, but besides that I found Chapter 2 to be a heartbreakingly sorrowful tale of a best friend losing her state of mind to a powerful demon. While Chapter 1 is meant to make the reader feel paranoid, Chapter 2 sends them in a state of denial with you learning so much about one particular character and just how deep their emotions and sins go.
Watanagashi stands head-and-shoulders above Onikakushi for me, and earns the oh-so coveted title of Alliecore for one particular reason, and that's Mion's struggle with identity. When Mion first mentioned that sometimes she wonders why she wasn't born as a boy, I joked about it with my friend going like "Mion trans arc??? Based Ryukishi07???" But then the story went on. And as it went on, her struggles with femininity became more than just a simple line and I found myself relating heavily to that.
Mion is for the most part a tomboy, but as Rena mentions, she has an unseen feminine side. I may be different in that I am a trans woman, but I have trouble expressing that I am that. I myself do prefer androgynous clothing simply because it's easy to wear and comfortable, but that means that my identity is invisible to the naked eye of the random observer. The pain I feel in never getting to be called miss or ma'am is enough to break me into tears at night. Especially when my own family thinks I don't make sense. That pain rivals what Mion feels when Keiichi treats her as a boy. While she has different reasons for feeling pain (namely, romantic interest), the message is the same. It's not that she's blaming Keiichi for not treating her the way she wanted, but it doesn't take away from the fact that she's hurt and she wants him to know the pain she feels. I don't want to blame anybody either for their ignorance, but sometimes it's a bit hard when I give clues like my trans-designed sweatshirt or a pin showing my pronouns.
Another point of emotional pain I sustained within this scenario was Keiichi trying to give the doll to Mion after she was fully consumed by her demon. After finally recognizing her and him trying to make up for his blindness, it's too late. Mion stabs him and he drops the doll, soaking it in a pool of its own blood. The doll is a representation of Keiichi seeing Mion for what she is, and it being ruined by blood is a ruin of that perception, the beauty of caring for a best friend marred by the blood of a relentless evil.
I compare that scene to my current state of mind, my deep desires to cut contact off from my non-understanding family and friends that have greatly hurt me clashing against my meek and forgiving personality not wanting to go through with it. I fear that Watanagashi is a reflection of my intrusive thoughts and what happens when they fester. In my case, it is the desire to hurt with words, and with the intensity of hammering 30 nails into one's fingers.
I'll talk real quick about the horror. Definitely not as unsettling as Chapter 1, maybe because I could sort of expect what was to come this time around but the CGs of Mion going insane are going to keep me up at night lmaooo.
Everything just made me yearn much more to want to have a good ending for everyone. But at the same time, I'm also hoping the Chapters 3 and 4 live up to the attachment that Watanagashi had for me towards Mion. I'm also hoping, like, the ending isn't terrible either because this is a goddamn 60 hour time investment and I would be FURIOUS if the ending sucked lmao. Also I find Keiichi to be a massive shithead. I hope future chapters show him growing as a character. But, overall, still very much into this series and I can't wait to finish it!
It's becoming more clear that attempting to treat these chapters as if they were their own self-contained entity is folly, but I think I'm still able to say a few words on it as its own story.
For one thing, it's obvious that you should be playing Chapter 1 first to get introduced to all the characters and put you in the right mindset, but besides that I found Chapter 2 to be a heartbreakingly sorrowful tale of a best friend losing her state of mind to a powerful demon. While Chapter 1 is meant to make the reader feel paranoid, Chapter 2 sends them in a state of denial with you learning so much about one particular character and just how deep their emotions and sins go.
Watanagashi stands head-and-shoulders above Onikakushi for me, and earns the oh-so coveted title of Alliecore for one particular reason, and that's Mion's struggle with identity. When Mion first mentioned that sometimes she wonders why she wasn't born as a boy, I joked about it with my friend going like "Mion trans arc??? Based Ryukishi07???" But then the story went on. And as it went on, her struggles with femininity became more than just a simple line and I found myself relating heavily to that.
