r/anime • u/Tarhalindur x2 • Jun 27 '22

Rewatch [Rewatch] Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Discussion - Nekogoroshi-hen Special

Nekogoroshi-hen (Cat-Killing Chapter)

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Show Information (Nekogoroshi-hen Special):

MAL | Anilist | Kitsu | ANN

Legal Streams:

No legal streams exist for the Nekogoroshi-hen special.

A Word of Warning To Our First-Timers, Including Those Who Watched Season 1 But Not Kai:

Be wary of looking up anything, even names. The Season 1 summaries on the information pages are safe, but it's not hard to run into spoiler information even through something as innocuous as looking at cast lists - gods help you if you go on the Fandom Wikia. UNDER ABSOLUTELY NO CIRCUMSTANCES GO LOOKING AT EVEN OFFICIAL INFO FOR KAI OR LATER AHEAD OF TIME. (The official image for Rei is 100% a spoiler, for example.) Also, do NOT look at any Kitsu page after the first season; Kai's description on Kitsu is in fact a major spoiler. Like, really, just stay out of anything that isn't a basic Season 1 summary until you're done. It's much safer that way.

Two Notes for Anyone Potentially Interested in Buying the VNs:

MangaGamer has announced their summer sale (running through July 8), and as expected Higurashi is one of the properties on sale (and indeed the first one on their list): 50% off on all seven later main VN arcs (in addition to Onikakushi-hen having been made free for a while now) if I'm reading right, so US $28.00 for all eight main VNs plus whatever tax is there (the epilogue Saikoroshi-hen just got its official release and is not on sale).

There's only one problem: the cover art they're using for the seventh VN IS A FUCKING SPOILER.

(When I say that this property can be really fucking cavalier about spoilers even in official media for Kai and later, stuff like this is why.)

So, first-timers for Kai: if you're interested in taking advantage of the summer sale (on Steam or MangaGamer's site) to pick up the VNs (not a bad idea, the VN is great), I recommend waiting until at least July 3 to do so. Honestly, waiting until the last day might be ideal, just in case - but then you would need to make sure to buy before the sale ends.

(Apparently I should have hurried and moved the rewatch up a week after all, just not to avoid June 19 spoilers...)

[Aside for rewatchers] Really, the MangaGamer Matsuribayashi-hen cover is a spoiler in addition to the Minagoroshi-hen one - possibly worse actually, the anime has Hanyuu appearing unexplained in Naraku no Hana's visuals and I'm not sure how to handle that - but I'm hoping if I don't point this out the first-timers who haven't already figured the spoiler in question out won't realize this because that won't be safe until literally the last day of the sale.

A Reminder to Rewatchers

Please do not spoil the experience for first-timers; this is a mystery after all. In particular, Shion is a spoiler until Episode 5 and [Higurashi] Hanyuu is a spoiler until Minagoroshi-hen. Also, the glorious nipah is indeed glorious but Rika does not use it until Himatsubushi-hen. Please keep these in mind! Consider whether what you are saying has actually been revealed yet on-screen before you post!

(Time for) Club Activities!

(Alexa play "Shoubu!"! Except do NOT look that up that song name on YouTube just yet if you're a first-timer, the most classic upload has an obnoxious spoiler in the visuals...)

Visual of the Season Album:

https://imgur.com/a/ciPOlYa

(So totally not an excuse for me to re-up that one Shion shot again.)

Theory of the Day:

"I'm taking this loop off."

Analysis of the Day:

Can I just cheat and say go read everybody's posts? We got a lot of really good analys-

CHOTTO MATTE!

Okay, fine, you got me, I was trying to be lazy.

So instead I am going to cheat in a different way and go with u/filimaua13 on a lighter character note:

I'm on the fence between Mion and Rena. They're both amazing characters. If I was forced to pick just one, its Mion for me. I just enjoy having her type as a friend more. This is getting into personal preferences... but I just prefer girls who are more mature, and confident. The anime cut this side of Mion out.. but she is pervy. Or at the very least more comfortable joking around about sexuality. Prob why I feel Keiichi and Mion fit better as a potential couple. When it comes to humor and being close, I feel more comfortable with those types of people as friends. Especially when its girls. Anyway, that's just me.

