>>49549426
>satorika is still one of the main themes
Never in question, you're retreating to it being a theme is funny.
>satorika was clearly intended in Meguri
Whatever the original intention was, aren't you arguing about the result? The direction, the end point. I would think Meguri course correcting it's ending means a lot. It shows even Tomato who has nothing against that ship as show by his twitter art realizes how badly it's written in Sotsu.
>direction of modern higurashi
Now this is speculation but we can try and break it down.
What's happened since the anime shitshow? 1. Ryu who is always sensitive to fan perception has to write a cope and justification in Hou+ outlining how "it's just Satoko getting the gunk out of her heart" in the character wrap up style, as they try to downplay the murder rampage she went on.
2. Reiwa introduces a future scenario with no /u/ in play at all.
3. Mei finishes up and though it had been following the anime closely it changes the ending as mentioned before. What do you think the reason for this was?
4. Ryu continues to delay Ciconia and writes some NTR story about a bunnygirl (he's gone off the deepend)
5. The gacha end of services after a few years. While there were plenty of what if stories and crossovers in the gacha, some /u/ (playing off the anime), many not, the main story had absolutely no satorika. Goodnight sweet gacha

Now what direction exactly are you talking about? The theme of Sotsu oh yeah. That's no direction, that's a single point on a graph buddy. And again you're only content to argue about canon, you don't give a shit about quality or character. That's all you are, a fetishist.