Synopsis[]
Satsuki Yukino, the seiyū for Mion and Shion, sings the ending theme 以心伝心☆ミラクルチェンジ (Telepathy/Tacit Understanding☆Miracle Change).
Prologue[]
Takano ships Keiichi x Mion, apparently...
As the higurashi cry, Keiichi and Mion walk home together past the water wheel. Keiichi notes that it is late, and Mion replies that it is since their teacher asked for their help suddenly for the opening of the prefecture ceremonies. Keiichi agrees that it "can't be helped," since they are the two oldest students in the school.
Mion smiles at him, but they are interrupted by Takano greeting them: "Is it just you two today?" She asks where Rena is. Mion stammers that she said she had to help at home. Takano continues to walk past them and observes: "You two look good together." Both Mion and Keiichi are shocked by this. Mion turns and protests, "W-We're not like that!" As she continues her protest blushing, Takano silently continues walking away. The ever-gripping-a-clue-like-an-iron-fist-grips-sand Keiichi asks Mion what she thinks Takano meant by "look good together." Mion turns to him still blushing, but Sonozaki Oryō interjects: "What d'ya think she meant?"
"Welcome to the Family, Keiichi!"
The two startle again. Surrounded by anime fire, Oryō warns that if Keiichi makes her granddaughter cry, he better prepare herself, as the scene returns to normal. Mion blushingly protests, Keiichi sweats, but Oryō walks away laughing. The still ever-gripping-a-clue-et cetera Keiichi asks Mion, "What did she
mean about making you cry?"
Before she can answer, Hōjō Teppei screeches his scooter to a halt in front of them, startling them again. He remarks that is a fine afternoon for them, "bein' all lovey-dovey while the Sun's still up!" He then demands that they get closer together to open up the road. As he zooms past, Mion and Keiichi nearly embrace to get out of his way.
"Hinamizawa SyndromeLove is in the Air!"
They also find their faces close together. The two quickly separate. Keiichi tries to laugh off how people, "keep butting in with weird ideas." Mion similarly tries to laugh that it is just because they are members of the same club.
"Thinking about having Shion tase you, gut you, then toss you in a well, Keiichi!" - Mion [Citation Needed. - Ed.]
She walks past him, looking down and blushing. Keiichi, not looking at her, tries to tease her a bit by asking why she is blushing. She does not reply. He then asks if she is actually taking Takano, Oryō, and Teppei seriously. This causes Mion to startle, turn to look at him, and warn that if he keeps "pushing," she will "snap."
Mion reacts calmly to Keiichi's confession.
Keiichi, still not looking at her, confesses that he would be "fine with it." Stunned and not moving, Mion can only respond with "Eh?" and stand still as Keiichi walks past her. "Being your boyfriend," Keiichi continues blushing and sweating himself. Mion turns in full blush. Unable to maintain it, Keiichi suddenly turns back and stammeringly calls her an "idiot" since it was "obviously" a joke. "We'd never be like that, right?" The blushing Mion turns fully flushed with anger and slaps Keiichi who falls to the ground in a chibi heap. Ever clueless, he asks her why. Sheepish, Mion stammers an apology and runs off.
In Kasai Tatsuyoshi's car, Shion observes her blushing sister running away from Keiichi. She wonders what the two are doing. She laments that her sister will never make any progress with Keiichi since she is too conservative. Eventually, Shion concludes, Rena will will "take him home." She smiles and turns sly. She figures she might as well lend her sister a hand. Kasai wonders if, perhaps, it would be better not to interfere. Shion declares that she has a "plan" that will only work since she and her sister are twins. Kasai responds with an "Ah" as the scene pulls way from Shion looking through the car window as the music become ominous.
First Half[]
Keiichi yawns inside the school only to be interrupted by "Mion." He asks if she is going to hit him again. She bows and formally apologizes. Surprised, Keiichi assures her that it is fine now, and he admits that he probably pushed it too far. With a "Here (これ・kore)!" "Mion" bows and presents an invitational ticket to an Angel Mort "Dessert Festival" as an apology. It will occur Sunday, and "Mion" notes that she will be there. Falling-over-a-Clue-into-the-Pit-of-Cluelessnes Keiichi asks why she will be there. "Mion" explains that the manager asked for her help. She then plays the "it's fine if you don't want this" card. Keiichi happily snatches the ticket, vows to attend, thanks her, and runs off.
