Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai 24 – Mixed Feelings

Well, it’s finally over after a long haul. Unlike the boring episode 23 which left me feeling like nothing of importance really happened, this final episode kept me on the edge of my seat, but it was probably for nothing because the episode was enjoyable but I expected some kind of awesome climax and instead the ending is rather anti-climatic. I don’t know I like the episode but at the same time I wanted more.

At the confrontation with Takano, I just like (sarcasm) how they try to justify Takano by making her play a martyr last minute. Sure she had those horrible experiences but people can overcome them, and what made things even worse is they make it that she contracted the Hinamizawa Syndrome which makes all her actions ‘okay lol’ because she was just insane and not thinking correctly. I was also expecting Hanyuu to die and be like the “sacrifice” character or something. I also expected Takano to die. I must also note that I was REALLY impressed with Yui Horie role of Hanyuu here when she was in front of Takano. I never thought Hocchan could make her voice sound so serious/angry/creepy.

The episode as a whole, no, actually these past few episodes just seem to jump around between characters. Maybe it was done better in the game but in the anime a few characters just get very little air time like what the hell was Ooishi-san doing during most of this? Also, I would have liked to have seen more of just what everyone else was doing instead of just brief glimpses as it tries to fit what EVERYONE was doing at the time.

Ok, they really do something ridiculous at the end here. At first I thought it was one of those XX amount of years later because they show an older Rika, which I was screming “DO NOT WANT! OLDER RIKA DO NOT WANT!” Her designs are just ugly here. Anyway, they show this girl who just seemingly looks like a younger Takano so I’m thinking, “Oh Takano recovered and married Tomitake. That’s nice. Good end.” But then when they showed her parents I was like, “Wha? Pime Taradox?” Seriously, this move was so stupid because it just leaves more questions. What, can Rika travel back in time or something now? Why didn’t she do this in the first place? This kind of made everything in Kai pointless because it doesn’t happen or maybe the events of Kai do happen but this is just another possible ending.

I’ve read that a third season and a movie have been announced. I’m not sure what the third season will be about but I have this horrible feeling it might just be new material, but I’m slightly hoping that it is just some of the side stories from the game that happen after the main events. Either way they are just milking it now.

I dunno say what you want but I enjoyed the creepiness, the supposed supernatural and mystery of the first season more. The first season is interesting and you’re wondering just what the hell is going on but with Kai it totally breaks down all those interesting things and presents what really was going on. So, it’s basically a question if you want to stay ignorant by watching the first season only or also watch Kai where all the creepiness and mysterious elements are answered leaving you with a feeling like, “Oh, it was all natural and explainable in the end.

I think they say, “Ignorance is bliss.” Right?