~Anime Candy: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni~

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is a psychological horror dojin game that evolved into a successful TV series and manga series, created by 07th Expansion (who also made the dojin game Umineko no Naku Koro ni)

The story follows a young boy named Keiichi Maebara, who is a new arrival to the rural town of Hinamizawa. There he meets Mion Sonozaki, the resident tombody, Rena Ryugu, the girl who thinks everything is adorable, Rika Furude, the preistess girl, and Satoko Hojo, the local prankster. He becomes fast friends with all four of them, and soon joins their after school game club.
But after hearing about a dismemberment murder that happened four years prior to his arrival, things around Hinamizawa become much more sinsiter, especially after the unveiling of Oyashiro-sama's curse. For the last four years, one person has died and one person has gone missing on the night of the Watanagashi Festival. As Keiichi's suspicions grow, he learns that maybe...he can't even trust his friends...

The Higurashi no Naku Koro ni anime series contain the following arcs: Onikakushi-hen, Watanagashi-hen, Tatarigoroshi-hen, Himatsubushi-hen, Meakashi-hen, and Tsumihorobishi-hen. In each chapter, there's a new set of victims and a new set of bad guys. Meakashi-hen and Tsumihorobish-hen are considred "answer arcs," as they show what happened in Onikakushi-hen and Watanagashi-hen in new light. The "answer acrs" for Tatarigoroshi-hen and Himatsubushi-hen won't be revealed until the second season of the anime, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is a very violent, gory, graphic anime series. If you're squeamish, then you should avoid this series, or at least watch the censored versions. But if you watch uncensored, be prepared to see people stabbed, bashed to death with lead pipes/baseball bats, disemboweled corpses, fingernails getting ripped off, people getting tasered, people getting their heads split open...and I think that's it. So either way, this series is definitely rated R on TV airplay, and if you're watching uncensored, it's probably NC-17 for series of extreme violence.

The opening theme song for this season is "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni" by Eiko Shimamiya.
The closing theme song for this season is "why, or why not" by Katakiri Reika? (I don't know her name, so yeah.)

Series Rating:

4/5

Recommdended Episodes/Arcs:

The entire Meakashi and Tsumihorobishi arcs. They're just pure win.

~Nipaaaaaaaaaaah!

~Download Candy: Paranoia~

Okay, let's face it--Paranoia isn't set to be released until July. BUT--it was released in March on the I've Sound Departed To The Future Special CD BOX. Now isn't that cool for us? Paranoia is an amazing song--you should definitely give it a listen.

1. Paranoia
2. To lose in amber (I'VE at BOKUDAN 2009 live version)
3. Paranoia (Instrumental)

Download from MediaFire here.

~Download Candy: Super scription of data~

Super scription of data is the newest single from Eiko Shimamiya. It's the opening theme for the third season of popular psychological horror series, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (Rei). And honestly? It's quite an awesome single. Like Chikai, Super scription of data has an upbeat A-side and a more calming, relaxing B-side.

1. Super scription of data
2. electric universe
3. Super scription of data (Instrumental)
4. electric universe (Instrumental)

Download from MediaFire here.

Paranoia Info

So apparently, the Eiko Shimamiya single Paranoia is not a rumor after all! This single will only be released in a CD+DVD edition, and will also be included in the I've Sound 10th Anniversary 「Departed to the future」Special CD BOX. The track listing for this single has also been released.

1. Paranoia
2. To lose in amber (I'VE in BOKUDAN 2009 live version)
3. Paranoia (Instrumental)

It's slated to be released on July 29, 2009.

~Download Candy: Eiko Shimamiya - Chikai~

Chikai is Eiko Shimamiya's most recent tie-in with the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni series. The A-side of this single is the opening theme for the second live action movie, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Chikai. (<--from what I've seen in previews, Higurashi Chikai focuses on Tsumihorobishi-hen. Of course, I haven't seen the movie, so correct me if I'm wrong.) I don't know if OXISOLS, the B-side is the closing theme or not.

1. Chikai
2. OXISOLS

Download from MediaFire here.

~Download Candy: Eiko Shimamiya - hologram~

hologram is the first mini-album released by Eiko Shimamiya. Overall, it's a pretty good mini album. I highly recommend Sukarabe no Inori ~brown sugar style~

1. Sukarabe no Inori

2. Koi wa Itsumo

3. Mastery

4. Kodemari

5. Rojou no Christmas

6. Sukarabe no Inori ~brown sugar style~

7. Sukarabe no Inori ~brown sugar style~ (instrumental)

Download from MediaFire here.

~Two New Eiko Shimamiya Singles~

On June 24th, Eiko Shimamiya MIGHT be releasing two new singles! *squee* They are titled Super scription of data and Paranoia. Super scription of data is the opening theme for Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei, and we don't know what Paranoia ties in to.

After June 24th, Shimamiya might possibly have released four new singles since the release of her second studio album Hikari Nadeshiko. Does this mean that she could be releasing a new album soon? Well let's certainly hope so! I've been waiting for a new Eiko album for over a year! *squee*

~Download Candy: Eiko Shimamiya - O~

O is the first full-length studio album by Eiko Shimamiya, who is probably the best j-pop singer in the entire world. This is one of those albums that draws you in with the first track, and has you keeping the album on repeat for days on end. :D

1. O
2. Egao wo Misete
3. Canarian no Kanaderu Yume
4. Mune no Cross
5. Kyuudou no Hito -Remix-
6. Taiyou
7. I need you
8. Sora no Mahoroba
9. Ginga no Ko
10. Recovery
11. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
12. Doko ni mo nai Michi

Download from MediaFire here.