Higurashi Kai (second season) - Overall Series Impressions & Total Series Rating

[Kazuki_Kun]

Answers are never as satisfying as the questions would lead you to believe; and some of the ways the answers were exceted aren't too great.

Also, at some points, Matsubayashi seemed sickeningly sweet, a total opposite from the first season. I enjoyed the first season in a way for the mix of horror, realism and mystery, in season 2 it all seemed too happy-ish for my tastes, gone was the depressive side ( minues dark Rika and an odd few scenes) and everyone seemed happy-go-lucky . (Also, was I the only one who thought things like the log rolling yamainu thing from episode 23 was way too over the top?, and the Rena and K1 'YAYY' bit.) x_x

That aside, I love all the characters so much <3

[gaguri]

I don't know if this has been mentioned before (since I haven't been following any discussion threads before this) but I think I heard Higurashi cry exactly once in the entire second season (compared to numerous times in season 1 where it set that brooding mood). Which is also bit inappropriate I thought, since it cried at the last episode (I think?). Whatever that means.

[Klashikari]

That's the complete opposite: the higurashi has the symbol of ephemeral life and such, lively during summer etc.
The lack of these cry is sign of change but obviously how things go farther than before in the previous arcs.
The cry were still done in several instances in S2, especially in Minagoroshi-hen for obvious reasons.

[gaguri]

Didn't sound at all like ephemeral life in season one though. Whatever it traditionally means, they clearly intended it to foreshadow a relentlessly approaching horror. Never mind then.

[angel.shade]

I think DEEN probably overused the cicada cry in the first season because it sounds foreboding and creepy.

Not nearly as whacked out as the twisted, clanging white noise from Silent Hill, but close. =p

[Liddo-kun]

Originally Posted by gaguri

Didn't sound at all like ephemeral life in season one though. Whatever it traditionally means, they clearly intended it to foreshadow a relentlessly approaching horror. Never mind then.

Got to agree with this, the cicadas' cry fit in perfectly on season 1's creepy atmosphere.
Like it's saying that hidden under all the cheerfulness there's something evil going on.

Either it's overused in S1 or there isn't much creepiness left in S2 so it's barely used.

[Mint Kashiro]

I fell in love with Higurashi, and Kai was simply amazing to me. The ending felt almost too easy, so I hope the 'true end' gets animated. Even then, there was a deep emotional involvement with it for me, mostly with the 'fight against fate' and even Takano's 'fight against god'. (There are personal reasons for this, though.)

Mion and Shion Sonozaki are easily my favorites. At first, it was only because Mion reminded me of one of my own characters, Mint Kashiro (<- avatar), but that turned out to be almost only appearance-wise as the plot started to reveal itself. And I found it hard to not fall in love with Shion, and found the two twins easy to identify with.

Gah... I really have to change my avatar for this forum sometime. XD; (threw this together at school without any tools because I needed one)

[angel.shade]

The best thing about the second season was, without a doubt, Kasai.

There is no bigger badass in all of Higurashi than Kasai.

Also, DEEN used the cicada cry in Season 1 in much the same way Resident Evil uses distant zombie moans, random thumps and other noises heard in the mansion, and how Silent Hill uses distorted white noise and mechanical clanging, shrieks and screams in the background...

... to make you freak out if you play/watch it in the dark!

[Keiichi no Hibi]

Originally Posted by angel.shade

The best thing about the second season was, without a doubt, Kasai.

There is no bigger badass in all of Higurashi than Kasai.

I think Akasaka could probably take him, honestly.

[angel.shade]

Originally Posted by Keiichi no Hibi

I think Akasaka could probably take him, honestly.

Akasaka vs. Kasai, no holds barred, last man standing... would be impossibly metal. =O

[Liddo-kun]

Originally Posted by Keiichi no Hibi

I think Akasaka could probably take him, honestly.

My bet would be on Akasaka on this one, Kasai was only tough because he's armed with a shotgun.

Spoiler for Off topic:

This might be a bit off-topic, but on the Higurashi Daybreak 3d fighting game for the P.C. Akasaka has a move similar to the punch he used on the Yamainu's van - takes off almost 1/2 the opponent's lifebar.

[angel.shade]

Originally Posted by -boiledliddo-

My bet would be on Akasaka on this one, Kasai was only tough because he's armed with a shotgun.