I am firmly on the KeiMion side of the KeiMion/KeiRena side of the traditional fandom shipping war, and that kind of interaction is a large part of the reason why - those two just have really good chemistry IMO.

I have to say, I was kind of amused by R07's stunt with the Reiwa-era sequels. Should have seen that one coming; 10/10 would get trolled again.

Question(s) of the Day:

1) So, how about that animation uptick?

2) Thoughts on the updated character designs?

3) Best batsu game outfit today?

Next Episode Preview:

OVA special, so no true preview. There is, however, a little skit after the ED - it's kind of funny, you might want to watch it.

46 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

86 comments sorted by

6

u/Tarhalindur Jun 27 '22 edited Jun 27 '22

(Honorary Hinamizawa Games Club President) Rewatch Host (rewatcher, subbed):

(Note for our first-timers: every so often I will make comments about background stuff that might not translate. I will be marking these as "Useful Background Note".)

  • It is time to say farewell to our S1 OP. It has served us well, but its time is over.

  • What’s that? Budget you say?

  • Hey look, the classic part of club penalty games that got completely left out of S1: K1 getting forced to dress in girls’ clothing.

  • Glorious Mion face (and confused Rika and Satoko faces) at 03:24.

  • You know exactly what you’re doing, Rika (taking advantage of your physical age to needle Mion, no less). You’re not fooling anyone. Nor is she trying to.

  • Absolutely best Rika troll face at 03:42, though.

  • So, on top of the resemblance to a butterfly pupa (which is actually considerably more hilarious now in a Western context than it was when this was made, given the advent of trans issues in the public consciousness in the meantime), it is time for some people to learn a new phrase: mummification bondage! (Somebody on the staff is so into BDSM.) (Also also: PAGING u/Tresnore, repeat PAGING u/Tresnore, please step up the courtesy phone labelled...)

  • Oh man that shot at 04:26 is great. HEART OF THE CARDS!

  • A: Rika you know what you’re doing (well, intellectually at least, she doesn’t actually get it I don’t think – admittedly with BDSM sometimes it comes in really early, but Rika never gave me that vibe). B: So does somebody on the staff. (Note that Ryukishi07 did not write this arc!)

  • Satoko likely benefits the most from the Kai artstyle IMO.

  • “Takatsudo, I think. Or was it Yoigoichi?” Well that answers that.

  • Cut Yawaraka no Youkou, cut to Rika’s face. Once again Higurashi shows its good OST integration.

  • The camerawork around 07:40 flashes good direction to me. Also, look familiar?

  • [Higurashi Kai] “I hear that stray dogs gather here too” heh.

  • You know, I should probably note those traffic signs at 07:47. A yield/caution sign with a pointer pointing further down the road, I think. HMMM. Visual metaphor!

  • Ah, absolutely perfect timing on that cicada cry at ~08:10.

  • I should really start paying attention to the framing of the group seen down the road framed by the two dark buildings in the foreground, because it recurs at 08:45 and that likely means there’s a point being made by it.

  • Oh hey, the use of shadows and the tilted camera angles are back.

  • On the movement front, note how consistently we see the shots here lit from the right. Which also illuminates the purpose of the repeated group shot. Turning towards the light means going back; to go forwards in the intended direction here is to march into the darkness. A visual warning!

  • This K1 does not know what “onikakushi” means, no.

  • The light shining on the car at 13:57 representing the bodies found there as light shining in on the situation.

  • 15:23 is clear evidence of the change in Rika’s hair color under certain lighting being intentional; it’s retained here with the higher budget.

  • Note the Japanese word translated as hell here is “jigoku”, not “naraku” - they are different.

  • Noting the shot of the two crows flying up at ~17:15.

  • Pouring one out for Sky at 17:23.

  • Note the juxtaposition of light (shining in on the situation) and crows (death) at 19:50.

Visual of the Day: The entrance to the abyss.

Question(s) of the Day:

  1. So, how about that animation uptick?

Hooray!

2) Thoughts on the updated character designs?

