Discussion topic for Rena Ryuuguu. Feel free to discuss the entirety of Higurashi without [spoiler] tags, but please tag references to outside works, providing adequate context in parenthesis. This topic will contain massive spoilers, so if you have not finished reading Higurashi yourself proceed with caution.
One of the things I’ve always wondering about Rena is what triggered her attack on those three boys. I know she had Hinamizawa syndrome, but there still should have been a more concrete reason. Was she scared for some reason? Angry? I know attempted rape is a common fan theory, but I don’t know.
It’s explained in one of the side arcs in one of the Alchemist ports of Higurashi, but Rena’s friend from Ibaraki (the blue haired twintails girl) essentially confirms that Rena’s male friends intended to sexually assault Rena. http://whentheycry.wikia.com/wiki/Tokihogushi-hen
It was supposed to be implied in the game, but that arc confirms it (and it’s why the boys didn’t press charges, it’d be stupid for them to sue Rena when the reason she snapped was that they tried to rape her, along with having a lot of her problems bottled up.)
Well, actually, I’ve read Tokihogushi-hen, but I don’t remember it saying that Rena was almost raped. From what I recall, the cause of Rena’s attack was left just as much a mystery as in the main series.
You’re right that that would explain why they didn’t press charges, though.
Because as much as they would be scared of Rena, I doubt they’d be scared of a curse or her coming back to finish the job.
I do wonder, when was it that Rena broke the windows in her Ibaraki school? Was it before she attacked the boys with the bat, after, or during the incident? Was it ever stated when in canon?
I think Oishi said at some point that Rena broke the windows after she attacked the boys
Thank you! Higurashi’s event of timelines gets confusing with the past events (especially with a lot of conflicting info like with Hanyuu or things not clarified of between stuff like from the Sonozaki permanent switch to Shion getting sent away). At least now we have a good idea on Rena’s history.
Rena is insane and cool. But in Kai, She wasn’t that person anymore. 
I have not read all of the extra arcs for Higurashi but Rena has been my favorite. I admit, I basically decided she was Best Higurashi Girl in the question arcs, and nothing in particular happened in the answer arcs to make me back off of that, but if I had experienced Higurashi more rapid fire I wonder if I would like Shion better? When I first watched the Higurashi anime I shipped her and Keiichi and drew fanart that will never see the light of day.
I liked Rena because after Onikakushi she felt like the greatest mystery for me. You leave the chapter clearly knowing that there is more to her than the happy and cute seeking bento master - dhe seemed, in her own unique way, devoted to Keiichi and her friends, and unlike Rika and Mion did not have political power in Hinamizawa and was not shunned like Satoko so how she fit into the Oyashiro conspiracy was one of my biggest questions. She is kind of the character who would most make me think that the “curse” explanation is plausible - though I never really thought there was a curse.
Random additional note: The first time I tried sewing I was trying to sew a dress like Rena’s white casual dress.
Ah, the most popular one from Higurashi, I have a neutral attitude towards Rena actually.
At first when I watched Onikakushi, I didn’t really like her, I found her too… obsessive and pushy about her Oyashiro obsession and everything and I didn’t like her cute and psycho personality, though I found her mysterious aura a little interesting. Though with the series progressing and seeing her more devoted and caring side towards her friends I came to appreciate her more. Then after finishing Tsumihoroboshi, which I really liked and was very well executed, I started liking her a little and liking her storyline too, of course. But, cause I didn’t really like her at the beginning and even though I appreciated her more afterwards, she didn’t make that much of an impact on me, so unfortunately for you Rena-adoring-ones, I’m remaining neutral to her.
One thing I would have liked to see would be Onikakushi from Rena’s POV. It would probably be depressing as hell, but I think it would be interesting. Maybe it could show the events leading up to it as well, a bit like in Meakashi, with a better look at Rena’s past and maybe the mood at the school before Satoshi disappeared (when you think about it, the only glimpse we got of that was that single time Shion visited the school disguised as Mion in Meakashi).
reminds me that there is that fanmade video, I always really loved a lot.
Rena’s point of view - Onikakushi-hen