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Higurashi: When They Cry Gets Smartphone Game This Summer
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
An official website opened on Friday to announce that the Higurashi: When They Cry franchise is getting a smartphone game titled Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Mei this summer. The game will feature a completely new story, and Ryukishi07 is credited with cooperation on the original work.
Smileaxe is developing the game, and D-techno is credited with planning. Kiichi Kanou (ToHeart - Remember my memories) is writing the game's script. Motoi Sakuraba (Tales of Zestiria the X, Saiyuki) is composing the game's battle music. Ayane (Steins;Gate – The Movie – Load Region of Déjà Vu, Ayakashi) is performing the theme song "Frustration."
The free-to-play role-playing game will be available for iOS and Android devices, and include in-game items for purchase. A pre-registration campaign for the game launched, and all players will receive in-game rewards based on the number of players who pre-register.
The new Higurashi: When They Cry (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni) anime project will premiere this October. The anime was originally scheduled to premiere in July, but it was delayed due to the effects of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the production schedule.
The new anime will have a manga adaptation by Tomato Akase.
The first Higurashi: When They Cry television anime series aired for 26 episodes in 2006, and the When They Cry II: Solutions (Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Kai) anime aired for 24 episodes in 2007. Geneon Entertainment Inc. released the first anime on DVD in 2007-2008. Funimation then released the anime on DVD in 2009 and 2010. Sentai Filmworks most recently released both anime on Blu-ray Disc and DVD in 2016.
07th Expansion launched the first chapter of the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni visual novel software in 2002 at Comiket. The story revolves around murders that coincide with an annual festival in a quiet rural village. Ryukishi07 and 07th Expansion released Higurashi: When They Cry Hou for PC in Japan in 2014 as a "thank you" to series fans (the kanji used for "Hou" is used in the word "hōnō," "dedication").
MangaGamer released the original visual novel in 2009, and has been releasing Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Hou as 14 individual chapters.
The software also inspired several video anime projects, two live-action films, and manga adaptations by several artists. The game most recently inspired a stage play that ran last July.
Sources: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Mei's website, Anime! Anime! (酒井靖菜)
