I love Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. I'm hard-pressed to find any series that's genuinely frightening. This is even moreso in the realm of anime, where the horror genre is something of a rarity. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni had a perfect chill-inducing atmosphere, layered with intrigue and oozing with enough blood, gore, and torture to keep any accomplished sadist satisfied. Nail-gnawingly terrifying episodes are contrasted with colorful, wide-eyed character designs and, once every while, some typical comedy to lighten the mood and make the horror that you knew would come even more jarring.
One complaint that many had with the first Higurashi is the lack of a resolution. It simply...started over again, so to speak. So, when I learned about Higurashi no Naku Koro no Kai (The second season), I was thrilled! The first season left so many unanswered questions, and I was eager for the solutions.
...Unfortunately, I was foolish. One of the reasons that the first Higurashi worked was that the viewer was kept in the dark. You didn't know everything, and that's part of what made it scary. It was painfully easy to place yourself in the shoes of the victim...or even the killer! There was always another question to think about, another disturbing little fact waiting about the corner to slap you in the face. The second season, meanwhile...seems to be nothing but answers. The first season of Higurashi sat you down and told you ghost stories...the second season sits you down and gives you a lecture.
So, I'll start with the good aspects of Kai. First, it informs you! It fleshes out the story, it ties up the loose ends, and it takes away that rat in a maze feeling that you were left with the first season...this, however, is also one of its greatest flaws! The atmosphere is gone...it goes from a jaw-dropping horror/mystery to a mediocre thriller. The whole season is nothing but an armful of explanations. This is what kills this season...though, I am thankful for a bit more information about Miyo.
It isn't just the environment that loses its edge...it's the characters too! Suddenly, everyone's so trusting, friendly, and fearless. It's inspiring, sure, but it's an insult to the depth of the characters from the previous season.
Remember the middle of the first Higurashi when the story started to slow down a bit? Well, Kai is slow throughout its entirety. It's a plot that drags its feet...and it goes for 24 episodes. The first Higurashi had 26 episodes, with a different arc about every 4 to 6. Kai, however, only has about one or two arcs to speak of. They could've chopped the series enormously, and it would have rejoiced because of it.
The seiyuu are...thankfully, still wonderful! The show has a cast that clicks, and really knows how to lay down the vocal pleasure...going from sweet and smooth to 'USO DA!' in a second...and they make it all feel so natural.
...Frankly, I'm disappointed. If you really loved all of the unique flavor from the first season, I actually suggest not watching this. It changes the entire show...and not in a very good way. I also hear there's a third season coming into the mix. Let's hope that brings back the terror.
High points: Takano Miyo is awesome, It informs...
Low points: ...but it informs too much, It loses the horrifying atmosphere, awful pacing, choppy characters
Overall: 6/10 (Higurashi went from an A to a D student)
