Higurashi Episode 6 Discussion / Poll

[kj1980]

Welcome to the discussion thread for Higurashi no Naku Koroni, Episode 6.

Thread Guidelines

• No telling or asking for RAWs.
• Try to keep spoilers from the Game or Manga out of the anime thread. If you need to in reply to someone with a reference to the Game / Manga, either PM them or use Spoiler tags (see example below).
• Discuss your expectations of the episode if not aired.
• Be polite to your fellow forum members.
• Try to keep the discussion on topic and future episode spoilers out of the thread whenever possible.

Spoiler Tag Usage

Using Spoiler Tags is easy. Using this...

[spoiler=title]Don't forget to use the spoiler title[/spoiler]

....will get you this...

Spoiler for title:

Don't forget to use the spoiler title

ADDITIONAL RULES FOR Higurashi no Naku Koroni

• Make sure you read the English wikipedia article for Higurashi no Naku Koroni before you ask questions!!!
  
• Feel free to share your theories and speculations. In fact, I encourage you to do so as this is what makes this series interesting.
  
• I am designating Sushi-Y and Freakman to lead the discussion in the correct path without spoilers as they have played the game in advance. I put confidence in them that they will recognize a member has spilled the beans too far if any other members has begun to play the game.
  
• SPOILERS FAR ADVANCED THAN THE CURRENT AIRED ANIME EPISODE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. THIS INCLUDES THOSE IN SPOILER TAGS!!!. People tend to peek at spoiler tags; especially when they do not know such tag is meant for the episode, only to find it spilling the beans too far advanced in the game storyline.

[Freakman]

I find it a shame they didn't spend longer in the spooky warehouse (what's the name in english for that thing ?) or that the festival got shortened to like 4 images again ;; They could have just skipped the part where they explain all of the murders to Keiichi - although they made it clear this time that

Spoiler:

the third year's victims were Rika-chan's parents

But well. Everything's now in place for Watanagashi.
Can't wait

[SvenTheSweeper]

Originally Posted by Freakman

I find it a shame they didn't spend longer in the spooky warehouse (what's the name in english for that thing ?)
Can't wait

Haunted House?

[Sushi-Y]

Let's see, where to start...

This has been a very informative episode. In fact, I think it may be the most dialogue heavy episode so far. I guess it can't be helped, since they're the absolute minimum required to move the story onwards. Well, I always considered Watanagashi-hen to be the foundation of all the question chapters, since it provided the most "general" information out of them all, so it's not unreasonable to have a talking episode like this one.

Now then, this episode contained many important revelations (if you ask me, it felt like they tried to squeeze in a little too much. Some of the scenes were only covered briefly, and didn't feel like they have the impact they were supposed to have). Most importantly, this is the first time we get a glimpse into the history of Hinamizawa and its villagers, the origin for the Watanagashi ceremony, as well as some hints from Oishi about the Sonozaki family. All of these information are going to become vital pieces in the overall puzzle, so it would be a good idea to listen very carefully to everything mentioned in this episode.

Personal comment: Fast. So fast. Maybe because this part of the game took a long time to a lot of information, it felt even more rushed than usual to see them all covered in 20 minutes. On the other hand, I'm probably used to the speed now, because I don't find myself screaming "omg they skipped/jumped/rushed over _____!!" like I did with Onikakushi anymore.

The ambiguious attitudes of Mion/Shion were captured nicely. Invoking thoughts like "It's clear that they're hiding something, but what can it be?"

From looking at the next episode preview, it looks like it'll go up to the soy sauce thing... Uuu...

Episode highlights (well, not much for this episode, personally). Again, don't look unless you have already seen the episode or don't mind being spoiled.

Spoiler for Episode 6:

*the setup*

"AHH!!"

Mion: "Shion! What are you doing together with Keichan again!?"

Shion: "Because unlike Onee, I'm the type who can be considerate for others."

Shion: "By the way, why is Onee holding two cups of barley tea?"

Mion: "Ah, no, this is..."

