Synopsis[]
"Strategy" and "Plot" are two common translations of 謀略 (bōryaku). When They Cry Wiki retains the older translations to avoid confusion.
First Half[]
Satoko Runs Towards Satoko and Satoshi's Parents
The episode opens with a flashback. The viewer's viewpoint is that of a child rushing towards a man and a woman standing at the fence at the edge of the Furude Shrine observation area. The voice-over is Hanyū stating that she "couldn't do a thing," as the child pushes the man and woman through the fence and over the gorge.
Hanyū laments, "I could only watch over each tragedy slowly," as Satoko stands at the edge looking down. Satoko sleeps in the Irie Clinic while Takano remarks that she is a confirmed Level 5. She concedes that Satoko has yet to tear at her throat, "but her mental state is very unstable." Irie Kyōsuke agrees that Satoko can become violent at any moment. As the higurashi cry, Takano's eyes narrow further as she suggests that she may have already become violent. She then requests authorization from him as she hands a file: Satoko's vivisection schedule. Irie asks her if she actually planned this before Satoko's tests came back.
Shown:
Justification for Satoko to shoot her in the face
Takano playfully asks if he means that she looked forward to the results. She laughs. As she walks away, she asks him, "Don't tell me you feel pangs of remorse!" when one person has already been vivisected. She reminds Irie as the scene focuses on the sleeping Satoko, that they require live tissue, and their research will not be accepted without definitive evidence. At night, Irie drives Rika's father to the foot of the stairs that lead to the Furude Shrine. Irie tells him he is counting on him. Rika's father explains to his wife and Rika the details of the Hinamizawa Syndrome. Rika recognizes that this is the basis of "Oyashiro-sama's Curse," in which if a person leaves Hinamizawa, he will be cursed. Her father agrees that the rule was created by their ancestors who feared the disease.
"Auu~! Auu!"
Her mother rejects this as blasphemy. Her husband asks her to calm down, but she distrusts Irie. He replies that his clinic is a government-funded research institution. With a flashback, he says that Irie explains that the Syndrome is caused by a parasite. Rika asks how the disease is related to the Furude. Her father replies that there appears to be a "Queen Carrier" inherited in the Furude family. Rika asks if she is the "Queen," and her father responds that Irie believes it is important to study the "Queen." Rika then asks if all the villagers will be saved by studying her. Over her mother's objections, Rika agrees particularly if it will help Satoko.
Rika's father waits for her in the Irie Clinic waiting room. With a happy "Mii!" Rika leaves the examination room announcing that her examination is over. Her father gives her money to buy a drink to which Rika responds that after all of the blood tests, she could use a "refill." Irie thanks her father for allowing Rika to participate in their research.
Irie stares at a photograph that appears to be him as a child with his parents. Takano takes it from him and
Irie's Photograph of His Parents and Him as a Child
notes it was his father who, "committed multiple irrational acts of violence." Irie angrily retorts that his father suffered a head injury. Takano condescendingly notes that no one believed him and accuses him of continuing his research to clear his father's name. She giggles and turns to walk away. Irie demands to know what she means. Takano sits on the examination bed and laughingly wonders why, with such a wonderful goal, he still has scruples. They then argue about guilt and logic, with Takano claiming that to ask for the consent of Rika's parents was nothing more than his hypocritical excuse. She ignores his protest to remind him that progress happens through the challenge against the era's morals and values: "A strong conviction and an unwavering iron-clad belief alone bring about results." She also reminds him that his hands are already stained with blood. He accepts this, but he reminds her that he wishes to harm as few as possible. Takano sniffs at this. Irie turns his back on her and instructs her to prepare Rika for her next examination. Takano sarcastically responds, "Understood, Chief."
In a city, Irie receives congratulation in a lecture hall by the same group of men who supported Takano. He is given credit for the results of the research as Takano looks on smiling. She is told she has a phone call. In what appears to be a hotel lobby, she takes the call and hears Koizumi praising her work. She notes that thanks to his support they have successfully isolated the pathogen of the Hinamizawa Syndrome. Koizumi declares that Takano Hifumi must be beside himself in Heaven. Takano notes that the idea that human thought and will could be changed by a pathogen is the truth of her grandfather's work she vows to complete.
As Rika has her blood drawn by Irie, she asks how Satoko is doing, because she has learned from Satoshi that she has not improved. She asks him if he has not learned a lot from investigating her body. Irie states that they have some experimental drugs. When Rika asks him to use them on Satoko he protests they are still experimental. Rika suddenly shifts into her Adult Voice to remind him that "nothing is 100% in medical science," and convinces him that there is no other way for Satoko. She trusts him since they have worked together to save Satoko. One of the officials in the "Tokyo" group reiterates the theories contained in Hifumi's original paper, specifically, that is something happens to "this one girl, the 'Queen,' over 2,000 villagers will go mad?"
