Holy crap… this series really seems to just get better and better over time. This episode not only was a major step up when compared to the first episodes of the first and second arc, but it was also much more solid, composed and the voice acting was also better than ever. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but I really hope that the creators can keep this up.
This episode featured a slightly new op with a bunch of new scenes here and there (nicely shaded, by the way), and it starts out again with a bit of background for the characters Beatrice and Eva. It tells something about the supposed nature of magic (very creative, I must say), and it shows how Eva seems to have created an imaginary friend in her attempts to stand out as a woman in the Ushinomiya family, especially discriminated upon by Krauss and Kinzou.
Speaking of Kinzou, this guy’s an asshole. He isn’t the least bit subtle about his wishes to marry off Eva for his own happiness, is he? Still, in this arc we should probably see a different version of Eva: in the first arc she didn’t have to struggle a lot, because everyone else entitled to her father’s inheritance was presumed dead, and in the second arc she was dead herself. My suspicion is that she, along with some other heir, is going to survive the first slaughter, which should give her character a different dimension.
This episode also destroys the theory that Beatrice herself was the culprit: she’s dead. Rosa killed her. I guess that that’s why she was so paranoid in the previous arc: someone she believed to be dead suddenly appeared. Of course she’d start doubting everyone and his dog. Still, we have no proof yet that there wasn’t a twentieth person on the island, because Beatrice also refused to red text that the minimum of people on the island is twenty. This final mystery person could prove the key to how the killer was able to move around and arrive at the right time to kill everyone. I’m beginning to suspect that the murders weren’t all committed by the same person; it’s either a bunch of accomplices, or two people are killing people on their own with different motives.
And the nature of that meta world indeed is starting to look like a world in which dead people gather. With this, Beatrice’s motive may actually be that she wishes to return to the realm of the living, and there’s this link between her and Rosa that seems hold a key clue to solving this mystery.
Oh and as usual, please try to refrain from mentioning what happens in the visual novel after this point, for the sake of those who haven’t read it.
Rating: ** (Excellent)]]>
Umineko no Naku Koro ni – 12
Wow… That really was a huge step up. I’m looking forward to episode 13!
Glad to see you liked it. EP 3 is probably one my favorite arcs and that of many others, because you get more of a feel for the general mystery and characters than you did in EP 1 or 2.
Hmmm… I’ve just recently started reading the VN and I must say, while novel is in fact superior, this episode turned out quite nicely. Still somewhat little bit rushed, but that’s inevitable – we’ve got about 12 episodes more and the material in the VN up to 2nd twilight alone looks like it could fill at least 4 episodes. Expect some quality omgwtflol!? moments soon.
What I didn’t really like is the fact that art sucked more than usually.
i really liked the new OP. what did you think of it, psgels? not sure how much has been spoiled for you (hopefully none) so maybe you can offer an opinion of it (such as the painting change).
Finally a good Umineko episode… Should have been like this right off the bat, stuff actually makes sense
Now if only they would drop the cheesy evil faces *sigh
Hey, I wasn’t kidding when I said this episode looked interesting. đ
Now that the translation is out it’s even more intriguing.
The new arc seems to be centered on Eva, so perhaps she’ll end up in Rosa’s position this time? That seems like a valid guess right now.
The new scenes in the OP were nice to look at and although there’s evidently a lot of foreshadowing going on…I’d rather not speculate too much. However, there’s one fairly obvious conclusion that can be made after looking at it, because something seems too much of a coincidence for me. We’ll see how that goes.
Regarding the actual content of the episode, the way they introduced the nature of magic in this show does seem to give more urgency to Beatrice’s goal of getting Battler & co. to believe she’s the person responsible for the murders, when the truth might well be that she’s not.
That twist at the end was quite surprising, if appropriate. I’ve also thought there was more than one person involved in the murders, particularly during the previous arc, so for the time being this is all working out quite nicely given the possibility of adding at least one more person to the cast.
Diedrupo: I think that that new person on the portrait is either another witch, or that twentieth person on the island. I’m not sure where the witch Bernkastel comes into play though. The op indeed seems to be foreshadowing some duel between her and Beatrice, but if she’s a witch who can make anything happen as long as the chance isn’t zero, then I really wonder what she’s trying to gain from such a small island.
I just marathoned the series up to this point, and I have to say… I’m clueless. First, I don’t understand how can Batler doubt Beatrice’s magic when she ressurected him in a different reality outside of space and time. Isn’t it a given that a little magic is involved? The only explanation other then that will be that those are Battler’s delusions, there is no Beatrice, and he is in a battle with himself.
Second thing I don’t get – why is it a given that everything Beatrice says in red is fact? Couldn’t she have lied to Battler and to us about it, just to mess with him?
Sorry, those questions are probably pretty dumb, maybe I just don’t understand because I watched the episodes one after another and didn’t have time to think too deeply about what happened…
Grhasha: I think the point is, precisely, that there’s more going on than just accepting the existence of magic without questioning it.
There probably is a logical explanation for murders and magic must be either fake or representing something else, such as distractions and illusions that need the power of belief to become real.
If Beatrice is lying while using the red is something we don’t know, there could be such a twist in the unknown future, but I think it’s better to assume there are loop holes in it such as what Battler has tried to exploit.
