- "One part of my fictional world/character settings are similar, or pretty much borrow the concept of star system, making you feel 'Oh, there is that character!'"
- — Ryukishi07 in Higurashi Gou SP Live Talk
Ryukishi07’s works often feature characters that are similar to those in his previous works, either through appearance, similar names, or personalities. He likens his characters to actors, explaining that they look the same because it's one person playing different roles.[1]
This page lists the characters that meet at least one, preferably more, of the following criteria and groups them together based on their “original” version:
- they have a similar if not identical appearance;
- their name has some connection with a prior character's name, either through puns or similar readings/pronunciations;
- they have the same voice actors;
- they have a dynamic with another character that is themselves a lookalike of another character.
In general, characters need to meet at least two of the above to be listed, unless they have a near-identical appearance.
The name order in the Japanese source texts is used for the characters listed on this page to preserve the puns.
  This article or section contains untagged major spoilers for all of the original Higurashi When They Cry story and possibly the console-exclusive arcs. Readers who have not completed the story are advised not to proceed further. |
As Ryukishi07's first major work, Higurashi When They Cry has been referenced in later series the most; some of these connections can be considered major spoilers for Higurashi in one way or another. Proceed with caution.
Rika Furude and Frederica Bernkastel
Rika Furude lookalikes are the most prominent, each usually featuring blue hair in a hime cut.
A being named Frederica Bernkastel related to Rika has also been referenced in later works.
Rika and Bernkastel both share a birthday on August 21.[2]
Miyo Takano and Satoko Houjou
Takano lookalikes are second to Rika lookalikes in prominence, featuring blonde hair and sometimes a name that can be read as 34 in some way or consists of "Tanashi" or "Miyoko". They often appear as rivals or friends to Rika lookalikes. A case can also be made for some of them having connections to Satoko Houjou.
Miyo Takano, Lambdadelta, and Meryl Tanashi all share a birthday on June 20. In addition, Miyo and Meryl both have the O blood type.[2]
Takano's first name Miyo (三四) consists of the kanji for "three" and "four". Lambdadelta's full name written in Greek numerals (ΛΔ) reads "34". Vier Dreissig's name is German for "four thirty", but could also be interpreted as referring to "vierunddreißig", which means "thirty four".
In the 21st episode of Higurashi: When They Cry - GOU, Eua refers to Satoko as "Vier", "Mitsuyo", and "Anomalous Spinal Cord Specimen LD3105". "Mitsuyo" can be read as 34.
Additionally, the name of the Umineko character Sayo can be read as 3-4. Nanakaku Beako, a VTuber associated with 07th Expansion, has her birthday on March 4 (3/4).
Tetsurou Okonogi
The namesake characters from Higurashi, Umineko, and Ciconia, as well as Maurice Monobe from Rose Guns Days all share a birthday on December 1, as well as the A blood type.[2][3]
Okonogi's tendency to appear in nearly everything was made the subject of a fad where 07th Expansion posted a spritesheet of Okonogi faces and encouraged fans to paste his face into different media.
There is also a minor character similar in appearance named Reijin Okonogi in Rewrite, which Ryukishi wrote a route for.
Jirou Tomitake
Jirou and James both share a birthday on September 14 and the B blood type.[2]
Kyousuke Irie
Hanyuu
Juuza Amakusa
Amakusa and Skylark 13 are special cases due to Skylark 13 not having a sprite in the original Higurashi visual novels. His first visual appearance was in the Matsuribayashi manga, 3 years after Amakusa's first appearance in Alliance of the Golden Witch. However, the first Matsuribayashi drama CD, released after the end of the manga serialization, features an Amakusa lookalike on its cover illustrated by Ryukishi07 himself; this can be seen as an acknowledgement of this design of Skylark 13's appearance from him.
In Nekodamashi-hen Part 4 of Higurashi: When They Cry - GOU, aired on January 28, 2021, Skylark 13 makes an unambiguous appearance according to the credits of the episode.
Battler Ushiromiya
Battler and Butler both share a birthday on July 15.[2]
Shannon
Beatrice
Sakutarou
Sakutarou and Sakunoshin both share a birthday on March 9, with Sakunoshin using edited sprites of the former.[2]
Additionally, Sakutarou has younger brothers named Sakukichi and Sakusuke,[4] who is suggested to be the same Sakusuke that appears in A Coffee Story.[5]
Zepar and Furfur
Wang Yuanhong
According to the 07th Party 7 livestream, Ryukishi enjoyed Takuya Tsukamoto's performance as Wang in the stage play adaptation of Rose Guns Days so much that he got him a speaking part in Symphony of Catbox and Dreams as a new character, Mikami.
See Also
References
- ↑ Another Round of Red Truths with Ryukishi07
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 07th Expansion All Character Settings Collection
- ↑ https://twitter.com/07thbeako/status/1730527161956925629
- ↑ Requiem of the Golden Witch Chapter 16: Journey to the Golden Land
- ↑ Episode 7 Shinsou Kaimei Dokuhon page 105. "A stuffed animal named Sakusuke was mentioned in Maria's line. I wonder if it's the same person as the Sakusuke who appeared in "A Coffee Story" that you once contributed to the literary magazine PANDORA." Ryukishi07: "I'm sure it's the same person, they even have the same name. But if you're asking me if "A Coffee Story" has anything to do with Maria, I'm not sure. But if you follow Osamu Tezuka's Star System, you can assume it's the same Sakusuke."