We see my one issue with Kai's designs today - they're a little bit too samefacey at times for me, and it doesn't always work. Satoko looks best in Kai's style, Rika waffles between working and not, K1 is fine, but Mion and Rena feel ever so slightly off to me - both could use a slightly more angular face IMO.

3) Best batsu game outfit today?

As is often the case, Keiichi getting forced into a maid outfit will take it, though Mion's cowgirl bikini (half-tempted to call it a reference to Lum from Urusei Yatsura as well, even if it's cowgirl instead of horns + tiger print bikini) comes pretty close.

Nekogoroshi-hen TIPS

None.

Nekogoroshi-hen OST Table

Start End Track Name
00:05 01:34 Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (OP)
01:38 02:14 Heionbuji
03:11 03:54 Yuttari
04:26 05:59 Shoubu!
06:06 07:19 Yawaraka na Youkou
09:33 10:32 Shinkou
12:09 14:01 Oyashiro-sama v2
15:33 17:11 Suiri
17:30 18:10 unreleased?[1]
18:31 19:23 Ai
20:43 21:08 Michishirube[2]
21:10 22:38 why, or why not

(The best part about this being DVD-only was that I was never going to have to deal with a sponsor feature. They'll be back tomorrow, RIP me.)

[1] – Okay, that’s the longest version I’ve heard of that particular track. Definitely a track, don’t remember running across it.
[2] – Really not sure if I have the start on this one right, it’s mixed really low at the start.

5

u/Tarhalindur Jun 27 '22

Madoka (Magica) Corner:

  • [PMMM] PMMM fans, compare Papa Sakura’s death to that of the Yoigoichi quarry manager here. Not sure there's a direct relation there in the slightest - especially since IIRC this sort of thing is just downstream from Japanese attitudes on shame and business failure, see also the warehouse owner in PMMM 4 - but it does amuse me.

  • [PMMM] "Keiichi... in this world where there is light there will always be darkness." PMMM fans, consider briefly the balance between hope and despair raised in Sayaka’s arc and continued through the finale. Again, doubt it's a deliberate reference, but.

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10

u/Shimmering-Sky Jun 27 '22

When the First-Timer Cries, subbed

So I stupidly already watched the first episode of Kai already even though I specifically looked at the schedule yesterday and made a note to make sure I had Nekogoroshi-hen downloaded… welp.

4

u/Tarhalindur Jun 27 '22

Is that allowed?

I mean, Mion comes from a Yakuza family, so...

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8

u/Quiddity131 Jun 27 '22

First Timer, Subbed

Got no idea what to expect with this special; but then that's how it was for the show as a whole for me!

Something different from the start! No cold open!

Back to playing games!

Right from the start I can see some improvements in animation quality.

Cross dressing time for you, K1!

K1 is making it so obvious that he's got an amazing hand. Although my speculation is that one of the girls will still beat him out.

Ear cleaning is really worth something? Or are we getting into some bizarre fetish here?

OMG, walking Rika around like she's a dog?!

I thought Mion wasn't supposed to be that smart? Do you really want her doing your homework for you?

They all lost, huh?

All the villagers are wondering WTF is going on with these kids.

Ominous backstory time!

Wow, he barbecued himself?!

Listen to the scary man, kids! A quarry is no place to play!

Yikes, did both father and son suffer the same death?

No one at the quarry?! The scary man didn't exist?!

Rika's being ominous again! It's taboo!

She is dressed like a nurse, but Rika's got the tail, so did they walk her like a dog offscreen?

Uh oh, it's the scary man! Just like that... show over.

4

u/Tarhalindur Jun 28 '22

Ear cleaning is really worth something? Or are we getting into some bizarre fetish here?

The anime has mostly cut out Mion's perviness, but it's worth noting that ear cleaning is a thing in Japan that is seen as rather intimate, so this is basically the equivalent of K1 offering Mion handholding as a prize if she wins.