When They Cry Wiki could make a gif of what happens as Mion keeps shifting the box . . . but think of the children!
Meanwhile, outside the Maebara home, a sheepish Mion crouches and wonders if Keiichi is home. She has a wrapped box in her hands, but she fears it may be too late for her to apologize. After sighing, blushing, and moving in a fashion over her box in a way that required When They Cry Wiki to think of sports, she finds her courage and resolve, only to sit back down again. Keiichi leaves his home and bikes through the gate without seeing Mion as he announces his destination: "To Angel Mort's dessert festival!" Mion watches him leave and repeats, "Angel Mort?" Keiichi triumphantly enters Angel Mort to be greeted by six waitresses which include "Mion."
Keiichi's idea of heaven.
A chibi Keiichi drools as "Mion" walks up to him to thank him for coming. When he takes his seat, he asks "Mion" why she is doing so much for him since, "it was just a little slap." "Mion" claps her hands and confesses that she has a "little favor" to ask of him. She explains that she recently had some "weird customers following me around," and it would be nice if he pretended to be her boyfriend to get rid of them. When he asks "boyfriend," she repeats it knowingly which signals a high school students to declare that her having a boyfriend "bodes ill for us."
They take her away by the hand as she "protests." Keiichi snatches the hand of one away as "Mion" holds on to him. The high school student dramatically asks, "I-is this the rumored true love?!" The other confesses that against a "3D guy" they are powerless. The three high school students cower and chibi flee. As a smiling "Mion" chibi keeps her hands on his chest, Keiichi believes he recognizes the "high school students."
After work, "Mion" walks with Keiichi and compliments him on how she can always ultimately count on him. She then blushes and ask if he will be her "hero." Stunned, Keiichi steps back and, naturally, knocks over the Motorcycle Gang's bikes. On cue, the Motorcycle Gang confronts him, but they are quickly distracted by "Mion": "We'll let this slide, so why don't you have fun with us?" "Hero" Keiichi places himself between them and "Mion." For a moment, "Mion" has a flashback of Satoshi standing between them in Keiichi's place. She then recalls the event along with Satoshi patting her on her head. Meanwhile, the Gang makes quick work of Keiichi.
MisTAKE!
They then turn their attention to her, but are halted by Kasai looming over them. One makes the mistake of asking the "old man" what he wants.
MISTAKE!
Kasai lowers the right side of his sunglasses to reveal his deadly stare. The Gang immediately flees in terror. Kasai returns his sunglasses and walks away.
Raising his hand weakly, "hero" Keiichi protests that what happened to him was not "part of the script." "Mion" rushes to him and hold him up. Ever the comedian, Keiichi remarks that he appears to have a "big mouth": "Guess I'm not cut out to be a hero, Shion." Shion apologizes to him. Keiichi then remarks that she is Shion. Shion is tearfully surprised, but Keiichi assured her that he figured it out once he recognized that the "high school delinquents" were actually the Fan Club of Angel Mort. Kasai's appearance sealed the deal. Shion asks him why he went along with it. Keiichi wipes away her tears and admits that he does not know why, "but you were really into it," which means she must have had a good reason. He pats her on her head and forgives her before he passes out dramatically.
Rena walks down the street humming and singing to herself a song about baking tasty cookies, when she comes upon "Mion" craddling Keiichi. She lets out a "Hauu!" and drops her basket. She openly wonders "what is going on," with the two embracing. She enters full chibi shock and interrupts her thinking about what what she is seeing means by declaring, "R-Rena needs to go home and make dinner for dad!" and chibi flees.
"Hate the game, not the player, Mion!"
Meanwhile, crouching behind a store's sidewalk sign, Mion observes Keiichi and her sister. Sweating and blushing, she rationalizes that she thought Shion had been behaving suspiciously and decided to follow her. "But why is she hugging Kei-chan like that?" she whines. She runs away screaming. As Shion stays with Keiichi, both Mion and Rena run away screaming in opposite directions. Behind a corner, Satoko and Rika watch the spectacle. Rika concludes that they have witnessed a "love entanglement."
Lamdadelta and Bernkas- Oh wait, wrong anime.
