Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gou Manga Volume 3

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gou Vol. 3 is the third volume of the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gou manga. It includes part of Tataridamashi-hen, containing parts 1 through 4.

Synopsis (Translated)

It is the worst Fragment for "that girl". The Curse-Deceiving Chapter begins.

A dismemberment murder case that happened in the past. Rumors of curses still abound. However, there is a more direct and desperate threat looming over Satoko Houjou. Uniting their fiery wills and bonds with their friends, the children confront their fate.^[1]

Chapters

Tataridamashi-hen Part 1

The club has a barbecue at the Furude Shrine, celebrating their close victory against the Okinomiya Titans. The Hinamizawa Fighters coach Irie asks Keiichi if he’s enjoying himself. Irie thinks Satoko is always happy when Keiichi is around, reminded of her older brother Satoshi. Keiichi is unaware Satoko had a brother, and Irie says many unfortunate things have happened. Satoko’s parents died in an accident, and the previous year Satoshi disappeared from Hinamizawa. Irie wants to adopt Satoko but legal circumstances prevent him from doing it. Irie wants to ensure he never does anything to make Satoko cry, and Keiichi promises to do the same. Shion soon arrives, introducing herself as the Hinamizawa Fighters’ ghost manager. Shion says she’s busy acting as Satoko’s Nee-nee, having promised Satoshi that she'd do that.

While walking home, Keiichi challenges Satoko to a cook off. The two go to Keiichi’s house where Keiichi ultimately loses. They eat dinner, with Keiichi praising Satoko for her cooking. Satoko says this reminds her of when her Nii-nii was around, who was just as inept as Keiichi at cooking. Satoko corrects herself and says she’s talking about her brother, wondering where he is right now. Satoko doesn’t feel lonely since she has the club, but Keiichi reaches out and gives her a headpat. Keiichi sees that Satoko has done her best in Satoshi’s absence and wishes for him to come back soon, wanting to be a good substitute until he does. Keiichi sees Satoko off, and she calls him Nii-nii while allowing him to swing by for cooking lessons. Satoko walks home by herself and encounters a familiar-looking man.

The next day at school, the club is worried since Satoko hasn’t shown up. Keiichi asks Rika if she knows anything since she brought lunch for Satoko, and other students start murmuring that “he” is back. The kids mention Oyashiro-sama’s curse and Satoshi when Satoko suddenly walks into the classroom. Rika runs up to her and starts crying, saying that it’s happening again. Keiichi wonders what Rika means by that and sees a blank expression on Satoko’s face.

Tataridamashi-hen Part 2

Satoko insists that she just caught a cold and gives a sad laugh. She’s happy that Rika brought lunch for her. Mion says they should prepare for club but Satoko says she’s leaving early. After she leaves, Keiichi asks Rika if anything happened last night. Rika says she never came home, and Mion explains that Satoko’s abusive uncle Teppei returned to Hinamizawa. Her aunt and uncle became Satoko and Satoshi’s guardians when their parents died and tormented them. Satoshi is gone now, and Satoko is living alone with her uncle. Keiichi says they need to report it and Mion explains they tried it two years ago, but the child consultation center couldn’t find any proof and decided to wait and see.

Keiichi says they need to save Satoko and stand up for her on Satoshi’s behalf. Keiichi asks Rika to take them to Satoko’s house. They knock on the door to the Houjou residence and get no response when Satoko returns from a grocery trip, surprised as to the sudden visit. Rika asks Satoko to come home with her but Satoko says she’s living with her uncle now. Satoko’s uncle yells from inside the house and demands her to come inside. He opens the front door and tells the cub to get lost. Keiichi gets a look at who he is. Satoko swears that they’re just her classmates. Satoko gives a laugh while saying she went to get drinks and groceries while her uncle was playing mahjong, and Keiichi notices there are bruises on her. Satoko hiddes them and says she just fell down the stairs. Keiichi yells that he’s going to kill Teppei when Mion grabs him, saying they can’t fix anything with violence. Satoko thanks everyone for their concerns and cries, happy that Keiichi is her new Nii-nii. Keiichi swears he won’t abandon her.

