Higurashi no Naku Koro ni: Watanagashi-hen 2

May 16, 2006 | 12 Comments

I am glad that I didn't eat anything while watching this episode because I would surely lose appetite halfway through the episode. Having said that, the scene in question made me realise that Higurashi contains some word play that would have been funny if this is actually a comedy series instead of a psychological horror. For example, Mion asks Keiichi back in episode 3 if his lunch was Oishikatta (delicious), a pun on the name of the detective, Ooishi. I remember how at first I wasn't sure if I should laugh or shiver in terror due to the way the sentence was delivered by Mion. This episode contains a similar scene but this time around there is no question that the scene is meant to scare the viewers. Anyway, I should probably mention that if you keep up with the anime numbering, this is basically episode 6 within the series.

Keiichi has been helping everyone in the village setting up stalls for the Watanagashi festival. Because of his manly charm, Shion could not resist to give him a refreshing barley tea. Before Keiichi can drink his tea, however, Mion comes by and asks her sister why she's still with her Kei-chan again. Before you can say "Meow", the two twin sisters already have battle of wits and words. Shion tells Mion that unlike her thoughtless older sister, she's here to ensure that Keiichi is not hot and sweaty. Shion also wants to know why Mion carries two glasses of tea with her. She then sarcastically says that surely her tough older sister would never bring a tea for her male classmate. It doesn't help that she says this in front of Keiichi. Mion, of course, becomes embarassed and tells her sister that she is thirsty so she's brought both teas for herself. Upon hearing this, Shion forces Mion to chug both of them right away and Mion has no choice but to do so.

After drinking the tea, however, Mion loses her patience and states outright that she hates her sister, especially after that 'incident'. Before they can claw each other or mentions this interesting 'incident', however, they got interrupted by a camera flash. It appears that a guy called Tomitake Jirou and a woman called Takano Miyo have arrived in the area. It's interesting to note that just like in the first episode, Tomitake once again took Keiichi's photograph. Anyway, Tomitake proceeds to introduce himself as a photographer from Tokyo while Mion introduces Takano as a nurse from a clinic. Another person then joins them, this time around it's Oishi, a police responsible for the security in the festival. It's interesting to know that Tomitake and Tanako seem to know Oishi. I'm not sure, however, if the reverse is true. Keiichi suddenly becomes interested to know more but Mion tries to distract him by dragging him to get something to eat.

Keiichi almost goes with her if Shion didn't start wondering outloud about who is going to die and disappear this year. This statement immediately stops Keiichi on his track and makes him wonder what Shion talks about. Shion wonders if Mion never talked about it with Keiichi. Mion tells her twin that she's not the kind who tells that sort of story to other people and tries to take Keiichi with her again. Unfortunately, Keiichi becomes interested in the story and tells Mion that he doesn't want to be kept out of the loop. Because of this, Mion decides to go on her own, leaving Keiichi with Shion, Tomitake, and Takano. Tanako immediately asks Keiichi if he believes in Curse while Tomitake asks the boy if he knows about the Hinamizawa dam project. According to Tomitake, a protest group was formed against it and their headquarter was based in this shrine so that Hinamizawa guardian, Oyashiro-sama could give them protection.

Shion then tells Keiichi that 4 years ago, the overseer of the dam project was murdered and cut into pieces. The year after that, according to Takano, a resident who supported the dam project went on a trip with his wife but both of them got killed when they fell off a cliff. The year following this, the Shrine owner, aka Rika's father, died of a mysterious illness. And last year, a relative of the dam supporter was found dead due to beatings. Tomitake points out that all of these incidents happened on the night of Watanagashi festival. Takano believes that if these events are neither curse or coincidence, then she believes someone in the village must have done it. Shion points out that at least this is how Oishi and the police see these incidents. The proof is that every year there's always someone who dies and someone who goes missing without a trace. Takano then wonders who's going to die and who's going to disappear tomorrow.

The next day, Keiichi and the girls go to the festival and end up doing the same activities that they did in Onikakushi-hen only this time in different order. During Rika's ceremony, however, Keiichi ends up going to another part of the temple due to Shion's persuasion. Over there, they find Tomitake and Takano trying to enter a forbidden warehouse. Shion tells them that no one except the Furude family and some selected few are supposed to enter the warehouse because they are deemed impure. Shion, however, goes against her own words when Tomitake manages to open the door. She tells Keiichi that she's interested to take a look and moreoever, she wants Keiichi to see it as well. Because of this, Keiichi, Shion, and Takano end up entering the warehouse while Tomitake stay outside to keep guard in case someone approaches the warehouse. Keiichi is at first reluctant but after a few persuasion from Shion, he agrees to come in to the warehouse.

