Higurashi

[matt0044]

Higurashi/Umineko

I F**KING love this Manga. It's everything a horror story should be (it's give any mainstream horror movie these days a run for its money) and it's an absolute page turner. I'm already at the Massacre Arc (Yeah, I'm using English names for the Arc since I can't for the life of me spell them out off the top of my head) and I can't wait to start reading.

Anyone else who reads the Manga like to discuss it?

 

[Kutie Pie]

Ha ha, someone beat me to it ;P.

I am currently in love with this manga, and everything about it. I got into the series first through the anime last year in April, and I discovered the manga about a few months before Christmas, which was when I got Abducted by Demons arc. Call me crazy, but I enjoy having nightmares related to Higurashi. Seriously, no other work has given me as many nightmares as Higurashi has (though the nightmares were weird in of themselves...). Currently, the only arc that has messed me up for a few hours is Eye-Opening. One part of the ending was creepy, it did not help that I was on my bed at the time. *shivers* Cotton Drifting is the second-closest. I was scared of the edge of my bed for a good couple of months once I realized a few things. (Yeah, not giving spoilers away even though chances are a lot of people who've read this series know what I'm talking about.)

But yes, it's a great example of a horror manga, if more on the psychological side of it. The sound novels are just as creepy, but the visuals of the manga really kick it up a notch. It's a bit ironic, too, as the artwork is gorgeous. My favorite art style is so far from Curse Killing, though the cover of the Massacre arc is very beautiful.

I am missing a few arcs at the moment, but I'm almost caught up to date with the Yen Press distributions. I'll be buying Time Killing on Friday, and then I'll have Beyond Midnight left, and I suppose Demon Exposing, even though I don't know where it fits with the series, exactly (all I know is it's technically a question arc).

I was a bit surprised about the decision to combine the first two volumes of Massacre arc into one. I don't know why they did this, but hey, I got it for $10.25 on Amazon when I pre-ordered it, half for what the book really is priced on the back. Pretty damn good deal, if I say so myself. Took longer than normal to read, but it was still a good read, and I look forward to the second volume (which I guess will be volumes three and four together) in December.

*sigh*

That's all I've got right now until something else is brought up, I suppose XD.

 

[matt0044]

SPOLIERS!!!!!!!!!!!! And I can't find the tags for them.

Just finished the first part of the Massacre Arc and I gotta say that I'm really loving Rika here. Her despair over the sight of her friend slipping into madness again and again, her desperation to ensure a happy ending, her friendship with Satoko, etc. I honestly wanted to reach in and give the poor girl a big hug (don't get the wrong idea now). I only Keiichi and everyone can give Teppei what for but Oishi seem to up to something...

 

[Kutie Pie]

SPOLIERS!!!!!!!!!!!! And I can't find the tags for them.

Spoiler tags are this ->

Spoiler

But even then, it's not that big of a spoiler.

Heh heh, if you've watched the anime or read the sound novels, you know why Ooishi means well, and what measures they go to in helping Satoko. Yes, it's a pretty slow process, but the tension holds up well, and taken to a more realistic approach.

After some careful thought about the direction Yen Press went with the Massacre arc, I'm happy they're combining two volumes in one. Helps get to the action faster (even though they still do their jobs well separate), and that means

Spoiler: I don't know why I'm spoiling this, but oh well

Satoko gets rescued quicker, and we get closer to the very core of the series.

Also, the books are cheaper to buy on Amazon. The price for the first volume keeps rising and falling by several cents, but it's worth its price. And ooh, as of this writing, the second volume has its price at $10.81 right now for pre-order. It's a good time to start pre-ordering. The price for the third volume should fall a couple of dollars after the second volume's release, so that'll be worth the wait.

Still debating with myself if I should get Demon Exposing or not. I'm still waiting for the rest of the Time Killing and Beyond Midnight volumes (yes, I got one of each volume together for some reason) before I order anymore books. Even then, I'm going to put it on my Christmas list anyway. The second volume's release date has good timing, as is the third volume if I say so myself.

 

[Ninja Bulbasaur]

Hm, a Higurashi thread that hasn't died.

