Higurashi Kai Episode 18 Discussion / Poll

[-MotokoAoyama-]

if it has to be yuri, then I'd prefer Hanyuu/Rika, haha

that was so off-topic. About Satoshi, I don't think the last episode made it clear either way. He can be alive, he can be dead. Who knows? (those who play the game, haha)

thanks for the rough translation of the ep 19 preview. Hanyuu shooting light beams from her forehead, arms and breasts!? No wonder she had to run away from that one. I mean, who wouldn't? Teppei has such naughty naughty thoughts...

[Eryops]

Originally Posted by Grimkill7

I thought that was Ciel until you said otherwise.

What you thought was correct as well; after all, they're the same person.

Originally Posted by MezzoDragon

Although at fifth place, it seems Satoko and Rika make the best yuri couple. At least, if you go by this pole.

Running the comments page through Google Translator indicates that quite a few of the comments commend their deep friendship, so it isn't just yuri fans that voted for these two.

[Matrim]

Anyone else disppointed by the answer to Satoshi's disappearance mystery? I mean, it was set up as pretty much the biggest mystery after the identity of the mastermind and it turned out it was basically a repetition of the events of the first year of the "curse".

Also, Oryou's speech about outsiders coming into the village was way too melodramamatic and over the top for my taste, you'd think Jesus Christ himself was going to settle in Hinamizawa.

[Sterling01]

Originally Posted by Matrim

Anyone else disppointed by the answer to Satoshi's disappearance mystery? I mean, it was set up as pretty much the biggest mystery after the identity of the mastermind and it turned out it was basically a repetition of the events of the first year of the "curse".

We don't know what happened to Satoshi

Originally Posted by Matrim

Also, Oryou's speech about outsiders coming into the village was way too melodramamatic and over the top for my taste, you'd think Jesus Christ himself was going to settle in Hinamizawa.

Didn't you know Keiichi IS Jesus Christ

[melange]

Originally Posted by Sterling01

Didn't you know Keiichi IS Jesus Christ

And Akasaka is John the Baptist?

[Sterling01]

Also Takano is Judas Iscariot

[Zippicus]

About Satoshi...

Spoiler for Speculation:

It's true that we don't know what exactly happened to him. In all the previous arcs he goes missing after most likely taking out his aunt via baseball bat. We see in this episode that he's at L5 + in custody of the clinic + Takano happy about her new "gift" , I think everyone can agree that it's pretty much a worst case scenario for him at this point. The only reason Satako is still alive at this point is because of the injections she has to take all the time. If Satoshi left at this point he would eventually die from the syndrome. I would think that if they were intending to give Satoshi treatment there would be no need to make it seem like he left. Whether he is able to be saved or not is certainly still up in the air.

[FlareKnight]

Originally Posted by Matrim

Anyone else disppointed by the answer to Satoshi's disappearance mystery? I mean, it was set up as pretty much the biggest mystery after the identity of the mastermind and it turned out it was basically a repetition of the events of the first year of the "curse".

Yeah was almost expecting something huge and shocking. Or at least the guy still being alive. But of course we would've thought something big like an actual curse behind the deaths of Rika's parents. But that ended up as a simple murder by Takano...well one of many. It was a mystery, but I guess sometimes even those can have less blowing you out of the water solutions.

I'm just amazed Ire can even be around Satoko after what happened with Satoshi. Not like this was a stranger you could try to put aside. Ire knew him and his sister.

Also, Oryou's speech about outsiders coming into the village was way too melodramamatic and over the top for my taste, you'd think Jesus Christ himself was going to settle in Hinamizawa.

Well Keiichi isn't far off from that aloft hope. The man has the power to smash fate, don't mess with him .

Originally Posted by Sterling01

We don't know what happened to Satoshi

Come on. We didn't see Rika's father get poisoned, but we know he was murdered. Didn't see what happened to Rika's mother or see Satoko push her mother and step-father over the edge. Just because we didn't see him get dissected, doesn't mean it didn't happen.

If he was alive he would've been seen again. Either Ire could treat him and he spends a few weeks in the clinic recovering. Or Takano gets her way and he's dissected. Since there is no sign of him and pretty clear her shock troops created a false story of him leaving he's gone.

Maybe I was a bit over the top, but we don't need to see a murder for it to happen. Unlike many series where if we didn't see it happen the question is up in the air. This is Higurashi, people die....often. If he actually is alive I'll be blown away. But it feels way too clear that he has to be dead. Ire doesn't have any strong reasons to keep Takano from her dissection other than he doesn't want to do it. He's got the treatment and tested it.

Originally Posted by Sterling01

Also Takano is Judas Iscariot

Don't you mean Satan? Lucifer? Hitler!? We're talking bottom of the barrel of evil here. She's definitely a step up from Judas.

Nice broke the 2,000 post mark. Took a while since I took some long breaks between 2004 and now.