Shion: "It can't be that someone as unrefined as Onee, who only cares for herself, would be as considerate as to bring barley tea for a boy classmate, now can it~?"

Mion: "Ah.... Um...."

Mion: "...Yeah! I was super thirty, so I thought that maybe I could drink two cups...!"

Shio: "Hahaha, that's just like Onee~ Well, do it, do it, do it, do it!"

Mion: "Unnn, Ugaaah *cough* *cough* *cough*"

Shion: "Good job Onee! That was a splendid style of drinking!"

Mion: "I hate you Shion! Since that other day, I hate you even more now! ><"

Hau~ Miichan kaaii~ (>ヮ<)
Who's the Little Devil? Are we clear on that now, everyone?
====================


Rika: "Mi~"

You know, I noticed a severe lack of Rika's "Mi~" and "Nipa~☆" in the anime. Especially "nipa~☆". Rika's nipa~☆ smile is not the same without her saying the sound effect! ><
====================


From the lines about the missing bicycles and the shaking ladder, yeah, we're moving into that event...

====================

Originally Posted by Freakman

I find it a shame they didn't spend longer in the spooky warehouse (what's the name in english for that thing ?)

祭具殿 Saiguden, Ritual Equipments Chamber.

[kj1980]

Do you mean the word 祭具澱? I'd go with a festivity storehouse.

[Newprimus]

Originally Posted by Sushi-Y

Episode highlights (well, not much for this episode, personally). Again, don't look unless you have already seen the episode or don't mind being spoiled.

Shion is a delightful little devil and Mion knows it.

[USCPharmacist]

I wonder what Keiichi did defferently this time around? I think the trigger could be giving the doll to Rena instead of Mion. Maybe if he gave her the doll she would show him to her store or something, instead of meeting Shion alone. The whole thing changed I think with Shion. In the first arch Keiichi never "met" her, so he become paranoid because he was alone. Now his focus is on the curse instead of people trying to get him he seems a lot more sane. Also since he had an accomplice he could blame everything on her instead. I don't know anything that keep him from seeing shit would avoid the lolis meeting Mr. Bat. Although he may actually be worse fate now that the whole town is gonna clean his intestine....

[Tenson]

I think it is a very informative ep as well, the whole thing with Shion and Mion, who is who is slightly clearer this time around. What caught my attention is that I suddenly really wants to know what Rika-chan did wrong in her dance and perhaps that mistake could somehow affect the curse... The last phone call is pretty interesting as well... I can almost bet that Mion was on the other side of the phone... *Shifty eyes*

[Srin Tuar]

Wow,
the end of this episode proves to me again why keiichi is a worthless coward, and I simply could never sympathize with him.


I should know by now that psychological thrillers rely upon weak personalities to make the story interesting...

[Crimen Scythe]

Originally Posted by Srin Tuar

Wow,
the end of this episode proves to me again why keiichi is a worthless coward, and I simply could never sympathize with him.


I should know by now that psychological thrillers rely upon weak personalities to make the story interesting...

*points to Ikari Shinji* weak-minded main chars tend to be the best choice for these psychological thrillers.. or would u prefer a Kurosaki Ichigo type..? ~.~

[Thewanderer]

Originally Posted by Crimen Scythe

*points to Ikari Shinji* weak-minded main chars tend to be the best choice for these psychological thrillers.. or would u prefer a Kurosaki Ichigo type..? ~.~

That'd actually be more intertaining for me. Ichigo's type don't take any crap.

[Sushi-Y]

Originally Posted by Srin Tuar

Wow,
the end of this episode proves to me again why keiichi is a worthless coward, and I simply could never sympathize with him.


I should know by now that psychological thrillers rely upon weak personalities to make the story interesting...

Don't be so quick to pass judgement on the whole series just because you saw an undesirable reaction from Keiichi. It's common for people to become agitated or angered easily when they're in a state of anxiety or panic. People always say "I would've been calm instead of freaking out like that" when they're on the sidelines, but the truth is, most people placed under a sudden stressful situation will fail in maintaining a calm conscious mind. The important thing is how fast they can regain their calmness and begin to think and act logically again.