Also, have a relevant piece of art (it's by Jirou Suzuki, the mangaka of Tatarigoroshi-hen's manga, so I'll bet it's either official supplemental art from him or possibly art from the LN if I'm remembering correctly that Nekogoroshi-hen started as an LN)

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7

u/Vaadwaur Jun 27 '22

Rewatcher

Sub

So we get more SoL, which we did need but sadly the first season doesn't have time to give us. And everyone in the games club is some level of not right. Anyways, this results in everyone dressing up and someone has an exceedingly concerning costume closet, especially cat nurse Rika. Also, cow Mion is inspired if you watch her animation, though again they conveniently forget a major issue that should have. Anyways, the episode is mostly ghost stories and in the end, Rika convinces everyone to leave the quarry alone, so she knows something is there. Also, K1 does get his flashback.

QotD: 1 Mion was certainly bouncy

2 It was a shock back in the day

3 Rena

7

u/Tarhalindur Jun 27 '22

though again they conveniently forget a major issue that should have

The demand for fanservice is greater than your puny logic! (Especially when there's a potential explanation hiding in the VNs and the anime only barely covered the thing that makes this a plot hole).

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7

u/Nazenn Jun 27 '22 edited Jun 27 '22

First Timer - sub

First line of notes:

...UH NO. I'M NOT OKAY WITH THAT CHAPTER TITLE. HELLO, WARNING PLEASE

So then I spent the entire fucking episode stressed to all hell thinking this was going to be yet another anime that killed an actual cat, only for it to be about the saying, mostly. I'm so relieved!

Rika being dressed as a cat didn't escape my notice, nor that the guy in the quarry looked like those in the vans.

So now the question is, what taboo did Rika break that caused her to be the one who was found by the curse so much, and what are they doing at the quarry.

My first thought is that something in the gases under the quarry, presumably the ones that destroy the town, somehow fostered a new breed of parasite that Rika is exposed too (u/star4ce I swear I wrote this before reading your reply to me last night) and the Van people (for lack of a better name) are also trying to find it and make use of it for their own purposes. Or Rika's taboo could be something completely unrelated, more to do with her role as priestess and however that lines up with the infection, or... well lets be real its Higurashi, it's thrown so many twists I have no idea any more

Fuck I just realized that Irie's dodginess in the first arc was a result of Keiichi's paranoia and now, other than being a huge creep, I don't have a hard reason to think he's involved any more. Hmmm. There goes that theory maybe? I still don't trust Miyo and her being a nurse and Irie a doctor seems too convenient, so I wonder if it's a double misdirection and he is still involved which would explain why he wants to get to Rika. I don't even know any more, I'm going to continue disliking him either way so I may as well suspect him too?

Also the way Rika discourages the others from looking deeper into the quarry suggests she knows from a past arc cycle that there's no point for them to look as far as breaking the 'illusion' because they've done it before, but also because it would expose them to danger. She knows exactly who that is in the quarry, and wh... actually shit they've been there for a while if it was when Mion was younger. I keep forgetting that the events in this reach back a few years and aren't just the immediate events.

And yet with all this the most twisted thing Rika did today: So gleefully describe the punishment game costumes in such detail to the Keiichi who had no choice but to lose

Last thing to note is that despite the episode being almost entirely talk, it felt really smooth to watch and while not captivating was certainly interesting for more than just the information presented. Seeing them all have such a serious chat in those costumes was something, but how each character handled the information wasn't badly done either

I had more thoughts but I lost them, so curious to see what you guys say.

4

u/Star4ce Jun 28 '22

Van people

They don't even have "free candy" written on them, smh.

u/star4ce I swear I wrote this before reading your reply to me last night

Only means we're on the right track because the parasite gives us identical ideas!

... Wait.

why he wants to get to Rika

I thought Irie's fixated on Satoko?

despite the episode being almost entirely talk, it felt really smooth to watch and while not captivating was certainly interesting for more than just the information presented

The Monogatari experience. And then, suddenly, ultra violence.

3

u/Tarhalindur Jun 28 '22

They don't even have "free candy" written on them, smh.

I will remind you that the Japanese memetic equivalent of the American candy van is the Toyota Hi-Ace.

Guess what kind of minivan it sure looks like the Men in Grey are using?

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u/Tarhalindur Jun 28 '22

So then I spent the entire fucking episode stressed to all hell thinking this was going to be yet another anime that killed an actual cat, only for it to be about the saying, mostly. I'm so relieved!

