you will be set free. a miracle awaits.

Its been two years since I finished this chapter, but I hate it so much I feel obligated to leave a review.

The eighth chapter of Higurashi is unfortunately its weakest, and is the only one I cannot recommend in good faith. Matsuribayashi manages to squander everything great about the rest of the series' carefully crafted mystery and atmosphere. In what I can only assume was a rushed attempt at wrapping up, the story careens from one contrived plot point to another in a fashion that borders on complete nonsense. On top of this, the writing is agonizingly slow. What few good scenes chapter eight has to offers are sandwiched between hours of meaningless drivel.

The worst thing about Matsuribayashi, however, is its complete abandonment of the tone established by the rest of the series. All themes of personal struggle, sacrifice, and difficult relationships are discarded in favor of unrealistic action sequences barely fit for a children's cartoon. The characters I grew so attached to are relegated to little more than onlookers to this spectacle.

Higurashi as a series possesses some of the most nuanced and heartrending storytelling I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Its a shame none of that can be found in its miserable conclusion.

peak fiction