Rena Ryuugu

Rena Ryuugu's History

Rena ryuugu is one of the main characters in the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni series who acts as the protagonist of Tsumihorobo-hen and the antagonist of Tsukioto-hen, Onikaku-hen, and Onidama-hen. Rena is a signature character as she is featured more than once during the first anime season-opening, as well as appearing on most of the album and game covers. She appears in much of Higurashi's official art and even serves as something of a mascot for 07th Expansion.

Rena has an obsession with all things cute. In what the others call her "Cute Mode" (かぁいい・Kāii), she often tries to take such things home in her Take Home (お持ち帰り・omochikaeri) Mode even if they do not belong to her. Such things include the "Kenta-kun" doll, Furude Rika, Hanyū, Satoko, and any of the club members in cute punishment game outfits. She spends much of her time "treasure hunting" at the town's trash heap in search of cute things which often appeal only to her. In the trash heap, Rena has a secret base consisting of an old van she has filled with things she likes to which she retreats when distressed. Nevertheless, according to Mion, while Rena might seem cute herself, people should be careful not to anger her as she can become quite scary. Keiichi discovers this in an infamous scene in the Sound Novels, manga, and anime where she suddenly screams "Lie (嘘だ・うそだ・usoda)!"

Rena's parents are fashion designers. While she was born in Hinamizawa, her family soon moved away to Ibaraki for the sake of her mother's advancing career, and she used her given first name "Reina (礼奈)." Her mother starts an affair with a co-worker. While Rena meets him and found him agreeable, she does not understand her mother's relationship with him until her mother asks her to come away with her to start a new family when she reveals that she is pregnant with the man's child. Rena refuses even though her mother threatens to never see her again. Rena's father is devastated, and Rena blames herself for not recognizing her mother's affair.

Rejecting her position as her mother's daughter, she begins to insist on being called "Rena" instead of "Reina."[1] According to the Tsumihorobo-hen TIPS the removal of the "i" in her name was to "remove the icky things" (いやなこと・iyana koto), though later she realizes that "the 'incredible things' (いいこと・ii koto) also start with an 'i'." She remains very loyal to her father, and as revealed in Tsumihorobo-hen, she will go to violent lengths to protect him. She is very sensitive about the topic of Oyashiro-sama, who she believes cursed her for leaving Hinamizawa. She cuts herself trying to get rid of the "filthy blood" left in her by her mother that she imagines is filled with maggots.