Chisato Saeki

	This article is about a character in Higurashi When They Cry.

Overview

Sprites

Chisato Saeki
Identification Details
Japanese	佐伯 千紗登
Nicknames	Chisa Chii-chan
General Information
Gender	Female
Occupation	Student
Portrayal
First Appearance	Onisarashi
Japanese VA	Eri Kitamura (Kizuna) Rina Satou (Sui, Hou)

Chisato Saeki (佐伯 千紗登, Saeki Chisato) is Natsumi Kimiyoshi's friend. She first appears in the manga-exclusive arc Onisarashi.

Profile

Natsumi's classmate. She cares a lot about Natsumi, who isn't used to city life. A master at rapid-fire chatting. She's the daughter of a well-known hospital owner, and gets unusually carried away.

(Translated from Entergram's Higurashi Hou website).

Appearance

Chisato has orange hair tied into a pair of braided pigtails and wears an orange school uniform most of the time.

Chisato's gym uniform in Onisarashi

Colored illustration of Natsumi, Chisato, and Tamako from Onisarashi volume 1

Chisato in the Higurashi Kizuna manga

Personality

Chisato is hyperactive and playful. She tends to say perverted things and likes to tease both Natsumi and Akira. Deep down, Chisato really does care for her friends despite her weirdness.

Background

The console version shows that Chisato's father is director of the Saeki General Hospital in Kakiuchi City. She used to have a younger sister named Kaori who was very sick, and though she needed a bone marrow transplant from Chisato to survive, Chisato was afraid to go through with it. Kaori passed away before Chisato could make a decision, and she felt incredibly guilty for it. To cope with it, Chisato started to act very selfish and cruel, but grew out of it thanks to her parents and Mamoru.

Chisato enrolled at Tamako and Akira's advanced high school just to be with them. When Natsumi started attending the Kakiuchi high school, Chisato saw her as a replacement for her sister and became friends with her, later introducing him to Akira. She also helped Natsumi get a part-time job at Saeki Hospital despite it being against school rules.

Relationships

• Natsumi Kimiyoshi: Chisato is Natsumi's best friend. Chisato loves Natsumi and is often hugging her and saying perverted things to her, to the point other classmates think they really are a couple. Chisato won't hesitate to hug Natsumi even when in front of her own father. Chisato's affection for Natsumi also stems from Natsumi resembling Chisato's deceased sister.
• Akira Toudou: Chisato and Akira were childhood friends, with Chisato having a crush on him. Although Natsumi and Akira get together in some arcs, Chisato is still supportive of their relationship.
• Tamako Makimura: Tamako is Chisato's childhood friend. Whenever Chisato is acting weird, Tamako tends to hit her. Tamako is one of the few people who knows about Chisato's crush on Akira.
• Mamoru Yamashina: Mamoru is Chisato and Tamako's upperclassman, and his father works as a chauffeur for Chisato's family. Chisato's friends sometimes go to the restaurant Mamoru works at. Chisato views Mamoru as an older brother, and they have romantic feelings for each other, however Chisato initially refused Mamoru because she wanted to be more confident.

Role in the Story

Onisarashi

Chisato is first introduced heading to school with Natsumi and Tamako. After hearing of the bizarre murder incidents occurring because of the Great Hinamizawa Disaster, Chisato and Tamako say some derisive things about Hinamizawans, not knowing that Natsumi is actually related to one.

Chisato becomes suspicious of Natsumi's strange behavior and later asks Akira if he's responsible, having heard a rumor that Natsumi is actually from near Hinamizawa.

After Natsumi is hospitalized after her parent's deaths, Chisato and Tamako go to cheer her up with some cake.

Someutsushi

When Natsumi seems sad during PE at school, Chisato and Tamako try to cheer her up. After school, Chisato and her chauffeur give Natsumi a ride to her part-time job at Saeki Hospital. Chisato's dad appears when they get there, and Chisato introduces Natsumi to him. Before Natsumi goes off to work, Chisato reminds her of their career interviews next week and plans to have a strategy meeting with her the next day.

Chisato and Tamako give Natsumi advice for her career interview, however Natsumi still isn't prepared for some of the questions and starts crying after learning Akira is set to go to a different college than her. Chisato and Tamako apologize for not helping Natsumi the best they could. To help Natsumi cheer up, the friends plan to go out shopping in the city.

