This review contains spoilers
This was my favorite arc when I first watched the anime version of Higurashi, so I was excited to read the original version since all the previous arcs have been significantly better as VNs. Overall it definitely met my expectations, though in some aspects I feel that the anime was actually better paced.
The OST takes another huge step up, since kai is when dai first started composing some of the tracks. "You" playing for the first time ever in the credits hits super hard. My favorite track was "Festivals," basically every scene using it was pure peak, particularly the fight with Rika and the Mion screaming match that followed. The voice acting (with the 07th mod) is fantastic the whole way through, especially Shion.
Shion is easily one of the most interesting and nuanced characters to receive a POV in Higurashi. She's a lot more openly flawed compared to the rest of the main cast, who are mostly great people with some caveats. Shion meanwhile is flagrantly arrogant, rude, and greedy (she's just like me fr). This greed is the primary driver of conflict for the entire arc, being the cause of her hyperfixation on Satoshi and everything surrounding him, as well as laying the foundation for her conflict with Mion over their birthright. Her blatant hatred for Satoko (again stemming from greed) also really makes her stick out compared to all the heartjaks around her. She's overall just really riveting to read through, especially as she becomes more manipulative and unhinged throughout the arc. Watching her develop a sort of rivalry with Rena along the way was also great.
Meakashi is divided into two sections, one for 1982 and one for 1983. The first half is a fun read, especially since its so close to before Keiichi first shows up, making it more contemporary than the Akasaka experience from the prior arc. Satoshi is goofy and likeable, and his and Shion's relationship is really sweet to read. It's nice to see his and Satoko's bond as well, especially after how much he gets gassed up in Tatarigoroshi. I loved the fingernail scene towards the end of this half, as well as Shion and Mion's reconciliation.
Probably the worst part of Meakashi is the transition from 82 to 83, which feels kind of rushed. Shion and Keiichi's first meeting is funny, but the segment is definitely slapdash and just trying to get to the Watanagashi.
83 is a rollercoaster. Shion is the best L5 character to watch and it's not even close. She's cunning, manipulative, and cocky all the way through. She always reminded me of something like Vegeta on Namek, it's all really just the perfect role for her. Her revenge quest and desire to find the truth makes her significantly more sympathetic on first viewing, even though her methods are extreme. When I first watched this blind, I was rooting for her to uproot the corruption from its source and to find the truth behind the string of deaths. Her murders of the 3 heads were all enthralling, especially Rika's section. Watching her just gaslight Keiichi throughout the entire arc makes it way funnier too.
The second half of 83 is where you really lose any sympathy you might've garnered for Shion, as her hatred for Satoko rises back to the forefront. There's like a 5-10 minute long torture scene that's just painful to get through. The conclusion to that scene with Satoko's resolve is fantastic though, and honestly was better development for Satoko than even the entirety of Tatarigoroshi imo. It was very heartwarming to read, especially considering what happened literally right before it. It's also cool to watch Shion become exactly what she hated, doing to Satoko exactly what she suspected her family of doing to Satoshi.
The side plot about Shion reclaiming her birthright as Mion is excellently sprinkled throughout the arc, and I really can't believe it was something that the anime decided to exclude entirely. It not only adds significantly more depth to the entire arc, but also completely recontextualizes Mion and Shion as characters.
The main negative I can say about this arc is that it's one of few that gets a little worse upon reread. Part of my initial appeal to this story was being excited to learn with Shion as she uncovered the corruption in the village and dealt with it from the source, but when you actually know the causes it makes the arc feel a lot more futile and tragic (though that can arguably make it better depending on your perspective). It is cool to see how she got relatively close to figuring things out before falling to paranoia though, and then having to completely reconsider her perspective after Mion's confession towards the end.
The final scene with the balcony is also incredible, watching that and then going into the credits with You playing was an incredibly memorable experience. I'd put it right up with Tatarigoroshi's ending as one of my favorite Higurashi moments. I also love the post-credits scene at the school.
Overall its still my favorite arc, Shion is just such an entertaining protagonist to read as. It's a crime that she really didn't get to do much after this point, and she's immediately shafted again as soon as the next arc. It's still a fantastic experience nonetheless though.