Mion is for the most part a tomboy, but as Rena mentions, she has an unseen feminine side. I may be different in that I am a trans woman, but I have trouble expressing that I am that. I myself do prefer androgynous clothing simply because it's easy to wear and comfortable, but that means that my identity is invisible to the naked eye of the random observer. The pain I feel in never getting to be called miss or ma'am is enough to break me into tears at night. Especially when my own family thinks I don't make sense. That pain rivals what Mion feels when Keiichi treats her as a boy. While she has different reasons for feeling pain (namely, romantic interest), the message is the same. It's not that she's blaming Keiichi for not treating her the way she wanted, but it doesn't take away from the fact that she's hurt and she wants him to know the pain she feels. I don't want to blame anybody either for their ignorance, but sometimes it's a bit hard when I give clues like my trans-designed sweatshirt or a pin showing my pronouns.
Another point of emotional pain I sustained within this scenario was Keiichi trying to give the doll to Mion after she was fully consumed by her demon. After finally recognizing her and him trying to make up for his blindness, it's too late. Mion stabs him and he drops the doll, soaking it in a pool of its own blood. The doll is a representation of Keiichi seeing Mion for what she is, and it being ruined by blood is a ruin of that perception, the beauty of caring for a best friend marred by the blood of a relentless evil.
I compare that scene to my current state of mind, my deep desires to cut contact off from my non-understanding family and friends that have greatly hurt me clashing against my meek and forgiving personality not wanting to go through with it. I fear that Watanagashi is a reflection of my intrusive thoughts and what happens when they fester. In my case, it is the desire to hurt with words, and with the intensity of hammering 30 nails into one's fingers.
I'll talk real quick about the horror. Definitely not as unsettling as Chapter 1, maybe because I could sort of expect what was to come this time around but the CGs of Mion going insane are going to keep me up at night lmaooo.
Everything just made me yearn much more to want to have a good ending for everyone. But at the same time, I'm also hoping the Chapters 3 and 4 live up to the attachment that Watanagashi had for me towards Mion. I'm also hoping, like, the ending isn't terrible either because this is a goddamn 60 hour time investment and I would be FURIOUS if the ending sucked lmao. Also I find Keiichi to be a massive shithead. I hope future chapters show him growing as a character. But, overall, still very much into this series and I can't wait to finish it!
This one is just Scooby-Doo if it was evil and demented
it’s alright but CHRIST I HATEE THE SLICE OF LIFE CONTENT
I WANT TO SEE PEOPLE DIE NOT PLAY CARD GAMES FOR 20 HOURS
I WANT TO SEE PEOPLE DIE NOT PLAY CARD GAMES FOR 20 HOURS
Ryukishi vá se foder
This is like watching an episode of Seinfeld except halfway through it George is found dead
horrific. kind of made me feel like an insane person. doesn't have the same dramatic peaks as chapter 1, but had a lot of striking moments that I felt were far more important and really left a mark on me.
once again deducting a star for the slice of life as those scenes this time were particularly teeth-grindingly painful. i hope to never look at angel mort ever again.
once again deducting a star for the slice of life as those scenes this time were particularly teeth-grindingly painful. i hope to never look at angel mort ever again.
keiichi maebara is the stupidest motherfucker to ever exist
A weaker opening act than chapter 1, because it feels like it needlessly reintroduces some elements. But a stronger closing act due to the ability for a second chapter to pick a more central character/focus. Though I prefer chapter 1 more as it can serve as a standalone narrative. Whereas this chapter definitely leaves some stuff that will probably be tackled later. I will probably put my overall thoughts down in my review for the final chapter.
Unless I'm mistaken, I don't believe Gear and Fascism were in chapter 1 though. And those are wonderfully crafted songs. Without this soundtrack as its backdrop, some of the scenes would not evoke the emotion it would have otherwise. I'm curious to see if and how the soundtrack expands in the future.
Unless I'm mistaken, I don't believe Gear and Fascism were in chapter 1 though. And those are wonderfully crafted songs. Without this soundtrack as its backdrop, some of the scenes would not evoke the emotion it would have otherwise. I'm curious to see if and how the soundtrack expands in the future.