[Rayneing]

Something to note - Satoshi tried to claw out his own throat. Satoko didn't. His conditions were worse, and the treatment might take a longer time.

[FlareKnight]

But I thought Keiichi was Jesus? .

Since I want to find out via the show will avoid spoilers and the speculation shall continue. Though there isn't much to speculate about, he's either alive or he isn't Until he shows up in the show and dances around I'm sticking with dead. Just seems more likely that way. If he was being treated I wouldn't see the need for a coverup. Satoko looked terrible when she was taken in so unless he was jumping off walls no reason not to tell anyone. Unless they shipped him off to a loony bin in Alabama.

[melange]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

Though there isn't much to speculate about, he's either alive or he isn't

That just made me think of this

[Marbles]

I always thought it was Hanyuu who died for our sins and then rose from the dead.

[Sorrow-K]

Originally Posted by Sterling01

Also Takano is Judas Iscariot

I'm just continually gob-smacked by how well written this story is, but I did have a problem with this ep, and that was that they didn't bother explaining Suigintou. I guess, ultimately, it doesn't matter all that much, since she's just a plot device to keep Takano in motion, but the idea of a force driving an evil character forward and the conspiracy that goes along with it is just such a tantalizing one, that it's a real pity they're not going to run with it and explore it further.

Satoshi, Rena, Maebara, Oryou... there's so much amazing stuff in this plot. It lacks linearity (exemplified by this ep, which jumped from subplot to subplot), but it somehow turns that into a strength. It's like a thick soup of intrigue (that's officially my weirdest analogy for the day). I don't care if the anime has been watered down from the game, this is still one of the best stories I've seen in anime for a long time.

[kingsky123]

the old lady wanted whoever came to wreck havoc was thinking about her husband i remember a line mion said

" are you talking bout grandpa again"

[ferthepoet]

I´m surprised nobody has asked this yet so can anyone explain the timeline of this pieces with regard to Rika and Hanyuu (as oposed to the chronology in regard of people who does not live outside time)..... Hanyuu apeared in flesh to Keichis Father, but was seen as a ghost when Keichi arrived, when Keichi arrived Hanyuu and Rika had their memories from last arc, however they were supposed not to be able to go so back in time.... Are we supposed to deduce Rika told Onibaba about the importance of getting a new wind from the city and if so how did they get Keichi to move in the worlds before they knew that he was the one that could break fate........ for instance how did they met Keichi if his father was only convinced to move to hinamizawa because of them....

sorry for the long post but I´m strictly confused

[Eryops]

Originally Posted by Sorrow-K

I'm just continually gob-smacked by how well written this story is, but I did have a problem with this ep, and that was that they didn't bother explaining Suigintou. I guess, ultimately, it doesn't matter all that much, since she's just a plot device to keep Takano in motion, but the idea of a force driving an evil character forward and the conspiracy that goes along with it is just such a tantalizing one, that it's a real pity they're not going to run with it and explore it further.

There isn't much to explain. She's a member of the faction that was headed by Koizumi which has lost power after his death. As a result of his death they've lost control over the Irie Institution, along with a number of other projects and organizations to an opposing faction. Triggering the disaster will damage the standing of the opposing faction since they'll be forced to order the elimination of 2000 civilians. Thus her job is to convince Takano to kill Rika and then implement the disaster. Since she does that in the end of episode 17, she no longer has any role to play in the story.

[k//eternal]

That, and she's Suigintou. 'Nuff said.

[melange]

Originally Posted by k//eternal

That, and she's Suigintou. 'Nuff said.

...who makes Takano her medium..

[FlareKnight]

Yeah figured that woman was the one who gave Takano the idea to kill off Rika and cause the slaughter. Sad to see so many lives being lost due to a power struggle all the way out there. Of course killing a village for her grandfather and his research isn't a big deal so works out for the both of them.

Interesting now that Hanyuu's serious she can go solid and phase out as necessary. Will be a big piece now in solving this situation. Just hope Rika doesn't have huge problems getting everyone on side. Hard to predict how things will turn out, but with this being the final battle they need to focus on stopping Takano from accomplishing her plans.

Agree the story of this series has been excellent. Always did a good job of keeping one wondering what was going on and changing theories on the source of all the problems going on here. Not much further to go in order to reach the finish line. But some hurdles still going to be in the way.

[Davidj]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

Yeah figured that woman was the one who gave Takano the idea to kill off Rika and cause the slaughter. Sad to see so many lives being lost due to a power struggle all the way out there. Of course killing a village for her grandfather and his research isn't a big deal so works out for the both of them.

Interesting now that Hanyuu's serious she can go solid and phase out as necessary.

I would guess in the anime version now that Rika and Hanyuu's conversation was not in fact a standard part of the past that brought Keiichi to Hinamazawa. Instead it was them trying to make sure he came, because sometimes in the random permutations of the decision-making process, he wouldn't come.