The OST takes another huge step up, since kai is when dai first started composing some of the tracks. "You" playing for the first time ever in the credits hits super hard. My favorite track was "Festivals," basically every scene using it was pure peak, particularly the fight with Rika and the Mion screaming match that followed. The voice acting (with the 07th mod) is fantastic the whole way through, especially Shion.
Shion is easily one of the most interesting and nuanced characters to receive a POV in Higurashi. She's a lot more openly flawed compared to the rest of the main cast, who are mostly great people with some caveats. Shion meanwhile is flagrantly arrogant, rude, and greedy (she's just like me fr). This greed is the primary driver of conflict for the entire arc, being the cause of her hyperfixation on Satoshi and everything surrounding him, as well as laying the foundation for her conflict with Mion over their birthright. Her blatant hatred for Satoko (again stemming from greed) also really makes her stick out compared to all the heartjaks around her. She's overall just really riveting to read through, especially as she becomes more manipulative and unhinged throughout the arc. Watching her develop a sort of rivalry with Rena along the way was also great.
Meakashi is divided into two sections, one for 1982 and one for 1983. The first half is a fun read, especially since its so close to before Keiichi first shows up, making it more contemporary than the Akasaka experience from the prior arc. Satoshi is goofy and likeable, and his and Shion's relationship is really sweet to read. It's nice to see his and Satoko's bond as well, especially after how much he gets gassed up in Tatarigoroshi. I loved the fingernail scene towards the end of this half, as well as Shion and Mion's reconciliation.
Probably the worst part of Meakashi is the transition from 82 to 83, which feels kind of rushed. Shion and Keiichi's first meeting is funny, but the segment is definitely slapdash and just trying to get to the Watanagashi.
83 is a rollercoaster. Shion is the best L5 character to watch and it's not even close. She's cunning, manipulative, and cocky all the way through. She always reminded me of something like Vegeta on Namek, it's all really just the perfect role for her. Her revenge quest and desire to find the truth makes her significantly more sympathetic on first viewing, even though her methods are extreme. When I first watched this blind, I was rooting for her to uproot the corruption from its source and to find the truth behind the string of deaths. Her murders of the 3 heads were all enthralling, especially Rika's section. Watching her just gaslight Keiichi throughout the entire arc makes it way funnier too.
The second half of 83 is where you really lose any sympathy you might've garnered for Shion, as her hatred for Satoko rises back to the forefront. There's like a 5-10 minute long torture scene that's just painful to get through. The conclusion to that scene with Satoko's resolve is fantastic though, and honestly was better development for Satoko than even the entirety of Tatarigoroshi imo. It was very heartwarming to read, especially considering what happened literally right before it. It's also cool to watch Shion become exactly what she hated, doing to Satoko exactly what she suspected her family of doing to Satoshi.
The side plot about Shion reclaiming her birthright as Mion is excellently sprinkled throughout the arc, and I really can't believe it was something that the anime decided to exclude entirely. It not only adds significantly more depth to the entire arc, but also completely recontextualizes Mion and Shion as characters.
The main negative I can say about this arc is that it's one of few that gets a little worse upon reread. Part of my initial appeal to this story was being excited to learn with Shion as she uncovered the corruption in the village and dealt with it from the source, but when you actually know the causes it makes the arc feel a lot more futile and tragic (though that can arguably make it better depending on your perspective). It is cool to see how she got relatively close to figuring things out before falling to paranoia though, and then having to completely reconsider her perspective after Mion's confession towards the end.
The final scene with the balcony is also incredible, watching that and then going into the credits with You playing was an incredibly memorable experience. I'd put it right up with Tatarigoroshi's ending as one of my favorite Higurashi moments. I also love the post-credits scene at the school.
Overall its still my favorite arc, Shion is just such an entertaining protagonist to read as. It's a crime that she really didn't get to do much after this point, and she's immediately shafted again as soon as the next arc. It's still a fantastic experience nonetheless though.
2 Comments
it's all peak frankly
dr_awesome
4 months ago