The Anime Order 
Watch order
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Watch Order
The Higurashi no Naku Koro ni franchise runs to nine entries — five TV series and four OVAs and specials — spanning 2006 to 2021, 100 episodes in all. The order below is a recommended viewing order rather than broadcast order — the reasoning is set out directly beneath.
- Entries9
- Episodes89
- TV series5
- Films0
Why this order
Higurashi is built as a puzzle in two halves. The first series poses the question arcs, each one a self-contained loop that ends badly and contradicts the last; Kai answers them and retroactively explains the structure. Watching them in that order is not optional — Kai spoils the first series completely. Rei is a light epilogue afterwards. GOU and SOTSU (2020–21) look like a remake for their first few episodes and are not one; they only work once you already know the original, so they belong at the end rather than at the start. The side stories below are comedy and hot-spring episodes with no bearing on the plot.
The order
| # | Title | Type | Year | Episodes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | When They Cry Start here — the questions Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Watch on Netflix Bilibili TV | TV | 2006 | 26 |
| 2 | | When They Cry Kai The answers Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai | TV | 2007 | 24 |
| 3 |  | When They Cry Rei Epilogue Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei | OVA | 2009 | 5 |
| 4 |  | Higurashi: When They Cry - GOU Not a remake Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gou Watch on Hulu YouTube +2 | TV | 2020 | 24 |
| 5 |  | Higurashi: When They Cry - SOTSU Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Sotsu Watch on YouTube Hulu +3 | TV | 2021 | 15 |
| 6 |  | Higurashi no Naku Koro ni: Nekogoroshi-hen Side story | SPECIAL | 2007 | 1 |
| 7 |  | Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kira Side story | OVA | 2011 | 4 |
| 8 |  | Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kaku: Outbreak Side story | OVA | 2013 | 1 |
| 9 |  | Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (Shin Anime) Side story | TV | — | — |
Where to watch Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
Netflix carries the most of it, 3 of the 9 entries. Each link goes to the earliest entry that service carries, so you start at the beginning rather than wherever its search drops you.
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Streaming destinations as listed by AniList, checked September 26, 2026. Catalogues differ by country and change often — check the service for your own region.
Where to start
When They Cry (2006) is the earliest entry. After moving into the quiet town of Hinamizawa, Maebara Keiichi spends his days blissfully in school often playing games with his local friends. However, appearances can be deceiving. One fateful day, Keiichi stumbles upon news of a murder that had occurred in Hinamizawa. From this point on, horrific events unfold in…
What to watch after Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
460 people who watched Higurashi no Naku Koro ni recommend Summer Time Rendering as the next thing — more than any other title. These are votes cast by viewers on AniList, not genre matches:
More like this
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is filed under 4 genres on this site. Each one lists every other franchise that shares it, with its watch order and filler figures.
Franchises sharing the most genres with Higurashi no Naku Koro ni — a rough match by subject, not the vote-ranked suggestions above.
Frequently asked
How many episodes of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni are there?
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni has 89 episodes across 5 TV series.
How many Higurashi no Naku Koro ni entries are there?
9 in total: 5 TV series, 0 films, and 4 OVAs and specials.
What order should I watch Higurashi no Naku Koro ni in?
Follow the recommended order on this page, which is not the same as broadcast order. The reasoning for it is set out above the table, and you can switch the table to release order if you would rather see air dates.
Do I need to watch the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni films and OVAs?
Most films and OVAs in a long-running franchise are side stories that sit outside the main continuity. They can be watched at any point, or skipped entirely, without losing the thread of the main series.
Last refreshed August 13, 2026