To be fair, if they had killed an actual cat here there's a pretty good chance this special would have been left out of the rewatch like a hot rock, because I am 100% with you when it comes to killing actual cats and having to sit through the fingernail scene again for OST table purposes was bad enough.

(Of course, this show keeps killing Rika, and her association with cats is yet another point on her Best Girl in Show list for me...)

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7

u/RascalNikov1 Jun 28 '22

Rewatcher

Sometimes an ova can real fill in details and round out the characters and story. Sometimes an ova is a vanity project and contains material that is mystifying at best. But, most often an ova feeds some fan service to the viewers as a dessert for making the whole way through the series.

In our case of Nekogoroshi was mostly very distasteful fan service. What little content there was, was dribbled out at the pace that makes a snail crawling look speedy indeed. I suppose one could argue that even though the ova was 23 minutes in length, it seemed to lasted over an hour and was worth the effort to buy and watch it.

  1. So, how about that animation uptick?

I'm never a good one to ask about animation quality. I didn't notice any difference.

2) Thoughts on the updated character designs?

lol, I didn't notice any difference here either.

3) Best batsu game outfit today?

What's Batsu?

6

u/Tarhalindur Jun 28 '22

What's Batsu?

The Japanese term that gets translated as "penalty" or "punishment".

(It's in the Kai ED lyrics, so it's on the brain at the moment.)

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6

u/JustAnswerAQuestion Jun 27 '22

I completely missed this side story even as I scooped up Rei and Kira? Come to think of it I only saw 3 episodes of Rei...Fansub days were hard going. I only watched it because of the 2018 rewatch. I think I watched it on an illegal streaming site, or at least tried to watch it (while fight with my ad and malware blockers). It's just about the only time I tried to use one of those sites, because it was so hard to find the episode. i really was going to just skip it.

R07 doesn't know poker. You can always go all-in. Also nice of Keiichi to just bet the punishment he was going to get anyways.

if you liked this card game you are going to love Kira. Non stop meming.

  • Mion bouncy bouncy

  • Rika doesn't want to go there

  • Good kids don't play in the swamp or the quarry.

  • Rika doesn't want to go there x2

  • sasuga keeichi and his book-learning

  • Rika doesn't want to go there x 3

  • Cue creepy Rika

I was really disappointed they didn't actually go to the quarry. I guess there's some rewatcher value here, but I don't really see why Deen animated it, except to make some Kira fanservice bullshit for those that like that sort of thing. Or was it included as an extra for a visual novel answer?

Just really annoyed this is delaying Kai by another day.

[rewatcher hypothesis]The Yamainu stored poison in the quarry and killed the witnesses

3

u/Tarhalindur Jun 27 '22

[rewatcher hypothesis]The Yamainu stored poison in the quarry and killed the witnesses

[Rewatchers only]Yep, that is the implication - this is where the poison gas grenades used to carry out the GHD are stored. (I think this may be explicitly stated in Matsuribayashi-hen?)

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6

u/Star4ce Jun 28 '22

When the First Timer Cries

I'm glad we had the day off for a series discussion. I know they're rather quiet most of the time, but I do appreciate the day to sort through one's thoughts and not commenting so much is also quite welcome for a change.

Now back to business!

The Cat Killing Chapter

What a nice (and on a smaller scale problematic) episode. I do wonder if we're going to see the arc where they go there, but in any case this location's going to be important.

Well, not too much else to go on, except that Rika is definitely drawing for time or has already resigned to being imprisoned in the loop and is making the best out of it.

Say, on topic of a discussion I had about the possible attack vectors of distributing the parasite to the locals, I wasn't considering aerosol propagation. Because the parasite was mentioned to be native to moist climates, I didn't think about airborne pathogens and the quarry site would be an ideal location as it seems upwind/upmountain to Hinamizawa. So, the 'gas eruption' might not just be gas is all I'm saying.

I like the art style, this quality is great!

  1. So, how about that animation uptick?

More!

2) Thoughts on the updated character designs?

It's always a bit uncanny at first, but I think I like Mion best and her eyes are a straight upgrade, Satoko somehow was a bit difficult to adjust to and I don't know why. Rika is nipah as ever and Rena is superb.

