Hinako in Silent Hill f Directly References When They Cry Series, Confirms Ryukishi07
It seems Silent Hill f is not only about Japanese horror atmosphere. Recently, a revealing detail has caught the attention of hardcore fans: Ryukishi07, the legendary scriptwriter, personally confirmed that the character Hinako in the game was designed to directly reference his iconic When They Cry series, the work that cemented his name in the world of games and visual novels.
Silent Hill f and the Shadows of When They Cry Hidden in Hinako’s Name
The topic surfaced from a highly popular stream of Silent Hill f in Japan. Konatsu Kato, the game’s lead voice actor, played the game with such intensity that the clip went viral. This led the development team, other voice actors, and even Ryukishi07 to try streaming the game themselves on YouTube. During the livestream, he shared behind-the-scenes development stories, scrapped ideas, and little-known trivia that fans had never learned before.
One of the most talked-about points was the confirmation that “Hinako” directly references Umineko: When They Cry. Ryukishi07 explained that the character names Hinako, Rinko, and Sakuko come from the nicknames of Jessica’s friends in Umineko: Hina, Rin, and Saku, appearing in Episode 2 of the series. He added that these names were originally just placeholders during scriptwriting, meant to be replaced later with “cooler” names. However, they ended up being used all the way through to the final version of the game without realizing it.
Additionally, Ryukishi07 and the team admitted that Silent Hill f draws more from the When They Cry series than what appears in the game. In an interview with Dengeki Online, game director Al Yang revealed that they initially considered giving Hinako the signature cleaver of Rena Ryugu from Higurashi: When They Cry, but the idea was ultimately cut because every element in Silent Hill needs to have narrative meaning and justification.
About Silent Hill f
Silent Hill f is the latest psychological survival horror game set in the 1960s. The story follows a high school girl named Hinako who discovers that her hometown, Ebizukaoka, is shrouded in a mysterious fog. Strange, nightmare-like creatures keep appearing, and she must find a way to escape while confronting these monsters and unraveling the city’s inexplicable mysteries.
Fans of horror and classic visual novel references now have even more reason to explore the game’s depths, as subtle nods to Ryukishi07’s legendary series are hidden in plain sight, adding layers of intrigue for attentive players.
Source: Automaton
