Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (ひぐらしのなく頃に) or When They Cry is a Japanese murder mystery visual novel series about a group of students solving the case about the murder in 1983 Japan. It was adapted into an anime television series.

Keiichi Maebara

"We will break this so called "fate", together." - to Rena Ryugu, Rika Furude, Satoko Hojo, Mion Sonozaki and Hanyū

"You don't need to know. It's okay even if you don't know. I'm really sorry. I will never doubt you Mion, no, any of my friends ever again. That's why, somehow, forgive me for that day." - to Mion Sonozaki

"I don't care. I'll say this as many times as I have to. Mion Sonozaki is the best friend I've ever had." - to Shion Sonozaki

"I-I'm... sorry... but I guess... I have to retire." - to Rena Ryuugu, Rika Furude, Satoko Houjou, Mion and Shion Sonozaki

"Everyone, live on." - to no one in particular (probably related to Rena Ryugu, Rika Furude, Satoko Hojo, Mion and Shion Sonozaki)

“I can hear an extra pair of footsteps behind me . . . So that means my curse will kill you . . .DON’T GET KILLED BY A CURSE FROM THE LIKES OF ME!!”

"Who taught you that one path was dangerous in the beginning? You won't really know for sure until you walk down this path! A student is the person who walks in front of everyone and bears all the pain! She'll never have to walk over the corpses of her allies! There's no such thing as an easy path for someone who goes to Saint Lucia! Once you go there, there's no turning back! Right?! The path you're walking down is the path of running away! That's why I can't let you keep going and drag everyone else into it! Come over to my path, as Satoko Hojo, as a girl of Himamizawa, and make up for what you've done!" - Retsu Episode 38 Monologue (English Dub)

"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth. But the world isn't perfect, and the law is incomplete. Equivalent Exchange doesn't encompass everything that goes on here, but I still choose to believe in its principle, that all things do come at a price, that there's an ebb and a flow, a cycle, that the pain we went through, did have a reward, and that anyone who's determined and perseveres, will get something of value in return, even if it's not what they expected. But If you've ever taken a road trip through Saint Lucia, you've probably seen a bumper sticker for a place called Hinamizawa. Change can be difficult, but it's how we grow. It can be the hardest thing to realize you can't hold on to something forever. Sometimes... you have to let it go. But of the things you let go... you'd be surprised... what makes its way... back to you." - Retsu Episode 39 last Monologue (English dub)

Rena Ryugu

"It's so cute, I want to take it home!" - Signature quote

"Omochiikaeri~!" ("I want to take it home!") - Signature quote

"Kana? Kana?" ("I wonder? I wonder?") - Signature quote

"USO DA!" ("LIAR!") - Signature quote - to Keiichi Maebara and Rina Mamiya

"Friends. Those companions you speak of are only friends during those fun, yet unimportant times. When painful times come, they won't be your ally." - to Keiichi Maebara

• Don't worry, I used the blunt end of the knife." - to Keiichi Maebara

• I’m the only one that can help you, Keiichi-kun. I won’t allow you to transfer away..." - to Keiichi Maebara

• Hello, Keiichi. Found you..." - to Keiichi Maebara

"Let me in, Keiichi!" - to Keiichi Maebara

"Don't do it, Rena. Don't think of those thoughts anymore... You're happy now... You're definitely happy..." - to herself

"...When today was over... and tomorrow came... I thought I could finally... Have a happy life here in Hinamizawa..." - to no one in particular

"Everyone's days of happiness are limited." - to no one in particular

"No one's going to help, anyway. Nor could they." - to no one in particular

"With a beautiful room like this, anyone's heart would be sunny." - to Keiichi Maebara

"I wonder, how hard does a person have to work to really be happy? I mean, really happy. "

“A flower raised in a greenhouse is still beautiful, even though it knows no adversity. But a flower growing in the field that has braved wind, rain, cold, and heat possesses something more than just beauty.”  - to Rika Furude

