In the summer of Showa 58, the clamor of cicadas during the day and the chorus of evening cicadas seemed to welcome the early summer of June, echoing throughout Hinamizawa. Hinamizawa is a remote, impoverished village deep in the mountains, far from the city. In this village of fewer than 2,000 residents, a boy named Keiichi Maebara recently moved from the city. With his cheerful and sociable personality, Keiichi quickly blended in with his classmates at school. His closest friends include the caring Rena, the class representative and natural leader Mion, the skilled soccer player and younger student Satoko, and the mysterious atmosphere-bringer Rika, the daughter of the Furude Shrine... He spent his days in these trivial, everyday moments, believing they would last forever. The annual festival held in June—Watanagashi—yes, that day should have been a joyful one too. However, after learning a certain mystery about Hinamizawa, everything changed... On the day of the festival, tragedy struck once again. Every year, it is said that one person dies and another goes missing. The truth behind the series of mysterious deaths that began several years ago—what is it? Who is the culprit? Driven by curiosity, Keiichi stepped into the darkness of the village. From that day on, subtle yet unmistakable changes began to occur around Keiichi. Yes, everything... Only the chirping of the evening cicadas remained unchanged, heralding the arrival of early summer in Hinamizawa.