Completed Anime
Higurashi: When They Cry

“Newcomer Keiichi uncovers Hinamizawa's dark secrets as friends hide murders tied to a cursed festival.”

Higurashi: When They Cry

7.87
959 rank · 854,423 viewers · 22,124 favorites
Horror Mystery Suspense Gore Psychological
26 episodes · 24 min per ep min · Spring 2006 · Studio Deen · R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
For you

Add Higurashi: When They Cry to your library

Add to library
Episodes · 26 26/26 aired
EP 01 EP 26

Would You Love or Hate This?

AI-powered analysis tailored to your taste

Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...

However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...

Sign up to unlock
Personalized to you
Honest pros & cons
Based on your library
Get Your Personal Analysis

Synopsis

Newcomer Keiichi uncovers Hinamizawa's dark secrets as friends hide murders tied to a cursed festival.

Keiichi Maebara has just moved to the quiet little village of Hinamizawa in the summer of 1983, and quickly becomes inseparable friends with schoolmates Rena Ryuuguu, Mion Sonozaki, Satoko Houjou, and Rika Furude. However, darkness lurks underneath the seemingly idyllic life they lead. As the village prepares for its annual festival, Keiichi learns about the local legends surrounding it. To his horror, he discovers that there have been several murders and disappearances in the village in the recent years, and that they all seem to be connected to the festival and the village's patron god, Oyashiro. Keiichi tries to ask his new friends about these incidents, but they are suspiciously silent and refuse to give him the answers he needs. As more and more bizarre events occur, he wonders just what else his friends might be keeping from him, and if he can even trust them at all. When madness and paranoia begin taking root in Keiichi's heart, he will stumble straight into the mysteries at work in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, a story that is told across multiple arcs.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

What people say

Community consensus

Derived from 313 sampled reviews

8.4 /10

What 313 viewers settled on.

93% recommend
Score distribution
median 9 mode 10 σ 1.90
1510
Agreement

Polarized

σ 1.90 · split reception

split
The polarity gap

6.3 pts

Recommenders 9.0 · others 2.7

Yes
No
Score over time

↓ 1.58

Running avg · Jul 2007 → Jul 2025

Watch Order & Related

Explore the Higurashi: When They Cry universe

Trailers & videos

See all →

If you stay for this, you'll stay for these

See all →

The community pairs this with

See all →

Production slate

A Tv Production · Spring 2006

Studio Deen.
in association with

Frontier Works · Sotsu

  • Format 26 × 24′ eps × min
  • Total runtime 10h 24m all episodes
  • Aired Apr 2006 – Sep 2006 Spring 2006
  • Source Tv media type
  • Rated R 17+ (violence & profanity)
  • Ref. BS-0847 catalog

Produced by

Licensed by

In the news

See all →