Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai: Yakusamashi-hen 2

July 22, 2007 | 12 Comments

Okay, I finally finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and I'll talk more about it in great detail tomorrow since I still haven't really formulate my thoughts about it. With that in mind, I'll do an episode review first. On the surface, this feels like a static episode to me mostly because I'm already aware of the spoilers. However, for those who are unspoiled, some of Rika's solitary scenes actually contain some plot development. As for the rest of the story, there are some comedic scenes included but in comparison to last week's episode, it feels mild and not as funny. It was amusing, however, to see someone actually fawning over Keiichi of all people.

Rika wakes up in the morning to realise that the date is the 11th of June. When Satoko asks her if there is something wrong, however, Rika denies it. Meanwhile, Keiichi and the other girls are touring around the village as everyone prepares for the Watanagashi festival. Thanks to Mion's trick, Keiichi is forced to give hand to some villagers. Their joke, however, is interrupted when Ooishi comes to the village. Everyone seems to dislike the police especially when he starts bringing up the Hinamizawa murder case. After Ooishi left, Rika can't help but looking depressed when someone brings up the fact that she'll become the priestess of Hinamizawa. Rena can't resist treating Rika like her personal doll the minute she imagines the girl in priestess uniform. In response, Keiichi tells her that if Rika goes missing, she'll be the main suspect. Later on after the group goes on their separate way, Rika and Satoko go to a meat shop to buy some mixed meat.

Much to Satoko's disappointment, however, the butcher ignores her and only talk to Rika. This causes Rika to remember how the villagers became angry towards the Houjos because they supported the dam project. Back then Mion explains that because the family supported the dam project for years, the feel of betrayal will be felt for years as well. In the present time, Satoko drops her wallet, causing her coins to spill all over the street. Despite this, none of the villagers are willing to help her collecting it. Rika becomes angry to see this unjust treatment and helps Satoko picking her coins before dragging her friends away from the scene. The next day, the group are sitting together while they watch Mion losing badly to a famous baseball player from Okinomiya high school, Kameda. In order to help their team, Satoko calls Keiichi to help them. Much to their chagrin, Keiichi rush in to the game carrying a golf club instead of baseball bat.

Since Keiichi can't play baseball that well either, he resort to a dirty trick. He blackmails Kameda, telling the guy that he knows that unlike other boys, Kameda prefers sweets instead of meat. He then dangles two Angel Mort tickets so Kameda can go there to enjoy the sweets and the lolis. No, seriously. He, however, will only get it if he'll allow Keiichi to win the baseball game. Meanwhile, Satoko notices that Rika has been moody and wonders if it's because of what happened yesterday. She assures her friend that she doesn't mind the villagers' treatment. Upon hearing this, Rika decides to cheer herself up and enjoys the moment right now. Later on, Rika accidentally cuts her finger while slicing the vegetables. This causes Satoko to think that it's all her fault but Rika assures her that this is not the case. That night, Rika is talking to someone, saying how in the end nothing change and she can only die again doing nothing.

A girl's voice, however, can be heard alongside Rika's, begging Rika not to say such things. Rika, however, is sure that the day when she'll be killed again is coming soon. When the girl protests, Rika asks her what can be changed since from her perspective, nothing will change. The mysterious and unseen girl, however, assures Rika that she won't know unless she tries. She continues to encourage Rika, saying that one day Rika will wake up in a peaceful world and that there will be something which will change all of this. Rika loses her temper and asks the girl what is this 'something' could possibly be. In the process, she awakens a sleeping Satoko, who overhears Rika saying that she'll be killed again. Satoko is puzzled to hear this and wonders to whom Rika is talking to. Rika lies and tells Satoko that she was just talking to herself. Despite this, Satoko wants to know who Rika refers to when she said that someone is going to get killed.

In her frustration, Rika tells Satoko that she's the one who's going to get killed. She explains that after Watanagashi, she'll be killed and it's a fate that she can't get out of. The next morning, however, Rika is back to her chirpy self and assures Satoko that Satoko simply dreamed the entire thing. That afternoon, Satoko sets up traps during their usual kick-a-can game. Keiichi falls into a trap as usual but everyone is surprised when Rika also falls into the trap. A concerned Satoko decides to inform everyone what she heard from Rika last night. The rest find it hard to believe and even more so when Rika tells them that she didn't talk to Satoko last night. Later on, the mysterious girl asks Rika if she regrets telling Satoko about the murder last night. Rika admits this is the case and refuses to involve Satoko. That night Satoko finds out Rika talking to herself again but Rika tells her that there's nothing she can do because it's too late.

Impression:

I really forget that throughout all of the other 5 arcs, Rika never bothered to tell anyone about her fate. I think it's a mistake not to inform her friends about this. I understand that Rika doesn't want to involve her friends in her problem but there's a likelihood that they too could be in danger if she doesn't inform them of the entire story. I think the best result can only be achieved if she tells all of the the truth. Everything about the virus, the Hinamizawa curse, her murder, how she can't seem to know her murderer, etc. Another thing that I think she fails to utilize is the mysterious girl who talks to her. If the girl is a ghost, then it's likely she'll be able to see who actually kills Rika in the majority of the permutations. It's true that there was one or two reality where Shion was the one who killed her. However, I think that was an unusual permutation because in most permutations, Rika is always found dead in front of the shrine.

If only Rika tells them about this and if she manages to get her friends to believe her, it won't be that difficult to identify the murderer. The next step will be to ensure that they can take a few steps ahead to stop the murderer. I think there's no better time than this timeline to initiate this because this is one of those rare permutations where everyone gets along well with each other. The exception to this is Ooishi but if they've been honest with him, it's likely that he too can be recruited to their side. After this episode, I am starting to wonder if any of the kids will actually go insane. I am leaning to the possibility that they probably won't. Instead, we'll probably find more information about how Rika got killed after the Watanagashi festival. Admittedly, Satoko could be the crazed one in this one since Rika seems to keep secret from her but I am not sure if that's a good enough reason to incite paranoia from her.

© memento 2003