Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai, Episode 17 : Analysis, Thoughts, and Random Comments

[Disclaimer]: This entry might contain MINOR spoilers. However, while the analysis might push you to these minorspoilers, NO foretelling spoiler is present. Therefore, please follow the same guideline, and understand that any spoiler can just ruin this critical part of the story for any reader. (NO spoiler will be tolerated. Any borderline hint either. Don’t even try to test me, instant edit/delete might fall without your permission. You have been WARNED). Good reading!
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The objectives were covered previously, now it is the “application”, and as you could see, the episode was rather stuffed. The “curse” is finally unveiled, so here is the only tid bits points which can highlight the last pieces of information here and there.
Matsuribayashi-hen Analyses: [三四], [Ugomeki], [Owari no Hajimari]

Be sure to have watched the episode before reading this!

Today, I will focus mainly on the following points:

1. C103
   
2. Disaster
3. Third Faction
   
4. KAKERA MUSUBI
   

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[Analysis]

I. C103

Satoko was the “culprit” of the incident of 1980. What Irie was concluding is kinda a shortcut, but certainly the truth: Satoko was under too much pressure due her erratic childhood with her mother, remarried a lot.
Over the years (with “not really nice” interactions with her step-fathers), she obviously grew distrust and such.
Hence, her fake report to the Child Counseling Center once, with Houjou.

Satoko is then a unstable LEVEL 5 subject who is absolutely near of the no turning back point. In such result, what Rika said is the “perfect stimulant” for Irie. The later requires something to actually justify the attempt on Satoko. Why? Considering the substance is actually experimental, secondary effects and such are not to be discarded. No, it is rather the factors which should prevent any use altogether, until some serious “effectiveness” can be engineered before any test on a experimental subject, without too much of a drawback. Experimental substances can be hazardous, and if it used against a disease or such, one might want to be SURE that the effect would be strictly positive and/or the secondary effects won’t turn it for the worse (mutation of the pathogen, increased sensibility, etc). The last thing Irie would want is that the C103 would create a new type of syndrome, which might turn the situation for the worse.

Therefore, Satoko’s “fate” is locked until they “try”. Rika had to persuade Irie, as she obviously knows that the C103 will work, after doing several loops. Since she isn’t a doctor or such, Rika used other means to convince Irie, so Satoko will be saved for the time being. Both shared the same wish, and so, instead of letting his “scientist side” to be dominant (especially because of his position, duty and Takano’s influence), Irie aknowledged what Rika was trying to do with her own body. Such thing is charismatic and inspiring, as the selflessness of this act is what touched the doctor.

Takano was somewhat “correct” with her view about Irie’s “hypocritical” actions. However, this only hold fragile niche truth, because of her own agenda, as “truth itself” is her objective.
Irie is indeed a researcher, but the objective of such studies is to actually save people. Even if he was forced to do such sacrifice (the sixth murderer of the first incident in Hinzamizawa, 1979), the aim was obviously not permitting such “waste”… and the efforts until now shouldn’t be turn into dust in vain.
That is actually why Irie was also struggling with the Furude’s couple, as he actually aknowledge people’s feelings as well. Getting the effects of the C103 was probably enough, and so… if he was like Takano, things wouldn’t go as conscenting like this.
As result, Irie is pretty much human, and his role might be expanded much better if the cirmcunstances are right, instead of being Takano’s puppet, required so she can go on with her research.

 

II. Disaster

The massacre plan was covered in this episode, and we actually know the “details”, if we combine the information of episode 12 and this one.

Takano claimed the following points, which Irie “agreed”:

1. The Hinamizawa syndrome is a locale disease.
2. The Furude’s bloodline is the main carrier of the syndrome.
3. The female descendants are “queens”, who are diffusing pheromones around them, acting as a sooth effect against the symptoms of the syndrome.
4. If the queen carrier is lost for more than 48 hours, every subject around would quickly turn into a psychosis state, generating chaos and spiraling to mutual killing.

