After a one-week oshougatsu break, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gou returns with what for me at least was a very interesting episode.  As ever the disclaimer is that it’s been so long since the last full anime adaptation that my memory is sketchy on the details.  But that said, this seemed pretty original to me, and in important ways – probably the most off-canon episode in Gou so far.  That would be fitting since “Nekodamashi-hen” is the first arc not riffing on the title (and presumably plot) of one from the VNs.

This episode was a dual-purpose workhorse in several ways.  First of all it had the task of wrapping up the last cour as well as setting up this one.  It was a seemingly critical mythology episode while at the same time telling an engaging self-contained story.  And it had to tie what’s coming in with existing precedent while laying the groundwork for what looks at this point to be a totally new resolution.  That it was able to accomplish all these goals without flubbing any of them is quite impressive, and a good auger for the second cour of Gou.

Hanyuu showing up is always a giveaway that you’re getting canon material (even if it’s new canon) and should start taking notes.  Even before that, though, the cold open takes us through the final moments of Episode 13 from the perspective of the festival.  And, perhaps surprisingly, it appears Reina was telling Keiichi the truth about what happened.  Certainly what we see doesn’t directly conflict with anything she told him, and it confirms beyond doubt that Ooishi was a full-on L5 Hinamizawa Syndrome wig-out.  In this mythology that probably takes him off the suspect list as mastermind – assuming there is one this time around.

I still have questions – like why Ooishi went to Satoko’s house in the first place, assuming he did, and whether this confirms that K1 imagined Teppei being there (after being clubbed by Ooishi?).  But things move along quickly, as Hanyuu drops some real bombshells on Rika.  She tells her that she’s used the last of her powers to grant Rika the ability to preserve her memories from loop to loop (a poisoned chalice, perhaps, and not necessarily wanted).  Perhaps most interestingly, she tells Rika of the existence of a sword that can kill “loopers”, hidden inside the Oyashiro-sama statue in the storehouse.

Now that’s an interesting twist.  I think the implication here is that Hanyuu is giving Rika the gift of death, should she choose to accept it.  And why wouldn’t she, as exhausted as she is from living through this hell for a century?  But I also get the vibe that there’s another looper from Hanyuu’s words, and if so that’s a game-changer of a development.  Disclaimer yada yada, but I don’t remember ever hearing of anyone besides Rika who could time loop.  And if there is someone, they’re surely connected to the conspiracy at the heart of Hinamizawa Syndrome.

For the moment, though, Rika is focused on using the Sword of Onigari for the obvious purpose.  She lets Satoko drag her to a club outing but chooses Onigokko, giving her the chance to sneak into the storehouse and end her suffering.  The sword is missing (there may be hints about why in Episode 7, the last time we were in that storehouse) but Rika does find a shard, which is presumably enough.  But the others find her, thanks to Mion (who conspicuously does have a key) before Rika can do what she’s contemplating.  And now, armed with an escape hatch, she figures she can suck it up for 5 more loops looking for the good end before she uses it.  We waited a long time for Rika to come to the forefront (as is usual with Higurashi) but when she did, the results didn’t disappoint.