New Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Anime Project Announced

Japanese visual novel developer 07th Expansion has announced that a new Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (Higurashi When They Cry) anime project is in production. Along with the announcement, the first key visual and promotional video was released.

Higurashi-no-Naku-Koro-ni-2020-Anime-Project-Visual

Here is the announcement PV:

The first details for the staff producing the new project were also revealed and are as follows:

Anime Character Designer: Akio Watanabe (Bakemonogatari, The World God Only Knows)
Animation Studio: Passione (Rokka no Yuusha, Citrus)

Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (Higurashi When They Cry) is a mystery, horror sound novel series developed by 07th Expansion, a small doujin circle of developers. The first game in the series released in 2002 at Comiket for the PC with each subsequent game releasing in the following years till 2006. Each game featured a different scenario in an overarching plot. The game was eventually ported to the PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS and even on Android and IOS devices. The series gained a large following and sold over 500,000 copies, with a manga and light novel adaptation in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Also in 2006 was an anime adaptation produced by Studio Deen (Fate/Stay night, Rurouni Kenshin) and directed by Chiaki Kon (Golden Time, Junjou Romantica). The anime was then followed up a sequel season and numerous OVAs. Additionally, two live action films were released in 2008 and 2009. A sequel sound novel was released in 2014.

Here is a synopsis of the series from MAL:

After moving into the quiet town of Hinamizawa, Maebara Keiichi spends his days blissfully in school often playing games with his local friends. However, appearances can be deceiving. One fateful day, Keiichi stumbles upon news of a murder that had occurred in Hinamizawa. From this point on, horrific events unfold in front of Keiichi, as he soon learns his close friends may not be all that they seem. Based on the amateur mystery game by 07th Expansion, the story is told in a series of different scenarios.