Watanagashi-hen
Watanagashi-hen (綿流し編, Cotton Drifting Chapter) is the second arc in the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni series. It is told from the perspective of Keiichi Maebara and follows a string of bizzare murders in Hinamizawa that occur following the Watanagashi Festival.
| Watanagashi-hen | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Developer | 07th Expansion | ||
| Publisher | 07th Expansion | ||
| Arc Type | Question | ||
| Released | August 10, 2002 | ||
| Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Chronology | |||
| |||
Plot
Watangashi-hen spends significantly more time on the period prior to the Watanagashi Festival than it's predecessor. During one of the club's activities, the group all visit a toy store and the owner ends up giving every member except for Mion a doll. Keiichi Maebara finds his doll to be too girly and decides to give it to Rena, figuring that Mion wouldn't want it since she's apparently more into guy-ish things. Keiichi visits the restaurant Angel Mort with his father and finds a girl named Shion working there. Shion tells Keiichi that she is Mion's twin sister, however Keiichi believes Mion is simply putting on a more girlish facade in order to live out a different personality. Despite Shion consistently telling Keiichi that she isn't Mion, Keiichi refuses to believe her and eventually goes on several dates with Shion, believing her to be Mion.
As things in the club become increasingly awkward, Rena Ryuuga tells Keiichi that he has hurt Mion deeply in some way. Meanwhile, Rika Furude begins skipping club meetings in order to train as a shrine maiden for the upcoming Watanagashi Festival.
One day, Keiichi and Shion visit the toy shop where Keiichi originally received the doll and Shion asks him to buy the same doll for her. In the shop, Keiichi is shocked to find Mion working there. Shion explains once again that she is Mion's twin sister and leaves with the doll. Following this incident, Mion and Keiichi stop speaking to each other.
Characters
Villagers
Outsiders
Mentioned
Deaths and Disappearances
All deaths and disappearances are listed only as they are told in Watanagashi-hen and apply only for the individual arc, not the overall series.
Deaths
- Tomitake Jirou, died of blood loss after clawing out his own throat June 19, 1983 on the night of the Watanagashi.
- Takano Miyo, killed and burned in an oil drum in the Gifu Mountains June 19, 1983 on the night of the Watanagashi. Upon investigation, the corpse is revealed to have been dead for over 24 hours, which conflicts with Takano's reported appearance during the Watanagashi Festival.
- Kiichirou Kimiyoshi, killed in the Sonozaki torture chamber. His body was found in a well on June 23, 1983.
- Rika Furude, killed in the Sonozaki torture chamber. Her body was found in a well on June 23, 1983.
- Oryou Sonozaki, thought to be ill in her home. Her corpse was found in a well on June 23, 1983.
- Shion Sonozaki, became mentally ill after being rescued by police on June 23, 1983. Fell from her apartment in Shishibone and broke her neck on June 28, 1983.
- Mion Sonozaki, fell into a well and broke her neck on June 23, 1983.
- Keiichi Maebara, stabbed in the stomach on June 28, 1983. Died in a university hospital a few days later following a hallucination.
Disappearances
Satoshi Houjou, disappeared June 1982, one year before the story.