Inside the warehouse, Takano then tells Keiichi that the truth is, the residents of Hinamizawa possess half-ogre blood. Every so often when the cannibalistic demon blood is awakened, they 'ogred away' someone in the town. Takano claims that this means that they kidnap someone and eat them as a part of Watanagashi festival. Shion points out that the 'Wata' in 'Watanagashi' actually refers to entrails or one's intestines. Takano spices up the horror story by telling Keiichi that the plough that Rika uses in the festival used to be a dissection tool to open a human's stomach. Takano then mentions how in old Rome, people used to punish a person by opening their someone's stomach and hang the person's entrails like wiener sausage. It is believed that people will die instantly if someone pulls out their innards but Takano learns that if you do it carefully, the victim can still be alive and conscious while the torturer pulls the victim's innards out.

Since the victim is still conscious, she believes it must be more frightening than painful. Keiichi tries to brush off his fear by claiming that it's impossible for such things to happen in this day and age. Upon hearing this, Takano makes fun of Keiichi by saying that it seems Keiichi really likes Hinamizawa. Shion then reveals to Keiichi that Takano believes that such ritual is still being performed these days and Takano is actually doing a research about it. Takano confirms what Shion said and tells her that this is why she confided in Shion. Takano believes that if she had told other person, the villagers will think of it as a bad omen and they will attack her. Because of this, she asks Keiichi to keep this a secret from others. Their conversation, however, got interrupted by Tomitake, who warns them that the ceremony has ended and everyone is making their way to the riverside. Because of this, Tomitake and Takano decide to leave the warehouse.

Shion asks Keiichi to keep tonight's even a secret since she thinks her sister is a jealous type and she's afraid that Oyashiro-sama's curse may fall on them. Shion also wonders what is that banging noise she heard banging noise while inside the warehouse. As it turns out, however, Shion simply jokes around about it. She then laughs at Keiichi before leaving the poor guy alone. Keiichi barely has the time to take a breath when a pair of hands grab him from behind!! Much to his relief the hands belong to Rika, who has arrived with the other girls. Rika wants to know if Keiichi watched his performance. Keiichi lies through his teeth and tells Rika that she did a wonderful job and didn't mess up at all. Rika suddenly looks gloomy upon hearing this but Mion tries to cheer the girl up by saying no one will consider her performance a mistake. Ooops, Keiichi is so busted. Because Keiichi hasn't float a cotton, Mion decides to take him to the riverside.

Halfway through the destination, however, Mion turns creepy and asks Keiichi if he met Shion tonight. Keiichi decides to lie again and claims that he didn't meet Mion's twin. The next day, Keiichi notices that Mion looks a bit tired and wonders what happened. Mion admits that she was at family gathering and she had some drinks. Mion, however, suddenly asks Keiichi if last night he met Tomitake and Takano last night. Keiichi tells Mion that he's not sure. Mion, however, persists and asks Keiichi another question: if she met Shion last night. Keiichi tells Mion that she already asked this question last night. Mion suddenly turns cheery again and tells Keiichi that she thought she'll get different answer if she asks again. She, however, tells Keiichi that she's glad that Keiichi didn't see anyone because now she can tell other people that Keiichi had no part in any bad deeds. Later on that day, Keiichi gets a phone call from Shion who wants to meet him at the library.

Before they can talk, however, they are interrupted by the presence of Oishi, who wonders if the girl in front of him is Mion or Shion. Upon hearing this, Shion decides to flee by claiming that she has part time work. She, however, promises to call Keiichi tonight. After Shion left, Oishi asks Keiichi how much he actually knows of Shion and Mion. Oishi informs Keiichi that the Sonozakis are actually a family of Yakuza who owns part of this town. In fact, Mion is going to be the heir to the throne. Oishi then asks Keiichi if he met Tomitake or Takano last night. Keiichi tells Oishi that he may or may not met those two. Eventually Oishi decides to leave Keiichi but before he tells the boy that he saw the four of them having fun near the stone staircase. Later on that night, Keiichi gets the phone call that Shion promised. Shion, however, gets weird and asks Keiichi if he saw Tomitake or Takano last night. Keiichi decides to pretend that he was not there and asks Shion if she saw them.

Shion claims that she was with her relative and they can prove this. Keiichi doesn't want to lose and tells Shion that he too have Mion and the other girls to vouch for him being elsewhere. Upon hearing this, Shion decides to tell Keiichi that last night Takano and Tomitake died. Takano was burned while Tomitake looked like he's commmited suicide by slashing his own throat. Shion thinks that this is Oyashiro-sama's curse and believes that they deserve to be cursed. She, however, thinks this year's curse is a bit strange since there are only two dead bodies. Shion believes that if two people got killed by Oyashiro-sama's curse, then two other people is required as sacrifice to quell his anger. Upon hearing this, Keiichi loses his calm and tells Shion that it's all her fault they were there that night, effectively blowing his cover. When Shion suddenly hangs up the phone, however, Keiichi realises that that this 'Shion' is probably Mion pretending to be her twin sister.

