Finally at Higurashi again, mid-episode two, past the portion of anxious Maebara-like frozen terror when Maebara sees Shion and Mion at the same time.
Think I started in part VII? After the Watanagashi festival.
I have a distinct feeling that Shion is impersonating Mion at the moment. She's not sick, she's tired from running from her house in Okinomiya to meet with Rena and Keiichi, and she's leaving early to get back to Okinomiya where she'll be tired again when Keiichi comes over about the library. I'm not sure why yet. Did Mion disappear? Is Mion the one burned half naked with a dental match for someone else? Is Mion the almost unidentifiable burned one??? IS THAT WHY EVERY EPISODE OF UMINEKO HAS GREAT EXTENSIVE DETAIL ABOUT HOW KINZO IS DEFINITELY THE CORPSE IN THE FURNACE AND THAT HE HAS SIX TOES? BECAUSE HIGURASHI PULLED THIS SHIT FIRST? Makes sense to me.
Sonozaki-clan is Yakuza-like creeps me out, but the way the village surrounded Keiichi's bully was terrifying in a silent mafia way.
Going by the Shion-as-Mion, testing Keiichi out with questions about the night before, was that Shion calling Kimiyoshi in the tip about the search for the mayor? She used Mion's/Oryou's authority to conduct that search and said she would be there in her Nana's stead. So her Nana wouldn't really be doing anything about the search for the mayor? Why? Is this a power play?
There hasn't been much of Rena, Satoko, or Rika this chapter.
As for Umineko commentary, I forgot how the change from the wedding to the mystery went and I'm glad for it! You've got Arria steered on the right track. I was still completely lost on the Shkanon at this point and thought Kanon was just a badass again. I still think I can solve this closed room WITHOUT Kanon's appearance though.
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"In my headcanon, some staffer saw Trump pull out his phone and start typing so they just Terry Tate Office Linebacker'd him out of his shoes." - FFD