Satoko Houjou (II)

Satoko Houjou

Satoko Houjou (II)

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Satoko Houjou (II) 北条 沙都子
Character Information
Classification	Witch
Gender	Female
Age	100+
Birthday	June 24, 1972
Height	137 cm (4 ft 6 in)
Blood Type	O
Hair Color	Blonde
Eye Color	Red-Violet
First Appearance	Tatariakashi-hen, Part 5 (as a separate entity from Satoko)
Portrayed By	Mika Kanai
Relationships	Satoko Houjou (original form) Eua (mentor) Rika Furude (rival) Hanyuu (enemy)

Satoko Houjou (北条 沙都子, Hōjō Satoko) is an alternate version of Satoko Houjou born from the anguish caused by her relationship to Rika Furude. Whether she is a physically separate entity from the original Satoko or a metaphor for her inner thoughts is unclear. She appears exclusively in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Sotsu.

Profile

Background

After Satoko Houjou receives the ability to travel between fragments from Eua, she attempts to create a plan opposing Rika's desire to take her to St. Lucia Academy. As she struggles to convince Rika to abandon her plan by conventional means, Satoko resorts to increasingly violent methods of experimentation, leading to the tragedies of Onidamashi-hen/Oniakashi-hen, Watadamashi-hen/Wataakashi-hen, and Tataridamashi-hen/Tatariakashi-hen. Over time, another Satoko who refers to herself as a "witch" takes form. As the original Satoko becomes disillusioned with the violence she has repeatedly enacted on her friends, the witch Satoko takes over to continue their work.

Appearance

Like the original Satoko, the witch Satoko appears as a young girl with blonde hair. She is distinguished from the human Satoko by her glowing red eyes.

Personality

Satoko is sadistic, having come to enjoy the violence associated with her endless pursuit of Rika Furude. She has no qualms with killing or maiming any of her friends or even her more human self if they interfere with her plans.

Plot

The two Satokos fighting for control

Tatariakashi-hen

When preparing to kill her uncle, Satoko is interrupted by the original Satoko Houjou, who protests that she doesn't want to kill any of her friends any longer. The two fight in the Sea of Fragments, though the original Satoko is overpowered by both Satoko and Eua, who then kill her.

Kagurashi-hen

After Rika learns of Satoko's role in her torture à la Nekodamashi-hen, the two begin fighting across various loops. With their respective powers fully realized, the two manage to battle using supernatural means while each attempts to secure the Onigari-no-Ryuuou, a sword capable of killing "those who live in loops." However, their battle turns into one of ideals and the sword is abandoned. The two fall to the ground, exhausted, and come to reconcile their respective hopes for the future.

Later, Rika leaves for St. Lucia Academy alone. Satoko joins Mion Sonozaki, Rena Ryuuguu, and Keiichi Maebara to see her off at the train station; while there, Satoko and Rika have a private conversation about their eternal lives and the inevitability of their meeting again. After Rika leaves, the witch Satoko relinquishes control of Satoko's body, allowing the human Satoko to have control once again.

Trivia

• This iteration of Satoko is strongly connected to Lambdadelta from Umineko no Naku Koro ni; Satoko is the second character in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni to be referred to by the Umineko term "witch" after Rika and is similar to Rika's witch counterpart Bernkastel in that both Bernkastel and Satoko were born from their more human counterparts after experiencing time loops.