Questions:

1. What is this past 'incident' that caused Mion to hate Shion?
2. Everyone seems to know Oishi but does Oishi personally know Tomitake and Takano?
3. Why did Mion try to prevent Keiichi from finding out about the Hinamizawa dam incident?
4. Why did Shion wants Keiichi to see the inside of the warehouse?
5. Do Hinamizawa residents really posssess half-ogre blood or is this a story conjured up by Takano?
6. What's Takano reason for trusting Shion with her story?
7. Why does Mion want to know so much if Keiichi met Shion that night and why does she needs to tell this to other people?
8. Is Shion still alive?

Important details in Watanagashi-hen 2

1. Mion and Shion openly dislike each other.
2. Tomitake and Takano know Oishi although it's not known if the reverse is true.
3. It appears that Mion doesn't want Keiichi to know about the murder.
4. The shrine used to be headquarter for the faction that opposes the dam project.
5. Takano seems to believe that someone in the village has committed the murders.
6. It's suggested that Tomitake and Takano's trespass was the reason for their death.
7. Unlike in Onikakushi-hen, this time Keiichi becomes directly involved in Tomitake and Takano's shenanigan.
8. Takano mentions that Hinamizawa residents are half-ogre and that they maybe involved in cannibalism.
9. Takano believes that the missing people got kidnapped (and maybe eaten) by the villagers.
10. Rika commited a mistake during her festival ceremony.
11. Mion seems to be interested to know if Keiichi saw Shion that night.
12. Mion probably pretended to be Shion to get information from Keiichi.
13. Oishi revealed that Mion is the heir to the Yakuza throne.
14. Oishi saw Keiichi with Shion, Tomitake and Takano that night and decided to mention this fact outloud in the library.
15. Oishi did not ask Keiichi to be his informat this time around.
16. In this arc, Takano actually got burned as opposed to disappear like in Onikakushi-hen.

Impression:

I think it's heavily implied that the person making the phone call to Keiichi as well as the one who met him in the library was actually Mion pretending to be Shion. This begs the question why Mion wants to find out about this. Did she do this so she can report Keiichi to other people or is she simply concerned for Keiichi. As I noted in my summary, Mion doesn't seem to want Keiichi to know about the dam murder. Will knowing this has any effect on Keiichi's perception? Strangely Shion seems to be rather keen on telling Keiichi about this story. One thing for sure, Keiichi's paranoia begins after he finds out about the Hinamizawa murder from Tomitake and Takano. This time around, however, he has a more credible reason to be afraid and that is because he is directly involved in Tomitake and Takano's little excursion to the warehouse. This is a diversion from Onikakushi-hen where he simply became paranoid due to his own assumptions and beliefs.

If one believes that all of the killings were done by Oyashiro-sama, then it's easy to assume that both Tomitake and Takano became victims because of they have committed a trespass. In that case, the reason for their death/disappearance is probably similar in both Onikakushi-hen and Watanagashi-hen. In Onikakushi-hen, however, the story also implies that one of the possible answers was that Keiichi suffers from insanity. On the other hand, that possibility seems to be excluded from this arc so far. Watanagashi-hen seems more keen on suggesting that there is both supernatural as well as mass conspiracy behind the murders. Those who are dead are believed to be killed by Oyashiro-sama while those who disappear are actually sacrifices to appease the God's anger or got eaten by the villagers. Speaking of villagers, it's interesting to note that Mion told Keiichi that she's glad that Keiichi didn't do anything bad because now she can tell other people.

This at the very least suggests that the villagers are keeping tabs on the activity of the outsiders. Mion's sneaky attempt to extract information from Keiichi also suggest that she does not believe him and will stop at nothing to find the truth. On the other hand, can Takano and Sonozaki Shion be trusted in this? Takano seems slightly crazed in this version. She tells the story of the disembowelment with glee as if it's a bed time story. Her snarky comment when Keiichi points out that cannibalism may happened in the past also suggests that she may have some sort of a grudge against the residents of Hinamizawa. It's also strange how she seems to trust Sonozaki Shion of all people since the Sonozaki family are known as Yakuza. Is this the reason why Shion and Mion are not close siblings? Speaking of Shion, if the one who made the phone call was Mion, where is the real Shion? Is she still alive? Or has she been captured and probably tortured by her captors?

© memento 2003