How to Watch Higurashi: When They Cry in Order

Based on a visual novel, Higurashi: When They Cry (or Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni) is a unique beast to tackle. Not only do you need know what series are part of the main timeline or simply a side story, each part of the main series is made up of several internal arcs. For many fans who just dive right in, they will find the arc switches jarring, at very least. So if you are considering watching it or are just trying to make sense of your first watch, we can help you sort it all out.

The Simplified Higurashi Watch Order

If you just want the bare bones order and will figure out the rest as most fans had to, the Higurashi basic watch order goes as:Main Timeline Only

• Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni
• Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Kai
• Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Rei (OVA)

If you also want to include all the optional items outside of just the main timeline, then you would want:

• Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni
• Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Kai
• Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Special: Nekogoroshi-hen
• Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Kai
• Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Rei (OVA)
• Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Kira
• Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Kaku: Outbreak

Higurashi: When They Cry Chronological Watch Order

This is where watching Higurashi gets real complicated, but it can be really rewarding if you are going back for a rewatch, particularly if you didn’t fully comprehend it the first time. It is 100% not recommended if you are viewing the series for the first time.

Before we get into this, you need to understand that the different arcs and time resets are separated into Questions Arcs and Answers Arcs that clear up the first arc. So to get a more comprehensive experience, you technically need to jump between the two series sometimes, though not for every arc. Thankfully, the important bits of Rei are an epilogue of the series, so you just save that til the end.

Some of the Answers Arcs involve time resets which makes them hard to feel like true continuations, but they do provide answers and there is some merit to watching them after the initial Questions Arc so the events are fresh in your mind.

• Higurashi Season One (Episodes 1 – 4) – Onikakushi (Demoning Away Arc)
• Higurashi Season One (Episodes 22- 26) Tsumihoroboshi (Atonement Arc) – Onikakushi Answer Arc
• Higurashi Kai Episode 1 – Reunion – Direct epilogue to Tsumihoroboshi.
• Higurashi Kai (Episode 2 – 5) – Yakusamashi (Disaster Awakening Arc) – Follows the events of Reunion.
• Higurashi Season One (Episodes 5 – 8) – Watanagashi (Cotton Drifting Arc) – Mion’s Question Arc
• Higurashi Season One (Episodes 16 -21) Meakashi (Eye Opening Arc) – Watanagashi Answer Arc
• Higurashi Season One (Episodes 9 – 13) – Tatarigoroshi (Curse Killing Arc) – Satoko’s Question Arc
• OVA – Nekogoroshi (Cat Killing Arc) – Technically a bridge between the first and second seasons, but not really necessary. Chronologically, it takes place before Minagoroshi.
• Higurashi Kai (Episodes 6 -13) -Minagoroshi (Massacre Arc) – Tatarigoroshi Answer Arc
• Higurashi Season One (Episode 14 – 15) – Himatsubushi (Time Killing Arc) – Rika’s Question Arc
• Higurashi Kai (Episodes 14 – 24) – Matsuribayashi (Festival Accompanying Arc) – Himatsubushi Answer Arc
• Higurashi Rei (Episodes 2 – 4) – Saikoroshi (Dice Killing Arc) – Epilogue

Items That Don’t Fit Anywhere In The Chronology

• The Entirety of Kira – If you liked the comical bits of Higurashi, this is all comical bits.
• Outbreak – More of an alternative scenario involving the characters.
• Episode 1 and Episode 5 of Rei – Dice Killing is the only plot-related reason to watch Rei. The first and last episodes are more comical.

The watch order was made to both help the series make some more sense and have a minimal amount of switching between the series. That being said, if you think re-arranging some of the questions and answers arcs in the timeline for clarity would be better, leave a comment with your thoughts.

Where Does Umineko: When They Cry Fit In??

Similarly titled Umineko is in the same universe as Higurashi, but unrelated. It is the same sort of story that involves a lot of gore, mystery, and supernatural intrigue, but completely unrelated. You can watch it first, after Higurashi, or whenever you want.

Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (2006) Versus Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (2020): What is the Difference?

While it has not aired yet as of publishing this, the Higurashi: When they Cry (2020) is set to be a remake of the 2006 anime. The updated artwork and animation are definitely a boon all on its own, but fans are a bit concerned about the potential for censorship since Higurashi can be brutal, to say the least. It is suspected that they may also add in some of the chapters released after the first anime as well for a more complete experience.

As it releases, I’ll amend the watch order as necessary since I am just super hyped for it.

If you want more anime watch orders, you can check out the growing list at AnimeChrono