Synopsis: Higurashi WHEN THEY CRY: Abducted by Demons Arc

In the summer of 1983, Keiichi Maebara and his family leave the noisy city for the tranquil town of Hinamizawa. There, he befriends Satoko Houjou, Rika Furude, Rena Ryuuguu, and Mion Sonozaki, who become his loyal group of friends. As they spend their days enjoying carefree fun, Keiichi gradually realizes that things in Hinamizawa are not what they seem. While attending the Cotton Drifting Festival, Keiichi discovers that the town has been plagued by murders and disappearances in the aftermath of the celebration. The locals attribute it to the "Oyashiro's Curse," which claims that anyone who angers the town's patron god will be cursed with death or disappearance. Initially, Keiichi dismisses it as a scary myth aimed at disciplining naughty children. However, when his friends refuse to speak about the strange occurrences in the village and a murder and disappearance happen after the festival, Keiichi starts to suspect his new friends' involvement in the gruesome events. He fears he may be the next victim of the mysterious vindictive force.