Okay, I've read through the manga, jumping between volumes of the first season and of Kai. It's an AWESOME horror manga, and I really like it a lot. Though I might be a bit young for it, though...

 

[Moonlight Amaryllis]

Whaaaat?! There's a thread for Higurashi that I was not aware of?! *dies*

I'm more in touch with the anime then manga, but I still know my stuff, if you catch my drift. I love the way the grotesque manner of both death and insanity is captured in the manga. Better then the anime especially the English dub *is shot*

Topic? Who is your favorite artist of all the Higurashi manga?

 

[Kutie Pie]

'Bout time you two came around .

Who is your favorite artist of all the Higurashi manga?

I love-love Jiro Suzuki's art for Curse Killing, but I'm also liking Mimori's artwork for Beyond Midnight as well. Very stylish, and beautiful.

 

[Moonlight Amaryllis]

Oh hush, KP.

Who is your favorite artist of all the Higurashi manga?
Yutori Houjyou's artwork is very beautiful to the eye, and she has this way of capturing the character's emotions in a single panel. I also love the way she draws the horror/creepy appeal in the manga, because it just makes one's skin crawl.

 

[Kutie Pie]

Oh hush, KP.

Mii~

Who is your favorite artist of all the Higurashi manga?
Yutori Houjyou's artwork is very beautiful to the eye, and she has this way of capturing the character's emotions in a single panel. I also love the way she draws the horror/creepy appeal in the manga, because it just makes one's skin crawl.

She's a close third. It's one reason why I actually have an admiration for Rika's suicide scene, even though it's the most horrifying thing ever drawn out. It strangely is beautiful.

Do you have any favorite scenes from the sound novels/anime that you liked even more or was impressed with in the manga?

Hard choice, but one of my favorite scenes is from Curse Killing where Keiichi kills Teppei. I like the pure, unadulterated adrenaline drawn out in the manga, complete with Keiichi's inner thoughts about letting go of everything and just allowed his primitive side to take over. Murder never looked so beautiful, you know? Second favorite has to be the ending of the same arc with Keiichi's interview.

Also, is it just me, or is Keiichi's maddening thoughts on deciding to kill Teppei really hard and uncomfortable to read? And not because everything's scrunched together in vertical lines, but because of how horrifying his conclusion is.

 

[Ninja Bulbasaur]

Who is your favorite artist of all the Higurashi manga?

Um, I don't really know. I've only read Abducted by Demons and Cotton Drifting, and I like both artists.

Do you have any favorite scenes from the sound novels/anime that you liked even more or was impressed with in the manga?

When Satoko totally snapped and lost her mind, and when Rena killed Ritsuko. Also, when Shion ripped her fingernails out ^^ and Rena's insane scenes. Jee, a lot of scenes, actually.

 

[matt0044]

I love how Higurashi can be so horrifying and gruesome yet the main characters are so likable and can be so Yu Gi Oh ish in their friendship and camaraderie (though ethically wrong, I was touched by Keiichi helping Rena when she murdered two people. I LOVE that guy!). This is what many horror movies in the mainstream lack horribly.

 

[Moonlight Amaryllis]

Do you have any favorite scenes from the sound novels/anime that you liked even more or was impressed with in the manga?

I have to give it to the manga artists; the ending of Cotton Drifting was by far better then the anime version. Because Mion takes four, no, five pages to haul herself on the bed, and say, "I've come to get you, Kei-chan..." or something similar. Then she bursts into a cackling "I granted you one wish last time, didn't I? Not this time!" and laughs horribly. Then the end of the book

Also, the ending of that arc centered around Satoko, I think it was Curse-Killing, that was cut out of the anime. Seeing how far Keiichi fell into hell was very interesting and bonechilling at the same time. Pity it wasn't in the anime. I would have liked to hear Keiichi's bent-out cackle.

I just wish that the series was less perverted. I would enjoy it much more if that were the case...because people wouldn't raise an eyebrow so much at it. The same goes for Umineko.

 

[Kutie Pie]

Do you have any favorite scenes from the sound novels/anime that you liked even more or was impressed with in the manga?