"Well, it's a horrible opportunity for me! I had the worst day of my life! When we turn thirteen, we graduate from Himamizawa bench school, and I have to leave everything behind! You're the only person I could count on, and now you're leaving me too?!" - to Keiichi Maebara

Mion Sonozaki

"Waste your bullets on me, but if you hurt one of my friends, you'll face a fate worse than hell!" - to Miyo Takano

"Oji-san." -Signature quote, referring to self

"No! This can't be, this can't be! That Kei-chan will die here...!" - to Keiichi Maebara, Rena Ryugu, Satoko Hojo, Rika Furude and Shion Sonozaki

"Wh-What are you saying... Dolls wouldn't suit my character either, I'm crude and spunky. Kei-chan, even you always say that!" - to Keiichi Maebara

"Sit still Keiichi-kun, it's time for your punishment game..." - to Keiichi Maebara

"It doesn’t matter what you’re trying to hide. I will always know what you’re doing and when and where." - to Keiichi Maebara

"I... like you, Kei-chan..." - to Keiichi Maebara (Higurashi Daybreak)

"Well, it seems that all types of things happen in the adult world."

"I know everyone has their stories of pain and sadness, or things that they don't want to bring up. But if you can't be a good friend without telling that, then I don't need any friends at all!"

"Hugging!"

"Ooshi, please! As the next head of the Sonozaki family, I will hear what you have to say. Just let go of Rika!" - to Ooshi

"The Sonozaki Family is not just an empty title, but a grand honor that will protect whatever we stand up for! We will end this curse with our own fate!" Retsu Episode 39 Monologue

Rika Furude

"If you're going to put up a show of torture...I'm sorry, but I'd rather leave the stage." - to Shion Sonozaki

"Nipah!" - Signature quote

"Mii~" - Signature quote

"You can change fate as long as you believe you can." - to no one in particular (probably directed towards Hanyū)

"...Nano-desu!" - Signature quote

"I will live past June 1983, and then I am going to grow much taller, my breasts are going to get bigger. I'm not going to stay in a child's body for the rest of my life!" - to no one in particular (probably directed towards Hanyū)

"All right. I'll play a game with this endless June." - to no one in particular (probably directed towards Hanyū)

"I'll play with you. Come here, Cleaver girl." - to Rena Ryugu

"Yes… It was indeed very simple, and right in front of them the entire time, the key to so many things, to simply trust and forgive. Trusting and forgiving was all they needed to defeat their inner demons… and conquer their suspicions. However, trusting and forgiving can’t solve everything, especially in Hinamizawa, where so many mysteries remain to be solved..." - Episode 26 Monologue (English dub)

"Yes… this is how it goes. And I will gladly play this game, in this month of June that never seems to end, for as long as I want." - Episode 26 Monologue (English dub)

"I....will never forgive you....eua...... I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!!!" Retsu Episode 39 Monologue

Hanyū

"The only thing I could do is watch, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." - to Satoko Hojo

"Hau hau hau~" - to no one in particular

"Child of Man. What do you seek from this world?" - to Miyo Takano

"Man cannot forgive mans sins. But I can forgive your sins." - to Miyo Takano

"All of us, together, can make a miracle." - to Rena Ryugu, Mion Sonozaki Satoko Hojo, Rika Furude, Keiichi Maebara and Shion Sonozaki

"Sorry Keiichi-kun, I'm only doing it for the cream puffs." - to Keiichi Maebara

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." - to everyone whose fate she could not stop

"Forgive me...Forgive me...Forgive me..." - to everyone whose fate she could not stop

"I'm prepared for anything! Up until now... I have been running away from every fight, afraid of losing. But running away is even worse than losing. Unless one continues to fight without succumbing to the pain of defeat it is impossible to achieve victory. That is what people I love taught me" - to Rena Ryugu, Mion Sonozaki, Satoko Hojo, Rika Furude and Keiichi Maebara

Shion Sonozaki

"My God, you can really be annoying. Thanks to you, my popsicle melted." - to Mion Sonozaki, Rika Furude, Satoko Hojo, Rena Ryugu and Hanyū

"I did it! I did it all! I killed everyone, with my own hands!"

