This will be long, but I will prove that Ryukishi07 is a genius decades ahead of his time.
Let me start by saying the entire Higurashi series can be fully explained without the use of any supernatural aspects or magic. Instead, I’ll explain it with bleeding-edge science. I don’t have anything against the supernatural existing in Higurashi or in real life, but the fact is, as illustrated in Umineko, what is supernatural to primitive human tribes in 2016 is not magic at all to people using the internet in 2016.
Concerning Higu Outbreak: Hanyuu is, in fact, literally, a virus.
First of all, you need to remove your brainwashing when it comes to viruses. The goal of a virus is to maintain health and balance within ecosystems and to enhance whatever it infects - not to sicken or kill. A virus that kills, sickens or paralyzes its host is an evolutionary failure, and this is why viruses always become less deadly and more contagious within a specific host population over time. Over 99% of all viruses are either totally harmless to you, or benefit you by making you live longer, enhancing you immune system, fighting off diseases, and so on. Infectious disease is the main engine of evolution.
Humans have both a biome (diverse array of parasites and bacteria, or anything that is alive, living on and inside them) and a virome (a diverse array of viruses living on and inside them). Countless elements of your own biome and virome are always in direct competition. In fact, the biome and virome in your body sends chemicals to your brain which make you eat food, or make you do whatever will benefit them. In other words, they can control your actions. Many humans are too closed-minded to accept any of this, and I stand with Takano because humans really need a wake-up call. In addition, mind-viruses are the same exact thing, except based on memes (pure information) instead of genes (nucleic acid-based information aka DNA).
Let us be perfectly honest here: reality is based on information, so whether it is a catchy commercial song in your head, or a a famous phrase you use all the time, or your our DNA, or an internet meme, or the DNA of a parasite, or the information structure that makes ‘you’ you, or the universe the universe, or a chair a chair, it is all just information at base. As such, all elements of existence, on every scale, are contagious and influence each other to one degree or another. Viruses such as beliefs, culture, customs, religions, and bigotry literally do divide the world.
By numbers, biological viruses account for over 90% of everything that exists on Earth. Large portions of human DNA we think of as “junk DNA” are actually segments viral DNA that protect us from cancers, keep us healthy, and enhance the immune system. There is not a single form of life on Earth that isn’t infected with viruses.
Long ago, there was an ancient virus which formed a symbiotic relationship with other very simple forms of pre-life. Today, we call this ancient virus the cell nucleus, and it is in every cell your body, and in every cell of every animal. This is the theory of viral eukaryogenesis, which explains how life emerged. Chances are you haven’t heard of this for the same reason Takano was isolated from the scientific community and mocked for her theories: it makes humans, especially humans who claim to be rational-minded, very uncomfortable.
Instead of thinking of Hanyuu as some supernatural being, it is better to think of her as a possible step in the future of human evolution.
Hinamizawa Syndrome has countless parallels with schizophrenia (the only difference being schizophrenics generally don’t kill other humans), which itself is best explained with infection theory. Babies conceived during viral outbreak always have a much higher risk of mental illnesses than the rest of the population. If you don’t think infectious disease plays a major role in the human brain and human behavior, take a look at what is going on right now with the Zika virus. Even though a lot of Zika babies with obvious deformities will be aborted, the humans born seemingly healthy are going to be at a much higher risk for autism, schizophrenia, and other such illnesses.
In Higurashi Outbreak, Hanyuu says… [spoiler] it would have taken much longer for her and her tribe to ‘accept’ Earth. She says that Hinamizawa was supposed to be an egg shell to protect the growth of something (a virus which would benefit humanity without harming it) until it was ready to hatch. Rika says this shell was broken. If I had to guess, I would say that Hanyuu is an evolved alien virus from another universe who intentionally picked Hinamizawa as a beachhead to adapt to Earth and eventually propagate itself all over the universe. I think when she says she can’t stop her brethren, she is talking about humans who “became one,” or formed a beneficial relationship with her, the mother/progenitor virus. These humans are no longer bound to Earth or the universe because they took on abilities and knowledge similar to that of Hanyuu, whereas the vast majority of humanity had genetics which hindered the instant or speedy development of such a symbiotic relationship.
As for all of Hanyuu’s “god” powers, they only appear to be fantasy or supernatural to those who don’t understand that existence itself is just a 2-dimensional information construct as suggested by concepts like string theory and the fact that reality is pixelated. In other words, as long as you know how to manipulate the base information structure of reality (like a video game programmer manipulates the code of a game to allow a character to stop a bullet, teleport between worlds, be invisible, fly, or phase through walls), anything goes. A highly evolved being could have all of these abilities and more without defying the laws of nature. If you want me to explain how worship or belief in her enhances her powers, you have to remember that even beliefs, opinions and thoughts are information structures that can have an impact on the real world because reality is made out of the same thing as thoughts: information.[/spoiler]
This level of reasoning is possible for Furudo Erika.