Loading…
Higurashi: When They Cry Watch Order
7 entries · · community-maintained
Also known as Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, When They Cry, When the Cicadas Cry
The Higurashi: When They Cry watch order is simple once you know the series is a mystery told in question and answer arcs. Start with the 2006 series, Episodes 1-26, which replays the same June in the village of Hinamizawa through several question arcs, each ending in tragedy. Kai, Episodes 1-24, follows straight on with the answer arcs that explain them. Rei, the five-episode 2009 OVA, comes next: its Saikoroshi-hen episodes are the canon epilogue, while the first and last episodes are comedy. Higurashi Gou (Episodes 1-24) and Sotsu (Episodes 1-15), from 2020 and 2021, must be watched after Kai, because Gou looks like a remake but is a sequel built on the original's twists. The Kira and Kaku: Outbreak OVAs are non-canon extras listed after the main story, and a new TV anime announced in June 2026 will be added once it has a date. Umineko: When They Cry shares the name but is a separate story and is not part of this order.
Paid links on this page
Recommended first watch
Checked October 2026Watch the 2006 series (26 episodes), then Kai (24), then Rei (2009 OVA; episodes 2-4 are the ones that matter), then Gou (24) and Sotsu (15).
Do not start with Gou: it opens like a remake but spoils the original. Kira and Outbreak are optional, non-canon extras.
Start here
- Watch first
- Start with Episodes 1-26 (Higurashi: When They Cry (2006)).
- What to skip
- 2 entries are optional: Higurashi Kira and Higurashi Kaku: Outbreak. The story still tracks without them.
- Filler notes
- Higurashi Kaku: Outbreak. Optional.
- Higurashi Kira. Optional.
Chronological order
Spot a mistake?
Fix this order
Higurashi: When They Cry (2006)
#1 · 1 entry
- 1Episodes 1-26
Start here. The question arcs (26 episodes, 2006): the same June in Hinamizawa told several ways, each ending in tragedy.
0/26
Higurashi Kai
#2 · 1 entry
- 2Episodes 1-24
Kai (24 episodes, 2007): the answer arcs that explain the first season's mysteries. Watch straight after it.
0/24
Higurashi Rei
#3 · 1 entry
- 3Higurashi Rei
Rei (5-episode OVA, 2009). Episodes 2-4, Saikoroshi-hen, are the canon epilogue to Kai; 1 and 5 are comedy you can skip.
OVA
Higurashi Gou
#4 · 1 entry
- 4Episodes 1-24
Gou (24 episodes, 2020): looks like a remake but is a sequel. Watch it only after Kai, whose twists it assumes.
0/24
Higurashi Sotsu
#5 · 1 entry
- 5Episodes 1-15
Sotsu (15 episodes, 2021): the answer arcs for Gou, which conclude the 2020 story.
0/15
Higurashi Kira
#6 · 1 entry
- 6Higurashi KiraOptional
Optional. Kira (4-episode OVA, 2011): non-canon comedy and fan-service shorts for the 10th anniversary. Skippable.
OVA
Higurashi Kaku: Outbreak
#7 · 1 entry
- 7Higurashi Kaku: OutbreakOptional
Optional. Kaku: Outbreak (OVA, 2013): a non-canon what-if in which a virus seals off Hinamizawa. Skippable.
OVA
The correct order to watch Higurashi: When They Cry, as one listShowHide
Watch Higurashi: When They Cry in this order. 7 entries, chronological.
- Higurashi: When They Cry (2006): Episodes 1-26
- Higurashi Kai: Episodes 1-24
- Higurashi Rei (OVA)
- Higurashi Gou: Episodes 1-24
- Higurashi Sotsu: Episodes 1-15
- Higurashi Kira (OVA) — optional
- Higurashi Kaku: Outbreak (OVA) — optional
How this order works
AnimeChrono watch orders put every season, movie, OVA, ONA and special for a franchise in chronological story order, the order the events happen. When an OVA or movie takes place partway through a season, the episode range is split so it sits where it belongs. Entries you can skip are marked optional, and each order says where to start. Release order, sorted by air date, is a secondary view once every entry has a date. The orders began as a hand-curated set, and episode counts and air dates come from AniList. Fans maintain the orders from there. Any signed-in user can edit one. Edits from trusted contributors go live right away and the rest are reviewed first. Every change is versioned and can be reverted, and each order shows when it was last updated and last checked.
Something wrong or missing?
This order is maintained by the community. Report a problem, or sign in to fix it yourself.
Higurashi: When They Cry watch order FAQ
What order should I watch Higurashi: When They Cry in?
Watch the 2006 series (26 episodes), then Kai (24), then Rei (2009 OVA; episodes 2-4 are the ones that matter), then Gou (24) and Sotsu (15). Do not start with Gou: it opens like a remake but spoils the original. Kira and Outbreak are optional, non-canon extras.
Should I watch Higurashi Gou before the original?
No. Gou opens like a remake, but it is a sequel whose twists assume you know how the original and Kai end. Watch the 2006 series and Kai first.
Is Higurashi Rei canon?
Partly. Episodes 2-4 (Saikoroshi-hen) are a canon epilogue to Kai, and Gou builds on them. Episodes 1 and 5 are comedy and can be skipped.
Do I need to watch Umineko before or after Higurashi?
No. Umineko: When They Cry is a separate story by the same creator with only small crossover nods, so it is not part of this order. Higurashi stands on its own.
What is the chronological order of Higurashi: When They Cry?
Start with Episodes 1-26 (Higurashi: When They Cry (2006)), then continue with Episodes 1-24 (Higurashi Kai), Higurashi Rei, Episodes 1-24 (Higurashi Gou), Episodes 1-15 (Higurashi Sotsu), and Higurashi Kira, followed by 1 more entry. The full Higurashi: When They Cry watch order on this page has 7 entries across 7 series, listed in chronological viewing order.
What is the release order of Higurashi: When They Cry?
In the order they aired, start with Episodes 1-26 (Higurashi: When They Cry (2006)), then Episodes 1-24 (Higurashi Kai), Higurashi Rei, Higurashi Kira, Higurashi Kaku: Outbreak, and Episodes 1-24 (Higurashi Gou), followed by 1 more entry. Release order follows air dates and is not the recommended chronological order.
How many episodes is Higurashi: When They Cry?
Higurashi: When They Cry has 89 TV episodes in this order, plus 3 OVAs.
Can I skip anything in Higurashi: When They Cry?
Yes. 2 entries are marked optional: Higurashi Kira and Higurashi Kaku: Outbreak. Everything else is part of the main story.
Is Higurashi: When They Cry finished?
Yes. Higurashi: When They Cry has finished airing, and this order covers everything released so far in chronological viewing order.
Shop
Loading activity...