NOTE: this is " part two " of an eight-part series as i plan on going through the entirety of the series while reviewing each part as its own separate entity before summarizing my thoughts as a whole on the last part.
i want to preface this review with a bit of an explantion on why this score seems really low yet is still " recommended " and for that, i'll say that watanagashi simply put, is an upwards hill in quality. there's a lot of good things i can say about it but not without ignoring a few nitpicks that ultimately hurt it in the long run which makes for an experience that just ends up being okay. truthfully, chances are if you're read episode one you'll probably still find merit in reading this one and find it as enjoyable as i find it or maybe even more ? i like to think i'm a pretty objective person but the more and more i find myself enamored with this series and its wonderfully developed main cast it gets a bit harder to remain objective in spite of all its appeal. as a result, this review will be written with the context of having already read episode one while also still trying to be spoiler-free for those of you out there who are a little too curious for their own good, and yet again, i HIGHLY recommend not searching up anything related to higurashi online. visual novels, in general, get spoiled pretty easily and i definitely think knowing some of the surprises in this visual novel beforehand will definitely not make for a memorable experience as episode two has a lot of moments that would've lost their impact given previous knowledge of specific events that occur in the later ending segments.
with that out of the way let's get into the meat of this episode ! first off, despite watanagashi focusing solely on my favorite characters, i have a lot of issues with it that largely stem from the fact it is a follow-up to episode two. much like watanagashi's uphill quality, i'll structure this review with my nitpicks first before moving onto what makes this arc pretty captivating and some highlights of this chapter that really stuck with me. given how onikakushi ended, watanagashi sure goes through great lengths to recontextualize the village of hinamizawa again while subtly adding on a bit more to its world piece by piece. unfortunately, this recontextualization also means a lot of backtracking and retreading of info for someone who had previously read episode one which leads to some pretty serious burnout within its opening chapters. i don't really blame ryukishi here though given the context behind watanagashi's actual release. whereas onikakushi was released in august of 2002, watanagashi's release date lies pretty close to the end of the year releasing on december 29th of that same year. watanagashi's retreading makes sense contextually given the overall narrative and also the time of its release as it serves as a sort of refresher for those who had waited for a follow-up to it since finishing onikakushi in august. does this hurt the pacing ? absolutely but i imagine the refresher course to be at least a light bit helpful for those who needed it at the time of release. this backtracking also helps to contextualize those open plot threads from onikakushi as well. given keiichi's fate at the end of episode one, you might be wondering why it seems he's fine in this one. slowly but surely, as the retreading of events ends you'll notice here that there are quite a few clues in between all the subtle differences in the events that occur within the beginning of this arc. while this does make for a pretty neat contextualization on what exactly is occuring, the realization that the events of watanagashi are happening in a separate continuity are something that's established pretty early on in any attentive reader that'll glean that from its opening chapters. this brings up a large nitpick i have with this arc's opening as a whole. at times watanagashi's opening plot revelations and story beats sometimes feel like they're catching up to YOU as opposed to onikakushi's tantalizing narrative structure that lulled you into a false sense of security before throwing you into a psychological horror fueled ending segment that strung the reader along before its climactic tension-fueled ending served a grand finale for what ended up as being a pretty well contained and strong introductory arc. consequently, the pacing for watanagashi feels slow by default because of the narrative having to play catch up with the reader while also still making sure the worldbuilding and context for the events have to remain consistent enough. the reader will have questions like " i wonder why mion's acting so different ? " and " why is the watanagashi festival being brought up again ? " for sure but most of the time i found myself wondering " when is everything going to go downhill again ? ", " when will keiichi hurry up and realize what mistake he's made ? ", and a multitude of questions that are all brought up by the remaining plot threads that were left in the wake of onikakushi's despair driven finale. most importantly, however, the question of " WHEN WILL THESE CLUB ACTIVITIES END ? " permeated my thoughts pretty frequently. i've mentioned it before in my previous review but OH MY GOD it is a bad thing when a KEY fan is complaining about slice of life in a visual novel. these segments drag on forever and hurt the pacing and while these slice of life segments do feature some pretty charming dialogue it is not nearly captivating enough to distract the reader from their knowledge that these peaceful days will not last and it makes the anticipation for ryukishi's ending segments almost soul-crushing. the kids are funny and cute at times ryukishi WE KNOW THIS. anyways, complaining about pacing in a 07th expansion work is like complaining about water being wet. ryukishi does have a reason for these slice of life moments in his distinct style of worldbuilding but it seems like because of the way he contextualizes his worlds, pacing will ALWAYS be an issue for as long as he continues to structure his narrative like this and even more so given the knowledge that the events of higurashi occur in a separate continuity and focus solely on this time loop. maybe all this narrative backtracking is intentional and made to emulate the feeling that the reader themselves are trapped in a time loop as well sure makes for an interesting theory but that honestly feels like such a cope for how poor the pacing is. it's a pretty bad feeling to realize that the arc is ending soon when it just starts to become interesting and unfortunately that's largely how i felt reading through watanagashi prior to its finale. while onikakushi took time to carefully set up its world, watanagashi's narrative backtracking and snail-like pacing at times hurt it greatly making this recontextualization a record low for the series so far.