When Satoko totally snapped and lost her mind, and when Rena killed Ritsuko. Also, when Shion ripped her fingernails out ^^ and Rena's insane scenes. Jee, a lot of scenes, actually.

Eh heh heh, you only read the first two arcs. The ones you mentioned happened later xD. But those scenes in the manga are handled very well. I think you'd like them very much.

I love how Higurashi can be so horrifying and gruesome yet the main characters are so likable and can be so Yu Gi Oh ish in their friendship and camaraderie (though ethically wrong, I was touched by Keiichi helping Rena when she murdered two people. I LOVE that guy!). This is what many horror movies in the mainstream lack horribly.

Higurashi did very well in making a moe series terrifying. I can't think of any other anime that did it just as good (outside of Umineko, but people say the anime ruined it more than with Higurashi). And yes, what Rena did was wrong, but she willingly acknowledged her mistake, and they were trying to reach out and help her. That's what people should do, and for a little bit, it worked until Takano came in and ruined it.

I actually offered to show this anime to my parents after watching CLANNAD (because Mom asked if I had any other shows I wanted to show to the family), but of course, the DVD boxset is flipping expensive, and I did tell her it's bloody at times. She declined, which I guess is for the best. I don't think my grandmother will take to young girls dying horrible deaths very well xD.

I have to give it to the manga artists; the ending of Cotton Drifting was by far better then the anime version. Because Mion takes four, no, five pages to haul herself on the bed, and say, "I've come to get you, Kei-chan..." or something similar. Then she bursts into a cackling "I granted you one wish last time, didn't I? Not this time!" and laughs horribly. Then the end of the book

YES. Eye-Opening arc is my favorite arc, but Cotton Drifting has my favorite ending. Funny thing, it took me a little bit to realize that Mion, as she was crawling out from under the bed, had a broken neck (even though her nails are broken from crawling out of the well). For a good few months afterwards, I refused to look at the side of my bed at night in case I was to see that face.

And it's hard for me to get nightmares, too. That's one reason why I love Higurashi so much, it scared me more than the last page of Amigara Fault did.

Also, the ending of that arc centered around Satoko, I think it was Curse-Killing, that was cut out of the anime. Seeing how far Keiichi fell into hell was very interesting and bonechilling at the same time. Pity it wasn't in the anime. I would have liked to hear Keiichi's bent-out cackle.

Again, another yes. That would've been great in the anime. Sucks they went with the ending they had. Wasn't that great a finish to the Curse Killing arc. The manga made it horrifying like how the sound novel wanted it to be.

I just wish that the series was less perverted. I would enjoy it much more if that were the case...because people wouldn't raise an eyebrow so much at it. The same goes for Umineko.

Higurashi is a seinen series. Naturally, there'd be some perverted moments. Also shows how close the characters actually are, in their own weird way.

 

[matt0044]

I actually offered to show this anime to my parents after watching CLANNAD (because Mom asked if I had any other shows I wanted to show to the family), but of course, the DVD boxset is flipping expensive, and I did tell her it's bloody at times. She declined, which I guess is for the best. I don't think my grandmother will take to young girls dying horrible deaths very well xD.

Maybe the Manga if they like a good read. Sure there's the whole right-to-left reading but anyone can get the hang of it.

 

[Kutie Pie]

My mom is not a fan of manga anyway. She says they all look the same, and she's just not interested. Dad would be more likely to read a manga because he reads comic books, but he doesn't care for manga either. (He can't even pronounce "manga" right anyway.)

Even then, if the violence doesn't turn them off quickly, it's the fanservice. Especially with Mom. I don't know if she knows about Higurashi's fanservice (maybe, though she commented about the third Eye Opening arc volume showing displeasure about the twins' clothes), but she would probably have a fit over it. Even then, because I'm 20 and Mom trusts me more, she wouldn't have such an issue with me reading it and lets me buy them from their Amazon account (as long as I repay them the money), but if it was my brothers reading it, she'd have issues with it.

Though she's seen one of the twins reading the manga (because I'm letting him borrow the books one arc at a time), she just hasn't said anything yet. Which I think is kinda odd, honestly...

