Conflict and Negotiation between Characters and Social Values in Contemporary Japanese Time-loop Comics: A Case Study of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

Abstract

Time-loop is a plot device widely used in Japanese comic after the 2000.  Higurashi no Naku koro ni is one of the successful Time-loop comics which was adapted to cinema, animation and video Games. This article aims to analyse the conflict and negotiation between character and Japanese social values through Time-loop plot device, which the protagonist has to travel back into the past and experience the same situation in the same space and time repeatedly. From the study, the cycle of tragedy resulted from collectivism which makes people become unity by discriminating the others. The sense of collectivism is the cultural heritage from the village system in pre-modern era. Moreover, time-loop also represents the process that characters interact with this social value in order to find the solution for the conflict.