Takano explains to the men sitting around a table in a conference room that her and her people believe the paranoia and feelings of danger will lead to violent self-defense behavior. The men discuss the implications of this. Man with Mustache visibly sweats as he realizes that after something happens to the "Queen," they would have 48 hours before the infected begin to behave violently. Takano rhetorically asks if she has their approval. Man with Gold Tie slaps Hifumi's paper and declares that they have no choice. Takano smiles as she listens to the men discuss and agree to emergency measures made to appear as if a natural disaster occurred. Takano narrates that the men are looking at documents they once trampled. Inwardly, she urges them to read and tremble "at the truth within!"
Second Half[]
"I can still shoot her in the face later."
Irie announces that "C103" has stabilized Satoko. Takano reminds him that the results are preliminary; Irie asks her if she is "displeased" that the plans to vivisect Satoko have been called off. Not taking the bait, Takano merely replies that she feels the progress is slow, "just alternating medication and counseling." Irie angrily insists that that is good enough if it saves Satoko. Takano reluctantly accepts this with a sigh but notes that the detective Ōishi Kuraudo has returned again with questions. Irie meets Ōishi outside the clinic. Irie emphatically reminds him that he will not allow him to interview Satoko. Ōishi suggests he can get a court order, then suggests that the accident involving her parents may not have been an accident. He invites Irie into his car to talk. In the car, Ōishi makes clear to Irie that he thinks Satoko lied. She claimed she was asleep in the car when it happened. She then woke up and realized that her parents were missing. Yet, a park worker states that he found the crying satoko saying that her parents fell down the cliff. Ōishi suggests the obvious conclusion that if Satoko is not lying she should not have known that her parents had fallen.
Irie quietly realizes that Satoko was already suffering from Hinamizawa Syndrome, and her paranoia led her to push her parents to their death. Over a flashback to her parents, Irie inwardly notes that discord between her and her parents created a great deal of stress. Irie theorizes to himself that her paranoia led her to believe that her parents saw her as an obstacle that needed to be permanently removed. Thus, Satoko acted out of what she thought was self-defense. Irie asks Takano about Rika's condition since she has a fever. Takano off-handedly tells him she asked the Yamainu to arrange Satoko's murder of her parents to appear as an accident. Irie apologizes for asking her to arrange such "unreasonable things." She confesses actual surprise over how much Satoko has improved. Irie credits "C-103" and admits he did not expect her to be discharged.
Not Shown:
Happy Mom
Rika's mother suddenly enters demanding the return of her daughter and blaming their experiments for her fever. She states she will refuse further participation, to which Takano responds condescendingly that she signed a consent. Rika's mother retorts that she and her husband agree there will be no further experiments. Takano grits her teeth.
At the Furude home Takano and Irie ask for reconsideration. Rika's father relents, over the objections of his wife, to give them only three more months. Leaving, Takano rants about Rika's importance to their research. She asks Irie to leave her alone so she can think. Cursing, Takano resolves to do something about it. As she looks up at the torii, she remembers "Oyashiro-sama's Curse." In the meeting house on the shrine's grounds, Rika's father's suddenly starts choking during a party. At the edge of Onigafuchi Swamp, Ōishi and other police officers stand. They find a pair of Rika's mother's shoes placed at the edge of the swamp. Kumagai Katsuya reports finding a note blaming the dismemberment of the Construction Manager and accidental death of Satoko's parents on Oyashiro-sama's Curse and stating that she committed suicide to quell the it. Ōishi finds this explanation ridiculous.
Takano laughs hysterically in her office claiming that she has won. She then receives a phone call where she learns that Koizumi has died. Walking in the rain after his funeral, she is stopped and brought to a meeting with the very same men who earlier supported her and Hifumi's thesis. They claim that with Koizumi's death, they must reëvaluate their project. Man with Gold Tie reminds that the intention of the Irie Institute is the study and development of a treatment for the Hinamizawa Syndrome with a secondary objective to develop military uses for it.
"Or do you need to shoot some girl in the face?!"
Man with Green Tie declares that work toward a military use is to be suspended immediately. Man with Gold Tie continues that since treatment is successful, the project may end. Takano angrily protests that the very existence of the syndrome could overturn their understanding of humanity. Man with Gold Tie retorts that since she succeeded in identifying the pathogen and an effective treatment, "is that not enough?" The men then start to ridicule Takano's paper as Hifumi's thesis was ridiculed. Man with Green Tie waves it as an "interesting read." While they accept the existence of the Hinamizawa Syndrome, they cannot believe a parasite can control human behavior. One feels that Hifumi was "too dramatic." Man with Green Tie expresses sorrow for Koizumi for believing it "up until he died," as he laughs and tosses the paper back on the table. The rest join in his laughter. In a flashback, Takano recalls her attempts to prevent the Professors from trampling on Hifumi's thesis.