The next day at school, Mion explains that she told Chie about what happened, and she’s made the child welfare center aware of the issue. Satoko suddenly walks in, happy. The club asks what happened and Satoko says that when the child welfare office called, they apologized and said nothing was going on. Keiichi asks what she means but Satoko ignores him and starts acting energetic like usual. During lunch Keiichi gives Satoko a headpat when she bats him away and panics, throwing up.

Keiichi recalls memories of killing Teppei and Satoko calling him a murderer.

Keiichi asks what’s wrong and reaches his hand out towards Satoko, but she runs away towards the corner and starts apologizing while calling for her Nii-nii. Keiichi tries to help more but Rena tells him to stand back and hugs Satoko. Shion walks in the room and tends to Satoko. Satoko stops crying and thanks Rena for her comfort, heading home soon after. Mion says they’re powerless, and Keiichi thinks there’s a way to save Satoko, imagining beating Teppei to death with a baseball bat. Rika grabs Keiichi and tells him to stop, saying that murder won’t solve anything, and there won’t be a happy ending for anyone. Keiichi recalls memories of killing Teppei and Satoko calling him a murderer, realizing that in that future he made Satoko cry. Shion yells that she needs to kill Teppei and can do it in 1500 seconds. Mion and Rena try to calm her down as Rika cries, and Keiichi pats Rika before blocking the exit to the classroom. Shion tells Keiichi to get out of the way, saying she promised Satoshi to look after Satoko like a little sister.

Shion picks up a chair and hits Keiichi with it, and he takes the blow. Keiichi asks if Satoko would really be happy if Shion became a murderer and says she’ll regret it. Shion insists that’s the best thing to do, and Keiichi says they just need to trust each other to save Satoko for sure. Shion hits a wall in frustration, and Rika tells Keiichi that they can gather everyone’s strength and make a miracle happen. Keiichi thinks about the villagers gathered in front of the child welfare office and tells the club that they just need to protest the office in Satoko’s defense. Shion decides to join, and Keiichi thanks Rika for stopping him earlier. Rika sheds tears and says she did it because she believed in him. The club swears to save Satoko.

Tataridamashi-hen Part 3

Keiichi rallies the class to unite and save Satoko. Chie walks in the room and is surprised at the commotion when Rika stops her, saying that Keiichi is doing his best. Keiichi says the child welfare office doesn’t fully understand the situation Satoko is in, so they need to go there and make things clear. The students get fired up and talk amongst themselves. Chie steps in and voices her support, wanting everyone to follow the rules and to not get hurt. Seeing this solidarity, Shion and Mion get reminded of the dam war.

Rika recalls memories of *Minagoroshi*'s world.

The club goes to the clinic to get Irie’s support. Takano and Tomitake appear and offer their help as well. Rika is shocked upon seeing Takano, recalling memories of Takano tearing her guts out of her. Keiichi accepts their help. Mion remembers that the Watanagashi Festival executive meeting is that night and asks Keiichi to come along.

At the assembly hall, Keiichi hears that even Shion is spreading word to her Okinomiya friends. Ooishi appears, saying he also has to have a word with the festival committee. He’s heard much about how Teppei has been in police custody in the past due to violence and that Keiichi is assembling people to save Satoko. Ooishi says that Keiichi must believe he’s doing the right thing and won’t falter in his resolve. Keiichi wonders what he means and Mion calls out to him.

Chie apologizes to the club and says she can’t let the protests continue. Mion explains that long ago, Chie ignored the board of education to teach at the Hinamizawa school, and since the village elders aren’t taking kindly to the fact they’re helping a Houjou, Chie could lose the school. Keiichi learns of how the Houjous were hated by the village because Satoko’s parents supported the dam project, and though everyone forgave Satoko, they’re still hanging on to that old belief. Keiichi says it’s time to uproot those old beliefs and marches inside with the club.