but i digress, with watanagashi serving as a roller coaster of sorts in quality, with the low lows out of the way, let's talk about the HIGHEST OF HIGHS that comes with this visual novel. i i know i mentioned earlier that the slice of life segments do hurt the pacing in the opening chapters quite a bit given the knowledge the reader has of the events from onikakushi, however, these segments tie together pretty well with the ending and overall feel pretty clever. as for whether or not this pays off for you is largely dependent on your personal mileage with these aforementioned slice of life moments. given the nature of watanagashi's narrative, the main character it focuses on also happens to be my favorite ! mion absolutely steals the show in this episode as well as her twin sister shion ( whose introduction in the vn signals the beginning of the arc's uphill climb in quality ) . the dichotomy of the two twins make for a pretty interesting narrative and subplot that branches into the overall main narrative of watanagashi pretty well. through shion, we see that softer side of mion as well as all her insecurities. keiichi grows a lot through his interactions with shion all while unknowingly pushing mion further and further away. in a way, watanagashi makes for an interesting character study of mion and what she means to keiichi. if anything, this arc only helps to strengthen the appeal of its ensemble cast and mion's motivations behind her friendship for keiichi are refreshingly clear cut and make for some pretty neat revelations for an already great character. it goes without saying that shion, rena, rika, satoko, and of course ooishi also shine in this chapter as well as the arc explores their different sides as well despite those intricacies not being a focus within the narrative at all but add up for some pretty interesting characterization. after the vn moves past the watanagashi festival with its minor differences, the seemingly peaceful façade of the arc slowly crumbles and you start to see ryukishi settle into his groove with the pacing taking a sharp turn in balance and nuance with the reader slowly playing into the palm of his hand. i'd like to yet again reaffirm that if ryukishi's ending segments weren't so darn captivating i don't think i'd give higurashi a lot of my praise otherwise. ryukishi absolutely nails the tension and atmosphere of these penultimate moments and the rising action within the narrative is greatly enhanced with the superb sound design driving that tension and terror home without the use of cheap techniques like jumpscares. i'd also like to take this time to mention something i neglected in my previous review. if you are reading higurashi i'd greatly recommend taking some time to install the 07th mod as the voice acting performances are definitely worth the extra storage space. mion, rena, ooishi, and keiichi's voice actors are absolutely fantastic in this arc and deliver some incredible performances. it'd be an absolute crime to not hear these voices and these performances absolutely enhance the narrative given the nuance that comes with voice acting. as for the grand finale, watanagashi is pretty reserved in comparison to the despair-driven finale that was onikakushi, but i wouldn't have it any other way. watanagashi as a whole feels pretty reserved and its finale in spite of all the moments of terror is pretty solemn and almost poignant at times. depite the ending being pretty tension-filled there's a lot of sadness in its final moments and that finality is amplified with keiichi himself making peace with his fate at the end. while this doesn't nearly add up to as crazy of an ending as onikakushi it sure still makes for a hell of an experience. despite finishing it a few hours earlier at the time of writing this review, watanagashi's final moments stuck with me the more and more i thought about it. another thing to note about this last act, is that while onikakushi suggested that the threat of oyashiro-sama's curse was largely human, watanagashi seems to suggest otherwise that this demonic possesion is very much real. as for what it means thematically, ryukishi's characterization in this arc very well seems to suggest that oyashiro's curse is not spirtual but latent within everyone as humans will inevitably give into despair and that there is a darkeness within everyone. while it might be a stretch to assume this based on just my own thoughts, i like to think that this idea makes for a pretty interesting perspective on watanagashi in retrospect. it's a nearly perfect resolution of all the episodes events while still leaving enticing plot threads that remain to be resolved in higurashi's next installment.
