higurashi when they cry curse killing arc vol 2

Rika’s coming around to the idea that she might be able to avoid destiny and escape the endless cycle of Hinamizawa’s murderous heritage. What's Takano's angle? There has to be a reason for all their plotting, but all we've got so far is leering and evil laughter. Satoko's being fairly inert, more an object of rescue for 'a hero' (Satoko's falling apart! She's dying! are major refrains) than a character in her own right, also adds to my dissatisfaction with this part of the story. Hinamizawa's 'all for one' philosophy seems not to have a benefit for anyone but Satoko there's no hint that other abused children would be saved after this protest succeeds. The 'world' is coming to an end, but none of the characters except Rika, Hanyu and know that, so for their efforts at reform to have so small an object, and the number of people involved be so large, feels like a mismatch. Organized protest is all about making the community at large aware of systemic problems and priming them to accept the idea of changing the status quo. Not because of Satoko herself, who admittedly is an annoying crybaby of a damsel in this arc. The activism here having a single person as its root cause-rescuing Satoko-is mildly off-putting, though. Reform takes diligence, bravery, and a willingness to fail in the short term. It needs to be done in public, with the associated risk of angering authority. This sub-arc's length, and the long, repetitive verbal battles with the managers of the Child Welfare Center and Hinamizawa's village leaders, give the reader an idea that social protest isn't a one-and-done thing. I appreciated the middle-of-story theme of the importance of collective action. In its climax, the story's big baddie is revealed.

In this second volume of Higurashi's seventh arc, Keiichi's campaign to rescue Satoko from her evil uncle Teppei continues and its number of supporters increases, and eventually includes the political and underworld leaders of Okonomiya and Hinamizawa.

Higurashi when they cry curse killing arc vol 2