Getting Started:Higurashi no Naku Koro ni: Difference between revisions

#If you chose the visual novels, there are a total of eight arcs available to read in the Steam/MangaGamer release (x if using 07th-Mod). These eight arcs comprise the entire main story of ''Higurashi'' and no further arcs are required. The additional x arcs available via 07th-Mod are ''not'' part of the main story but are additional stories originally added in the Japanese PlayStation 2 port {{matsuri}}.

#If you chose the anime, the eight main story arcs are fully adapted over two 26 episode anime, for a total of 52 episodes. The OVA {{nekogoroshi}} takes place between [[Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (2006 anime)|the first season]] and [[Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai (anime)|the second season]] and clears up some narrative confusion. It is recommended that you watch ''Nekogoroshi-hen'' after season one and then continue through season two. There are several other OVAs containing side stories, however these take the form of noncanon fanservice.

 

== Understanding the story ==

''Higurashi no Naku Koro ni'' is a story that follows a small group of friends, informally called [[the club]], as they experience the dark underbelly of their rural village, [[Hinamizawa]]. This story is divided into '''EIGHT ARCS''' which were released as part of ''[[Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (sound novel)|Higurashi no Naku Koro ni]]'' and {{kai}}. Seven of these eight arcs, {{onikakushi}}, {{watanagashi}}, {{tatarigoroshi}}, {{meakashi}}, {{tsumihoroboshi}}, {{minagoroshi}}, and {{matsuribayashi}}, cover roughly the same period of time in June 1983. '''AT THE END OF EACH STORY ARC, THE NARRATIVE RESTARTS TO THE BEGINNING OF JUNE.''' As such, any event that occurred in one arc is not guaranteed to happen in another. These are ''not'' different perspectives on the same story. Rather, they are all different possible "what if" outcomes to the same initial premise. This is tied together through [[Rika Furude]] and [[Hanyuu]], who possess a limited ability to time travel via the method of "fragment hopping". When Rika dies, Hanyuu is capable of transporting her to [[w:Many-worlds interpretation|another realm of existence]], called "fragments", as well as sending her back in time by several weeks so that Rika has an opportunity to prevent her own death. The single outlier arc, {{himatsubushi}}, takes place in 1978, five years prior to the events of any other arc. It is important to note that, while the events of the seven other arcs are variations of the same period of time, there are no potential variations to the story of ''Himatsubushi-hen''. This is because the "fragment hopping", as portrayed in the stories, does not begin until Rika first dies in June 1983, thus every event that occurred before June 1983 is a set part of history (at least as far as Rika and ''Higurashi no Naku Koro ni'' are concerned).

 

== Bonus content ==

There have been several arcs since the release of {{matsuribayashi}} that exist as side stories adjacent to the events of [[Hinamizawa]] and several arcs that are intended as non-canon fan service. ''None'' of these stories are required to understand ''Higurashi no Naku Koro ni'', however if you enjoyed the main story arcs and want to further explore the world presented then these are valuable additions to the franchise.