watanagashi is by no means a perfect follow-up to onikakushi but maybe that's okay. it's reserved and almost muted in comparison but the latter half almost more than makes up for the sum of its faults. watangashi is poignant, solemn, and a perfect encapsulation of the series' greatest strengths and also its faults. it's deeply flawed yet captivating, making for an enticing character study that moves the narrative along of its own volition to both its benefit and detriment. there's a certain dichotomy presented between the sonozaki twins that i think perfectly sums up how i feel about this episode as a whole. things are not always as they seem and there is always a good and bad side to people. simply put, there's a lot to love about watanagashi and an equal amount to be utterly disappointed by. some of the highest highs are here as well as the lowest lows i've read so far. while your mileage might vary, at the end of the day i still enjoyed what i read. mion is one of my favorite characters in higurashi and maybe that's why i felt more strongly about watanagashi as a follow-up. i had expectations and not all of them were met but that's fine. watanagashi is still captivating despite its faults but i can't in good conscience let blind favoritism towards my favorite character overshadow my largely objective faults i have with this episode. if you enjoyed onikakushi should you read it ? absolutely. i have no doubt that anyone who finished episode one would stop there and i don't think anyone who reads watanagashi will stop here either. i'm looking forward to seeing more of what ryukishi has in store for us and if anything watanagashi has taught me to temper my expectations for the grand finale that has yet to come.
PS: in case you've missed it, i've also linked my review of episode one: onikakushi here below !
EPISODE ONE: ONIKAKUSHI REVIEW: https://www.backloggd.com/u/mits/review/82290/
i want to preface this review with a bit of an explantion on why this score seems really low yet is still " recommended " and for that, i'll say that watanagashi simply put, is an upwards hill in quality. there's a lot of good things i can say about it but not without ignoring a few nitpicks that ultimately hurt it in the long run which makes for an experience that just ends up being okay. truthfully, chances are if you're read episode one you'll probably still find merit in reading this one and find it as enjoyable as i find it or maybe even more ? i like to think i'm a pretty objective person but the more and more i find myself enamored with this series and its wonderfully developed main cast it gets a bit harder to remain objective in spite of all its appeal. as a result, this review will be written with the context of having already read episode one while also still trying to be spoiler-free for those of you out there who are a little too curious for their own good, and yet again, i HIGHLY recommend not searching up anything related to higurashi online. visual novels, in general, get spoiled pretty easily and i definitely think knowing some of the surprises in this visual novel beforehand will definitely not make for a memorable experience as episode two has a lot of moments that would've lost their impact given previous knowledge of specific events that occur in the later ending segments.
with that out of the way let's get into the meat of this episode ! first off, despite watanagashi focusing solely on my favorite characters, i have a lot of issues with it that largely stem from the fact it is a follow-up to episode two. much like watanagashi's uphill quality, i'll structure this review with my nitpicks first before moving onto what makes this arc pretty captivating and some highlights of this chapter that really stuck with me. given how onikakushi ended, watanagashi sure goes through great lengths to recontextualize the village of hinamizawa again while subtly adding on a bit more to its world piece by piece. unfortunately, this recontextualization also means a lot of backtracking and retreading of info for someone who had previously read episode one which leads to some pretty serious burnout within its opening chapters. i don't really blame ryukishi here though given the context behind watanagashi's actual release. whereas onikakushi was released in august of 2002, watanagashi's release date lies pretty close to the end of the year releasing on december 29th of that same year. watanagashi's retreading makes sense contextually given the overall narrative and also the time of its release as it serves as a sort of refresher for those who had waited for a follow-up to it since finishing onikakushi in august. does this hurt the pacing ? absolutely but i imagine the refresher course to be at least a light bit helpful for those who needed it at the time of release. this backtracking also helps to contextualize those open plot threads from onikakushi as well. given keiichi's fate at the end of episode one, you might be wondering why it seems he's fine in this one. slowly but surely, as the retreading of events ends you'll notice here that there are quite a few clues in between all the subtle differences in the events that occur within the beginning of this arc. while this does make for a pretty neat contextualization on what exactly is occuring, the realization that the events of watanagashi are