Both fear Hinamizawa will suffer a great catastrophe. Breaking the Fourth Wall, they begin to speak express their increasingly dramatic fears towards the viewer, only to enthusiastically declare that it will be "quite the show," with a Rika "Nipaa~!" and a Satoko "Oh!Ho!Ho!Ho!" As they walk away, a translucent Hanyū descends behind them. She whines that they must not interfere as the two skip away down the road holding hands. She chases after them chibi demanding they wait, but they continue skipping away laughing.
Second Half[]
A blushing Shion sits at the Hinamizawa bus stop and sighs repeatedly. She recalls Keiichi patting her on her head as she holds him. She wonders "if," but does not complete the thought. She looks out at the sky and confesses to herself that even she sometimes wants a normal life.
Why is he picking her up from St. Lucia?
She imagines Keiichi picking her up at after school on his bike, then taking her to a café, even studying with her, only to then remember the look on her sister's face when Keiichi told her he would not mind being her boyfriend. Kasai, who is revealed to be standing just outside the wooden hut, observes that until now, she has been helping Mion, but he does not think it is bad for Shion to feel attracted to Keiichi. Shion reacts to this, and Kasai explains, "isn't there more to life than waiting?" She repeats "waiting" and has a flashback of Satoshi smiling that fades away. Kasai continues that he does not believe she betrays her feelings for Satoshi if she wishes for her own happiness. Shion seems to accept this, as the sunlight briefly reflects off Kasai's sunglasses. She stands resolute: "I've made up my mind!" As she strides off, Kasai observes that he has become quite talkative recently.
Not Shown: the initial view of Rena in the tub, "for your own good."
Rena sits in her bathtub. She raises her hand and asks herself what it is that she is feeling. She considers Mion her best friend, but "Love is important, but so is friendship." She feels she cannot have both and partially lowers her head in the water. She wonders why "this is happening," and "Can't we just get along like we used to?" She has a flashback where she recalls all of the fun she had with Keiichi. This includes hiking where she makes a lunch for him, then places a wreath of flowers on his head.
Shown: Rena frustrated . . . over Pre-Calculus . . . probably.
She then imagines them both beginning to kiss which sends her kicking in the tub and "Hauu!"ing in frustration as she tries to deny that fantasy and insists she and Keiichi must be friends with everyone.
Her tantrum is interrupted by a "Nipaa~!" from Rika who, with Satoko and her "Ohohohoho~", watches Rena from the open window. Rena startles in the tub which, if When They Cry Wiki rendered into a gif, would Corrupt Our Youth. Rika genially claims that she is bringing the "Neighborly Notice" which includes such stunning revelations as the garbage collection schedule. Rena quietly tells the both of them that it is important for everyone to get along. Rika and Satoko retort that, "Rather than just worrying about it, throw in all your chips and go for broke!" which will allow everyone to understand each other better. Rena repeats, "Understand . . . each other."
"You are welcome!" - When They Cry Wiki
She then triumphantly stands and declares them correct. As the scene focuses on the smiling faces of Rika and Satoko at her window, Rena is heard quickly leaving the room and shutting the door. Rika gives a satisfied "Nipaa~!" which Satoko answers with an "Ohohohoho~!" Behind them, Hanyū denounces them both. Back at the Sonozaki Estate, Mion also sighs. She sadly concludes that her sister really likes Keiichi. She looks at the infamous doll that she apparently did receive from Keiichi sitting in front of her on her desk. She picks it up and asks, "Do I not make the cut?" and wonders if Keiichi prefers more feminine girls. She asks the doll what she thinks as she enters a fantasy of going shopping for dresses with Keiichi.
Mion all "dolled-up".
She imagines buying very feminine clothes with Keiichi, then going to an amusement park with him. She returns to reality hugging the doll while lamenting that she does not actually fit into those fantasies. She asks the doll if it is too late for her to be "girlish." When she asks the doll what she thinks, sitting behind her, Oryō asks, "What do you mean, 'What do you think?'" Oryō asks her why she is waiting. She explains that Keiichi is a "good man you have your eyes on." She lists his good qualities, while admitting he is "a tad flirty." Mion sheepishly agrees.
