Higurashi - When They Cry - The Cotton Drifting Arc Volume 1 - 2

Higurashi - When They Cry - The Cotton Drifting Arc is the second question arc in the Higurashi series. It is published by Yen Press and written by Ryukishi07 with art by Yutori Houjyou. As I said earlier The Cotton Drifting Arc is the second arc in the series and while they are labelled as volumes 1 and 2 in the Higurashi manga series they are volumes 3 and 4. Don't worry if you haven't read the first arc called Abducted By Demons Arc, also published by Yen Press, as it is not needed to understand this arc.

If you are unfamiliar with the Higurashi series here is a little information. It started out as a visual novel entitled Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni developed by 7th Expansion with the story written by Ryukishi07. The visual novel was split into two games with each game having four arcs, making a total of eight arcs. The first four arcs were called Question Arcs while the final four arcs where called Answer Arcs, because they explain and resolve what happened in the Question Arcs. The series has since been made into a popular anime series, manga series, and several bonus arcs have since been made in newer versions of the games. It also has spawned a sequel called Umineko no Naku Koro Ni.

So back to the Cotton Drifting Arc. If you have read the first arc then you will be pretty fimilar with the start. Keiichi Marebara has recently moved to the town of Hinamizawa. He quickly becomes friends with Rena Ryuga, Mion Sonozaki, Rika Furude and Satako Hojo. After a day of fun with his friends he meets a girl who looks excatly like his friend Mion. The girl claims she is not Mion but is actually Shion Sonozaki, Mion's twin sister. Throughout volume 1 Keiichi dosn't belive her but just decides to go along with with it because he likes the more girly "Mion". However near the end of the book it is revealed that Shion really does exsist.

While keiichi is caught up in a romantic comedy he also learns about Oyashiro's Curse. Every year on the night of the Cotton Drifting Festival one person dies and another gets spirited away by the demon. On the night of the Cotton Drifting Festival Keiichi, Shion, Miyo Takano and Jirou Tomitake sneak into a sacred storeroom. Because they snuck in they become the most likely people to be cursed by Oyashiro that year. Soon afterwards everyone seems to know that Keiichi went inside the storeroom and the bodies of Tomitake and Takano are soon discovered. Is this really Oyashiro's Curse and does this been that Shion and Keiichi are the next people to die?

If you have read the first arc then this arc may disappoint as it makes more sense than the original arc, or so you think. The first arc was great because you had no idea if people where actually trying to get Keiichi or not. While the horror aspects are weaker in this arc it is still an excellent arc. The comedy elements are hilarious and you get given a lot of back story into the town of Hinamizawa.

The art is beautiful in this arc. Colour pages are nice while the character designs stay true to their original work. Translation is excellent and the paper quality is top notch.

If you enjoyed the first arc The Cotton Drifting Arc is a must buy. If you like some comedy mixed with excellent horror pick up a volume of Higurashi as it is one of the best series out there.