Higurashi When They Cry: Cotton Drifting Arc, Vol. 2

After the disturbing turn of events at the end of The Abducted by Demons Arc, some readers might have felt that Volume 1 of the Cotton Drifting Arc was lacking. It returned to the slice-of-life-esque introduction that was largely dispensed of after volume 1 of the Abducted by Demons Arc, albeit with a decent amount of foreshadowing. Volume 2 proves that that was only an introduction; the real meat of the arc occurs here. The Cotton Drifting Arc left off with Hinamizawa newcomer Keiichi Maebara visiting a forbidden shrine to the local god, Oyashiro-sama, along with Shion Sonozaki, the photographer Tomitake, and the nurse and researcher Takano. As the volume progresses, Keiichi discovers that this action and other more minor ones might have more serious repercussions than he previously thought. It seems as though all of the people who went in the shrine are getting picked off one by one, and Shion's sister Mion, heiress to the position of the Hinamizawa village head, becomes increasingly suspicious. I had seen the Cotton Drifting Arc play out in the Higurashi anime before and wasn't incredibly impressed by it, but the manga version proved to be a pleasant surprise. It covers more of the visual novel exclusive material than the anime, and its horror and mystery elements feel better developed because of it. It was a particularly nice touch to find that some of the major mysteries in the series are hinted at/ directly answered in this volume... but with a boat-load of red-herrings to fool even the most dedicated of mystery-solvers. If you liked Higurashi so far, even if you might have found the last volume to be a bit slow, I'd recommend that you read this volume and keep reading it until the end. If you're new to Higurashi, you should check out the first three volumes (Abducted by Demons Arc vols. 1-2 and Cotton Drifting Arc vol. 1) before plunging into this one, but if you like a good mystery with horror sandwiched into it, you shouldn't miss this series.

Every year, during the Cotton Drifting festival in Hinamizawa, mysterious murders occur. One victim is killed, while another vanishes. The children of the village don't know any better. To them, the festival involves ripping the insides out of a futon and setting the cotton adrift down the river. They are about to learn exactly what the symbolism of the tradition means. This year, Keiichi and his sweetheart Shion get roped into breaking into a sacred shrine with Takano and Tomitake. Inside, they find torture and killing instruments, and Takano shares the history of the town. Hinamizawa village used to be home to man-eating demons. To protect the humans, every year, one person would be sacrificed to satiate the guardian demon Oyashiro-sama. The group thinks they get away with their crime, but when Takano and Tomitake turn up dead the next day, Keiichi's life starts to spiral out of control. Shion goes missing, followed by any else they've told about their actions. Shion's twin sister, Keiichi's best friend Mion, starts showing a demonic twist in her personality. Keiichi will have to get to the bottom of his friends' disappearances before they're killed, but if he tells anyone else, he risks getting them killed as well. Could it be that Oyashiro is exacting his revenge, or are the twins sharing an ancient, deadly secret? Higurashi: When They Cry can not be judged by its soft-looking, girly, and slightly depressing looking cover and title. It is a complex series of horror tales that have appeared in many formats including video games, manga, novels, drama CDs, and anime. Sometimes the characters remain the same, but continuity might not. Arc consist of "question" and an "answer" stories each of which tell the narrative from a different point of view that allows the reader multiple insights as to what transpired. The Cotton Drifitng Arc Vol. 2 is the second half, or "answer" portion of that particular storyline. In the manga series as a whole, it is the fourth volume. These quasi-split volumes can make it a little difficult to keep track of what order to read them in. The soft, shoujo style artwork is a fascinating juxtaposition to the horror-genre writing. The gentle, child-like appearances of the main characters makes the violence seem all the more gruesome. The mystery is already complex enough to confound the brain, but add to it the innocent imagery and it becomes an unforgettable, thought-provoking combination. This series is rated for older teens, but anyone with a love for mysteries, thrillers, and horror will enjoy these twisted tales. Sometimes, the plot twists can be a little difficult to comprehend at first, but that's why each story has "answer" arcs to help shed light on the mystery and grant readers even more satisfaction. Higurashi is a very fun read with a satisfying payoff and the kind of stories that will keep audiences enthralled. -- Courtney Kraft

First let me say that if you don't know the origins of the series and fully understand the characters, then you have fallen into the trap that is talked about at the end of this volume. Higurashi is a incredible story that is rich with drama and horror that just keeps coming. The art is such an improvement from the original 07th expansion art that the game was made to as a Visual Novel, so the details of the gore, mystery, and expressions come out so vibrantely that one can't look away. Following this arc to its end, its a longer read, but none the less, the read is too stunning to pull away. This is mystery horror at its best told in graphic novel form. The images and angels are drawn so hypnoticly that one is just pulled into this universe that is Higurashi. Since I'm well knowledgable in the story of Higurashi, I'm aware of what is happening in this arc and already know what is to come in the next. Those who are a fan of this series pride themselves in knowing the universe that is so carefully constructed. We have merely brushed the top of this monster that is Higurashi when they cry. If you've made it this far, there is no point in stopping and no turning back. For those who haven't read the first arc, it only gets better and more cruel as the arcs continue, so don't hesitate. If you love moe characters and seeing them in their darkest light, and also enjoy deep mystery with maddening horror and gore, then this series is for you. Prepare yourself, the end of the road is a gruesome one. Destroy the fate; fight the tragedy. The real madness has yet to come.

I love manga, but many of the ones put out nowadays seem to have overly drawn out plotlines & shallow mysteries. While that doesn't mean that they're terrible, it makes me hunger for something a bit more substantial. Thankfully there's manga such as Higurashi being put out right now. Readers who aren't fans of heavier plotlines may not be as enchanted as I am, but I do recommend that just about everyone checks this series out. While the first plot arc (Abducted by Demons) focused around Keiichi & Rena, this volume concludes the first half of the 'Cotton Drifting' plot arc. After sneaking into the village's sacred shrine with Shion, Tomitake & Takano, Keiichi discovers the horrific background of the village- that originally it was supposedly filled with demons. With people disappearing left & right, Keiichi has to try to discover the who & whats of what is going on. This series just keeps getting better & better. I can't wait for the answer arcs to eventually come out for this series so I can start figuring out more & more of the series. (We've got a ways to go though.) I love how tightly woven the plotline is & that we're beginning to see how the various layers of the story are starting to come through. I honestly can't say enough good things about this manga. I hate to use "buzz lines", but I can't help it. If you could only buy one manga series this year, buy Higurashi. If you love manga such as Evangelion & After School Nightmare, you'll love this series.

This manga is the end of the Cotton Drifting, but not the end to Higurashi! Many arcs are left to be made! This one however will knock you out. Read it yourself, you'll see... I'm a Higurashi fan, and this manga is better then the anime! Trust me, trust me...