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Every year, on a fixed day of June, one person dies and one person disappears in Hanamizawa Village. It is a death chain from the fight related to a big dam construction plan. The incident that was hidden in the middle of Showa revives.
Based on a popular, amateur created murder-mystery computer game.

Currently subbed by:
We are IN Denial
Ayu
The-Triad

Characters:
Animation is done by Studio DEEN, and their high quality work shows in Higurashi. The character designs were very well done and their behaviors are original. The characters ooze personality when the voice actors show what kind of people they are, how they interact, and the way they speak. Most of the main character's friends show a slight, ominous feeling about them.

Story:
The story begins with Keiichi Maehara, an ordinary school student, who has just moved into the town of Hinamizawa a month ago. Life seems ordinary in Hinamizawa until he hears of murders in Hinamizawa which left Keiichi to explore more about Hinamizawa's history. The story progresses at a slow pace with a not-so-tension filled atmosphere for the genre of horror and mystery. In fact, it has much more comedy than I had expected. The first episode is light-hearted and is a nice introduction for the characters. Not much of a plot is revealed until later in the episode, which makes an extreme turn in the atmosphere around Keiichi.

Animation:
Studio DEEN has once again done a great job with this anime. The animation sets the mood and the colors are vibrant and lively when needed to be. It really is eye candy and is enjoying to watch.

Music:
The OP, "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (ひぐらしの なく頃に)" by Eiko Shimamiya, has a mysterious, dark feeling that sets the mood for the anime. This set me back a step because I didn't feel it started off correctly because the beginning of the anime had a light, comedic feeling to it. It certainly did not feel "mysterious" or "dark". But this opinion may change later as the plot progresses. The song itself is extremely well done and has a memorable tone with a great video to back it up. The video itself gave away how the characters truly are which made it spoiling for me. The ED, "why,or why not" by Hiroyuki Oshima feat. Rekka Katakiri, however has a nice slow beat to it and is sung completely in nearly fluent english. The song has a nice beat to it and is well done. The video is abstract and compliments the anime well. I'll be sure to add these two songs into my collection once they are released.

Verdict:
With what I know from this series and what others are telling me about this series, this was one of the few anime I have been looking forward to this spring. I'm expecting alot from this series and I'm sure I will recieve. I was wowed of what I have seen so far and I'm sure others will be too. The plot twists are interesting and intriguing to say the least. I'll be following this anime closely and I strongly recommend watching this series.

Watched the first ep and it looks good. Judging form the opening scene, I was shocked at the comedy level in the rest of the ep (loved the card game). Looking forward to see what direction the series goes from here on out.

Watched the first ep, too and I think I'm going continue to watch. And I'm also curios about what direction the series goes.

This show makes my blood rush

Damn, I just saw the second ep. but hey that was pretty freaky, I'm scared now, the anime makes the scary mood seem very scary, I like this anime thoug, yeah I'm interested in how this anime will follow along too. I will watch this every week. ...I won't be able to go outside at night for a while, I'm not strong against scary stuff...haha..ha...screach... wha, what was that!!?

Hmmmm.... seems interesting, ill try to see it, hopefully it isent a disapointment.

What the hell... this show is so deceiving. XD

It looked like your usual cute anime with cute lolis but it looks like one creepy show, haha. Awesome. I'll be following this anime. XD

I love it, that is all to say, behind innocent smiles is a conspiracy? sounds like Xfiles, in anime version.
pure winnage.

Saw some screenshots of epi1..then got the fansub..then saw opening..did i d/l the wrong anime? :P
yes i'll continue watching it.. had a look at the sound novels too..too bad don't understand enough jap to play it

definitely something different from your usual anime

The music is of great charm, the ambient is with a bit eeriness and sadness(just like the anime itself),this make me really drown into it.I cant wait to try the full version of OP!!
any way,Keiichi is kind of being too nervous,thats why i am so worry about himxD

I enjoyed the first episode, I want to see what happens next. I want to see what the mystery about all this is. It looks like that it can be a great show by the time it's over :D

I like it the fisrt episode, and im downloading the second, but i like the serie because it looks scary, and i like it and the begining the scene with the bat was awesome, n_n, i can't wait to see the second chapter

I have to say that I LOVE this anime so far I just saw epsiode 2 and damn I wasn't excepting anything like that to happen. watching this makes me think of Elfen Lied how it had cute characters and some funny moments and then out of no where there is a scene that makes you go WTF!! I can't wait to see how the story goes!!

Is the second episode out yet>?
I am eager to watch it.

It's been out for a month 2 weeks.
I was thinking of something else.