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Another week of Higurashi, another week of me trying to squeeze blood from a stone. This episode, much like last week, is 95% recap and about 5% new information. The only noteworthy tidbits involve Hanyū and Eua (again) and consist of
-a reference to Vier
-Eua stating that Hanyū is a part of her
No really, that’s it. I guess we get new footage of Keiichi getting bodychecked by a SWAT team inside the restaurant before he can eat Rika’s brains? In another handholding move from SOTSU, Hanyū is temporary restrained while watching the recaps of GOU episodes 14-17 because I guess the audience needs to physically see that Hanyū knows Satoko is the villain. This makes up the bulk of the episode as Hanyū fills in the audience POV role, yelling about how Satoko has gaslit and traumatized Rika to the point that she won’t leave Hinamizawa now.
My primary issue with this episode is that its GOU counterpart did leave some actual questions and this episode does not answer them in any way. For instance, Takano abandoning her entire plans in the area. In GOU, Rika asks her why and she only responds, “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” I suspected that this would be important back during GOU’s run, but we’ve still got no idea what prompted this and if Satoko is involved. Signs point to probably. It would make sense that Satoko, now feeling that she’s won over Rika and feeling secure that they’ll stay together forever in Hinamizawa, would then clear the chessboard so they can have the peaceful life she wants with her friends.
I also don’t feel like Rika’s own machinations to trick Satoko into revealing herself were shown particularly well here. But hey, we’re finally out of Recap Land, so let me talk a little bit about the new info we got and what to make of it.
Eua tells Hanyū early on in this episode that it was disappoint that “Vier lost her memories.” I feel pretty confident stating that she’s referring to Satoko here. This is based on Satoko and Eua’s first meeting and some other details that were shown in GOU. First, Eua previously referred to Satoko as Vier (and Mitsuyo) and that they had met before back in episode 21. Here’s a refresher on the whole multiple name bit.
Vier is a direct reference to Ryukishi07‘s latest game, Ciconia no Naku Koro ni. The character Vier’s full name is Vier Dreissig, a reference to the German word “vierunddreißig” or 34. Lambdadelta is also “34” in Greek, and the name of one of the witches from Umineko no Naku Koro ni. The number is also directly related to Miyo Takano, whose given name is written with the kanji “三四” which can also be read as “34.” (The other name Eua uses for Satoko, Mitsuyo, can be written the same way). Basically, there still seems to be a strong implied but still unresolved connection between Miyo Takano and Satoko Hojo as well as the witch Lambadelta and Vier. With the exception of Satoko herself, the characters all physically resemble Miyo. MAYBE some of this information is pertinent to why Miyo abandoned her mission and claims Rika wouldn’t believe her reasoning?
I don’t have much speculation when it comes to Hanyū and Eua’s relationship and how it fits into Hanyū’s back story, other than I would guess it predates her coming to Hinamizawa. I assumed that Eua referring to her as a “failure” was tied to her broken “horn” diminishing her powers or her sacrifice when she lived on Earth. That might not be correct, though.
Well that’s a lot of speculation to fill up a review for what was another (more censored?) recap episode. I don’t blame anyone that burned out on SOTSU awhile ago. Also, does Satoko’s dress have a roomy pocket? Where’d the gun come from?
Rating:
Higurashi: When They Cry – SOTSU is currently streaming on
Funimation.
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