Oryō pointedly asks her if she is "fine with that." When Mion asks what "that" means, Oryō explains, "I'm asking if you're fine with someone else taking him." As the next head of the Sonozaki family, Oryō explains, she must take things she wants with both hands. Mion remains hesitant, and Oryō smiles and tells her not to worry: "You're womanly enough just as you are." Mion agrees, and stands resolute vowing to give "100%!"
At the observation point of the Furude Shrine, Keiichi helps Shion with her studies. Ever the possessor of a clue, he asks her why, all of a sudden, she asked for his help. She turns embarrassed and blushes: "I wanted to do something like this at least once." She comes close to him and declares that she does not want to "lose" to her sister. As he cluelessly stares at her, she suddenly retreats back into her textbook and declares that she meant that she did not want to lose to Mion "academically." Sweating, Keiichi tries to laugh it off as Shion directs him to the next problem.
Rena's face glows as she tries to confess to Keiichi.
After a flash of flowers, Keiichi enjoys a rice treat on top of Rena's van. The flowers are revealed to be the blanket she spread over the top of the van. She then feeds him "octopus weiners." She reveals that she brought his favorite "Special Rena Cookies." He asks her what she is offering so many free things to him. She turns sad, blushes, and responds, "I wonder, was it bad?" Keiichi tries to correct that he simply wonders why she is giving things to him. She turns away, smiles, and her face takes on a glow as she confesses: "Maybe it's because it's you, Keiichi-kun." She glows a little more, wriggles a bit, and adds that she wants to do "all sorts of fun things with you." She then starts violently shoving cookies into his mouth as she vows to make him many sweet things as he chibi reacts. In school, Mion studies her cards. She plays a King of Clubs which he answers with the Ace of Spades and shouts in triumph.
Keiichi finally wins!
Rika genially announces that Mion has the next Penalty Game. Satoko feels that Mion made quite a blatant mistake, and Mion tries to laugh it off. Rena suspiciously questions this. When Keiichi asks what she means, she responds, "Rena knows that Mii-chan lost on purpose." Ever consuming clues like soup with a fork, Keiichi cannot believe their "Club President" would try to lose, until he looks at Mion's fully blushing face.
Can't read Mion's
Can't read Mion's
No he can't read Mion's poker face
Rika and Satoko laugh, and Keiichi asks what is going on. Sitting on the steps of the Furude Shrine, Keiichi declares himself beat. Hanyū appears and blushingly asks him whom he likes best.
The god of matchmaking smiles upon Keiichi.
She confesses that she heard from Rika and the others that he is popular and is now in a difficult spot. Keiichi confesses that until now, he never thought of being a boyfriend or having a girlfriend. He fears that if he chooses one, he will irrevocably break up their group. Hanyū responds that he is very gentle. He then finds Rika and Satoko on the steps as well. Satoko offers that "kindness can turn into cruelty." He then looks up to see Shion, Rena, and Mion standing before the steps and looking at him severely.
Rena announces that she "agrees" with what Keiichi says. Shion also agrees that their group will fall apart. Mion confesses that they do not want to hurt him anymore. Keiichi asks her what they want him to do, and Mion replies that they have a cunning good plan to settle it. As Keiichi repeats "good plan," he finds himself blindfolded and surrounded by Mion, Shion, and Rena. As he demands to know what is going on, Mion explains that they will spin him around, and whomever he points to will become his girlfriend with no grudges. Rika and Satoko agree that they should leave it to luck, but Hanyū protests that Keiichi's feelings are being completely ignored. Rika jumps down to her and, in her Adult voice, tells her to be quiet.
Laughing, rika and Satoko take Keiichi by his hands and spin him while singing, "Spin around and choose your love!" After many dramatic turns, Keiichi stops, raises his finger to declare, "I choose you!" only to find himself pointing to Oryō. For her part, she blushes a bit with some anime bubbles and sparkles.
Later, Oryō feeds the stunned Keiichi her ohagi while boasting that she, "still got it in me." She coos that "he's got quite the appetite, this one." Shion confesses that she did not want to lose to Mion, "but to think I'd lose to another relative like this?" Rena smiles, admits to being a bit sad, but feels it is for the best. Mion scowls and curses her grandmother. Satoko feels it is "typical" for Keiichi to create such a farce. Rika finds it a "lovely happy ending." Hanyū repeats "thank goodness!" Keiichi remains stunned as Oryō feeds him.