In that respect, I agree that they did leave off at a spot that made Keiichi look pretty bad though.

Well, I can't say anymore, but trust me, there's a reason why Keiichi was able to beat all the girls to rank in at no.1 among the fans in the popularity vote.

[Black_Sharingan]

It never ceases to amaze me everytime someone bashes an anime character for being weak and then claims that he/she can do better in the same circumstances. The fact is, you don't know how you will react in such scenario.

But in my experience, those who do not boast about it is usually the one who has the strongest nerve. Those who quack the most usually is the reverse. Just like Rika said, "the real personality of a person is usually the reverse of what's on the outside".

Speaking of personality, it's nice to see the real face of Shion. I do wonder if she actually likes Keiichi or if she just want to make her sister jealous by showing that she can get the guy that her sister can't get.

[Eleutheria]

Originally Posted by Sushi-Y

Well, I can't say anymore, but trust me, there's a reason why Keiichi was able to beat all the girls to rank in at no.1 among the fans in the popularity vote.

...a massive female majority in the respondents of the poll? I kid, I kid.

Definitely enjoyed the episode even though I didn't quite catch all the dialogue. It kept me guessing: I agree with the above poster that the other person at the end of the phone was most probably Mion with all those questions, even though she was dressed as Shion. Which in turn begs the question of why she was dressed as Shion in the first place...

I've a feeling that Tomitake dies no matter what. At least this chapter hints that in Onikakushi-hen, he did break a few taboos.

[Srin Tuar]

Originally Posted by Black_Sharingan

It never ceases to amaze me everytime someone bashes an anime character for being weak and then claims that he/she can do better in the same circumstances. The fact is, you don't know how you will react in such scenario.

Shrieking in a whiny broken voice while appealing to an unnamed darkness that his trespass was shion's fault and that he should be spared bespeaks a basal cowardice matched with a flippant disregard for the well being of his friend.

Lol, I think even the average person could do better. I mean, were not talking about an axe murderer popping out of his closet- it was a phone call from a hot girl.

[Eleutheria]

Originally Posted by Srin Tuar

Lol, I think even the average person could do better. I mean, were not talking about an axe murderer popping out of his closet- it was a phone call from a hot girl.

To be fair, it's a hot girl that you met not long ago. In addition, this hot girl was with you and two other people in a torture museum the night before, one that you'd broken into. Those two other people are dead, one incinerated and the other's throat cut.

Also, why would hot/ugly girl matter? I'd think that my guard would be lower if a hot girl called, and thus my mental defenses would be that much weaker when she started talking about Oyashiro's tatari and how those two other people met untimely deaths, etc.

[kj1980]

In any case, Takano made several good explanations here that would help people find out more about Hinamizawa's dark past. Complement those with the TIPS for Ep. 6, I think people will begin to diverge their hypothesis a bit by putting some of Hinamizawa's history into play.

Looks like next episode will be the big chiller for Watanagashi. I hope they do it right!

[SvenTheSweeper]

Originally Posted by Sushi-Y

Don't be so quick to pass judgement on the whole series just because you saw an undesirable reaction from Keiichi. It's common for people to become agitated or angered easily when they're in a state of anxiety or panic. People always say "I would've been calm instead of freaking out like that" when they're on the sidelines, but the truth is, most people placed under a sudden stressful situation will fail in maintaining a calm conscious mind. The important thing is how fast they can regain their calmness and begin to think and act logically again.

In that respect, I agree that they did leave off at a spot that made Keiichi look pretty bad though.

Well, I can't say anymore, but trust me, there's a reason why Keiichi was able to beat all the girls to rank in at no.1 among the fans in the popularity vote.

Keiichi so far has been pretty poor at lying to people, and everybody seems to pick up on it easily. He might be a person who exemplifies the phrase, "Honest people make poor liars". So at least his honesty is redeeming feature.

Originally Posted by Crimen Scythe

*points to Ikari Shinji* weak-minded main chars tend to be the best choice for these psychological thrillers.. or would u prefer a Kurosaki Ichigo type..? ~.~

Originally Posted by Sushi-Y

Well, I can't say anymore, but trust me, there's a reason why Keiichi was able to beat all the girls to rank in at no.1 among the fans in the popularity vote.

