What is Higurashi?

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, or Higurashi for short, is a murder mystery visual novel that was first released on PC more than a decade ago, in Japan. It was first translated into English in 2009 and 2010. It was divided into 8 chapters, also known as arcs, which were about 10 hours worth of content each. Many extra arcs have been released since then in various forms. A popular anime adaptation was released shortly after its initial release in Japan. On July 26, 2018, a significantly improved version of Higurashi, called Higurashi Hou, was released on the Nintendo Switch in Japan. It should be noted that the PC version of the game is currently being retranslated and rereleased on Steam, although this version does not use any assets from the Switch version of the game. Furthermore, this version will not include any of the console-exclusive arcs that are seen in the Switch version of the game.

Why translate Higurashi Hou?

Higurashi Hou for the Nintendo Switch should be localized because it has a large amount of content that is not available to English audiences. Specifically, there are 23 total arcs in this game (That's all of them! It's about 200 hours of content, for an average reader!), and 9 of these arcs won't be available on the PC version of the game at all. The Switch is also the perfect console to play this game on, as it can be read in high-definition and on the go. Also, the artwork used in Higurashi Hou is arguably much nicer-looking than what is used in the PC version. In addition to this, there are many extra scenes that can be found in this game, even in the original arcs. Thus, the Switch version of Higurashi Hou is the definitive version of Higurashi as a whole. There is a surprisingly large following for Higurashi in the west, so it stands to reason that all fans of the series should be able to play the definitive Higurashi experience. If this game does, in fact, get localized, then it also increases the likelihood that Entergram, Inc. will release even more games in English.

How can you help?

In order to convince the companies who made and published it (07th Expansion and Entergram, Inc.) that it will sell well in the west, please sign this petition and show your support! It is likely that if the game sees enough western support, these companies will want to release the game in English. You can also help us by spreading the word via social media, Discord, or really any other means of your choice. Try to get creative (i.e drawing artwork, making videos, etc.)! If you have any ideas at all on how to spread the word or convince people to sign this, feel free to let us know! We're always open to suggestions.

Why bother signing this?

You may think that petitions don't work, or that your signature alone won't change anything. However, it has been proven that other, similar petitions have worked in the past (i.e Operation Bluebird). PQube, a video game publisher, has even expressed some degree of interest in seeing this game localized. If they see a lot of western support for this petition, they may be swayed to actually localize Higurashi Hou themselves. Every single signature matters and counts towards something, whether you believe it or not. If you're even remotely interested in visual novels or seeing more localized games in general, we implore you to sign this!

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