"Save him! Why didn't you save him?! You could have, you had the power to! Why? WHY?!" - to Mion Sonozaki

"AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Okay. How 'bout this then: tell me that you're sorry 1,000 times. Do that, and I'll gladly let Satoko go." - to Mion Sonozaki

"If I end up being the only one of us to survive by letting you take my place, Sis is going to hate me for the rest of her life. The person I love is already gone but Sis still has hers." - to Keiichi Maebara

"You gotta hurry if you have a rival. Sis, a woman's tears can attract a man, but they can't make him stay with you. You have to keep smiling, but cry at the crucial moments! Hmm, this might be a typical model of moe... Maybe I should try it out on Kei-chan!" - to Mion Sonozaki

"No matter how much you cry, no hears and no one will be saved! You just stay in there and suffer!" - to Satoko Hojo and Mion Sonozaki

"After coming this far, I can no longer turn back."

"Next time, I won't make the same mistake...I promise." - to no one in particular (possibly directing it to Satoshi Hojo)

"I'm not gonna make the same mistake anymore, I will correct it!" - Retsu episode 39 Monologue

Miyo Takano

"Ara, ara~" - Signature quote

"Come, come and hit me! Tanashi Miyoko is standing right here! If you can hit me, you will end my pain! But if you fail... Turn my fate around!" - to God

"Without a curse, there will be no God. With a curse, there will be horror. With horror, there shall be worship. Right now is the time where God advents. I have now become Oyashiro-sama!!" - to Rena Ryugu, Keiichi Maebara, Shion Sonozaki, Mion Sonozaki, Rika Furude, Satoko Hojo and Hanyū

"Broccoli or cauliflower, which one is green...?" - to Satoko Hojo

"I just wanted to be told... 'It's okay to live.'" - to Hanyū

"NIPAAAAAH!" - to Rika Furude

"Was the corpse...buried properly?" - to Keiichi Maebara

"I told you about it because you're so understanding. But if the other villagers knew about it, they'd say I'm blasphemous and gang up on me."

Satoko Hojo

"Oh ho ho ho!" - Signature Laugh

"Are you watching, Nii-nii? Satoko has become this much stronger!" - to Satoshi Hojo

"Do whatever you want to me, just don't go into his room! Don't destroy Nii-Nii's room!" - to Teppei Hojo

"No more... I can't stand this anymore. Kill me already... Just hurry up and kill me." - to no one in particular (probably related to Miyo Takano)

"I understand... We are a loving family." - to Teppei Hojo

"Keiichi ... I told you before... how can you possibly understand me? You never had to understand me! So shut up, you dirty liar! Not long ago... I finally got my revenge on the one behind Satoshi's disappearance! I am the one who killed the Uncle of the Hojo family right here, the one called Teppei Hojo! I've never felt anything like this before... I can feel the tainted Hojo name becoming cleansed, I feel the Hojo at last being freed from this rotting Hinamizawa world! You couldn't even begin to understand it! And besides, isn't what I'm doing exactly what you Sports club have wanted all along? You've always snubbed and put down the Hojo clan, so I'll simply help erase the Hojo from your memories; by killing all of you and then destroying Himamizawa! Severing all bonds with Saint Lucia will be the ultimate purification and that shall lead to the Hojo's true restoration!" - (as a witch) to Keiichi Maebara Retsu Episode 37 Monologue (English Dub)

Kuraudo Ooishi

"God may forgive you, but the police force will not!"

"I have the AC running in my car. Should we speak in there?"

Dialogue

[Keiichi is walking home from school with his bat and notices Rena is following him.]

