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REVIEW: Higurashi: When They Cry GN 1


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here-and-faraway



Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 1529
Location: Sunny California
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:13 am Reply with quote
Sounds good. Does anyone out there know if the manga story has been completed in Japan?

Also, this is a bit OT, but I know there are two anime seasons and an OVA. I started watching the anime series when Geneon released it and then had to put it on hold because the releases stopped. I was going to pick it up again with the Funimation releases, but I was wondering if season 1 has a proper ending or if I'll end up hoping that Funimation or someone else releases season 2. I really liked what I saw, but don't want to invest any more money in it if it will leave me hanging.
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grgspunk



Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Posts: 136
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:40 am Reply with quote
What the...? I know the anime was released here, but I didn't recall hearing anything about the manga being translated into English...
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Kenotic



Joined: 02 Mar 2007
Posts: 167
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:49 am Reply with quote
here-and-faraway wrote:
Sounds good. Does anyone out there know if the manga story has been completed in Japan?

Also, this is a bit OT, but I know there are two anime seasons and an OVA. I started watching the anime series when Geneon released it and then had to put it on hold because the releases stopped. I was going to pick it up again with the Funimation releases, but I was wondering if season 1 has a proper ending or if I'll end up hoping that Funimation or someone else releases season 2. I really liked what I saw, but don't want to invest any more money in it if it will leave me hanging.


The end of the first season has a proper ending -- although it ends with a revelation (although technically not a cliffhanger) that may change your view of the whole series and get you really ready for the next series.

Back to the manga, I must be the only person who thinks Sakato isn't "jailbait," or something similar. I just think she's a bratty little sister prototype. Still, I must agree, the series takes awhile to get through its "Wacky hijinx with cute girls, who have to let you do things to them" trope and gets really smart and clever with a great horror/murder mystery.
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Dorcas_Aurelia



Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 5344
Location: Philly
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:04 am Reply with quote
You're not the only one, Kenotic. As far as I'm aware, jailbait tends to refer to borderline underage girls (like Mion or older). For girls that clearly haven't hit puberty yet, I've heard the term pedobait once or twice.

Here-and-faraway, the first season has a rather open-ended conclusion, but it's not the kind that leaves you completely hanging. A lot of things are explained, but there is still much that isn't. It's an adequate place to leave off.
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Kit-Tsukasa



Joined: 16 Mar 2006
Posts: 930
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:14 am Reply with quote
Dorcas_Aurelia wrote:
You're not the only one, Kenotic. As far as I'm aware, jailbait tends to refer to borderline underage girls (like Mion or older). For girls that clearly haven't hit puberty yet, I've heard the term pedobait once or twice.

Here-and-faraway, the first season has a rather open-ended conclusion, but it's not the kind that leaves you completely hanging. A lot of things are explained, but there is still much that isn't. It's an adequate place to leave off.

And the first episode of season 2 is the epilogue to the "so called" cliffhanger
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Megiddo



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 8360
Location: IL
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:19 am Reply with quote
A well done review that I agree with for the most part.

Honestly, calling the computer game a "bishoujo" game is just wrong. It's a horror/sound game mostly. I mean, have you seen the art? It's awful! The characters are horribly deformed. Heck, the chapter/game I played wasn't even all that violent, other than the sounds.
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billybob300c



Joined: 12 Dec 2008
Posts: 2
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:55 am Reply with quote
Does anyone know when the second season of When They Cry will come out in English Dub? Also, good review. This series is probably one of the best horror type animes currently out there.
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whoisfriend



Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 369
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:25 am Reply with quote
Megiddo wrote:
A well done review that I agree with for the most part.

Honestly, calling the computer game a "bishoujo" game is just wrong. It's a horror/sound game mostly. I mean, have you seen the art? It's awful! The characters are horribly deformed. Heck, the chapter/game I played wasn't even all that violent, other than the sounds.


The technical term for the Higurashi and Umineko series would be 'Sound Novel' actually. And while I have found Ryukishi07's art to have improved with Umineko, it's by no means great. And it speaks volumes about the story with how popular the games were and how many copies they sell at each Comiket.

Also,

Quote:

− Noteworthy lack of effort put toward character development and average, undistinguished artwork.


The first game is really meant as more of an introduction to all the characters. The real character development occurs during the later arcs, when each character's personality really shines through. Also, the character development is almost always the first thing to go when making a novel -> anime/manga adaptation. There was a bit more to it there, but only just.
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ani12



Joined: 30 Apr 2008
Posts: 165
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:42 am Reply with quote
Quote:
based upon a bishoujo game


It was a sound novel, not a bishoujo game. Otherwise, good review.
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kefkaownsall



Joined: 05 Jul 2008
Posts: 189
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 5:51 am Reply with quote
Well I love the fansubs I'm watching streamed of the anime and I read the manga volume and it still kicks ass. I'm hoping to find a copy of the novel and download a fan translation patch.
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Taiyz



Joined: 16 Aug 2005
Posts: 202
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 8:17 am Reply with quote
I don't get why it's being labeled as the harem genre here. In anime, can a guy not have female friends without there being an agenda?

spoiler[Only two of the girls are actually openly attracted to him.]

