Daijoubu

Taking a quick look at the first ep. of Higukai, I’ll just focus on a few things, mainly the op and ed. The episode was focused on talking rather than action, so I’ll have to rely on subs later to get it all, but it seemed to be centered on recapping and setting the stage for what’s next.

The OP made a strong impression on me. Not as unusual a song as the first season, but after looking at it a few times, I have to say it really fits where this series is right now. While the original OP was more of a slower-paced mood piece, intended to evoke a sense of uneasiness with its mysterious glimpses of killer lolis, the new one has really increased the dramatic level with a powerful focus on the emotions of the characters. By now they’ve become familiar to us and we care about the tragic dilemma they’re caught in. We know now that the carefree days depicted at the start each story arc are not simply an attempt to lull the audience before the horrors begin, but are rather essential to appreciating the bonds of friendship that may be the only things capable of saving these wandering souls. And we now know about the desperation Rika feels, so the images of her running, together with the intensity of Rena’s tears, combine with a great song by Eiko Shimamiya to make for an excellent opening. And it does have some different sorts of sounds, which link it to the first song. It gets me excited for more Higurashi!

As for the ending, it was quite peaceful and calming, unlike the unnerving and ominous quality of the first series ed. It’ll probably work well to calm people down at the end of the show if it gets too intense XD. As for the minimal action in this episode, I suppose if they are going to have any budget issues, its best to have a less animation intensive episode earlier rather than later, when the plot heats up more. So, I’m looking forward to more Higurashi, especially the first appearance of Hanyuu!