Takano Walks Defeated in the Rain
Takano walks along a street in the heavy rain as the voice over of the men state that research will be concluded within three years. Crying, she feels she has lost and apologizes to Hifumi for her failure.
She is suddenly stopped by a woman in a car. The woman addresses her as "major" and invites her inside.
Post-End Titles[]
Takano sits in the car with the woman who states that "we wish to help you." She explains that a factional dispute arose after the death of Koizumi. She asks Takano what her true objective is in investigating the Hinamizawa Syndrome. She rhetorically responds for Takano that it is to obtain recognition for Hifumi's research and gain revenge against those who "trampled your grandfather's hard work under their feet."
She offers her help and her hand. In her mind, Takano wonders if this is another gift from "god (神様・kamisama)." "No, it is nothing other than the murmurings of the devil!" She smiles and concludes that "god" wishes to test her again. She takes the woman's hand. She concludes that whatever the woman's real objective is, she does not care.
[]
The Chibi Rika and Chibi Hanyū preview discusses the "Top Five Hinamizawa Perverts." They list the following in ascending order:
- Furude Rika: "Disembowelment lover"
- Sonozaki Oryō: "SM Queen in active service, torture fetishist"
- Ryūgū Rena: "She may be a grandma with a house full of garbage!"
- Irie Kyōsuke: "The perverted doctor who wants to give children in maid outfits injections!"
- Maebara Ichirō: "The Perverted pedophilic artist who just wants to draw Rika, Satoko, and Hanyū naked!"
Characters[]
In order of appearance
- Furude Hanyū
- Hōjō Satoko
- Satoko and Satoshi's Parents
- Takano Miyo
- Irie Kyōsuke
- Mr. Furude
- Mrs. Furude
- Furude Rika
- Mr. and Mrs. Irie (picture)
- "Tokyo" Superiors
- Koizumi
- Takano Hifumi (mentioned)
- "Tokyo" Superiors (six men including)
- Man with Mustache
- Man with Gold Tie
- Man with Glasses
- Man with Green Tie
- Ōishi Kuraudo
- Kimiyoshi Kiichirō
- Various Hinamizawa Villagers
- Various Police Officers
- Kumagai Katsuya
- Nomura
Referbacks and Forwards[]
- Satoko Killed Her Parents: though this has been alluded to in a number of arcs. In this depiction, her parents see her running towards them just before she pushes them over.
- The Leader of the workers who killed the Construction Manager was vivisected in the previous episode.
- Pathogen: the author keeps vague exactly "what" it is, from virus to an actual parasite. Nevertheless, it is clear in all adaptations that it cannot survive and be isolated outside living tissue. This failure to isolate the pathogen allowed the dismissal of Takano Hifumi's research as Takano well knows.
- Oyashiro-sama's Curse: how Takano arranged to have the deaths up to that time connected.
- Takano in the Rain: never a good combination.
Trivia[]
- Vivisection: because When They Cry Wiki cares.
- Brain Damage and Personality Changes: this is a well-known phenomenon. The Case of Phineas Gage is the classic and often cited example. Patients who suffer frontal lobe damage can lose impulse control.
Cultural References[]
- Torii (鳥居)
Memorable Moments[]
- Rika's Adult Voice: Rika gives one of her longest dialogues to another character not Hanyū. Irie is taken aback by her maturity. In the Sound Novels, characters will remark on Rika's curious changes in character, but like in the anime and manga adaptations they do not seem to understand that an adult woman is speaking to them. See Rika's main page for more discussion.
- The genesis of Emergency Manual #34
- Nomura knows what happened when Hifumi presented his thesis, including one of the Professors stepping on it.
Quotes[]
- "No! My father hit his head in an accident and because of that he suffered from mental problems!" – Irie
- "It's always the same: one makes progress by fighting against the era's morals and values." – Takano
- "There is no such thing as 100% in medicine. But if you leave her like this, the future waiting for Satoko is a 100% certain death." – Rika
- "To control human life is a heavy burden. The reason that you have been able to bear this burden is because you treasure human life." – Rika
- "Grandpa, are you watching in Heaven? Miyo. Miyo has finally done it." – Takano
- "Like Hell I'll let myself falter over something trivial like this!" – Takano
Gallery[]