Coming Soon: Keiichi missing a clue.
Keiichi answers the doorbell of his home to find Mion. Sheepishly, she announces that she still has not apologized for punching him. She offers her ohagi in a formal apology. Keiichi sighs. When Mion asks him what is wrong, he slyly replies that he is only "your guys' plaything, aren't I?" Mion objects, blushes more, then starts to talk about "Kei-chan."
"About me?" the Clue Missing Master Keiichi asks. Exasperated, Mion rhetorically demands, "What do you think?!" As he blushes, she presses the point by, "hypothetically speaking," asking what he thinks about "tomboyish girls," as she turns away. The Seemingly Would Not Recognize the Clue if it Bit Him in the Posterior Keiichi then pauses to think outloud about "tomboyish girls." He notices her reaction and then shouts that he hates them. She turns horrified and asks him if this is true. He smiles and responds that the joke is on her: "Even if a girl's a tomboy, when she suddenly turns beet red, she's really cu-" Keiichi does not complete the sentence because Mion tosses an ohagi into his mouth then pelts him with the rest.
Keiichi dutifully swallows the ohagi but then demands to know why she did when she came to apologize. Mion blusingly smiles that the joke is on him and playfully runs away. Keiichi chases after her as she giggles and challenges him to catch her if he can.
[]
The teaser contains scenes from the fourth OVA Dream Appearing Chapter. The captions are:
- Crossing over time, and meeting in Hinamizawa. The final episode to "Higurashi Kira."
- Hanyū home alone.
- Spends her time peacefully by herself.
- She meets the four-year-old Rika, who has travelled through time.
- Can Hanyū guide the young Rika back to her own world safely?
Characters[]
In order of appearance
- Maebara Keiichi
- Sonozaki Mion
- Chie Rumiko (mentioned)
- Takano Miyo
- Ryūgū Rena
- Sonozaki Oryō
- Hōjō Teppei
- Sonozaki Shion
- Kasai Tatsuyoshi
- Three High School Students (unidentified but members of the Angel Mort Fan Club)
- Motorcycle Gang
- Hōjō Satoshi (flashback)
- Hōjō Satoko
- Furude Rika
- Furude Hanyū
Referbacks and Forwards[]
- Clean-Up on Aisle Continuity: Though this occurs after the events of Matsuribayashi-hen, Takano seems free to walk about, and no one has bashed in Teppei's head.
- Making Mion Cry: the critical trigger for Shion in her Question and Answer Arcs is Keiichi "making Mion cry" when he does not see Mion as a girl by giving a doll to Rena instead of "Mion," who is Shion, but then tells Mion about it. Mion will cry to Shion about this. They seem to avoid this in Minagoroshi-hen when Keiichi gives the doll to Mion. Keiichi also makes Mion cry in Onikakushi-hen.
- Mion X Keiich: over the arcs, Mion's crush on Keiichi becomes clear, particularly when she confesses and cries to Shion. For his part in all of the versions, despite his flirtations, Keiichi appears utterly clueless to Mion's feelings. It is only in Matsuribayahi-hen when Shion whispers to Keiichi that Mion still has the one she loves, that Keiichi begins to "get a clue." In the beginning of this arc, Keiichi remains clueless over why Mion would be so upset over his joke, whether or not he is actually joking. He finally confesses to Hanyū that he never thought of having a girlfriend or being a boyfriend before. This episode ends with the suggestion that he may "get" that Mion has a crush on him, and he may pursue her.
- Mion versus Rena: Shion recognized her sister's crush and jealousy over Rena in Demon's Blood of Meakashi-hen.
- The Ever Clueless Keiichi: that Mion and Shion are the granddaughters of the most important leader in Hinamizawa and the daughters of a yakuza boss, he might have thought it strange that anyone would stalk or bother either of them. If he had a clue. Though to be fair, he does figure out who "Mion" is unlike in similar situations in previous arcs.
- The Three Stooges: The "high school students" are unnamed nerdy characters who frequent Angel Mort and become part of the group that joins the protests against the treatment of Satoko in Minagoroshi-hen then tries to steal away Keiichi's magic trunks in Shame Exposing Chapter.
