Ani-Mania: ‘When They Cry’

Summer is here, at least for another month or so, and as Yuko would tell us, hot weather makes the perfect setting for ghost stories! That’s not just an excuse to drink more sake, though (not that Yuko needs an excuse, anyway); summer is also the season for Obon, the festival to honor the dead. Tokyo has it’s bon festival around July 15, but for most of the country, bon odori happens around August 15, so to celebrate this spooky time, and look forward to Halloween (notice those fall decorations going up in stores yet?), this week’s AniMania features a horror series, When They Cry.

The title comes from the sounds of the cicada calls in late summer. Also known as Higurashi, this fiendishly clever show recounts a series of strange murders that took place in the small town of Hinamizawa. The story follows Keiichi, a young man who recently moved to the sleepy little town. At first, everything seems to be going smoothly. Keiichi makes friends, and even joins an after school club. But then he learns a bit about the town’s history, including the bizarre murders which happen at the same time every year, around the time of the Cotton Drifting festival. When Keiichi asks questions, his friends’ responses become increasingly more disturbing, until Keiichi begins to fear for his life.

The events are retold in Rashomon fashion, spanning several different story arcs, each of which presents a different view of the same events. The re-tellings vary widely from each other in content, in some cases disagreeing on the material facts of the case, but each one contributes to the overall understanding of what actually happened. I recommend watching the show one plot arc at a time. Pop some popcorn, turn out the lights, and prepare to be creeped.

Part of what makes When They Cry so disturbing is that it combines the sweetness of romantic comedy with some really gruesome horror. It’s kind of like taking the dreamy, slice of life qualities of a show like Kanon or Clannad, and mixing it with The Ring, with a dash of Silent Hill thrown in for good measure. The contrast between the two elements gives Higurashi a strange, surreal quality, especially when one storyline reaches its murderous conclusion, only to have the next plot arc start out bright and sunny again.

This may be Hinamizawa, but parts of the show feel more like Love Hina. Male characters are few and far between. It’s the girls that really steal the show. There’s Rena, the sweet, domestic girl who has violent mood swings when Keiichi says the wrong thing (picture Shinobu with an axe). And then there’s Mion, the brash tomboy and ringleader of the group who has a secret, softer side (and many other secrets besides). Rounding out the cast are Rika, a priestess who may or may not know about the curse many locals fear is behind the bizarre murders, and Satoko, a troubled girl with problems at home.

The voices are frighteningly good. Grant George, the voice of Keiichi, has also appeared in Bleach and Code Geass. Kelli Kassidi, who had a small part in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, voices two characters in When They Cry, including the brash and beautiful Mion. You might recognize Mela Lee, who plays the part of Rena, from her work as Rin in Fate/stay night. Minx Lee, the voice of Jun’s sister Nori in Rozen Maiden, plays Satoko. Rika gets her voice from Reba West, who has also appeared in Code Geass and Mahoromatic.

The opening theme, appropriately titled “Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni”, is by Eiko Shimamiya. The ending, “why, or why not” features the sultry sounds of Hiroyuki Oshima and Rekka Katakiri as Rena’s axe descends in the background.

If When They Cry sounds like a great setup for a really weird dating sim, never fear — MangaGamer is localizing the Higurashi PC games that inspired the series for the US market, with an expected release date of October, 2009, just in time for Halloween. In the mean time, you can pick up the three disc anime series starting August 25 from most major retailers. It’s expected to sell for $69.98.

If you’re not too scared from watching Higurashi, tune in to next week’s AniMania for more reviews, fandom, and Otaku life.