As I already said several times: what Takano claimed is bullshit, and this is even more evident with this episode. 48 hours…? Well, what happened in Meakashi-hen and Watanagashi-hen ?
In both chapters, Rika confronted Shion but failed to administrate her the C103. She is then killed, and Shion soon captured Satoko as well. However… how many days did it elapse? Much more than 48 hours.
Actually, it took like 24-48 hours later for Keiichi and Rena to confront “Mion”. Then only after that, the police barges in. Considering how deep the well is, the investigation forces would need some time to check in, and then retrieve back the corpses.
Therefore, the time limit was obviously bypassed, but no psychosis outbreak was noticed. The anime shows it already, and the game demonstrated that must survivors were well and alive around 2004, with the Meakashi-hen ending scroll.

However, we can’t claim if the “main carrier” is also part of such lie/mistake or whatnot. The “queen bee” theory is erroneous. Parasites or not (but assuming it is the truth, considering what Irie claimed about the “proofs”), the source, the origin itself, can have its roots from anywhere or anyone in Hinamizawa. So it cannot be discarded yet.

Now, another thing: Remember what Takano Hifumo said to Koizumi in episode 15? Even if he was infected by the syndrome, he would only need to follow a peaceful life, and use some “personal breath techniques”.
No mention of the “local area proximity” and such, and it was already proved that various previous Hinamizawa residents were living elsewhere (which were “justified” by Rika in episode 12 that these are rare occurances).

We can speculate that either:

• Takano created a giant bluff, leaving no possibility to check (as it would require to kill Rika, and thus, risking a giant human wage). Even if someone suggests to take someone infected to elsewhere, Takano might claim that person is a “rare occurance” or she might simply use her “L5 substance”, which was obviously researched as stated in this episode (the military purpose mention).
• Takano was “delusional” in her attempt to prove her grandfather thesis, which requires the Hinamizawa Syndrome.

In any case, it is quite obvious to note that Takano is ready to do almost anything to prove her grandfather thesis, to the point of using a stratagem conflicting directly with the nature of science. This strips her off the little “justification” she can claim, and arguably lead her “wish” into the category of obsessive “mission”, using wrongly the precept of consequentialism.

Her end justifies the means for her, but the means are completely out of proportions, and everything can be swallowed in her path, if it is within her range. That is obviously how she couldn’t care less to obliterate the Furude’s couple, just because they were in her path. 3 months is simply too short for experimentation and research (and so data), which should take years to accomplish. Consequently, she can do anything, leading to the contact with…

 

III. Third Faction

As you could see, the death of Koizumi generated a complete chaos in the “Project”, leading the leadership of this group in turmoil. Considering how Koizumi supported Takano, it is obvious that the late leader was quite powerful due the money his faction could pour in the “Project”.

Consequently, his death changes completely the balance of the group, and people who barely pays attention to the research on the Hinamizawa Syndrome would stop it, as such sub-task is probably wasting “their” money. Much like what this mysterious silver haired woman said, some members are trying to reverse the situation, so they can control it. And how to justify it? Simply by ridiculing the main research of late Koizumi, the Hinamizawa Syndrome.
Such “scandal” is indeedan attempt to put Takano’s research as a scapegoat, and so a justification to take back the leadership, and so, reallocating the money and manpower elsewhere.

Takano cannot fight back, as 3 important facts are against the odds:

1. Irie and his team already studied the pathogen and they were able to create an experimental cure, which can be perfectioned and finalized within a short amount of time.
2. Japan is no longer in a war situation, and the leaders are obviously not interested in warfare research.
3. Takano Hifumi’s thesis is not convincing at all, as it looks like a farce to most people.

