Today we’ll be giving a little introduction to the final two chapters included in this last installment of Higurashi When They Cry: Mehagashi-hen and Hinamizawa Bus Stop.
Mehagashi-hen, the latest bonus chapter written and added exclusively for the updated Hou+ release is an homage to the absolutely hilarious and zany antics of the club members and the full depth of comedy that Higurashi can show-off when when it wants a lighthearted mood. In this arc, a little bit of frustration over chores manages to turn what should be a fun day at the pool into one man’s desperate quest to strip his friends in order to save the entire galaxy! All of the club members utilize the full extent of their special talents in this contest, and of course it wouldn’t be a true club competition between them without a few special guests joining the fray to aid one side or another. The laughs are nearly non-stop in this wild affair that’s sure to delight.
The last chapter provided in Higurashi Hou—Hinamizawa Bus Stop—is especially unique to the Higurashi series. This “chapter” was originally written as a stand-alone screenplay for a theater performance, and it serves as something of an original prototype for the entire Higurashi series. While it may be presented in-game using sprites and BGMs typical of the more standard visual novel style, the actual text of the script is still very much in the style of a screenplay with dialogue and stage directions which can be used as-is to produce a play, so that’s something to keep in mind while reading it.
There are a lot of differences between this chapter and what Higurashi has become today. For example, the cause of Oyashiro-sama’s Curse is similar yet different, and in this version of Higurashi, we actually get to see interactions with some of the people the government has charged with constructing the dam in Hinamizawa. There are many different characters as well. There is no Keiichi, Rena, or Satoko. Only Rika, Mion, and others who would later be reworked to play the roles we know in Higurashi. (That being said, both Rika and Mion are very different in Bus Stop, with Rika being much less childish, and Mion coming from a poor family that’s struggling in the village.) These differences and more all come together to create an experience that’s not felt in other renditions of Higurashi, so we hope you all enjoy reading it.
Lastly, it’s also worth noting that Higurashi When They Cry Hou+ includes all of the old, original “Secret Staff Rooms” from the original doujin game releases of each Higurashi chapter, so if you’re a big fan and a collector, this will be your chance to get all of Ryukishi’s rambling ravings about Ragnarok Online, farming herbs, Rozen Maidens, Hisui, and more.
Higurashi When They Cry Hou+ will be releasing this Thursday, November 9th, on MangaGamer and Steam, so please look forward to it!