Keiichi: What do you want?

Rena: Um...Nothing...Um...

Keiichi: What happened to the club, huh?

Rena: Well...I...I was worried about you...So I...

Keiichi: Don't follow me anymore. [Keiichi continues walking with Rena still following him.] I said don't follow me!

Rena: But Keiichi, I have to go this way. My house is over there.

Keiichi: Then go ahead of me. [Walks to the side] You go first and then I'll go.

Rena: Keiichi, I just wanted to-

Keiichi: Hurry up and go! [Points the tip of the bat ahead of him.] Now!

Rena: Um...I will, but...Please put that bat down first. You're scaring me. [He lowers the bat and she walks ahead of Keiichi, but stops a few footsteps ahead of him.]

Keiichi: Keep on walking!

Rena: Um...Um...Can I...Can I ask you something?

Keiichi: Yeah, what?

Rena: Why are you carrying the same baseball bat?

Keiichi: What are you...talking about?

Rena: I was...Well, I was wondering why you're carrying the same bat.

Keiichi: I have no idea what you're even saying! Tell me what you mean!

Rena: Why are you...carrying the same baseball bat as Satoshi?

Keiichi: Satoshi? [Looks at the butt of the bat and sees the character for "Satoshi".] T-This? I guess I just borrowed it. I mean, who cares?

Rena: That's not what I'm saying! Why are you doing that? Tell me! Why are you doing the same as Satoshi?

Keiichi: What is? What's the same?

Rena: Even though he joined a team, he never played any sports.

Keiichi: So? So what?

Rena: And just like you, Satoshi also started walking to school alone one day...Alone just like you...And then one day, suddenly, he started practicing swinging his bat...just like you! And then, one day, he suddenly started carrying a baseball bat around all the time...just like you! And then...one day... Suddenly...Suddenly...

Keiichi: One day, suddenly what? What happened to Satoshi? [Rena doesn't answer] Answer me, Rena! What happened to Satoshi? [He turns her around, seeing her with her demonic look.]

Rena: I already told you, Keiichi. Satoshi transferred. He went to another school. [Keiichi backs away from Rena, but trips and falls.]

Keiichi: Transferred...out?...

Rena: You won't do that, will you Keiichi?

Keiichi: I...won't do what...?

Rena: Transfer out.

---

[Satoko is chained to a torture cross in a torture chamber. Shion approaches Satoko, a knife in one hand.]

Satoko: You murderer!

Shion: I'm guessing Kimiyoshi's dead now.

Satoko: [Satoko looks at a dangling corpse, gasps, and quickly looks away, closing her eyes in the process.]

Shion: Oh, now I get it. You just watched him die. [Shion laughs.]

Satoko: How could you do this to everyone... To Rika... Alright, tell me, what are you planning to do to me? [Satoko closes her eyes tightly]

[Moment of silence...]

Shion: ....Kill you.

Satoko: [Satoko gasps] Ah!

Mion: [Mion is locked in a prison cell] No, stop! Please, just leave Satoko alone!

Shion: [Shion laughs] You wanna save her? You didn't seem willing to do that when it came to Satoshi. And that is your sin. [Shion drives a knife into Satoko's forearm.]

Satoko: [Painful gasp. Shion wiggles the knife around in Satoko's arm and laughs]

Mion: Please just forgive her! Whatever she did, forgive her! Do what you want with me!

Shion: [Shion withdraws the knife] I was begging just like you not to long ago. You can plea for her 'til your throat is thrawed and still won't save her. You'll just have to sit here and watch your friend suffer. [Shion stabs Satoko again]

Satoko: [Satoko starts crying and groaning silently and lets out another painful gasp as the knife is wiggled around more in her arm.]

Mion: [Mion screams frantically and shakes the cell bars] Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!

