Higurashi is a Japanese visual novel series that has captivated audiences worldwide with its mystery, horror, and suspense elements. Originally released as a video game, it was later adapted into manga and anime formats, each with its own unique take on the complex narrative. The story revolves around a group of friends living in the rural village of Hinamizawa and the mysterious events that take place there. With multiple endings and a non-linear narrative structure, it can be difficult to know the correct order to watch the various adaptations. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive guide on the recommended watch order for the Higurashi series, helping fans to fully immerse themselves in the dark world of Hinamizawa.

Higurashi: When They Cry plotHigurashi

The Higurashi series revolves around a group of friends living in the peaceful village of Hinamizawa. The protagonist, Keiichi Maebara, moves to Hinamizawa and quickly makes friends with several of his classmates, including Rena Ryuuguu, Mion Sonozaki, Rika Furude, and Satoko Hojo. Despite the idyllic setting, strange and disturbing events begin to occur, including a series of unexplained murders and disappearances. As Keiichi investigates the strange happenings in the village, he starts to uncover a dark and sinister conspiracy involving the residents of Hinamizawa.

The story is known for its complex narrative structure, with multiple arcs that each have their own unique take on the events in Hinamizawa. Each arc provides new pieces of information that contribute to the overall puzzle, leading to a different conclusion each time. The series is characterized by its horror and suspense elements, as well as its intricate plot and the gradual revelation of the truth behind the events in Hinamizawa.

Higurashi Watch Order

It’s worth noting that while each series builds upon the previous one, they can also be watched as standalone entries. However, for the best understanding of the story and its complexities, it is recommended to watch the series in the order listed.

Main Series

  1. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (2006) – This is the first anime adaptation of the Higurashi visual novel series. It covers the first two arcs of the story, “Onikakushi-hen” and “Watanagashi-hen.”
  2. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai (2007) – This series picks up where the first one left off and covers the remaining arcs of the story, including “Tatarigoroshi-hen,” “Himatsubushi-hen,” “Meakashi-hen,” and “Tsumihoroboshi-hen.”
  3. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei (2009) – This is a side-story anime that takes place after the events of the main story and provides additional information about the characters and their motivations.

Alternate Versions and Spin-offs

  • Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kira (2011) – This is a spin-off series that takes place in a parallel world and features alternate versions of the characters from the main series.
  • Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gou (2020) and Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Sotsu (2021) – These two adaptions of the Higurashi visual novel series were produced to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the franchise. They cover the main story arcs, including “Onikakushi-hen,” “Watanagashi-hen,” “Tatarigoroshi-hen,” “Himatsubushi-hen,” “Meakashi-hen,” and “Tsumihoroboshi-hen.” While Gou recreates the events of the original anime series, Sotsu takes a brand-new approach. Both of these adaptions are neither sequels nor remakes, and can be enjoyed as standalone series.
  • Umineko no Naku Koro ni (2009) – This is actually a completely separate anime by the same company. Umineko no Naku Koro ni is considered to be a spiritual successor of the Higurashi series by many fans because of the similarities shared by the two series.
  • Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Special: Nekogoroshi-hen and Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kaku: Outbreak are both special episodes of the series.

Where to Watch Higurashi: When they Cry

Amazon Prime:higurashi amazon

Amazon Prime is definitely the best place to watch the Higurashi series as all the seasons are available. The only downside is the price! You have to buy each episode of the show individually.

Price:

Each episode costs 2.99 USD, but purchasing an entire season will cost 22.99 USD.

Netflix:higurashi netflix

Netflix is also one of the few places that still offers the older seasons of Higurashi. However, the availability of the show depends on your region. Though, you can easily use a VPN to bypass this issue!

How to Watch Higurashi no Naku Koro ni on Netflix via VPN

This method works on both desktop PCs and mobile phones or tablets.

  1. Purchase (or start a free trial) of a VPN. I can confirm that NordVPN works for this purpose.
  2. In the settings, choose Pakistan if you want to watch the older season or Thailand if you want to watch the 2020 version.
  3. Fire up the VPN and wait for it to do its magic
  4. Once you’re connected, navigate to Netflix (browser or app)
  5. Search “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni” in the Netflix search bar, and you should see Higurashi no Naku Koro ni pop up.

Enjoy! Please note that if your Netflix library doesn’t update to reflect the country you selected in your VPN, you may have to clear the Netflix cache first and try again.

To do this on mobile, go to settings –> apps –> Netflix –> clear cache. To do this on PC, you have to clear the cache in your web browser.

I’ve had no trouble using this method, and I still use NordVPN to watch anime from various Netflix country libraries daily.

Price:

You can enjoy Netflix with ads for 6.99 USD per month. The basic, standard and premium plans cost 9.99 USD, 15.49 USD and 19.99 USD respectively.

HiDive:higurashi hidive

HiDive only lets you watch the older seasons of the series.

Price:

HIDIVE requires a monthly payment of 4.99 USD for an account. Alternatively, they offer an annual payment option at a rate of 47.99 USD per year.

Crunchyroll:higurashi crunchyroll

Despite being the biggest anime streaming platform in 2023, Crunchyroll only offers the newer 2020 version of the Higurashi series. You can watch the series for free on this platform if you don’t mind the ads.

Price:

The cheapest Crunchyroll subscription costs 7.99 USD while the most expensive one costs 14.99 USD.

Hulu:

higurashi hulu

Hulu is another platform that only lets you watch the 2020 version of the show. You can watch the new seasons in English or Japanese.

Price:

You can enjoy Hulu with ads for 7.99 USD per month. Alternatively, you can pay 14.99 per month to get rid of ads.


If you’re looking for other anime watch, click here to learn where to watch the Monogatari series.

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