Natsumi is left alone in a classroom while Chisato goes to the school store, returning right after Akira confesses to Natsumi. Chisato confrontats her about it and grabs her, and a frigthened Natsumi admits she also likes Akira. Chisato's insanity turns out to be a facade as she laughs while saying that Natsumi should've come to her for Akira advice.

Chisato and Natsumi join Tamaki at the station and go shopping. Chisato tells Tamako the news, however Natsumi is taken aback by how cold Chisato sounds when she talks about Akira. Natsumi starts wondering if Chisato also liked Akira and is actually jealous. Natsumi begins to ask about it but Chisato cuts her off and changes the subject. Natsumi becomes further concerned that her friendship with Chisato and Tamako will end because of Akira's confession.

The group eats ice cream in a parlor. Chisato begins to ask what town Natsumi was born in when a nearby TV report mentions that the Great Hinamizawa Disaster has occurred. Natsumi quickly goes home. In the TIP "Steadily Turning", Chisato and Tamako talk privately about Akira and Natsumi's relationship. Tamako asks if she's really fine with it and Chisato considers how easy it would be to destroy their relationship, but Chisato says they need to support them as best they can. Chisato thinks she'll regret it someday however.

Chisato sees that Natsumi is sad at school, having heard about what happened to Hatakeyama at the hospital. Chisato tries convincing Natsummi not to go to work and even suggests she quit; Chisato got her the job thinking that Natsumi wouldn't be criticized by people a lot and would feel at ease, but that may not be the case. Natsumi insists she's fine however.

Chisato and Natsumi drive to the hospital like usual, but there they see police sirens and a crowd surrounding the entrance. Natsumi rushes over there and learns that her coworker Yamase was murdered by Hatakeyama and begins losing strength. Chisato consoles her. Natsumi soon gets a look at Yamase's corpse as paramedics are carrying it out and starts screaming, and Chisato and other nearby people try to calm her down.

Natsumi is knocked out by Tomoe and Fujita when she doesn't stop and regains consciousness in the hospital later, being watched over by Chisato. Chisato apologizes for not doing enough to stop Natsumi earlier. Chisato then laments Yamase's death and starts badmouthing Hatakeyama and Hinamizawans, unaware that Natsumi is also one. Tomoe comes in and asks to talk to Natsumi, but Chisato gets angry and stands in her way. Natsumi asks Chisato to leave so she can speak with Tomoe privately.

A few days later, Chisato gives Natsumi a pair of movie tickets so she can go on a date with Akira. When Akira himself shows up, Chisato makes a big show of him dating Natsumi, drawing cheers of encouragement from the rest of the class. Later, Chisato and Tamaki talk to Akira alone about Natsumi's recent strange behavior. Somehow the class knows about the hospital incident and Natsumi's part-time job, which led Chisato and Tamako to believe Akira told everyone. However, they determine Natsumi herself told everyone and was also badmouthing the Hinamizawan culprit.

Chisato remembers that Natsumi's hometown was next to Hinamizawa and was caught up in the gas disaster, and for some reason Natsumi is saying horrible things about Hinamizawa to hide her relation to it. Chisato is afraid to ask Natsumi herself because she doesn't know what would happen if Natsumi confirmed it. Akira asks if Chisato and Tamako would stop being Natsumi's friends in that case and voices his own support for her. After some contemplation, Chisato and Tamako also give their support and entrust Akira with taking good care of Natsumi on their date.

During her date with Akira, Natsumi begins to doubt Chisato even more when she learns that Chisato and Tamako are also going to the same college as Akira. Natsumi is convinced Chisato and Tamako really have betrayed her and starts crying.

Natsumi's Hinamizawan heritage is revealed to the school when her family's deaths make the news. Chisato sobs with Tamako and Akira, regretting being afraid of Natsumi and not being there to support her when she needed it. Chisato and Tamako begin speaking less often after that.