Half of them are much younger than him to boot...I'd say it's more of a case that they look at Keiichi as more of a big brother figure.
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UnknownBeast



Joined: 04 Jan 2009
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:06 am Reply with quote
Quote:
One of the easiest and most effective ways to go about writing a horror story is to take something ordinary, something you see every day (i.e. pets, houses, dolls), and make it scary. The Higurashi: When They Cry manga, based upon a bishoujo game of the same name by Ryukishi07, does just that: An ordinary harem manga plot, the sort you have seen a thousand and one times over, becomes terrifying.


As other posters have said.

1. It's not a bishoujo game.
2. It's not a harem series.
3. ????
4. PROFIT!

You better edit your article.

Quote:

Well I love the fansubs I'm watching streamed of the anime and I read the manga volume and it still kicks ass. I'm hoping to find a copy of the novel and download a fan translation patch.

No translation exists for the Higurashi Sound Novel. Though there is for the sequel, Umineko No Naku Koro ni. Translation patches are nearly complete up to the 3rd 'Episode', and Episode 4 has just come out in 29 December last year.

If have finished both seasons of Higurashi, please try it out. The name of the site that has the translation is Baka-Tsuki. For the game itself, either buy it from an export shop, himeyashop or paletweb, or, you know, get it from the dark side.. Evil or Very Mad

But if you haven't, stay away from it since it has heavy spoilers for the second season.
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driverstart



Joined: 23 Jul 2007
Posts: 214
Location: America
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:23 am Reply with quote
I like this manga a lot. I was looking through the bookstore and decided to buy it without knowing a single thing about (I heard about the anime later). After reading it, I now know I have picked a winnner.

I like this story a lot and how it starts off, not really acting like it is a horror story besides the first 3 pages in the beginning. It comes off as a harem story, but as the manga moves forward, things begin to happen to start to show that there is a lot more to this town and the girls than meets the eye.

The art, while most of the time is not note worthy, works well during some situations. spoiler[When Rena is pushed over the edge, the simple artwork is impressive in how the girl turns from sweet and innocent to cold and horrifiy. Also, Yen Press' decision to had color to some pages had make the situation even creepier and unnerving] Then I like point out my favorite part of the art, the eyes. During the right moment, the eyes of someone just turn lifeless, empty, and cold, while the person could be smiling away. It works perfectly.

Since The Drifting Classroom has ended, I needed a new horror manga to fill in for it. Well, I won a winner with this one!
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driverstart



Joined: 23 Jul 2007
Posts: 214
Location: America
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:25 am Reply with quote
I like this manga a lot. I was looking through the bookstore and decided to buy it without knowing a single thing about (I heard about the anime later). After reading it, I now know I have picked a winnner.

I like this story a lot and how it starts off, not really acting like it is a horror story besides the first 3 pages in the beginning. It comes off as a harem story, but as the manga moves forward, things begin to happen to start to show that there is a lot more to this town and the girls than meets the eye.

The art, while most of the time is not note worthy, works well during some situations. spoiler[When Rena is pushed over the edge, the simple artwork is impressive in how the girl turns from sweet and innocent to cold and horrifiy. Also, Yen Press' decision to add color to the pages to where Rena goes nuts and confronts Keiichi about the man he was talking to earlier made the situation even creepier and unnerving.] Then I like point out my favorite part of the art, the eyes. During the right moment, the eyes of someone just turn lifeless, empty, and cold, while the person could be smiling away. It works perfectly.

Since The Drifting Classroom has ended, I needed a new horror manga to fill in for it. Well, I won a winner with this one!
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kefkaownsall



Joined: 05 Jul 2008
Posts: 189
PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:29 am Reply with quote
3. ????
4. PROFIT!

You better edit your article.

Quote:

Well I love the fansubs I'm watching streamed of the anime and I read the manga volume and it still kicks ass. I'm hoping to find a copy of the novel and download a fan translation patch.

No translation exists for the Higurashi Sound Novel. Though there is for the sequel, Umineko No Naku Koro ni. Translation patches are nearly complete up to the 3rd 'Episode', and Episode 4 has just come out in 29 December last year.

If have finished both seasons of Higurashi, please try it out. The name of the site that has the translation is Baka-Tsuki. For the game itself, either buy it from an export shop, himeyashop or paletweb, or, you know, get it from the dark side.. Evil or Very Mad

But if you haven't, stay away from it since it has heavy spoilers for the second season.[/quote]
Two things:
One, what is up with points three and four?
Two, http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?p=866846
here's some translations.
Or just google if the censor thinks the link is to something bad. It's just an animesuki thread
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