The Beauty of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is thrilling, mysterious, and horrifying. It is one of the best horror anime out there, but it's also so much more than its blood and gore. Just like his other acclaimed work Umineko no Naku Koro ni demonstrates, Higurashi's original creator Ryukishi07 does not write stories without meaning. We'll be diving into the core message of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. Suffice to say, spoilers for both seasons of the anime.

PARANOIA AND DISTRUST

Episode 25 Season One

Hinamizawa syndrome, while being the culprit behind the horrible events in the story, is simply a device used to sow paranoia- the real conflict causing problem- between the characters in the show. You could even say that Hinamizawa syndrome is just a metaphor for distrust and paranoia. Arcs that end in disaster are caused or exacerbated by characters being paranoid of each other. In the Spirited Away by the Demon arc, Keiichi believes his friends are trying to kill him so he murders them first. In the Eye Opening arc, Shion believes that the Sonozaki family is the cause of her love Satoshi's disappearance, leading her to enact bloody revenge, despite Mion revealing that their grandmother approved of the relationship. On the contrary, the resolution of the Atonment arc is Rena coming to realize that her distrust in her friends has ended up hurting them. Rena was on a similar path to Keiichi in the Spirited Away by the Demon arc, only to be stopped by him who had also realized his paranoia in the old world had led him down a path of destruction. Simply put, it is better to trust others with your worries than to allow them to fester inside of you.

"If something is wrong, if you are suspicious, or if something painful happens then you talk to...
You talk to your friends."
-Keiichi, episode 26 season one

CARRYING YOUR OWN BURDEN

Episode 21 Season One

In Higurashi, tormented characters fight their battles alone. Sometimes they don't seek help because Hinamizawa syndrome makes them suspect their friends. Other times they just don't want to be a burden. In the Curse Killing arc, Satoko doesn't tell anyone about her uncle's abuse because she wants to be strong for her older brother, believing only then will he return. This ends in Keiichi taking matters into his own hands- another example of bearing a burden alone- and results in the death of her uncle and himself. Contrast this with the Massacre arc, where Keiichi consults his friends about Satoko's situation. The gang then manages to use their connections to amass a huge crowd of people to pressure the government into investigating Satoko's abuse. And unlike in Curse Killing, Satoko admits she needs help over the phone which allows her to be saved. In essence, sharing your burden with those you trust allows them to help you, and in turn they share that burden with others, forming a massive connection of people able to help. This idea is again crucial to the show's final arc, where only with the help of her friends and others Rika can finally break free from her cycle of suffering. That is the "miracle" of the story.

"Since I could meet my friends here in Hinamizawa
That is the miracle of this story."
-Rika, With You -Bond-, a song from the Higurashi VN

THE HEART OF HIGURASHI

Higurashi proves to be more than just an entertaining horror with its core message that resounds throughout the story. When you trust in others and allow them to bear your burden you can overcome any problem. Oftentimes we let ourselves feel alone in our struggles- we don't trust others to help, or don't want to trouble others. But you're not alone. There are people who can help, if only you are willing to ask. Confronting it yourself may end up harming you instead. That is what writer Ryukishi07 is telling us, and that is the beauty of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni.