Higurashi When They Cry

Higurashi When They Cry is a Japanese murder-mystery dōjin soft visual novel series created by 07th Expansion.

Higurashi When They Cry is a Japanese murder-mystery dōjin soft visual novel series created by 07th Expansion. It is the first major series in the When They Cry franchise and is set mainly in the fictional village of Hinamizawa in 1983. The franchise has been adapted into anime and other media.

Premise

The story centres on a group of friends in Hinamizawa and a series of mysterious murders and disappearances. It combines mystery, horror, and psychological tension within a rural village setting.

Release and format

Higurashi began as a sound novel-style visual novel for Windows using the NScripter engine. It was released by 07th Expansion as a dōjin work and later expanded into a larger multimedia franchise.

Anime adaptations

The property was adapted into anime, including the 2006 series and later entries such as Higurashi: When They Cry – Gou and Higurashi When They Cry Sotsu. These adaptations revisit and extend the original material.

Franchise status

Higurashi is the first entry in the When They Cry franchise, followed later by other titles in the same broader series. It became one of the best-known Japanese visual novel franchises of the 2000s.