Minagoroshi-hen

Infobox VG
title = Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai ~Minagoroshi-hen~


developer = flagicon|Japan 07th Expansion
publisher = flagicon|Japan 07th Expansion
distributor =
designer =
engine =
version =
released = December 30 2005
genre = Dōjin, Visual novel
modes = Single player
ratings =
platforms = PC
media =
requirements = OS: Vista/Windows XP/2000/Me/98, 400 MHz Pentium II, 128 MB RAM, 8x CD-ROM Drive, 400 MB of HDD space, DirectSound, DirectX 8.0a or higher, 640x480 Full color display
input = Nihongo|"Minagoroshi-hen"|皆殺し編|Massacre Chapter is the title of the seventh game of the "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni" series and additionally is the third game of the "answer" arc, spanning a total of four games. It was first released on December 30 2005 at Comiket 69. In the second season of the anime, "Minagoroshi-hen" is covered in episodes six through thirteen, following episodes two through five, which contain anime-original material.

Plot

Outline

This is regarded as the chapter where "the best situation has been provided," Fact|date=February 2007 but it takes the courage of a certain character to change the course. This will answer everything, however there is one chapter left - Matsuribayashi-hen.

ummary

Inspired by Keiichi's achievements in "Tsumihoroboshi-hen", Rika no longer gives up on trying to save herself and her friends, and actively tries to make things better. Thanks to this, things start running pretty smoothly.

Keiichi gives Mion the doll, acknowledging that she has a girly side. Shion resolves to keep her promise to take care of Satoko, and the group even manage to befriend Ōishi before the festival preventing his usual unintended division of the group.

Rika decides to take a chance and goes to the clinic to confide in Irie and Takano. She explains that someone is after her life. They both assure her that they will try to protect her, and assign the Yamainu, a private mercenary group, to watch over her. Rika also warns Takano and Tomitake that someone is after them as well.

Akasaka also finally reappears during these events instead of after them for once, and provides some comfort for Rika. But unfortunately, finally, something bad happens, as Teppei Hojo, Satoko's uncle, returns to Hinamizawa.

As stated in the prologue as far as Rika is concerned, the worlds in which he returns are the worst ones, and she basically considers them write-offs.

So Teppei once again begins abusing Satoko as well as using various means to keep her from talking about it, and keeping her from school. Finding out about this, Shion snaps, decides she's going to kill Teppei. However, she is stopped by Keiichi, who is conviced that won't be the answer.

The gang comes together and go to both Chie and Oishi for help and advice. Despite visiting the child counseling center, they are turned away as Satoko won't report the abuse herself. Meanwhile Satoko has withdrawn much like in "Tatarigoroshi-hen".

The gang visits the center again and again. First as a group, then with the entire class, then with their teacher as well, and finally with their friends and relatives as well. The director finally listens to them, but ultimately does nothing. As the gang eventually discovers, it's Oryō Sonozaki's influence, since without her explicit consent, the government officials do not dare risk their necks.

They eventually confront her, with Keiichi really pissing her off, but while they thought they'd lost there, the next day the woman agreed to help them. As it turns out (as revealed in "Meakashi-hen") Oryō and the old folks didn't really want to hold that kind of grudge against Satoko, but believed it was what the townspeople expected of them.

On top of that, Rika manages to have a real talk with Satoko about all of this and convinces her to stand up and ask for help. Finally, she cries out for someone to save her. With the additional help of Ōishi and the police, Teppei is finally confronted and brought to justice, and Satoko is rescued at last.

Lastly, with the Watanagashi Festival coming up, Rika believes that nothing can go wrong now. However, just like clockwork, Tomitake and Takano are killed. In this case however, we discover the truth. When Tomitake and Takano return to the clinic they get into a large argument about their work and objectives culminating in Tomitake's murder when he swears to oppose Takano. Takano orders the Yamainu, which was actually a Spec Ops group within the JSDF under her control, to fake her death.

Rika finally learns the truth and tries to get help and escape from her house which is guarded by Takano's men. Unfortunately, Ōishi is sniped on his way to check out the situation, and is the first to fall. Meanwhile, Akasaka hasn't returned to the village from his sidetrip yet.

When Rika and Satoko are attacked, they try to escape and head to the Sonozaki house, but end up cornered. They are then rescued by Keiichi and Rena, and the gang all meet up to try to help Rika escape the village as she explains the truth about the syndrome and the organization to all of them.

Utilizing their skills, their intimate knowledge of the terrain, and the countless traps that Satoko has set up all over the forest, they manage to put up a brave struggle against the Yamainu as they try to escape through the woods. But soon enough, hope is lost, as Keiichi took a bullet from Takano and cried out for the others to escape.

In the end it was all for nothing, as the others are rounded up and executed one by one. Rena, Mion, Shion, Satoko, and finally Rika are all killed. Rika of course, is disemboweled, but is determined to stay conscious through her pain as she slowly dies so she can burn the face and name of her murderer into her mind at last.

There is a brief dreamy vision, in which the player learns that Hanyū was too afraid to help and had given up hope like Rika had before.

The next day, utilizing her research, and the deaths of Tomitake and Rika, Takano receives authority from the Prime Minister to carry out the emergency plan she desired. The JSDF is called in, and the 2000 residents of Hinamizawa are gathered together under the pretense of a gas leak in the mountains. They are then grouped in small rooms and gassed to death. Those who try to escape are shot to death.

Watching this "beautiful" spectacle with delight, an ecstatic Takano proclaims her ascension to Godhood.

External links

* [http://07th-expansion.net/hi_Main.htm Higurashi no Naku Koro ni official website] ja icon