Until she can get support from another “faction” or such, the “Project” would hardly help her in her research, and therefore, she would be at the end of her way to glorify her grandfather.
And here comes the “Third Faction”. It is unknown what are their true objectives, but they are obviously close to Koizumi’s faction, as they know about Takano’s true motivations, and how the current leadership is completely in midst of chaos.
Takano became their puppet, as it is highly probable they will try to get their hands on the Syndrome, or something remotely “interesting” in her research.
She obviously knows that she is only a pawn, but Takano has her steel will, just as stated above. Therefore, as long as she gets what she wants, she will do it… and the consequences are what we witnessed already several times…

 

IV. KAKERA MUSUBI

This episode was quite fast paced with the Pieces, and honestly, it has mixed feelings in the lot. I was kinda impressed and surprised they could pull Irie’s backstory in this episode. It was quite nice they could use it in a very short amount of time, though it looks a bit too abrupt. it is obviously a problem of time constraints, which hit hard Rika’s mother, who was much more hostile against the research. Well, here are the pieces:

• 02:05 – 03:19 [Piece #06: Sacrifice Number Two]
• 03:19 – 05:17 [Piece #12: Cooperation request for the Queen]
• 05:17 – 05:47 [Piece #04: Status of research all going to plan] 1st part
• 05:47 – 06:44 [Piece #17: Kyousuke’s personal history]
• 06:44 – 07:43 [Piece #04: Status of research all going to plan] 2nd part
• 07:43 – 08:47 [Piece #19: Routine audit]
• 08:47 – 10:42 [Piece #01: C103 Administration]
• 12:42 – 12:03 [Piece #10: Yagouchi Quarry]
• 12:13 – 14:48 [Piece #02: H170] &
  [Piece #14: Shirakawa park falling accident]
• 14:48 – 16:06 [Piece #11: Mistrust of the Queen’s mother]
• 16:06 – 17:14 [Piece #07: Sacrifice Number Three]
• 17:14 – 18:01 [Piece #15: The Furude family murder case]
• 18:01 – 18:24 [Piece #25: Result of dice: One]
• 18:24 – 20:19 [Piece #21: Deja vu]
• 20:19 – 20:49 & 22:21 – 23:53 [Piece #42: Invitation to the end]

What is actually surprising is the fact they used a very different order, especially for Koizumi’s death and the apparition of the mysterious woman, which were supposed to happen in 1982, after Houjou Tamae’s murder. The flow is a bit disrupted, but the content is rather digest and easier to grasp with a mere couple of 20 minutes so.
Now, as for the missing pieces, I avoided anything related to 1982, so here are the very few pieces which “should” be safe to read now:

• [Piece #09: Operation halt dam project]: How Irie and Tomitake were discussing about the dam project. This discussion happen much earlier than the first murder incident.
• [Piece #27: Melancholy of the shrine priest]: This piece shows how Rika’s father tried to calm the situation while discussing with Oryou
• [Piece #22: Hifumiyo]: An intimate discussion between Takano and Tomitake, who the later learns about Takano’s motive and the origin of her name
• [Piece #20: Dismay]: Another discussion between Takano and Tomitake. The later is trying to comfort her, after Koizumi’s death.

As you can see, the anime kinda discarded things between Takano and Tomitake, which barely “looks like a sexual relationship” and nothing else. This is wrong, though they didn’t have much choice to actually “justify” why Tommy was always around Miyo. The time constraints prevent them to further develop a “trust” bound between the 2.

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…Beyond the clockwork start of the fate of june 1983…
…tragedies of the past succeded…
…as this person was in dismay…

…She sealed a pact with the devil…

Will the miracle be realized? Will everyone be happy?
This is your decision to accompany everyone in their last battle…
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai continues…

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A very late entry… My sincere apologizes… I believed that I should wait for the subs, so it would make more sense for you if you actually got the full aspect of this episode. Also, it would prevent me to do stupid mistakes with the “pieces identification”, which was very tedious this week, considering the ton amount of them (16, while it was 10 last week).
That said, I’m kinda in time, and I won’t fail for the next episode, which will air within few hours ^^
“Today” episode will be 最後の駒 – Saigo no Koma – The final piece.

Lots of things should be “concluded”, and I think there will be a certain uproar on a specific character ^^