Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (song)

For the series, please refer Higurashi When They Cry
For the album, please refer Higurashi no Naku Koro ni / Eiko Shimamiya

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (ひぐらしのなく頃に・When the Cicadas Cry) is the opening for the 2006 Higurashi When They Cry anime adaptation. It was performed by Eiko Shimamiya and the first of many songs performed by her featured in the anime and live action movie adaptations. The song was written by Shimamiya herself. A titular single featuring the full version was released on 24th May, 2006.

Video Releases[]

Eiko_Shimamiya_-_Higurashi_no_Naku_Koro_Ni_PV

Lyrics[]

Kanji	Romaji	Translation
振り向いたその後ろの（正面だれ）暗闇に爪を立てて（夜を引き裂いた）	Furimuita Sono ushiro no (Shoumen dare?)^[1] Kurayami ni Tsume wo tatete (Yoru wo hikisaita)	I turned around To look behind me (But who was in front?) Within the darkness It raised its claws (And tore apart the night)
雨だれは血のしずくとなって頬をつたい落ちるもうどこにも帰る場所が無いなら	Amadare wa chi no Shizuku to natte hoho wo Tsutaiochiru Mou doko ni mo Kaeru basho ga nai nara	Dripping rain turns into blood The droplets streak my cheeks Flowing freely If you don't have a place To return to anymore...
この指止まれ私の指にその指ごと連れてってあげるひぐらしが鳴く開かずの森へ後戻りはもう出来ない	Kono yubi tomare Watashi no yubi ni Sono yubi goto Tsuretette ageru Higurashi ga naku Akazu no mori e Ato modori wa Mou dekinai	Rest those fingers of yours On these fingers of mine Let me take you away— Fingers and everything To the sealed forest Where the higurashi cry Even if you turn around, There is no going back

Kanji	Romaji	Translation
振り向いたその後ろの（正面だれ）暗闇に爪を立てて（夜を引き裂いた）	Furimuita Sono ushiro no (Shoumen dare?)^[1] Kurayami ni Tsume wo tatete (Yoru wo hikisaita)	I turned around To look behind me (But who was in front?) Within the darkness It raised its claws (And tore apart the night)
雨だれは血のしずくとなって頬をつたい落ちるもうどこにも帰る場所が無いなら	Amadare wa chi no Shizuku to natte hoho wo Tsutaiochiru Mou doko ni mo Kaeru basho ga nai nara	Dripping rain turns into blood The droplets streak my cheeks Flowing freely If you don't have a place To return to anymore...
この指止まれ私の指にその指ごと連れてってあげるひぐらしが鳴く開かずの森へ後戻りはもう出来ない	Kono yubi tomare Watashi no yubi ni Sono yubi goto Tsuretette ageru Higurashi ga naku Akazu no mori e Ato modori wa Mou dekinai	Rest those fingers of yours On these fingers of mine Let me take you away— Fingers and everything To the sealed forest Where the higurashi cry Even if you turn around, There is no going back
ひとりずつ消されてゆく（蒼い炎）暗闇のその向うに（朝はもう来ない）	Hitorizutsu Kesarete yuku (Aoi honoo) Kurayami no Sono mukou ni (Asa wa mou konai)	One by one They are extinguished (The blue flames) Within the darkness Where what lies beyond— (The morning will never come)
鏡の中で蠢き伸ばしてくる無数の手でさぁ　誰かをここへ誘いなさい	Kagami no naka de Ugomeki nobashite kuru Musuu no te de Saa dareka wo Koko e izanainasai	Inside the mirror They squirm, reaching for me— With countless hands Come on, anyone will do— Lure them inside here
鬼さんこちら手の鳴るほうへどんなに逃げても捕まえてあげるひぐらしが鳴くけもの道から聞こえていた声はもう無い	Oni-san kochira Te no naru hou e^[2] Donna ni nigetemo Tsukamaete ageru Higurashi ga naku Kemonomichi kara Kikoeteita Koe wa mou nai	Oh demon, come this way Follow the rhythm of my hand No matter how much you run I'll be sure to catch you From the animal trail Where the higurashi cry The voice that arose Can no longer be heard
この指止まれ私の指にその指ごと連れてってあげるひぐらしが鳴く開かずの森へ後戻りはもう出来ない	Kono yubi tomare Watashi no yubi ni Sono yubi goto Tsuretette ageru Higurashi ga naku Akazu no mori e Ato modori wa Mou dekinai	Rest those fingers of yours On these fingers of mine Let me take you away— Fingers and everything To the sealed forest Where the higurashi cry Even if you turn around, There is no going back
鬼さんこちら手の鳴るほうへどんなに逃げても捕まえてあげるひぐらしが鳴くけもの道から聞こえていた声はもう無い	Oni-san kochira Te no naru hou e Donna ni nigetemo Tsukamaete ageru Higurashi ga naku Kemonomichi kara Kikoeteita Koe wa mou nai	Oh demon, come this way Follow the rhythm of my hand No matter how much you run I'll be sure to catch you From the animal trail Where the higurashi cry The voice that arose Can no longer be heard

