higurashi (reread)
tatarigoroshi (祟殺し編) MIDGAME:
okay so yeah my memory was correct, the story so far this episode has been all about the horrors of child abuse, specifically as visited upon satoko houjou. it is really depressing to read, and ryukishi’s background in social work definitely shines through in the realism/nuance on how this subject is handled.
keichi is getting increasingly frustrated with the failure of the adults around him to protect satoko. rena also blew up at him in a way that felt like she may be about to have an, um, higurashi episode. but my suspicions that it’s keichi who is going to crash out this time are stronger. but he’s got a really good reason this time at least!
i’m still mulling over how i think this theme plays into the broader context of the story. child abuse will come up in another major way when we get some more information about the “Culprit” (more or less) of the stories. i suppose in confronting that person, the kids (and especially rika?) will be forced to like, confront that horror again and still without appropriate adult support (as far as i can remember). i don’t know. thinking about what it is all of these troubled kids have in common exactly. is it at least some level of parental neglect?
wild to me that wataganashi night still hasn’t happened yet. anyway yeah totally mion, im sure miyo (takano) totally won’t be sacrificed in this timeline like the other two so far!
also a hilarious thing to say after assuring keichi that you/your family definitely doesn’t choose who dies at wataganashi lol.