No dude Kasai was badass because he was so cool and composed at all times. You could ice a six-pack of beer on his head during a crisis.

Akasaka on the other hand was just a borderline pedo with too much of a crush on Rika... >>;

Edit: this is the wrong thread for this.

[Liddo-kun]

Originally Posted by angel.shade

No dude Kasai was badass because he was so cool and composed at all times. You could ice a six-pack of beer on his head during a crisis.

Akasaka on the other hand was just a borderline pedo with too much of a crush on Rika... >>;

My last thoughts on Akasaka vs. Kasai since it's going off-topic.

Akasaka - came back to help Rika because Rika's prophecy saved his wife (he did not come back for pedo reasons), repaying a debt inspite of the danger is the trait of a real man imo. Plus he's tough - able to take on 5 Yamainu all by himself.

Kasai - being calm when they rescued Dr. Irie, volunteering to stay behind when the Yamainu assaulted the Torture chamber - he has good points too.

If they're going to fight however, Kasai (without a weapon) is sure to lose to Akasaka.
Because Akasaka knows Martial arts while Kasai has no hand to hand combat training.

[Ichihara Asako]

I just got around to finishing this, finally. I wasn't actively following it as it aired, because it's the kind of series best binged (lesson learned from S1) so I watched it all over the weekend.

Overall, I enjoyed it more than the first season, I think. Especially Hanyuu. She's adorable, and finally kind of explained why Rika was... well, the way she was. And all of the characters had some nice development, for that matter.

The animation lets it down in some areas (as with the first season) but overall I think it's an excellent series. I'm not sure where they're gonna be taking S3 though... as this concluded really nicely. But then so did Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori, and they're doing an S3 of that too... >.<

[BanditKing]

Just finish watching the Kai in one go and like it quite a bit but watching Matsuribayashi i can't help but feel keiichi is no long needed.Even if hes not in there i think Rika can go through it quite fine with the others seeing how most of the event is already set for her.Seeing how he was important in Minagoroshi then turning nothing more but a small sidekick in Matsuribayashi was quite disappointed.

Though I very interest about piece 52 info I wonder how well rika will take it if Akasaka was seduced by Takano and went to her side.Massive Massacre-hen?

[Eryops]

Originally Posted by BanditKing

Just finish watching the Kai in one go and like it quite a bit but watching Matsuribayashi i can't help but feel keiichi is no long needed.Even if hes not in there i think Rika can go through it quite fine with the others seeing how most of the event is already set for her.Seeing how he was important in Minagoroshi then turning nothing more but a small sidekick in Matsuribayashi was quite disappointed.

Since he already had his chance to shine in the previous arc, I don't think it was unreasonable to focus more on other characters in this one.

Originally Posted by BanditKing

Though I very interest about piece 52 info I wonder how well rika will take it if Akasaka was seduced by Takano and went to her side.Massive Massacre-hen?

Don't worry; Akasaka is immune to Takano's charms.

[MarthX]

Akasaka prefers DFC

[Terrestrial Dream]

Gave it a 7, could have given a 6 but I though it was injustice to the early part of the show. I really thought the beginning was great and it was great when they revealed that Takano Miyo was the villian and well after that I thought it would be all about hating Takano and trying to get revenge on her. But the writer did something that I thought was very impressive, they gave a reason to pity Takano by showing her past. Then came the final arc, which sucked. I thought it would be great but it was just too perfect, as in everything went right for Rika and her friend. Everyone lived even Satoshi, so it was really boring and anticlimactic at the ending. No suspense what so ever, so many damn plot hole and what made it worse was the ruined potential for the ending.

[MarthX]

What plot holes?

[Terrestrial Dream]

Originally Posted by MarthX

What plot holes?

Well I maybe be nip picking here, but first when those Rika were being taken away Akasaka came and how he beat all those guys so easily. I don't know that really felt weird, because Akasaka in the original didn't had that kind of strength but suddenly he beat like 10guys like nothing. Also this I think is kinda of nip picking also, after they got beat why didn't they just ran over Akasaka with a car or something. Then there are the traps around the last episode, which seemed to be something that can't be made in one day. Though I think this show was good, but last arc really ruined it for me.