Kageboushi

Chisato, Tamako, and Natsumi hang out at in a restaurant to celebrate Natsumi being confessed to by Akira. Natsumi is introduced to Chisato's friend Mamoru. The group talks about how they recommended Natsumi go to Misaki University for college. Mamoru brings out some cake he got from Angel Mort, and Natsumi mentions that her hometown has an Angel Mort there. The group is about to ask what her hometown is like when Natsumi sees the Great Hinamizawa Disaster being reported on a nearby TV. Natsumi claims she has errands to run and suddenly leaves. Chisato is worried she said something wrong, but Mamoru explains that Natsumi's hometown must be Okinomiya because she mentioned Angel Mort, which is next to Hinamizawa.

In the TIP "Career Aspirations", Tamako and Chisato talk about college plans. Chisato alludes to wanting to go to college together with Natsumi so she can be with her as much as possible until she graduates and gets a job.

Natsumi comes to school one day with a poor lunch, and Chisato and Tamako get concerned for her health. Chisato and Tamako had been telling the class that Natsumi and Akira are dating now, and when Akira shows up, Chisato and Tamako leave him alone with Natsumi. In private, Tamako asks if Chisato is really okay with their relationship and offers support in breaking them up. Tamako thinks Natsumi is starting to get jealous when around Akira.

Taamako voices her dislike for Natsumi hiding her Hinamizawan heritage, and when Chisato asks what she'd do if that was confirmed to them, Tamako says she'd end their friendship. However, Tamako would accept Natsumi if she told them about it herself. Chisato then overhears Natsumi and Akira talking about a creepy incident with Natsumi's house (where Natsumi's grandmother went crazy and put talismans all over it.) Chisato sees how different Natsumi is acting and questions herself.

In the TIP "Career Aspirations II", Chisato is surprised to hear that Akira is also going to Rikuo University. Rikuo and Misaki are sister schools and have the same general education classes, so Natsumi and Akira would be able to see each other then. Akira says he hasn't told Natsumi about his college plans yet, and Chisato worries about how she'll react when she does learn. Chisato plans to tell Natsumi about Rikuo and Misaki when the time is right.

Chisato and Akira talk about recent incidents where people from Hinamizawa are committing bizarre crimes. Earlier, some students asked Akira his thoughts about Hinamizawa when he was with Natsumi, and he called the story trash and wasn't interested. Chisato slaps him and starts crying, thinking he was insensitive for saying that in front of Natsumi. Akira asks why, and Chisato makes him promise he won't think of Natsumi any different before explaining that Natsumi is actually related to Hinamizawa. Akira clarifies what he saw at Natsumi's house, and Chisato asks him to tell Tamako as well. Chisato also promises to talk with Natsumi.

Chisato speaks to Natsumi in private about concerns she isn't looking well, and proposes they hang out with Tamako later. Natsumi says she has other plans, and Chisato offers to drive her to her job tomorrow. Natsumi suddenly starts insulting Chisato, calling her annoying and claiming that Chisato only became her friend because it was convenient for her. Chisato insists that they are friends, but Natsumi doesn't believe it. She brings up Chisato's crush on Akira and how Chisato, Tamako, and Akira are all going to the same college. Natsumi goes on about how Chisato seems to only see her as a pet, and Chisato blurts out that she was looking out for her because of Hinamizawa. Natsumi asks how she knows that and uses it as an excuse to continue insulting Chisato. Natsumi gets bored and leaves, and Chisato starts crying.

In the TIP "Closing on Short Notice", a saddened Chisato goes to Mamoru's shop. She asks if she's a terrible person, and Mamoru honestly explains he thinks she's a good person deep down, but she tends to say harsh things at times. Mamoru used to think Chisato was worse when she was younger, but he believes she's improved as a person since then. Chisato cheers up and starts thinking about what she can do for Natsumi.

Chisato goes to Saeki Hospital and is attacked and knocked out by an unknown assailant. She regains consciousness in a hospital room, where Tamako tends to her. Akasaka appears soon after and asks the girls about Natsumi, certain that she was responsible. Tamako gets angry at Akasaka's presence, having heard about how he and Ooishi treated Natsumi the other day when they were interrogating her. Akasaka apologizes but Tamako doesn't accept it, and Chisato tries to calm her down. Akasaka professes that he wants to save Natsumi not arrest her, and wants Chisato's help to make that happen. Chisato confesses that Natsumi did attack her, and so the Kakiuchi police starts looking for her.