happening in a separate continuity are something that's established pretty early on in any attentive reader that'll glean that from its opening chapters. this brings up a large nitpick i have with this arc's opening as a whole. at times watanagashi's opening plot revelations and story beats sometimes feel like they're catching up to YOU as opposed to onikakushi's tantalizing narrative structure that lulled you into a false sense of security before throwing you into a psychological horror fueled ending segment that strung the reader along before its climactic tension-fueled ending served a grand finale for what ended up as being a pretty well contained and strong introductory arc. consequently, the pacing for watanagashi feels slow by default because of the narrative having to play catch up with the reader while also still making sure the worldbuilding and context for the events have to remain consistent enough. the reader will have questions like " i wonder why mion's acting so different ? " and " why is the watanagashi festival being brought up again ? " for sure but most of the time i found myself wondering " when is everything going to go downhill again ? ", " when will keiichi hurry up and realize what mistake he's made ? ", and a multitude of questions that are all brought up by the remaining plot threads that were left in the wake of onikakushi's despair driven finale. most importantly, however, the question of " WHEN WILL THESE CLUB ACTIVITIES END ? " permeated my thoughts pretty frequently. i've mentioned it before in my previous review but OH MY GOD it is a bad thing when a KEY fan is complaining about slice of life in a visual novel. these segments drag on forever and hurt the pacing and while these slice of life segments do feature some pretty charming dialogue it is not nearly captivating enough to distract the reader from their knowledge that these peaceful days will not last and it makes the anticipation for ryukishi's ending segments almost soul-crushing. the kids are funny and cute at times ryukishi WE KNOW THIS. anyways, complaining about pacing in a 07th expansion work is like complaining about water being wet. ryukishi does have a reason for these slice of life moments in his distinct style of worldbuilding but it seems like because of the way he contextualizes his worlds, pacing will ALWAYS be an issue for as long as he continues to structure his narrative like this and even more so given the knowledge that the events of higurashi occur in a separate continuity and focus solely on this time loop. maybe all this narrative backtracking is intentional and made to emulate the feeling that the reader themselves are trapped in a time loop as well sure makes for an interesting theory but that honestly feels like such a cope for how poor the pacing is. it's a pretty bad feeling to realize that the arc is ending soon when it just starts to become interesting and unfortunately that's largely how i felt reading through watanagashi prior to its finale. while onikakushi took time to carefully set up its world, watanagashi's narrative backtracking and snail-like pacing at times hurt it greatly making this recontextualization a record low for the series so far.
but i digress, with watanagashi serving as a roller coaster of sorts in quality, with the low lows out of the way, let's talk about the HIGHEST OF HIGHS that comes with this visual novel. i i know i mentioned earlier that the slice of life segments do hurt the pacing in the opening chapters quite a bit given the knowledge the reader has of the events from onikakushi, however, these segments tie together pretty well with the ending and overall feel pretty clever. as for whether or not this pays off for you is largely dependent on your personal mileage with these aforementioned slice of life moments. given the nature of watanagashi's narrative, the main character it focuses on also happens to be my favorite ! mion absolutely steals the show in this episode as well as her twin sister shion ( whose introduction in the vn signals the beginning of the arc's uphill climb in quality ) . the dichotomy of the two twins make for a pretty interesting narrative and subplot that branches into the overall main narrative of watanagashi pretty well. through shion, we see that softer side of mion as well as all her insecurities. keiichi grows a lot through his interactions with shion all while unknowingly pushing mion further and further away. in a way, watanagashi makes for an interesting character study of mion and what she means to keiichi. if anything, this arc only helps to strengthen the appeal of its ensemble cast and mion's motivations behind her friendship for keiichi are refreshingly clear cut and make for some pretty neat revelations for an already great character. it goes without saying that shion, rena, rika, satoko, and of course ooishi also shine in this chapter as well as the arc explores their different sides as well despite those intricacies not being a focus within the narrative at all but add up for some pretty interesting characterization. after the vn moves past the watanagashi festival with its minor differences, the seemingly peaceful façade of the arc slowly crumbles and you start to see ryukishi settle into his groove with the pacing taking a sharp turn in balance and nuance with the reader slowly playing into