Genre/Theme: Horror, Psychological

Starring: MAEDA GOUKI, ASUKA RIN, MATSUYAMA AIRI, SUGIMOTO TETTA

Story/Plot: 8/10

Characters:  5/10

Music:  5/10

Flow (of the plot): 6/10 

Overall:  6/10

Recommend: If you want to have a look at what the live-action adaptation is like of the anime series.

Age Rate: MATURE AUDIENCE

Comments/Review: See below

Can I first point out to those who have ALREADY SEEN THE ANIME, this J-MOVIE ADAPTATION is based off the first… 3 EPISODES OF THE ANIME (give or take a few episodes if I am mistaken). Just the FIRST scenes and events that happened to Maebara Keiichi in the anime version of “Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni.”

***

“Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni” (aka Higurashi for short) is an interesting film, like all other Psychological Horrors out there. It is about a boy named Maebara Keiichi (Maeda Gouki - Kitahanada Takeshi in Hana Kimi 2011) who recently moved to the village of Hinamizawa from Tokyo after his parents decided to live out of the city.

After befriending school mates Sonozaki Mion (Asuka Rin), Ryuuga Rena (Matsuyama Airi), Furude Rika (Aika) & Houjo Satoko (Ono Erena), Keiichi discovers that behind the happy and refreshing scenery and life in Hinamizawa, there is something weird going on. Curious to know more about Hinamizawa’s past, Keiichi has heard bits and pieces of certain events that had unfolded in the past by an officer called Ooishi Kurado (Sugimoto Tetta).

By the time Keiichi had grasped the story about these events, many questions have already been unfolded. Are these talks about being “cursed” by the the great Oyashiro-sama real? Is there such thing as an evil spirit? Why did Keiichi did not know about this story when he moved here? And why does his friends suddenly change whenever he mentioned the name “Satoshi?”

***

Yosh summary done. I gotta admit, this movie was pretty good… despite the overall rating I have given it. Though, I did NOT compare this movie to the anime when I was watching it, mind you.

For those who love the anime series, this movie may be a HUGE let down. But for those who are more open minded and don’t care about a J-movie adaptation off a really brilliant anime, then maybe you would like this film.

The movie went on fine, despite the actors/tresses being terribly chosen. I got to admit, Maebara Keiichi’s actor, Maeda Gouki was a shocker. I personally think he did not portray the fun and hyper Keiichi as he was suppose to be. Despite that, I personally like Maeda Gouki as a model (which is his other career lol).

To the female characters, I personally think only Furude Rika was played and portrayed well. The other three were terrible, and I think Rena’s role was the worst. Even though it being an adaptation of an anime/game, you cannot expect the best out of it, but I think that the reason why I hated the actresses in this film as Keiichi’s schoolmates was because they over played and exaggerated each of the characters.

Also the fact that the over flirtatious characters were annoying, Keiichi’s response to them makes me want to scream…

The music was nothing great and really and the flow of the whole story to me seemed a little rushed. It was less confusing for me because I have seen the first two seasons of the anime series, so each event comprehended with me well. But from another viewers point of view who has never seen the anime version to it, MAY feel overly confused and lost half of the time. Because of this, the overall rate I have given this movie was not that great.

Despite this movie having terrible choices for cast characters, it feels like this movie is a DIRECT “human-form-adaptation” from the first 3 (or so) episodes from the anime series (first series).

“Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni” is a brilliant anime that I MUST recommend. In order to understand the anime as a whole, you MUST watch the first TWO SEASONS to understand it. The live j-movie adaptation seems like it is a let down from the overly cool anime. I suggest that if you WANT to watch this movie, watch the first two seasons of the anime first, then come back and watch the live j-movie adaptation to it.

(Source: r0lan)