Chisato goes up to the hospital roof alone, where she reminisces on her past with Kaori and questions if she was ever really Natsumi's friend. Just then, a deranged Natsumi arrives with a knife and says she plans to kill her, claiming that Chisato betrayed her by reporting her to the police and trying to steal Akira. Chisato fulfills her duty as Natsumi's friend by responding to her claims, saying that Natsumi never told anybody about Hinamizawa, so there was no way she could know. Natsumi gets angry and charges at her with the knife, and a fight erupts between the two. Chisato defends herself while arguing with her, saying that all of Natsumi's concerns were brought about by Natsumi herself. Chisato also lays bare her honest thoughts, saying she dislikes people who can't talk to others about their problems; Natsumi got angry at her situation but never talked to anyone about it and left her friends out of it.

Chisato embraces Natsumi after getting her to come to her senses.

Chisato says she and Natsumi are alike, and that they can't keep regretting their past decisions. Natsumi falters when she recalls a similar thing Tomoe told her, and Chisato says that if Natsumi kills her, she'll be all alone in a world of darkness. Chisato drops her guard while professing that she's willing to help Natsumi no matter what it takes. Natsumi finally comes to her senses and starts crying and embracing her. Akira and Akasaka arrive soon after, surprised at the sight.

Five years later, Chisato, Tamako, and Akasaka attend Natsumi and Akira's private wedding.

Miotsukushi Ura

When Natsumi comes to school with her hair down, Chisato is instantly smitten and makes a display of wanting to marry her. The rest of Natsumi's friends compliment her for her new hairstyle. Chisato tells Akira to make a move on Natsumi as soon as possible and gives him advice later.

Tamako asks Chisato if she's really okay with Akira confessing to Natsumi. Chisato pushed Akira to do it because she knew the other boys in class would try it otherwise. Chisato really wanted Natsumi to be happy and set aside her own feelings for her, and is convinced that Natsumi and Akira being together would be the best for her. She also reminisces on a past conversation, where Natsumi, Tamako and Chisato affirm their friendship and promise to communicate if they ever have any problems.

Natsumi and Akira successfully get together, but Chisato starts to miss having lunch with her. Tamako suggests they can end it whenever they want, but Chisato hopes it was just a joke. Later, Chisato and Mamoru start dating due to Tamako's apparent involvement. Chisato hears about Hinamizawa's Watanagashi Festival and wants to go, but Mamoru tells her about the series of incidents that occur on the Watanagashi every year.

Natsumi eavesdrops on a conversation between Akira and Chisato in the art room. Chisato is certain Akira's going to the Watanagashi with Natsumi, having told him earlier that Natsumi's relative was mayor. She also tells Akira about the curse and jokes that Natsumi might be trying to sacrifice him, but Natsumi starts to believe Chisato is telling Akira about Hinamizawa to separate them.

Natsumi interrupts them and claims Chisato is now her enemy. Just then, Natsumi starts struggling with her darker half, telling Chisato to run away while also saying she wants to kill her. Chisato sends Akira to get a teacher and then tends to Natsumi. Natsumi recalls memories of her rooftop conversation with Chisato from Kageboushi's world and pushes her away, then runs off.

When Natsumi tries to strangle Tomoe, she recalls more memories from Kageboushi's world. Natsumi was tried for murdering her parents, but was declared not guilty thanks to Chisato's help. She got her father to provide testimony from many doctors and proved that Natsumi was not in control of her actions because of her medication.

Natsumi successfully dispels her darker half and recuperates in the hospital. Chisato comes in and tearfully embraces her, wanting to know why Natsumi never consulted with her and Tamako like they promised. Tomoe and Natsumi try to calm her down, but Chisato reveals she knew all about Natsumi's anxiety neurosis due to seeing her medical charts earlier. Chisato helped Natsumi and Akira get together because she believed it would help Natsumi overcome her anxiety, and she felt that going to Hinamizawa would make it worse. Chisato apologizes for hiding all this from her, and Natsumi embraces her and reaffirms their friendship.

Miotsukushi Omote

Chisato and her friends attend the Watanagashi Festival in Hinamizawa.