Notes[]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Ushiro no shoumen daare? (後ろの正面だあれ, lit. Who stands behind when I face forward?) is a reference to a line from a Japanese warabe uta; Kagome Kagome. Kagome Kagome is a game in which one player is chosen as the "Oni" (鬼, lit. Demon) and sits down blindfolded as the others circle them and sing the rhyme. At the end, the Oni is asked to guess who is standing behind them.
This line is a very popular reference in Higurashi as it can be found in many songs from the franchise.
↑
Oni-san kocchira, Te no naru hou e (鬼さんこちら、手の鳴るほうへ, lit. Hey Demon, over here; follow my hand) is a common taunt in a game of Japanese tag. Tag is referred to as "Onigokko" in Japanese which literally means "playing demon". The "it" is referred to as the "Oni" (鬼, lit. Demon) and the other players may chant this particular taunt at the Oni mockingly.
- This particular line even comes up directly in the VN and subsequent adaptations; when Ooishi sarcastically recites the chant as everyone teams up to lure out the culprit in Matsuribayashi-hen.

Trivia[]

The chants heard multiple times throughout the song are in fact the reversed audio of the chants starting at 03:14 from the opening song of the anime's second season. The chants which were unclear in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni are finally coherent in the second opening song, and can be transcribed as "Nigebanainda" (逃げ場ないんだ, lit. No place to escape to).
- This little detail is in line with the fact that the first season comprises of the question arcs and the second season provides the solutions to those mysteries.

External Links[]

VGMdb

Translation: Meera Malhotra

[sd-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Ushiro no shoumen daare? (後ろの正面だあれ, lit. Who stands behind when I face forward?) is a reference to a line from a Japanese warabe uta; Kagome Kagome. Kagome Kagome is a game in which one player is chosen as the "Oni" (鬼, lit. Demon) and sits down blindfolded as the others circle them and sing the rhyme. At the end, the Oni is asked to guess who is standing behind them.
This line is a very popular reference in Higurashi as it can be found in many songs from the franchise.

[os-2] Oni-san kocchira, Te no naru hou e (鬼さんこちら、手の鳴るほうへ, lit. Hey Demon, over here; follow my hand) is a common taunt in a game of Japanese tag. Tag is referred to as "Onigokko" in Japanese which literally means "playing demon". The "it" is referred to as the "Oni" (鬼, lit. Demon) and the other players may chant this particular taunt at the Oni mockingly.

This particular line even comes up directly in the VN and subsequent adaptations; when Ooishi sarcastically recites the chant as everyone teams up to lure out the culprit in Matsuribayashi-hen.

[3] This particular line even comes up directly in the VN and subsequent adaptations; when Ooishi sarcastically recites the chant as everyone teams up to lure out the culprit in Matsuribayashi-hen.

[1]

[2]