Higurashi When They Cry takes place during June 1983, at a fictional rural village called Hinamizawa, which has a population of approximately 2000. The main character, Keiichi Maebara, moves to Hinamizawa and befriends his new classmates Rena Ryugu, Mion Sonozaki, Rika Furude, and Satoko Hojo. Keiichi joins their after-school club activities, which consist mostly of card and board games (and punishment games for the loser, usually him.) Hinamizawa appears to be a normal, peaceful, rural village to Keiichi. However, the tranquility abruptly ends after the annual Watanagashi Festival, a celebration to commemorate and give thanks to the local god, Oyashiro-sama. Keiichi learns that every year for the past four years, one person has been murdered and another has gone missing on the day of the Watanagashi Festival. Keiichi himself soon becomes drawn into the strange events surrounding the Watanagashi Festival and Oyashiro-sama.
I love this.
I love everything about Higurashi.
I love the VN, I love the Anime, and I love the Manga.
This is one of the few VNs I actually enjoyed.
The whole story behind it truly kept me thinking.
The characters were great, and the atmosphere was intense.
The story was very well done, and ever since I discovered Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni, I've been hooked.
Well worth money, and well worth the time.
If you're a fan of horror this is something you truly can't miss out on.
I think that the anime is much better, but it's still one hell of a read