Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Meowshi
How do the chapters relate time-wise to the first?
I mean like, how does the second 'chapter' (epi 5-?) relate timewise from 1-4
And I didn't really understand it before (the way you guys stated it..butterfly effect?) but these are alternate universes right?
How do these relate to the game, if the game is a choice game- Is this only one of the many set paths, or in the game, do the paths all lead up to this with different hints and clues, etc.?
|
Ok, I'm going to put this thing down once and for all.
Higurashi no
Naku Koroni is a sound novel, there are
no selection points within the story,
no choices to be made by the player,
no interactions whatsoever: you click, read, click, read, click, read, and continue until a chapter is over (well, actually, in the past 7 chapters, there has been a couple of selections, but they were all gimmicks, they don't mean or do anything).
The game is split into 8 chapters (scenarios, if you would), the first half (1 - 4) consists of what we call the "question" chapters (Onikakushi-hen, Watanagashi-hen, Tatarigoroshi-hen, Himatsubushi-hen), while the second half (5 - 8) are considered to be the "answer" chapters (Meakashi-hen, Tsumihoroboshi-hen, Minagoroshi-hen, and the yet-to-be-released Matsuribayashi-hen). Although we call them "chapters" in this forum, each scenario are completely stand-alone: they each contain their own stories, development, and ending, and are not related to any other chapters
directly.
Now, as for the relationship between these parallel scenarios. Like I mentioned in another post, for the sake of defining it as something, you should consider the scenarios (chapters) to be different stories occuring in
parallel worlds (although Minagoroshi-hen revealed that this isn't quite the case either).
The important thing here is to realize that
all characters and settings remain exactly the same throughout all scenarios, the only things that are different between the scenarios are the
circumstances and happenings. The primary function these parallel worlds is to provide a multi-faceted view for the reader (you) to analyze. For Keiichi and the others, the world within each scenario is their
only world. But you, the reader, an outsider, can watch from the sidelines, blessed with the ability to make comparisons, deductions, and determinations based on information gathered from across all the worlds.
Timeline wise, it might not be exact, but yes, all the chapters take place at roughly around the same time period, early summer in Hinamizawa (although there are a few exceptions, but you will know them when they come).
The anime, then, is basically doing the same thing: showing one scenario, then moving on to the next after the current scenario ends, etc.