By Ryukishi07 and Karin Suzuragi
Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen

When it comes to building suspense, a little misdirection can go a long way, and there are moments early on in Higurashi When They Cry where the harem antics result in sheer silliness, and we forget it’s a horror-themed manga we’re reading. Luckily, the creators are smart enough to keep the tone from veering too far into comedy for too long, so once the second half rolls around, things may get considerably darker, but the change never feels sudden or forced.

Higurashi When They Cry takes place in a small, secluded town called Himanizawa, which may be less idyllic than it seems. The main protagonist is a young man named Keiichi, and although his family moved in only a few weeks ago, he already has befriended a group of girls who attend the same school—a harem that runs the gamut of stereotypes. There’s a shameless one, a bratty prankster, even a “good girl.” Although they frequently gang up on Keiichi, if any one of them could be deemed a love interest above the rest, it would probably be Rena, a shy type with a penchant for cute things and visiting the local trash dump.

The first half of volume one introduces the characters and shows them enjoying wacky hijinks together. Things start to change, however, during a visit to the aforementioned trash dump, where Keiichi hears about a murder that happened in Himanizawa years ago. When Keiichi asks his friends about it, they give him dismissive looks that only egg on his suspicions. Unfortunately, the deeper he delves into the unsolved case, the more he realizes the town is hiding a terrible secret, and that his own life may be in danger.

Although the murder mystery itself is involving, the various twists and turns surrounding it wouldn’t work nearly so well if the friendships established in the first half weren’t convincing. But thanks to some nostalgic inner monologues and bright, cartoonish artwork—courtesy of Ryukishi07 and Karin Suzuragi, respectively—one gets the feeling Keiichi is having a pretty good time in this small town, and that his friendships are meaningful. “This daily life in Hinamizawa isn’t bad at all,” he thinks. “If it means this same scene continues, I don’t care how much effort it takes.” What also helps are the lighthearted fanservice segments between chapters, which may be silly, but have the benefit of existing outside the continuity of the story. They remind us how much fun the characters are, and how great friends they can be when plot machinations aren’t pitting them against Keiichi.

Keiichi has a particularly good match in Rena, whom he torments with his occasional callousness, but really does seem to care about. Her character initially behaves as the love interest in a romance manga might: too insecure and shy to make the first move herself, despite her obvious attraction to Keiichi, but easily made jealous when other girls flirt with him. Both Rena and the creators have the last laugh, though; after setting up our expectations for the character, they introduce changes that are downright shocking, precisely because they subvert nearly everything that came before.

Higurashi When They Cry only suffers when Ryukishi07 decides to raise the stakes so Keiichi’s life, as well as the lives of his family, are all hanging in the balance. Curiosity alone should have been enough motivation for the character to get to the bottom of things; now there’s a deadline to avoid being dead. But it’s a small complaint about an otherwise entertaining story that feels very much alive at times.