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4/10

So this anime can basically be broken into 2 parts epsiodes 1 and 5, and epsiodes 2, 3, 4. The latter of whitch was way better done than the former.


Rikas new Hinamizawa (episodes 2, 3 and 4) 7/10

So without going into major spoilers, this part of the show is done completely enough. It basically deals with a pretty decent premise.
That being, Rika magically ends up in a Hinamizawa that contains none of the bad things the original had. Does she choose to stay in the happy ending she earned, or the happy ending no one had to suffer to get to? The premise ... itself is really interesting, and honestly I wish all 5 epsiodes or a movie were given to explore it, rather than 3 of the 5. That being said, I think its execution faltered twords the end. There's a choice Rika is forced to make and it's left ambiguous and implied rather than shown on screen. The actions she chose to take should have been shown on screen and the story is actively worse and less effective for not having done so. I can get why one might want to go for omitting that scene to keep with the "Rikas happy ending" theme, but doing so takes away from the impactfulness of it, and undercuts the harder hitting scenes from the first 2 seasons. Other than that though, these 3 episodes are worth the watch and recommend to required viewing if you want to watch the sequel series, gou/sotsu


Happy fun time (episodes 1 and 5)
3/10
Other than the scene towards the end of the first episode, which sets up the events of the other arc, everything in these 2 epsiodes were fan service. I get why thematically this makes sense,
(happy fun time ----> Rikas New Hinamizawa. ----> happy fun time again ) because it sets up Rika's choice and the consequences of it. Unfortunately, thematically is about the only way these 2 episodes make sense. The first epsiode takes place at a huge pool party that features a lot of characters who should not have been there but were. Because of things that happened to these characters and the ending of the show itself, interactions feel out of character. Canonically, it does not make sense for the antagonists of the show to be chilling out at a pool party with the main cast and everyone just having a good time. If this was just in Rika's head or a dream it would be one thing but it's meant to be played straight. They could have toned it down and had just characters that would make sense to be there at the pool party having a good time, rather than the entire cast of the show, breaking immersion. They also could have had a happy fun scene without breaking character or immersion at all, which they did repeatedly in the first 2 seasons. The last episode shares these problems to a lesser extent, having characters act out of character and bordering on unbelievable plot points, but it doesn't have to stretch the suspension of disbelief nearly as much as the first one does. Plus the first one primes the viewer for it more, so it feels less out of nowhere. Minor gripe, but a lot of the fanservice dipped into being less than tasteful. There's not necessarily anything wrong with fan service, but it was done so intensely and frequently in these epsiodes that it's out of place at best, and awkward and uncomfortable at worst.


Personal takes: I have no intention to watch Kira, but the first and last epsiodes to episodes of this felt like what meny fans felt like Kira felt like to them. Too silly and fanservicey, and a total break in tone to the actual show that's not done well. If these 2 episodes were a stand alone show unrealted to the higurashi franchise, I probably wouldn't have any issues with them, I'd find it fluffy and passively enjoyable though nothing special. The issue I have is that it takes the story and franchise I love dearly, and makes a bit of a mockery of it. That said, if you're watching Gou anyway, give it a watch. As much as I hate to recommend it (and I'd love to write it off as noncanon) I would say its required viewing for Gou. The middle story is worth a watch too, even if its ending could have been better executed, and the first and last epsiodes if nothing else thematically set up the structure for the part that is interesting. I was tempted to give it a "mixed feelings" rather than a "not recommend" because, again, if you are watching gou I'd absolutely recommend you watch this first but if you don't plan to watch gou or sotsu the good parts in the middle don't make up for the bad parts in the beginning and end. I can't in good conscience recommend something this bad. If you do watch it,consider watching the middle 3 epsiodes, and skipping the first and last.


Overall: 4/10

Its good parts are adequately done, its bad parts are terrible. It frequently breaks tone, character and immersion, so if that bothers you and you don't plan on watching past it to gou/sotsu, perhaps reconsider your watch.