the palm of his hand. i'd like to yet again reaffirm that if ryukishi's ending segments weren't so darn captivating i don't think i'd give higurashi a lot of my praise otherwise. ryukishi absolutely nails the tension and atmosphere of these penultimate moments and the rising action within the narrative is greatly enhanced with the superb sound design driving that tension and terror home without the use of cheap techniques like jumpscares. i'd also like to take this time to mention something i neglected in my previous review. if you are reading higurashi i'd greatly recommend taking some time to install the 07th mod as the voice acting performances are definitely worth the extra storage space. mion, rena, ooishi, and keiichi's voice actors are absolutely fantastic in this arc and deliver some incredible performances. it'd be an absolute crime to not hear these voices and these performances absolutely enhance the narrative given the nuance that comes with voice acting. as for the grand finale, watanagashi is pretty reserved in comparison to the despair-driven finale that was onikakushi, but i wouldn't have it any other way. watanagashi as a whole feels pretty reserved and its finale in spite of all the moments of terror is pretty solemn and almost poignant at times. depite the ending being pretty tension-filled there's a lot of sadness in its final moments and that finality is amplified with keiichi himself making peace with his fate at the end. while this doesn't nearly add up to as crazy of an ending as onikakushi it sure still makes for a hell of an experience. despite finishing it a few hours earlier at the time of writing this review, watanagashi's final moments stuck with me the more and more i thought about it. another thing to note about this last act, is that while onikakushi suggested that the threat of oyashiro-sama's curse was largely human, watanagashi seems to suggest otherwise that this demonic possesion is very much real. as for what it means thematically, ryukishi's characterization in this arc very well seems to suggest that oyashiro's curse is not spirtual but latent within everyone as humans will inevitably give into despair and that there is a darkeness within everyone. while it might be a stretch to assume this based on just my own thoughts, i like to think that this idea makes for a pretty interesting perspective on watanagashi in retrospect. it's a nearly perfect resolution of all the episodes events while still leaving enticing plot threads that remain to be resolved in higurashi's next installment.
watanagashi is by no means a perfect follow-up to onikakushi but maybe that's okay. it's reserved and almost muted in comparison but the latter half almost more than makes up for the sum of its faults. watangashi is poignant, solemn, and a perfect encapsulation of the series' greatest strengths and also its faults. it's deeply flawed yet captivating, making for an enticing character study that moves the narrative along of its own volition to both its benefit and detriment. there's a certain dichotomy presented between the sonozaki twins that i think perfectly sums up how i feel about this episode as a whole. things are not always as they seem and there is always a good and bad side to people. simply put, there's a lot to love about watanagashi and an equal amount to be utterly disappointed by. some of the highest highs are here as well as the lowest lows i've read so far. while your mileage might vary, at the end of the day i still enjoyed what i read. mion is one of my favorite characters in higurashi and maybe that's why i felt more strongly about watanagashi as a follow-up. i had expectations and not all of them were met but that's fine. watanagashi is still captivating despite its faults but i can't in good conscience let blind favoritism towards my favorite character overshadow my largely objective faults i have with this episode. if you enjoyed onikakushi should you read it ? absolutely. i have no doubt that anyone who finished episode one would stop there and i don't think anyone who reads watanagashi will stop here either. i'm looking forward to seeing more of what ryukishi has in store for us and if anything watanagashi has taught me to temper my expectations for the grand finale that has yet to come.
PS: in case you've missed it, i've also linked my review of episode one: onikakushi here below !
EPISODE ONE: ONIKAKUSHI REVIEW: https://www.backloggd.com/u/mits/review/82290/
This review contains spoilers
If ch. 1 is all about dread and paranoia, ch. 2 is about pure horror and regret. There are moments like the first chapter with a sudden pointed question that destabilises us; some aspects of the plot purposefully misdirect us and throw our sense of reality for a loop. But it doesn't finish off with a sort of inevitability, anxiety; it stops and stops and stops — each new ending in the story just ramping the horror up and asking more and more supernatural questions about the world as a whole. In this story it didn't feel so much like "are we crazy?" as "how true are these outrageous things in every other story?" Nearly the entire cast is dead, and the bleakness of the story and its resigned laughter play better with the world than the last story's ending, I think, which just asked some questions that happened after the events of the story, offscreen...