Keiichi asks to get the elders’ support for Satoko, but they refuse. The twins reveal that the village council is being paid by the government, so they can’t oppose them for risk of losing that funding for the festival. Mayor Kimiyoshi says that Keiichi is taking things too far, and Keiichi reminds him of how hard the mayor fought during the dam war. That spirit of unity is Hinamizawa’s tradition, and Keiichi wants to be proud of living in the village. Kimiyoshi changes his mind and says he wouldn’t be opposed, but Keiichi would have to convince a certain someone: Oryou Sonozaki, the head of the Three Families. The group heads to the Sonozaki estate to meet with Oryou.

Rika and the group plead Oryou to lend her support to save Satoko. Oryou refuses and says Satoko can deal with it, and Akane encourages Keiichi to say something. Keiichi says that Satoko will become broken if her situation continues, but Oryou continues saying that Satoko is getting what she deserves as a Houjou. Keiichi and Oryou argue, and Keiichi swears that he’ll kill Oryou and make Mion the new head. Oryou takes no heed to his threat and Keiichi moves to attack her when Kasai stops him. Akane says they ought to call it a day and tells Keiichi that he should use this chance to learn the rules. Oryou is escorted away.

The club gathers outside the residence, and Akane and Kiichirou come out to report that Oryou will give her support. Oryou really was worried about Satoko this entire time, but her status as the family head meant she couldn’t just agree to what a kid said. The story will be that Oryou cooperated because of Keiichi’s spirit, and she really is grateful to him for it. The next day, dozens of villagers are gathered in front of the child welfare center. Rika praises Keiichi for bringing everyone together, and the war begins.

Tataridamashi-hen Part 4

The club is convinced that the child consultation center will take action now that so many people are gathered. Ooishi stops the club and commends Keiichi for managing to bring together Oryou Sonozaki and the town council. Ooishi hopes for the best and sends the club off, commenting that it’s fine for Keiichi to take all the credit just this once. The center staff apologize for not taking the situation seriously and call Satoko’s house. Teppei picks up. The worker says they’re sending staff over to check on them, and Teppei says they should come some other time. The worker asks to talk to Satoko, and though Teppei is reluctant, he lets her on. Satoko says everything is fine, and Keiichi wonders why she still won’t accept their help. Rika says Satoko must think she’s being strong by enduring Teppei’s abuse by herself and can’t forgive herself for relying on Satoshi.

Rika encourages Satoko to take after Satoshi's strength.

Rika takes the phone, and Satoko tells her that she hopes to prove to her Nii-nii that she’s strong by not relying on anybody’s help. Rika says that enduring the abuse is wrong and tells Satoko to think back to what Satoshi did. He stood up to their aunt and uncle to defend Satoko, and now she needs to find that same strength and get help. Rika hands the phone back to the worker, and a crying Satoko calls out for help. The phone goes to a dial tone soon after. Rika tells the worker to get to Satoko’s house quickly, and Ooishi strolls in saying he can take them there. Ooishi asks Keiichi to disperse the crowd as he escorts the worker. The club leaves the office, hoping that Ooishi and the police will take care of everything.

Satoko still doesn't come back to school the next day. Keiichi looks at his calendar at home and says the Watanagashi is coming tomorrow. The phone rings and Keiichi takes it, where Satoko’s voice is on the other end. Keiichi asks if she’s alright and Satoko says she’s fine. Teppei cut her off from the phone and the police arrived right there to restrain him. Ooishi had police stationed nearby beforehand, who took Teppei to the station. Satoko was taken into protection after.

Keiichi is relieved that Satoko is okay, and Satoko smiles. Satoko says her bruises healed right away and thanks Keiichi for doing so much for her. Keiichi says they can have fun at Watanagashi tomorrow, and Satoko asks if Keiichi could pick her up at her house. The next day, Keiichi goes to Satoko’s house and sees her wearing a bright new outfit. Satoko calls Keiichi Nii-nii and grabs his hand happily.