It’s always nice to lead with the good news, though of course there has to be good news for that to be an option. Happily there was here, quite a bit in fact. First and foremost Higurashi stepped way, way off the gas with the torture porn, to the point where it was almost non-existent this week. Since a repeat would have taken us close to deal-breaker territory that’s obviously important. But it also sort of explained why it happened – along with the irritating conclusion about Rika deciding the problem was her desire to flee – and used it to set up what happened this time. I won’t say “justified” because honestly, nothing could justify the Episode 16 debacle. But at least it gave a pretext for it.
In point of fact the sheer disgustingness of last week’s episode did serve to make the events of this one incredibly tense, as we – and Rika – kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. That said, I still feel like the story is a bit of a mess at this point and I’m not exactly sure where it’s going. It’s too early to say, but it almost seems like “Gou” has reduced the whole Takano-government conspiracy angle – which was the denouement of “Kai”, the best Higurashi to date – to a few minutes at the start of this episode. The amount of canon that got crammed into the first part of the episode was astonishing – was that truly it for that thread? Who know, but it definitely seems like that just isn’t the focus this time around.
As Rika notes, all of a sudden she seems to be rolling all sixes. Takano actually apologizes for planning for massacre Rika and her friends (which would be enough to make anyone suspicious), Toritake promises that Irie-sensei will actually be allowed back to try and cure Hinamizawa Syndrome (and presumably Satoshi, who makes his first appearance of this series). She even gets lucky at cards, though her penalty game seems quite wholesome and innocent at first. But Rika has certainly learned to distrust fate, and she wasn’t wrong to do so.
Now, Satoko being the other looper (presumably) doesn’t come as a huge surprise – there have been some hints in that direction. And Rika clearly suspected, as she set up the whole penalty game-birthday party to trap her. But this all seems too neat and tidy to me. The next arc is “Satokowashi-hen” (a nice pun, as “Sato” means hometown so “Village Destroying Chapter”) so we’re clearly riding this horse for a few eps at least. But I have to think Ryukishi07 is going to be true to his roots and give us a major conspiracy to end on, even if it’s different than the one we’re used to.
Anchen
January 30, 2021 at 12:41 amYup, this was about as big a departure from the last 2 episodes, particularly 16, as one could get, and I welcomed it. It got back to more of the feeling I like in Higurashi which is the tension build up. In the original series/early gou, it’s about the tension of some paranoia, delusions, etc, and how they built up. And later it’s about where does the shoe drop cause you know something is still coming. And that feeling of something coming was exactly how this episode played out. While this episode does give some re-context to the previous episode, it still didn’t need 16 to exist, at least in all the gratuity, so I’ll echo your sentiment that there wasn’t really anything that could justify just how the first half of 16 played out. I rewatch some episodes at times looking for hints and stuff, but man I can’t get myself to want to rewatch the first half of 16 at all.
I wonder how the last arc will play out . Will we get a Satoko POV episode? Will she pov the entire arc? While we have been following Keiichi, and then Rika, Satoko would be a new view for sure.
C.B.
January 31, 2021 at 10:51 amWith Juuza’s brief appearance in this episode (he’s the white haired pretty boy yamainu), I wonder if Ryukishi07 is hinting at a looming tie-in to Umineko no Naku Koro Ni as a couple fans have been speculating. I like both Umineko and Higurashi as stand alone works, and hope things don’t become as convoluted as the Clamp-verse (Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle) if he is going for an official “07Expanded Universe.” I think his previous policy regarding look-alike characters was for fans to see them as the same actor playing a similar role – hence the slightly different names and backstories alluding to lore from their “characters” in other works. The sadism and gore of the previous two Gou episodes is more in line with the Umineko anime than the first and second Higurashi anime seasons.
With the Satoko big reveal, I am curious to see where the story goes from here. Looks like we’re either at or approaching the climax of the series, so it would be a shame if Rika ends up having to go through yet another set of do-overs before the wrap up. Kai was the perfect close to the original series, and Rei and Kira served as great follow-ups showing us everybody enjoying their well-earned peace. Outbreak was… a single episode. So, what’s the deal with Gou? Could it be R07’s attempts to reveal the ultimate mastermind behind Takano’s original scheme? Will this series segue into an Outbreak scenario or Umineko, meaning more gods, viruses and axe crazy witches to prolong our… I mean Rika’s suffering? Oh boy…
Kim
January 31, 2021 at 12:06 pmFirst good episode in awhile. I was a bit spoiled but it didn’t ruin the impact. And it goes to show you don’t need excessive gore to make an impact. In fact I felt this episode had way more impact than the last couple.