Between that and the slice of life having a nicer balance (though still somewhat outstaying its welcome...) it executes more strongly than the first chapter, though the first chapter had to introduce these characters; this chapter can just hit the ground running, after all...
I slept with the lights on last night.
Between that and the slice of life having a nicer balance (though still somewhat outstaying its welcome...) it executes more strongly than the first chapter, though the first chapter had to introduce these characters; this chapter can just hit the ground running, after all...
I slept with the lights on last night.
This one was a wild ride, honestly. As context, I did watch the anime when I was a teen, and so I've been comparing my blurry memories of the goofy ass horror faces to the actual events of the VNs, and... man! I don't know if the anime misrepresented the story or if I was just too young and dumb to get it, but up until the very last scene, I didn't find the horror elements of this one really scary. I mostly found it deeply tragic, honestly--the friendship between Keiichi and Mion and how it went horribly wrong really got to me, as did the segments delving into his guilt. This one really got the waterworks going.
And that's even with the fact that I chose to switch to the goofy mitten hands original sprites on a whim! I actually really like them, there's kind of a vibe to them that appeals to me. I don't really blame anyone for not putting up with them but there's a sort of "this art is really unskilled but somehow it conveys emotion really well" charm to me! I guess part of it helps me focus on the text effects and the sound more, which had some great stuff going on in this chapter. I'm going to be real, whenever I read a VN I deeply love an unhinged autoscroll segment where the entire screen fills up with text outside of your control. That shit's great.
I will admit that some of the early 2000s comedy was a lot rougher in this one, though. The Angel Mort stuff nearly made me quit, although I did appreciate my reward in getting through that and getting to the Actual Great Content of the games club activating their gremlin mode. Keiichi's inability to accept the fact that twins exist in the first half stretches credulity a bit but I'm willing to give him a bit of leeway in terms of his bad stupid decisions because he's fourteen years old boy. He is a goddamn baby, he's allowed to be a little stupid. My dear sweet high int low wis son boy, I can't wait to see how you die horribly in the third chapter.
And that's even with the fact that I chose to switch to the goofy mitten hands original sprites on a whim! I actually really like them, there's kind of a vibe to them that appeals to me. I don't really blame anyone for not putting up with them but there's a sort of "this art is really unskilled but somehow it conveys emotion really well" charm to me! I guess part of it helps me focus on the text effects and the sound more, which had some great stuff going on in this chapter. I'm going to be real, whenever I read a VN I deeply love an unhinged autoscroll segment where the entire screen fills up with text outside of your control. That shit's great.
I will admit that some of the early 2000s comedy was a lot rougher in this one, though. The Angel Mort stuff nearly made me quit, although I did appreciate my reward in getting through that and getting to the Actual Great Content of the games club activating their gremlin mode. Keiichi's inability to accept the fact that twins exist in the first half stretches credulity a bit but I'm willing to give him a bit of leeway in terms of his bad stupid decisions because he's fourteen years old boy. He is a goddamn baby, he's allowed to be a little stupid. My dear sweet high int low wis son boy, I can't wait to see how you die horribly in the third chapter.
Second chapter in the Higurashi novel series.
I prefer the first one but in this one you learn a lot of stuff and the ending is way crazier, also Fascism.
I prefer the first one but in this one you learn a lot of stuff and the ending is way crazier, also Fascism.
I hate cute girls doing cute things.
How can this be so immersive i cannot tell. A really complete and well thought horror writing. Deserved recognition.
I am easily scared, so yeah i screamed a little louder than i should have... The thing is i was hating the slice of life part and now i just want to stay forever. The "Extra" where the characters discuss theories and the story so far is very fun, really cool idea (you will not bait me to believe in their theories!)
I just want cute girls doing cute things... no more creepy story please...
How can this be so immersive i cannot tell. A really complete and well thought horror writing. Deserved recognition.
I am easily scared, so yeah i screamed a little louder than i should have... The thing is i was hating the slice of life part and now i just want to stay forever. The "Extra" where the characters discuss theories and the story so far is very fun, really cool idea (you will not bait me to believe in their theories!)
I just want cute girls doing cute things... no more creepy story please...
Cuck (2002) - Starring Mion Sonozaki
has some neat moments and learnt more stuff but i thought chapter 1 was wayyy better overall