Review of Higurashi: When They Cry – Kai

If you haven't seen the first season, Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni, "Kai" will make almost as little sense to you without watching the first one as the watching the first one without watching Kai afterwards does. For those who loved the gore in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, I'm sorry to tell you, that if you were looking forward to another twenty-four episodes of eviscerated adolescence and chopped loli then you are in for a disappointment; Kai focuses primarily on giving the viewers a satisfying answer and summarization of the questions and mysteries aroused in the first season. Every once in a great while,there's an anime that completely alters your perception of what constitutes a "masterpiece." For me, one of those anime was Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (Kai). The greatest problem found within the walls of any mystery conceived is that within those boundaries there must be an answer, a solution to that mystery. In Higurashi's 1st season, the plot strung us along, sliding us down the merry chute of deceit greased with the blood of torn up moe archetypes - shooting us out the other end so fast that there was a good chance you could have missed the clues to what was building up just beyond the ending credits. Obfuscation was Higurashi's greatest strength. It's a show that gets you asking the wrong questions so you end up missing the obvious right answers. Kai moves slightly away from that and focuses primarily on on the brief theories on the Hinamizawa syndrome touched upon in the first series and runs with and adds considerably too that, making for story which is much more "external" in nature. The 2 seasons function like a mystery followed up by a solution. Higurashi is a real feat in many regards. First, lots of deep thinking and meticulous planning has clearly gone into the show. What we've got out of it is an outstandingly well written plot that’s both elaborate and almost completely seamless with hardly any plot-holes. While there are some things that this sequel lacks (nothing can be perfect right?), it does is bring the mystery full circle, and it also gives the audience the answers that we barely got a mere hint of in the first series. Pacing is not an issue and to call it riveting would not be an understatement. The characters remain and the individuality and sympathies that the first season built up remain strong even without the focus they received in the first season. Even when the antagonist is revealed they are not taken for granted and receive characterization and a back story that make them perhaps one of the most sympathetic and interesting villains that anime has to offer - too evil to support but I found myself not wanting anyone to lose either. The ingenious character development in season 1 followed through into Kai once more. I must mention that, it’s the newly revealed antagonist who is Kai's most fascinating and dynamic character. I've always thought that well rounded and developed antagonists make the most interesting conflicts (I love villains). In Kai we get a character with a deep past and clear motivations, but we’re never annoyed by a plea for sympathy. What we have instead is a genuine character study; the antagonist is evil, but they are motivated by things which are distinctly human (Kind of like Light Yagami from Death Note).

Furthermore, the animation in Kai was decent, a step-up from the first season. The characters, dark setting, and backgrounds were all beautiful yet sinister, but art was never Higurashi's strong point. The music was needless to say spectacular, with all the tragic, tear-jerking piano pieces. As expected of Kawai Kenji, an amazing composer, although there were some pieces of music that played at times when the music didn't fit in with the scene. As for the openings, they fit in right with the anime, spooky, gloomy, and sinister describes it! Go to youtube and listen to "Dear You" on the piano ~ Beautiful.

I definitely enjoyed this series to it's max, but there were some things that disappointed me such as the comic relief being dropped at the most inappropriate of times (too much useless talking). The finale though just amazing, it provides a fitting end to the grand tale of Higurashi no Naku Koro. Higurashi is a true epic and one of the few mystery anime that has a set of solutions that do justice to the initial questions (absolutely genius). Furthermore Higurashi no Naku Koro delves into a deeper theme beyond the front story, regarding human nature, and bonds of friendship/trust. Genius. I conclude this review by recommending those who haven't seen Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Kai to watch it, for although it does lack the "violence, gore" of the first season, it prospers in "themes, and answers".