Kadokawa Anime revealed the first trailer for thenewHigurashi no Naku Koroni anime, confirming it’s a TV anime, not an anime movie, and it’ll start airing on July 2020. The full cast, a new manga, and a new web radio were announced as well. All of this was revealed during the “Kadokawa Anime Channel Spring Special Program Live & Talk!” stream, held on March 21. The event replaced the Kadokawa Anime related events that were supposed to happen at Anime Japan 2020 on March 23-26, which was canceled due to Coronavirus. All the details are included below.
The trailer reveals the main cast, with Keiichi Maebara still being voiced bySoichiro Hoshi, and Rena Ryugu byMai Nakahara.
Mai Nakahara shared a photo with Soichiro Hoshi and herself on Twitter, mentioning how happy she is thatHigurashiis getting a new TV anime.
Satsuki Yukinois voicing Mion Sonozaki again.Mika Kanaiis returning to voice Satoko Hojo, andYukari Tamurais back to voice Rika Furude. Both Satsuki Yukino and Mika Kanai shared on Twitter how happy they areHigurashiis getting a new anime:
Announced in January 2020, this newHigurashiTV anime is directed by Keiichiro Kawaguchi, Series Composition is by Naoki Hayashi, and the character designer is Akio Watanabe, known for theMonogatari SeriesandPretty Rhythm. Kenji Kawai, who handled the music for the previousHigurashianime adaptations and the live-action movies is also back. The animation studio is Passione.
Ryukishi07 mentioned on Twitter the recording for the anime already started and that he was heavily involved with the anime’s scenario. That wasn’t the case with the past anime adaptation, so it’s very promising.
Judging from the new trailer, included below, this newHigurashianime will adapt the first arcs. We don’t know yet how far it’ll adapt though.
A brand new manga adaptation tied with the anime will also be web-serialized onYoung Ace. The mangaka is Tomato Akase. It’s important to note this is big shift in publishers, with Kadokawa both handling the anime and the new manga (Kadokawa owns Young Ace). All the pastHigurashimanga were published by Square Enix owned magazines.
A new radio show with Mai Nakahara and Souichiro Hoshi will start airing soon as well.
Tomato Akase shared an illustration of Rena on Twitter along with some comments, mentioning how happy they are to be on the project.
Higurashi no Naku Koro niis originally a series of horror visual novels, and it’s the first part of theWhen They Cryseries. The very firstHigurashigame was released by 07th Expansion at Comiket 62 in August 2002, and it became a cultural phenomenon.
Higurashialready got multiple anime adaptations. A first anime season of 26 episodes aired in 2006, and a second season of 24 episodes aired in 2007. These two anime seasons adapted the 8 original arcs/games of the visual novel series.
TheHigurashigames are available in English on PC via Steam,with a different character design than the original ugly but charming illustrations by Ryukishi07. The eight original arcs plus the many other arcs released after that are all compiled in a Japan-exclusive PS4 game titledHigurashi no Naku Koro ni Hou. The game is also available on Switch but is missing one arc compared to the PS4 version.
The second part of theWhen They Cryseries,Umineko, is also available in English on Steam.A new version ofUminekocontaining every single arc is also coming to PS4 and Switch in Japan but has no release date yet. It’s titledUmineko no Naku Koro ni Saku: Nekobako to Musou no Symphony.
Ryukishi07 and 07th Expansion are currently working on the third part of theWhen They Cryseries, titledCiconia. The first gamelaunched worldwide on July 12, 2025, on Steam.Ryukish07 recently revealedCiconiawill have four games in total and explainedhow 07th Expansion changed over two decades,and howthe second game will take a while to release.
Last but not least, 07th Expansion is currently working on a brand new IP titledKaleidoscope of Phantasm Prison, also known asÂGensou Rougoku no Kaleidoscope or Gerokasu. This horror game was supposed to launch on July 25, 2025, on PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch,but was indefinitely delayed. If you wish to learn more, we translated the game’sstory details.themain characters' profiles,andcomments from the staff and cast.
The “Kadokawa Anime Channel Spring Special Program Live & Talk!“Higurashipart of the stream with Mai Nakahara and Soichiro Hoshi is embedded below.
