(Post was actually made on April 4th but never posted until now!)
Hello everyone! I finally finished reading Higurashi all the way to the end. It was an absolutely amazing experience from beginning to end, and I enjoyed every moment of it! So, as usual, I thought I’d write down my thoughts. Please be aware that there may be spoilers!
I was in the mood to read a horror novel, so I decided to give Higurashi a read. Unfortunately, I already knew what was going to happen because the anime was actually my first introduction to the series. However, I thought it would still be fun to compare the anime with the visual novel, as well as look at the differences between the parts I enjoyed in the anime and the original visual novel!
When comparing the anime and the visual novel, I felt that the visual novel did a much better job of exploring the characters’ backstories and motivations. Since the story is written around the characters’ thoughts and perspectives, the way it portrays unsettling scenes is also incredibly effective and memorable. One of my favourite aspects was watching the characters’ mental states gradually deteriorate as the game progressed.
In the Question Arcs, the story begins by introducing the characters through their everyday lives, which I thought was a really great way to start. As we gradually discover the true nature of Hinamizawa, everything becomes increasingly unsettling. I loved all of the Question Arcs, and I felt that they were much more detailed than their anime adaptations.
The anime feels more like horror and gore-focused entertainment, whereas the visual novel is much more psychological and mysterious. It constantly makes you think as you read, giving you the feeling that you’re piecing together a puzzle yourself.
My favourite arc in particular was the second Question Arc, Watanagashi-hen (Cotton Drifting Chapter). In this arc, Mion Sonozaki takes on the role of what feels like the main antagonist. The story develops in such a mysterious way that it became one of my favourite mysteries in the series. I also really enjoyed how everything was properly explained and pieced together in the Answer Arcs!
My favourite characters that concluded my love for Higurashi is Rika Furude and Shion Sonozaki as their arcs was the important focus of the near end and the main plot! If you havent read Higurashi I really do highly recommended it. It truly is a masterpiece and personally one of my favourite 'long' novels.