- Motorcycle Gang: appear in a number of arcs where Shion usually knocks over their bikes. She first develops her crush on Satoshi when he stands up to them. Rika intentionally does this to vent her frustration over continuously repeating her life.
- Rena's Special Cookies: No, no, NO! Rena is a very good cook, and Keiichi loves her cookies in Daybreak Chapter . . . cookies! Stop snickering!
- Rena's Flashback: These scenes are not depicted in the anime, manga, or Sound Novels. As in Onikakushi-hen, her attempts to have a picnic with Keiichi are thwarted by the rest showing up. This arc suggests that she did have some time alone with Keiichi that did not involve entering his house, hunting for "treasure" in the dump, or hysterically laughing at him. However, her flashback becomes more fantasy in the end.
- "You're a Good Man, Keiichi": there are hints, particularly after their confrontation in Minagoroshi-hen, that Oryō approves of Keiichi. The manga adaptation plays on this by having Sonozaki Akane approve of him and then order him to pick one of her daughters and start calling her "Mother," to the comically violent protest of her daughters.
Trivia[]
- "3D Guy:" this refers to a real "three dimensional" person as opposed to the two dimensional (2D) characters they defeat in games.
- Clothes Makes a Girl: when Mion ruminates outside Keiichi's house, she is wearing her usual "casual" clothes of a collared t-shirt and air soft gun. Shion wears the same when she leaves Angel Mort with Keiichi the same day, and Mion wears the same when she watches them, which means Shion has her own set of "Mion Clothes."
- One Punch Keiichi: Shion, as Mion, actually does say "hero."
- The Doll: this arc suggests that at some point in Matsuribayashi-hen, Keiichi gave the doll to Mion as he did in Minagoroshi-hen.
- Rena Only Knows: Rena does refer to herself by her name.
- Ecce Hanyū: this OVA suggests that Hanyū can still choose when to appear or not appear to people. The rest seems to take this in stride.
Cultural References[]
- "ConFESsion!" (告白・こくはく・kokuhaku): in too many anime and manga, a character confesses love by bowing and presenting usually a card. Shion, disguised as Mion, imitates this to Keiichi.
- The Way to a Man's Heart is Through His Stomach: this trope applies in Japanese anime and manga. The boy is usually ravenous, and the girl makes food for him. Famous author Rumiko Takahashi plays with this by having her heroine in Ranma 1/2 prove a horrible cook, and Inuyasha not liking Kagome's spices.
- Akanbe (あかんべえ・akanbee): the gesture Mion makes to Keiichi.
Memorable Moments[]
- Keiichi suggests that he would be "fine" being Mion's boyfriend.
- Mion tries to apologize with a gift but lacks the courage.
- Shion, Rena, and Mion individually pinning over Keiichi.
- Mion has the doll.
- Keiichi Wins! Or . . . Does He?
Quotes[]
- "You two look good together." – Takano
- "If you keep on pushing, I'll snap, Kei-chan!" – Mion
- "Sis, being who she is, will never get anywhere being that conservative. It's a matter of time before Rena takes him home." – Shion
- "Get your hands off my girl!" – Keiichi
- "Keiichi-ku and Mi-cha are hugging each other there!" – Rena
- "At this rate, Hinamizawa will be showered in blood!" – Rika
- "Do you mean a second Great Hinamizawa Disaster?!" – Satoko
- "Until now, you've been helping Mion, but I don't think seeing Keiichi-kun as a man is a bad thing. What I'm saying is, isn't there more to life than waiting?" – Kasai
- "I'm getting quite talkative these days." – Kasai
- "Do I not make the cut? Does Kei-chan like more feminine girls?" – Mion
- "That's a good man you have your eyes on!" – Oryō to Mion
- "Well, he's a tad flirty, but in the end, all men are like that." – Oryō
- "Because I want to do all sorts of fun things with you, Keiichi-kun, so . . . so . . ." – Rena
- "Alright! I'm on a roll! Go me!" – Keiichi
- "But I never thought about being a boyfriend or having a girlfriend before." – Keiichi
- "But on occasion, kindness can turn into cruelty." – Satoko
- "You know . . . Kei-chan . . . hypothetically speaking, do you like tomboyish girls?" – Mion
Gallery[]
