Higurashi (When They Cry)

Higurashi, dubbed as When They Cry, is the ultimate in psychological horror anime. I’m including both seasons of Higurashi in this review, since they have only minor differences. Both series have the same frantic, intriguing, and edgy feel to them.

I became aware of Higurashi due to the clip of the character laughing at various awkward moments and carnage on YouTube. What were they laughing at? What was making them crazy? When They Cry has a mystery that’s slowly revealed as the series progresses.

At a small school in the village of Hinamizawa, a club of students play games. Little do any of them know that they’re actually stuck in a time loop, where terrible things keep on happening to them. Each arc in the first season explores one of the friends slowly going homicidally mad, while also revealing more about shocking past of Hinamizawa. The second season gradually explains what’s going on, as they try to work together toward a way out.

Higurashi has excellent opening themes, and the rest of the sound is good, if somewhat intentionally sparse. The designs and artwork are all modern and soaked in blood. If you have the stomach for it, Higurashi