“Meta-Battler” is about as alive as the cat in the Box. Magic is possible as long as there is belief – this is why Beatrice has to Convince him. She only has influence as far as Battler can´t provide explanations and/or proof – this explains the situation last episode where Battler “surrendered”.
Red has to be a fact because otherwise any event could be handwaved with “you made that up/hallucination/etc.” – especially with the track record from Higurashi. It´s used to convince Battler and more importantly the audience aka us. You can imagine “Meta-Battler” as some kind of Representation of the audience so that Beatrice aka the author can directly adress “us”. Half the fun with Higurashi/Umineko is the discussion about it after all. This will become REALLY apparent this round since they start cashing in with some of the bigger setups.
If the red wasn´t true the whole narrative would collapse and even worse it´d be really lame.
I luv the new opening too.
@Grahasha: It should be explained- the point of the game isn’t for Battler to disprove magic, just disprove that the culprit was a witch (Beatrice) using magic and everything was all done by human means.
Also, Beatrice gains nothing from messing with Battler and the red text. What if it turns out to be a lie? Then what? It’s not like he’ll go and accept her – he’ll just deny her forever and nothing changes. The point of the red is to challenge Battler and that if he cannot come up for a plausible human means for the murder to occur then it’s pretty much game over. Just as Beato said during EP 2 (the 2nd episode of that arc I believe) – red text is to give him some sort of crutch to help him make theories, but can easily be the sword that cuts him in the end because if he cannot explain something or figure it out then he has nowhere to run to – especially not his ‘lalalalalamagicnotrealalalalala’ stuff.
I’m glad they’re on to a new arc. The last one was not going very well for me..
I must say, after I read a few small spoilers, which I wont post, I was really excited for some of the things that I think may happen during this arc. Hopefully it’ll be good. I have high hopes.
The thing that bugs me about Umineko is the way information is being given during the arcs. I remember what I really liked about Higurashi was that each arc brought new revelations, and they intertwined together as the series went on. I don’t think I see that in Umineko, and if anything it seems like it’s contradicting itself. I mean, -suddenly- Rosa says that she killed Beato? But, I suppose it could be just because they’re all different scenarios, so different things happen. Maybe I just need to rewatch the past two arcs..
Loving this new arc, especially with the somewhat modified OP. More characters are shown such as the Beatrice’s minions and the witches. Battler seems to be getting the hang of things.
Grhasha, instead of a story to be taken literally, think of this as a puzzle or riddle to be solved. Things like “Meta-Battler” (the Battler who sits in that parlour with Beatrice and discusses things, the one I think you meant when you said Beatrice ressurected him) and the red text as fictional devices, written into the rules of the puzzle, in order to give structure to the game. In effect, those parts of the story might be considered the gameboard and rules, while the various scenarios taking place on the island are rounds of the game being played.
The object of the game is to find some human/logical means by which the murders could have taken place. And if possible, to prove it wasn’t any of the family members or servants.
If you take Umineko too literally, it’s pretty weak, but understood as a mind game, where none of the characters or plot devices should be viewed as real people or events, it is incredibly fun and clever.
@Pafiume:
I donât think I see that in Umineko, and if anything it seems like itâs contradicting itself. I mean, -suddenly- Rosa says that she killed Beato?
Well, this is the conference of the adults in the late night, which was not shown to us in the first two arcs. Maybe Rosa told them about that in those two arcs too, just we didn’t see it.
Just wanted to say thanks for those who replied and answered my questions. Now after you explained it, it does make sense.
This episode was just awesome in every way! We learn more about the characters Eva, whose motivations were not so clearly defined, and also Beatrice herself, just a a simple human being but who succeded in becoming the most powerful witch, which shapes her character with more subtility, up till now she was just the cruel witch, who enjoys playing with the characters’s fate.
I think the Red Text also goes back to what Maria said in ep10 about the nature of magic. Risk is necessary and once you set the rules you have to play by them. Beatrice can compel Battler to acknowledge the truth when she speaks it, but can’t use it to cover a lie. Without that weak point the Red would be powerless.
Maybe Rosa thinking that she had killed Beatrice is what made the devil’s proof of Beatrice being a witch possible in the previous arc. Someone coming back from the dead would be pretty impressive …
@9.Grhasha, Beatrice isn’t lying when using read, beacuse is impossible to use red for a lie, but, she’s not bound to give ALL the information in that sentence, you have to pay attention to ”what is not said in red”.
Finally can see the reunion of the adults before the first slaughter that wasn’t shown in the first arc. Although the mystery of the letter and the umbrella will remain unsolved (by the looks of it Maria should have taken them from a 19th person cause she would have recognised any of the other 18 or she’s a great liar). Battler really seems to have finally leveled up and I’ve just learned what a gambit is. Interesting that they say Shanon has a great memory now that I think about it… Well, hope it gets even better.
you know, i think i discovered something really important just now..
the first letter Maria gave at dinner , it was thought to be the real thing because of the seal?
But just now, Beatrice already gave the letter to Maria, BEFORE she received the ring.
doesn’t that mean that the letter is written by kinzo himself…?