Higurashi no Naku Koro ni or When They Cry is based on a soft visual novel created by 07th Expansion.
Studio Deen produced the first anime adaptation of Higurashi in 2006. It was a 26 episodes series and was followed by a 24 episode sequel in 2007. An OVA was released in August 2013.
1. Release Date
In January 2020, 07th Expansion and Kadokawa announced that a new anime project by Passione was in production. The new project was later revealed to be a reboot of the Higurashi series.
According to the official website and Twitter account of the anime, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (2020) anime is slated to air in October 1, 2020 and will run for a duration of 24 episodes.
Production, cast, staff, and the first promotional video for the new When They Cry anime project was revealed in a trailer. The main staff and cast from the series are going to reprise their roles for the 2020 anime.
The PV of the anime states that it would premiere in July 2020, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the release was postponed to October 2020. Once the information regarding the premiere date is released, we will update this article.
Broadcast time decided! The new project ‘Higurashi no Naku Koro ni’ broadcasting is scheduled to start in October 2020. Thank you all for waiting
English Translation, Twitter Translate
The audience is happy to know that the new project is a reboot. Eager fans will note that the new reboot will contain story arcs that were not there in the original anime.
Now that we know that there is a confirmed remake coming in October, below is everything that we know about the upcoming installment.
2. Theory Section
Why should we look forward to this anime? Let’s look into the technical details such as the animation, the studio, and its popularity to check what influences the production of ‘Higurashi no Naku Koro ni: When They Cry (2020)’.
I. About the Studio
The reboot of the Higurashi anime is going to be produced by Passione Studio. They have created anime series like High School DxD, Interspecies Reviewers, Rail Wars, and more.
Keiichiro Kawaguchi is taking up the mantle of the director. He has works like Hayate the Combat Butler, SKET Dance, Hunter x Hunter: The Last Mission under his belt.
II. Financial Statistics
The manga of the visual novel series sold 8 million copies by 2008. It ranked in the top 25 Manga sold in the first quarter of 2009. In Japan, the novel ranked as the 19th best seller in 2008-09.
III. Animation Quality
Studio Deen did a good job of animating the disturbing and graphic scenes, perfectly adapting the visual novel. It helps in driving the fact that the series is a horror and not a harem home, no matter how many girls flock around the male character.
The innocent, happy sounds are complemented with bright backgrounds. The way the series starts completely does a 180 at the end of the first episode is shocking.
The show doesn’t hold back in showcasing its gruesome and pulpy details of human executions. The scenes are sadistic, over-the-top, and dramatic. The show revels in showing the audience the cruelty in human nature.
IV. Was Higurashi no Naku Koro ni a good franchise?
When They Cry is based on a visual novel by 07th Expansion, a mystery-horror story depicting several cases of deaths and disappearances in a village. Higurashi blends light-hearted elements with intense disturbing scenes.
It goes into detail how a minuscule error could end in tragedy. Higurashi plays with the mental psyche of the characters and creates an atmosphere where even the smallest off things can cause terror.
It is a different kind of horror, where the same sequence of events is played over and over again, but still leaves you on the edge of your seat till the very end.
The pacing of the story, complex characters, and its fragile tone sets up the stage for one of the best horror anime so far. The shameless gore in the anime is nothing compared to the psychological torment the characters face.
Fans are aware that the psychological horror is back with its depraved joy and can’t wait for October.
3. New Key Visuals
The official website posted the following character designs for the new Higurashi reboot.
The official trailer for Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (2020) has been released.
The sadistic, over-the-top, and dramatic features of animation left us in awe! The preview certainly shows how well Passione studio has adapted the horror visual novel.
5. Recap
The setup of Higurashi is pretty standard. A teenager, Keiichi, is new in town. He makes friends with girls from the local school. They hang out after school, play games, and have fun.
All is fine until Keiichi starts investigating the mysterious disappearances and murders in the village. As they unravel the dark mystery, they are led to the blackest secrets of the town.
The main twist of the anime comes in the form if its presentation. The story is shown to the viewers in the form of arcs or chapters, at the end of which the story is reset to the beginning.
It seems similar to the movie Ground Hog Day, with a gore-ish spin on it. You watch a character die and then come back again in the next episode without a scratch.
Each chapter is told from a different perspective. The same events happen in all the chapters, but the outcome is slightly different. All of them start the same, Keiichi and the girls have fun after school and everything is fine until the town festival.
A series of mysterious deaths occur, one person is brutally murdered and one disappears without a trace. These serial murders have been attributed to the wrath of Hinamizawa’s patron God and became known as Oyashiro-sama’s curse.
The show conceals the truth behind layers of deceit and makes it impossible to reach the end of the series with a definitive conclusion. It makes it seem as if there is a demonic force behind the murders.
The truth is not shown until the very end and Higurashi is that one anime that you wish to watch again and again (with some time to breathe in between of course!).
6. Expected Storyline
Since the new Higurashi 2020 is a remake we already know how it goes. Though there are a few story arcs that are new and we will get to know more about them in October.
Hinamizawa is a nice quiet little town when Keiichi Maebara moves in. Keiichi becomes friends with a group of girls at the local school, who spend their days playing games.
The annual Watanagashi festival is right around the corner to commemorate the local god. It is a great time to have laughs and joy, that is until someone ends up dead.
7. Cast & Staff
The cast and staff of the original anime will be coming back for the 2020 remake:
| Position | Staff | Other works |
| Director | Kawaguchi Keiichirou | Aiaktsu! |
| Storyboard | Takahashi takeo | Aki-Sora |
| Studio | Passione | Citrus |
| Cast | Staff | Other works |
| Furude Rika | Tamura Yukari | Absolute Duo (Tsukimi Rito) |
| Ryuuguu Rena | Nakahara Mai | Angel Beats! (Otonashi Hatsune) |
| Sonozaki Shion | Yukino Satsuki | Babylon (Magase Ai) |
8. About Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (2020)
Keiichi Maebara is a new kid settling into his new home of peaceful Hinamizawa village. Making quick friends with the girls from his school, he’s arrived in time for the big festival of the year.
But something about this isolated town seems ‘off,’ and his feelings of dread continue to grow. With a gnawing fear that he’s right, what dark secrets could this small community be hiding?
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