 

[Moonlight Amaryllis]

My mom is not a fan of manga anyway. She says they all look the same, and she's just not interested. Dad would be more likely to read a manga because he reads comic books, but he doesn't care for manga either. (He can't even pronounce "manga" right anyway.)

Even then, if the violence doesn't turn them off quickly, it's the fanservice. Especially with Mom. I don't know if she knows about Higurashi's fanservice (maybe, though she commented about the third Eye Opening arc volume showing displeasure about the twins' clothes), but she would probably have a fit over it. Even then, because I'm 20 and Mom trusts me more, she wouldn't have such an issue with me reading it and lets me buy them from their Amazon account (as long as I repay them the money), but if it was my brothers reading it, she'd have issues with it.

Now I wish I was twenty. There would be soooo much less of an anime/manga problem at our house if that was true. My mother isn't that fond of anime/manga especially for the fanservice reason. My father, on the other hand, probably doesn't care as long I don't allow it to turn me the wrong direction. Which it really hasn't.

I don't get nightmares from Higurashi, funnily enough, but heck, I had the weirdest dream last night concerning what looked like Keiichi and Rena coming down with a severe Hinamizawa Syndrome and being forced into some medical room on metal tables...Rena was calmed instantly, but Keiichi, on the other hand...

 

[Manna]

I'm in the middle of the Cotton Drifting Arc in the sound novels. Good stuff.

 

[Kutie Pie]

Now I wish I was twenty. There would be soooo much less of an anime/manga problem at our house if that was true. My mother isn't that fond of anime/manga especially for the fanservice reason. My father, on the other hand, probably doesn't care as long I don't allow it to turn me the wrong direction. Which it really hasn't.

Well, every family is different, but they technically can't stop you once you turn eighteen from reading Higurashi or other manga. (Unless their rules stop applying to you at a later age.)

I don't get nightmares from Higurashi, funnily enough, but heck, I had the weirdest dream last night concerning what looked like Keiichi and Rena coming down with a severe Hinamizawa Syndrome and being forced into some medical room on metal tables...Rena was clamed instantly, but Keiichi, on the other hand...

You just hadn't let everything sink in yet.

Sounds like an interesting premise. WRITE IT. FfREDERICA COMMANDS YOU.

[SUB]No seriously. In the sound novel, Frederica pretty much gives you permission to come up with new worlds. She gives you some fragments and says "Have fun."[/SUB]

 

[Moonlight Amaryllis]

You just hadn't let everything sink in yet.

Wut

Sounds like an interesting premise. WRITE IT. FfREDERICA* COMMANDS YOU.

[SUB]No seriously. In the sound novel, Frederica pretty much gives you permission to come up with new worlds. She gives you some fragments and says "Have fun."[/SUB]

That's "FREDERICA". Herp derp, burned

LOL, no, I have a feeling that it won't turn out well, because there really is nothing else to it other then that...but I suppose there would be some fun in doing so.

What is/are your favorites Higurashi arc(s) and why?

 

[Kutie Pie]

Wut

Yup.

That's "FREDERICA". Herp derp, burned

LOL, no, I have a feeling that it won't turn out well, because there really is nothing else to it other then that...but I suppose there would be some fun in doing so.

OH CRAP I DIDN'T SEE THAT SMALL "F". *claws out throat*

It might work as a one-shot, though, I can see that happening. SO DO IT

What is/are your favorites Higurashi arc(s) and why?

Again, it's Eye-Opening arc. It's a really tragic arc as you get to see Shion slowly fall into insanity. The sound novel made it worse because, well, it's narrated in first-person. You are reading and seeing things through the eyes of a mad person. Most of the other arcs are like that, too, but Eye-Opening was more tragic that way, especially since the events that led up to the tragedy were rather miniscule in nature, you know? Sure, most of it deals with a lost love, but it really did show the relationship between Shion and Mion, and their sad backstory. It makes the ending much more tragic that way.

That's why it's my favorite. Curse Killing arc is my second favorite, if not Cotton Drifting.