One thing i can say is that,despite the art changes and whatnot, this show does feel like i'm watching Higurashi all over again,it has some fluffy moments that don't take up too much time and there is always some form of uncertainty looming in the background
There are some very tense moments that come from just how unexpected and unpredictable everything was.And to be honest, I had no idea just what would come next after each episode and that did make me look forward to it every week.And ohhhh yea, this season does have its insane gore,and moments in the second half that are complete nightmare fuel.And it felt like a really bad fever dream.The main mystery of Higurashi was explained very well and made the tension pay off more,even if the whole mystery wasn’t explained, it still did a good enough job to explain it to someone who probably hasn’t watched Higurashi before.

STORY
And the way things started to connect together at the end felt a bit gratifying. But i still feel like watching the original series would bring a bit more context to certain minor characters and other rules set up.

Also, what really made the story stand out was how the characters played into it.The way the story connected to the characters made me relate and empathize with them alot and I was super invested in the show. And one episode in particular almost made me tear up, Yea i said it. I almost cried watching an anime.

But to be honest, that moment in particular was this shows writing at its best. But when it comes to the not so good things, most of that is in the first half. The first half is a super slow burn, it still has tension, and the story is told in multiple arcs ,but some of the arcs in the first half felt a bit aimless, also the conclusion of some arcs feel underwhelming, especially the one at the very middle of the show with the whole child care stuff. That arc not only felt aimless, but it dragged out for so long. I feel like some of the character introductions do have just a little bit of context missing, and i feel like this is where the original ties in, but then again, a second season just got announced so maybe we will get more context later on i suppose.I barely remember any of Higurashi when i first saw it, but i do remember some arcs, and this show does skim over some of those arcs which was a shame since those arcs felt like Higurashi at its best

.But then again, the story of Higurashi is super complex so i don't really blame them for leaving some things out.If anything, the first half wasn't bad, but the ending of the first cour was pretty weak compared to the original Higurashi, and i really hoped that the second half would pick up, and at that moment, it felt like the creators heard my voice because the second half on this show was fuking amazing. It was engaging, thrilling,and felt very neatly tied together with the rest of the show. It almost becomes a whole new show entirely but it manages to still pull off being Higurashi by having the characters you know in love contribute so well to the plot.I just wish the first half was a bit better paced.

ART/ANIMATION
I was a bit worried about the animation because studio Passione is a studio that only works on trash ecchi ,cute girl stuff, and Rokka no Yuusha. But the animation is not that bad.Its not mesmerizing but it does its job.Even if the art is very bright and highkey, i appreciate the charm and neatness of it. I also like how they don’t have the wacky ass Deen faces from the original. One thing i should point out, is that some of the art direction and background art was really really really gorgeous at times. And the visuals for the ending sequence-the second one in particular that only appears in like 3 episodes-are pretty impressive. In the second ed it uses this really freaky and surreal 360 degree camera view that I haven't seen that much in anime honestly.

SOUND
The voice acting for the show was top notch, probably because of the range that the characters have.This is the case with almost everyone but most prevalent with Rikka’s VA,Yukari Tamura.She can go from cute and cheery to very cold and desolate at the drop of a hat and I just loved how she pulls it off.And the opening and ending songs.I dont even want to compare them to higurashi’s original ones because they sound and feel so different.I do think that Higurashi’s op and ed are better,but being better at higurashi is not that easy.I do think the songs are really good though.They have a bit of a more theatrical and modernized techno approach to them, sure they arent as tense and foreboding as “why or why not”,but they are so damn catchy and nice to listen to.

CHARACTERS
As much as I praised the characters, I think the main two that steal the show areSatoko and Rikka. Their role in the story is absolutely brilliant. I related to both Sakoto and Rikka’s situation on a relationship level,and since the harshness of both those things created such a huge conflict in the second half, I completely fell in love with the story at that point..
Everyone else is kinda background noise.They do have their moments,but since the show resets their characters after each arc, I forget more and more about them.And in the second half, the show just stops focusing on Keiichi ,Rena,and Mion/Shion almost entirely.I might be in luck because the next season might deal more with them though.I think a case where a minor character shines, is the second to last episode.AKA the episode that almost made me cry.I don't know if it's just me being a human and having emotions, or how well written the story was at that point. But Higurashi came out of nowhere after experience so much gore and crying and death,and then just gut punches me so hard emotionally faster than I can say “Banana Fish”.At that point in the story it felt like everything just hit me on how fucked up this town and people were.

ENJOYMENT
It may be me who knows, I have some pretty questionable tastes i know.But i enjoyed this show so much.It wasn't a constant enjoyment,some episodes where hits and others were duds for sure.And also i think people will still be turned off about where this story takes place in the timeline.Since everyone thought it was a remake and then an interview confirmed it...wasnt that.. But there are adapted moments in this show that feels like it is a rema-its confusing.I think some of the marketing should have been a bit more clear on what the hell this anime is.And telling by the score on MAL it has right now,i can tell its a bit divisive.But hell, i had fun.I anticipated each episode,and always wanted more.It sucks that the first half was a bit dragged out, because the second half was just awesome.And it makes me want to almost go back to the original and rewatch those.

Overall-7
If you are wondering if this is a sequel or not,don't,because i watched the original a long time ago, and...uh I still can't determine if its a sequel or remake.There are scenes in this show that are similar to the original but there are also different plot lines entirely.I think the best thing is to just fuck it and go in blind.And if you feel like youre missing some context ,go watch the original.
Hopefully season 2 adds more context though.