I really enjoyed this episode. It pretty much reminded me of how much i liked the first season
[pointing out to the blood, the psychological violence, and the child abuse]
There was something especial about Takano(?)'s dad coughing blood onto her daughter or Takano again biting the finger of her pursuer. This, however, pales to the scenes showing the kids's mistreatment or Takano's struggle and hopelessness through the forest.
I could feel sympathy for her and i would be no less than happy to support her evil plots
(impatiently waiting for more "higurashi laughs").
This episode surprisingly featured an improved animation quality compared to the last one plus a nice use of colors to set the mood and tension. Solid 10, i guess.
I forgot to check the new op. I didn't realize they changed the sequence because i was listening to the music.