As the release of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni: Sotsu draws nearer, fans are becoming increasingly excited to learn more about Satoko Hojo. In previous entries of Higurashi, Satoko is portrayed as a mischievous, tough-as-nails orphan trying to make her way in the world. She prides herself on being independent but hides a tragic past that explains the reason why she had to become so self-sufficient.

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In other words, Satoko was a great supporting character to her best friend, Rika Furude... which is why fans are perplexed to see Satoko treat Rika so poorly in Higurashi: Gou. Sotsu is sure to offer more insight into Satoko's current behavior so it's worth looking into the nitty-gritty of her background to get the clearest picture.

10 She's Both A Protagonist & Antagonist

higurashi gou satoko and rika

Satoko's history in the Higurashi franchise has been primarily as a supporting character and protagonist, but all that changed with Higurashi: Gou. Initially, she starts out as the same supportive best friend that Rika knows her to be, but Satoko ultimately felt abandoned and betrayed by the end of the series. And instead of having a healthy discussion with Rika, she chose to focus on her resentment and feelings of betrayal. On top of everything, Satoko also thought it would be best to change Rika's mind instead of coming to a mutual understanding.

9 Satoshi Is The Only Family Member She Can Trust

higurashi gou satoshi and satoko

The Higurashi anime doesn't go too deep into Satoko's abusive past, so it's not entirely clear what her family situation is. It turns out that Satoko's mother often divorced and remarried and Satoko couldn't understand why. She also didn't have a very close relationship with her mother to begin with, so the fact that she often remarried created more friction. Satoko wasn't able to adjust to her stepfathers either. Meanwhile, Satoshi was always supportive and protective of Satoko, so she ultimately felt that he was the only trustworthy family figure in her life.

8 Playing Pranks & Setting Traps Started With Her Stepfathers

higurashi satoko

Since Satoko couldn't adjust to any of her mother's new partners, Satoko often took things into her own hands to scare them off. One of her pranks ended quite seriously, as she filed a false abuse report against one of her stepfathers. Unfortunately, this false claim worked against her in the long run, as law enforcement would become skeptical of Satoko's claims. This makes it difficult for her to escape her abusive situation with her uncle Teppei. Even when an abuse claim was brought against Teppei, he ensured that there was no physical evidence, and child protective services grew more suspicious of Satoko.

7 She Has Hinamizawa Syndrome

satoko at the end of higurashi gou

This is another detail that the anime is a bit foggy on, and it's presented in such a way that viewers are left to assume she has the illness rather than it being a fact stated outright. It's obvious that she's got some sort of illness since she frequents the Irie Clinic, but it's usually shown as a regular checkup to make sure she's healthy and dealing with stress appropriately.

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It's important for Satoko to be monitored regularly, as stress aggravates Hinamizawa Syndrome and leads to Level 5 symptoms.

6 She Killed Her Parents

higurashi gou satoko

It's stated that Mr. and Mrs. Hojo fell to their deaths from a cliffside and only Mr. Hojo's body was recovered, giving credence to Oyashiro-sama's curse. In truth, Satoko was convinced that her parents hated her and felt they'd be better off without her. She feared that they brought her to the cliffside to kill her, and she pushed them from the cliff in perceived self-defense. This incident made it obvious to Dr. Irie that Satoko suffered from Hinamizawa Syndrome, as she was exhibiting Level 5 symptoms. Level 5 Hinamizawa Syndrome presents itself as severe paranoia, distrust, and a propensity for violence in response to the paranoia.

5 She Was Almost Killed To Further Research On Hinamizawa Syndrome, But Dr. Irie Saved Her

Kyosuke Irie hirugashi

Satoko was hospitalized at the Irie Clinic after the incident with her parents because she was suffering from dangerous levels of Hinamizawa Syndrome. At this time, there was no cure, and Satoko was almost sacrificed for scientific research into the illness. Luckily, Dr. Irie managed to formulate C-103, a medicine that decreases levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol hormone levels. These hormones are dangerously high in Levels 3 to 5 of Hinamizawa Syndrome, so regular use of the medicine kept Satoko's serious symptoms at bay while Irie plugged away at a cure.

4 She's Not As Helpless As She Pretends To Be

Satoko is speaking to Eua in Higurashi Gou

One of Satoko's prevalent character traits is her mischievousness, which leads her to be deceptive. She frequently uses this to her advantage, as evidenced when she cries to Rena that Keiichi is bullying her, resulting in Rena giving him a whack.

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And in the Atonement Chapter, Satoko is surprisingly knowledgeable of the school's landscape, which helps the main characters rescue the students that Rena is holding hostage. In fact, Satoko's penchant for setting traps pretty much requires that she have a sharp and analytical mind.

3 Keiichi's Resemblance To Satoshi Occasionally Triggers A Trauma Response

keiichi and satoko higurashi gou

Fans likely remember the scene in the Curse Killing Chapter where Satoko reacts poorly to Keiichi trying to pat her head. Although it can be surmised that she was imagining Teppei grabbing her hair at that moment, it's also possible that Keiichi’s kindness reminded her of Satoshi and, subsequently, Teppei's abuse. Satoko is often conflicted over her relationship with Keiichi since it's so close to the relationship she has with Satoshi but she's aware that Keiichi is no replacement for her brother. She's also aware that she can't cling to him because that's what she believes took Satoshi away from her.

2 She Was Once Cruelly Antagonistic To Rika

satoko smug crop

That's right. Even before Higurashi: Gou, there was a timeline where Satoko was cruel to Rika. Fortunately, it was only in the Dice Killing Chapter, which has no bearing on any other aspect of the series. The Hinamizawa in this Chapter is one where everything is perfect for everyone except for Rika. It's a Hinamizawa where the dam wars were settled peacefully, no one died from Oyashiro-sama's curse, and everyone was living happily. Since Satoko's family never fell apart and Rika's parents never died, Satoko never got the opportunity to become close with Rika and instead becomes her bully.

1 It's Heavily Implied That She Will Become Lambdadelta

lambdadelta and satoko from umineko and higurashi

Lambdadelta is a character from Higurashi's successor series, Umineko no Naku Koro ni. She's the Witch of Certainty and can ensure someone's victory if she favors them. There's a lot of crossover traits between Lambdadelta and Satoko, and with Higurashi: Gou giving Satoko the newfound ability to loop, it's possible that she created a logic error. Logic errors are conditions that break the current world's rules and need to be fixed or the world will be destroyed. Lambdadelta was once a human who was stuck in a logic error. Solving the logic error made her a witch.

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