Could it be that the Kool Marble and alternate identity, K, gets him the No.1 spot in popularity polls? See below:

Originally Posted by Sushi-Y

You have no idea. Keiichi's not only the "Magician of Words", his alternate identity, K, raises his moe knowledge skills to a godly level, allowing the use of his KOOL marble reality: bombarding his opponent with speeches about the Art of Moe at machine-gun speed until the said opponent breaks down into a sobbing mess from K's MANLINESS. K's not alone in his endeavors either, his "soul brothers", Cloud, Iri, and Tommy are all true MEN constantly striving for their ideals in the world of moe! (Who are they? Just like how "K" came from Keiichi, you should realize who these men are if you looked in Higurashi's character list).

No, I'm not making this up. Here's an example of Keiichi's reality marble:

Spoiler:

(I blew my coffee out around the part where the Venus statue and Mona Lisa were apparently moe products left behind by our ancestors)
(Notice near the end, even nouns like XBOX360 and PS3 came up. Yes, K's reality marble even breaks the barrier of time! )
Usual reaction from the girls,

Rena: "Keiichi-kun and _____-kun looks like they're having a lot of fun, but Rena can't follow what they're talking about at all--..."
Mion: "You don't have to follow them, just don't!"

If you're lucky, you'll get your first glimpse of "K" in Tatarigoroshi. ^^;

Just for fun-
Which is the cooler ability to have, the Kool Marble/K Identity thing or a Shingami Bankai?

[Crimen Scythe]

wow..i spent more than an hour taking notes on this ep...pausing and playing...but anyway i give this ep a 10/10 because it just revealed alot of things to me that clarified the previous events of Onikakushi-hen and some other things...i found some of the things Takano said to be very intriguing but there are still more questions that havent been clarified...overall i think it was worth taking notes ^^.... As for Keiichi's behavior...

Spoiler:

i dun think it was bad that he flipped out or that he was a coward in any way....honestly if one was put into the same situation, that person would most definitely freak out...i admit that i would...cuz i would be an unknowing person brought into sumthin that i didnt ask for and now running the risk of becoming "demoned away" which might involve the removal of my precious intestines... so he did wut any other average person would do...unless u have nerves of steel...

As for the only thing that i mightve found suspicious in this ep...which might be considered very minor...was how Mion knew about everything...such as when she was questioning Keiichi if he saw Tomitake, Takano, or Shion the previous night...but then when she was leaving... she said she was going to go tell everyone that Keiichi wasnt involved in any bad deeds...which kind of makes me think "how much does she know?!"...again it might be minor..but i just found it suspicious...more suspicious than Oishi-san because he is a cop afterall...

[Matrim]

It never ceases to amaze me everytime someone bashes an anime character for being weak and then claims that he/she can do better in the same circumstances. The fact is, you don't know how you will react in such scenario.

I totally agree with you.

Spoiler:

If I had visited some forbidden temple because someone pratically dragged me there and then two people died probably because of the curse of this temple, well I would have been extremely pissed off at that person too. It might not be the most rational reaction but it's quite a normal one.
For some reason when Takano was telling her rather ghastly lecture about the nice inhabitants of the village and their rituals I was all like "This is Sachiko from Marimite" (because of the seiyuu) and it didn't feel so creepy because of her voice which to me seemed full of irony, quite different from what you'd expect in that situation. So my crazy theory is that she is not dead at all - we saw no body, right? Maybe she actually conducts these rituals and is involved in the killings. Although, wouldn't it be considered blasphemous to get into the temple or whatever it was together with the photographer and Keiichi who appear to be in dark about the whole ritual murders plot?
So Mion's family are yakuza? Interesting.
My head started to hurt when I tried to figure out whether Mion pretended to be Shion in a given situation or vice versa. I think we know too little about their differences to make any reasonable speculations.

Enough with the crazy speculation, the important thing is this anime rocks.