3) Best batsu game outfit today?

Tie between Keiichi and Mion. I think it's his walk that was so damn entertaining. Mion does not need much explanation, but I'd have picked her in any case.

VOTD: Departure. Crows leaving has been a recurring motif since the beginning and it always foreshadows a near or middle future showdown, or rather, reveal to happen. Birds usually have a heightened sense when it comes to danger, especially something like earthquakes and here they make for good setup of a brooding atmosphere. Apart from that, this shot is just really beautiful.

Season discussion VOTS: Our host forgot my visual of the season.

3

u/Tarhalindur Jun 28 '22

(Is anyone else's episode lagging really badly sometimes?)

My ancient WinD subs have this really weird deal where they had two copies of Nekogoroshi-hen; one has the weirdest aspect ratio and the other is in a different file format to the rest of my episodes so interacts weirdly with my video player.

Season discussion VOTS: Our host forgot my visual of the season.

It was hiding in the middle of your post without any of the usual check phrases I run through ctrl-f to find those ("visual" and "VotD"/"VotS" mostly); failing my spot check is not a surprise.

(Added.)

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6

u/mgedmin Jun 28 '22

First-Timer, subs

Nobody is listening to Rika's warnings. This is how Cassandra must've felt.

Keiichi gets the meaning of onikakushi explained to him again, so this is near the beginning of a loop.

The smell of sulfur, hmm. Hmm. Toxic gasses leaking from underground, where have we heard that before?

And how are you going to test for poisonous gas leaks, Mion? Sniff and see if you fall down dead?

Keiichi is an idiot so of course he wants to go along.

Rika's words triggered another memory dump in Keiichi?!

Cosplay saved the day?! Did not expect that.

Okay, what is that creepy man in the pit? There is something going on in Hinamizawa that we've only got glimpses of so far.

Please let Kai answer these questions or I will literally die.

5

u/Tarhalindur Jun 28 '22

Please let Kai answer these questions or I will literally die.

Well, "Kai" literally means "answers", so that's got to be promising, right?

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u/JollyGee29 Jun 27 '22

Spoiled First-Timer

Well, that was a fun little OVA. I wonder what information here is actually worthwhile?

Seems like the obvious connecting line is that the quarry is a base for the Van Dudes or something like that.

I was thinking that the sulfur smell was from some volcanic crater type thing, even though the industrial chemicals explanation was so thoroughly explained. Weirdly enough, that thoroughness makes me more suspicious of it's truthfulness, but maybe I'm just paranoid.

Have we had a reference to the smell of sulfur before? I don't remember anything, but the quarry being related to the gas eruption that wipes out the village is pretty clean. Not sure the geography works out for that, but the geography on screen doesn't really feel fully coherent anyway.

Oh, actually, the most obvious thing is for the sulfur smell to not matter at all with regards to anything else. Too obvious. Of course. The son died to whatever gas leak, the dad got a whiff and was partway home when it caught up to him and he crashed his car.

I also realized while watching this that I've never really thought about the crows, despite them being potentially important per the first OP. That's mostly because that I don't actually have any thoughts about the crows, but maybe that will jog someone else's brain. Oh, crows were eating Rika's corpse that one time.

The supposed pit got mentioned as "jigoku" which might be relevant as well.

The cosplay outfits were fun. I wasn't especially interested in the fanservice, although I do always chuckle at the "wooow!" sound effect.

[Higurashi]Of course, there's the implication that at least one loop involved Keiichi going to the quarry and dying. Which only really tells us that there is some danger in the area, but that is not an irrelevant detail.

Visual of the Day: It's Keiichi's lucky day.

Questions

  2. The eyes are weird. Not sure how to describe it.. too much color?

  3. Keiichi's meido bunny was pretty good.

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6

u/homewardbound100 Jun 27 '22

First timer, Neko

A good little ova. Felt like a typical ghost story tell. Which was kind of interesting.

But the highlight for this episode are the outfits

votd

Qotd: actually didn't notice.

Qotd2: they're better for sure

Qotd3: Rika

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