Shion: [Shion withdraws the knife again] Okay, how 'bout this then: tell me that you're sorry 1,000 times. Do that and I'll gladly let Satoko go.

Mion: [Mion bows her head] I'm sorry [Mion is screaming this repeatedly]

Satoko: [Shion stabs Satoko again and again, withdrawing painful screams from Satoko]

Shion: [Shion laughs] You pretty much mastered the art of crying, haven't you? Do you really think if you cry long enough, you're "Nii-nii" is going to save you?! [Shion stabs Satoko again]

Satoko: [Satoko lets out another painful scream and then falls silent, almost lifeless.]

Shion: Satoko, can you hear me? [Satoko doesn't respond] I'm talking to you! [Shion slaps Satoko]Do you know why you're here, what you're sin is? Are you awhere it was you who made Satoshi feel trapped?

Satoko: [Satoko painfully repeats Satoshi's nickname] Nii-nii... Nii-nii...

Shion: That's right, all you ever had to do was cry for your brother to come and help. One little cry, and Satoshi will come running. But did you ever think of the burden you placed on him? Satoshi isn't your knight and shining armor who always be there, nor is he invincible. He's just like you! [Shion stabs Satoko again]

Satoko: [Satoko painfully screams]

[Satoko repeatedly unleashes painful screams as Shion stabs Satoko again and again. However, Satoko stops crying and screaming after a little.]

Shion: [Shion stops stabbing Satoko] What's the matter? Has your right arm finally gone numb? Then let's switch to the left one. [Shion stabs Satoko's left arm, but Satoko moans silently and refuses to cry.] Well that's no fun. Are you trying to hold back the tears 'cause you hearing you cry and scream the very things that egnion? [Shion stops stabbing Satoko]

Satoko: [Satoko painfully speaks] You know, I thought the same thing you did.

Shion: Huh?

Satoko: I thought it was me making him feel trapped and that caused him to dissapear. I only saw me. And even though I knew Nii-nii was struggling too, I still couldn't stop myself. I kept clinging on.

Shion: Well that was a unexpected... So you know what you've done?

Satoko: But I know he's gonna come back. And when he does, I'm gonna show that I can take care of myself, now. That I don't need to hide behind his back anymore. That no matter that I'm going through, I can handle it.

Shion: [Shion laughs] He's coming back, is he? [Shion laughs again.]

Satoko: He is gonna come back! I know he will! And I'm gonna be here when he does! I'm gonna be here and apologize for leaving on him has much as he did! And until he's back, I won't give up! I'm gonna be strong! No matter how much it hurts! I've learned my lesson, now! Crying doesn't change anything, so I'm not gonna do it!

Shion: [Shion's expression becomes dark and ominous] Really? Well, that's pretty tough talk... for a girl like you.

Satoko: I mean it! If you wanna stab me, go ahead, stab me! But no matter how much you hurt me, no matter how much you wanna make me cry, I won't do it! [Shion stabs Satoko again and again, angrily.] Nii-nii, I hope you're watching. I hope you can see how much stronger I am, now. And no matter what happens, I'm not gonna give up. Not to her! Someone as pathetic as she is can never make me cry....[Shion delivers the final stab with a scream. Next scene shows Satoko's bloody corpse showing that she had died.]

Shion: [Shion pants] Satoshi?! Where are you?! I've been waiting for you! I've been waiting for you ever since the last time we spoke!

[Flashback]

Satoshi: [Satoshi speaks to Shion over the phone] I'm leaving Satoko up to you, Mion. Okay?

[End flashback]

Shion: [Shion lets out a shocked gasp as Mion in the prison starts mourning for Satoko's death] What have I done? I've forgotten the last and only thing Satoshi ever asked at me. [Shion screams] Satoshi will never come back me after what I've done. Never! He's never coming back! [Shion laughs] Why do I care? I've known for a long time now. That the demon inside me is all that's left! [Shion laughs again.]

See also

• Umineko no Naku Koro ni