You would be forgiven if you—like the rest of us here at Honey’s Anime—thoughts Higurashi: When They Cry - NEW was a remake and not a sequel. By now, most realize that this newest Higurashi outing is indeed a strange sequel but is this return to Hinamizawa warranted? Let us dive into our series thoughts on Higurashi: When They Cry - NEW and see if we need to reverse time to stop this series from happening or continue the seemingly endless cycles of life and death like Rika and her friends.
Death, Pain, Horror, and Joy
Higurashi has always established itself as a strong horror series and it's why we constantly consider it one of the best in the anime world. Higurashi: When They Cry - NEW continues the trend by once more delivering a strong horror anime that messes with your mind and emotions. The beauty of seeing our kids like Keiichi and Rika overcome one trial to be doomed by faith is still unnerving and emotionally gripping. The horror of watching a child beaten within an inch of his life and/or going insane is truly powerful and makes Higurashi-New just so emotionally powerful. We can’t wait to see what future arcs await our kids and if they can once more escape from the nightmare of June 1983…
Animation Enhanced
If we ever had any issues with the original Higurashi series it would be that the animation didn't age all that well. Keiichi, Rena, Rika, and the rest of the Hinamizawa kids looked pretty silly and the animation was never the best. Thankfully, studio Passione has reinvented Higurashi with stronger character designs and even strong animation that fits well within the current anime world. Higurashi: When They Cry - NEW looks way better and these dozen episodes have proven the series can handle going even further.
Repetition Can be Scary…Right?
While the new arcs in Higurashi-NEW are pretty entertaining, we have to be honest…they can feel a bit repetitive. Most of the stories seen so far have felt like redone arcs from the past Higurashi seasons and that hasn’t impressed us too much. Though the last arc before the brief holiday break focusing on Sataoko was so gripping and intense that we couldn't wait for each episode. We can only hope that Higurashi-NEW will give us some newer arcs—not seen in the manga or visual novels—so we can be wowed and make us wish we had nightlights.
Is The Return Worth It?
Most Higurashi fans are probably asking this one question. Is the return to Hinamizawa worth it? Our answer is: most certainly. While the concept of this newest season of Higurashi hasn’t changed much, the horror themes and visuals have truly been refined in a way not see from the original question/answer arc.
We truly feel if Higurashi: When They Cry - NEW continues on its current course, this horror anime could be even better and finally answer some questions we never had answered from the original works. Higurashi fans, don’t wait, watch Higurashi-NEW now so you can catch up and be left wide-eyed when more great horror is delivered.
Final Thoughts
Higurashi: When They Cry - NEW is so far a true treat to us fans. Yes, it has a few issues such as the feeling of repetition—and issue even the original series had—but that hasn’t stopped us from loving each arc and truly dying to know what awaits our kids next.
Are you enjoying Higurashi: When They Cry - NEW as well or do you have different opinions on it? Let us know down below so we can share some thoughts! For even more anime reviews and anime articles keep returning to our horror-loving hive here at Honey’s Anime!
Author: Aaron
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