Oh wow, now this is indeed more like it. Talk about an intriguing episodes after the rather boring past three episodes. This episode returned Umineko where it’s good at: mind-numbing mystery. How the heck are the creators going to write themselves out of this? It’s a bloody shame that we have to wait for more than a year to get to see those answers animated.
The biggest question mark of this episode was obviously George becoming the demon king. While I have no idea what that meant, he now also has his own magical powers (a shield, which is something which he somehow learned from his mother, who I guess knows martial arts…), with which he pwned Gaap in this episode.
We still follow Ange as well, and the mystery gets yet another extra dimension: all of the children of the people who died on Rokkenjima received a key to a lot of cash, presumably the Ushinomiya family fortune. If it were just Ange who received it it would have made sense, but why did the son of Nanjo, who is totally not related to this case nor the headship of the Ushinomiya family, receive access to this fortune as well? Also, what was that thing that Ange saw in that plastic bag?
What also surprises me is that meta-Battler doesn’t make an appearance whatsoever in this episode. In this way, it becomes a bit tricky to see what Beatrice is planning with this incredibly elaborate set-up. I mean, if her goal is indeed just to keep the endless loop, couldn’t she simply show the first arc over and over? Something tells me that she’s really wanting Battler to acknowledge magic, and that this isn’t because of the job she received from Lambdadelta.
This also makes me very curious to see what Kinzou has in store for Battler and Maria. Battler will probably have the option to kill off Kyrie, while Maria just lost her mother. who is the one who is listed on her trial? On top of that, the two of them have a far weaker resolve than Jessica and George. Meta-Battler excluded, Battler has so far struck me as someone with a strong opinion, but also stubborn and not the most competent. To come with a comparison: Jessica doesn’t just talk about protecting her loved ones, she also acts upon it. Battler just talks. Now that I mention it, has he ever actually done anything significant?
Rating: ** (Excellent)
Oh, and just a reminder: I don’t know exactly when chapter six, seven and eight will be released, but remember that I will unceremoniously delete any spoiling comments about them. I’m not repeating this message because the commends during the past few entries have gotten out of control, but rather for after this series finishes, in the case that some random visual novel player stumbles upon this page and finds it a good idea to let the anime-only viewers know about what’s going to happen in the end.
The thing that is in the plastic bag is something that we don’t know what the hell it was when Ange originally noticed it. But I can honestly say it confirmed my suspicions.
That is all I will say.
Battler has so far struck me as someone with a strong opinion, but also stubborn and not the most competent.
Which is why Beatrice states in red during EP 2 that he’s incompetent 8)~
George is definietly a lot more shadier after this episode, because he decided on option 3 – to kill everyone excluding himself and Shannon. It makes you wonder if he is involved in the murders how far he might be willing to go. If you look further into it just see EP 1: he’s the one who puts the little mark on Maria’s rose. This marking causes Maria to want to take care of the rose, because George told her it was her responsibility. This rose also leads her to meeting ‘Beatrice’ and receiving the letter.
Very interesting episode, in both the clues given out in Ange’s side, and the extra insight into George & Jessica’s mindset.
The bank accounts are very interesting indeed. Just had a check back to episode 18 and the number on the note Ange was given, is the same as the number painted on the door. Looks like these “safe deposits” are definitely of interest. I also wonder if there is an importance to the addresses they were sent?
Either way, this episode has definitely given me a lot of material to think about. Was the money some sort of compensation for the events, or part of the reason for the events?
If it’s not Sakutaro (or the remains of), given the rather suspicious color scheme, then that bag Ange saw has got to be a gigantic red herring. Nothing else looks even remotely similar. Don’t ask me how it would happen to be there though.
Other than that…the episode was certainly exciting towards the end, to the point that I almost thought this had turned into Dragon Ball Z for a moment there. Not that such a thing would be inherently bad, but it’s not what I expected. I do have to keep in mind that these magical powers of Jessica and George aren’t real, of course, just a representation of the fact they’re fighting whoever is really trying to kill them. I’m assuming their victory will only be temporary, following previous precedent, unless this arc decides to surprise us.
About the 1998 world, I’m still wondering about those mysterious letters and why anyone would want to split up the (apparently) Ushiromiya family fortune like that…unless it was some kind of elaborate scheme to reward either the closest relatives of the culprits or victims. Perhaps as some kind of atonement?
This is a piece of information supposed to be in this episode but since DEEN has cut it, I decided to tell you. Feel free to delete it if this became a spoiler of future episodes… Actually ange also received a similar letter which was supposed to be sent to Rudolf. She also confirmed its contents to be the same as the others.
So far as we know those letters are ‘sent’ to Nanjo, Kumasawa n Rudolf…. Could this be a hint from Beato? She seemed to be the sender after all. I’m also curious of what’s in the bag. Could it be a pack of Sakutarous? Lol
Btw, you should really check out embracingthesky’s youtube umineko videos for more detailed information on the story. DEEN had done too much injustice of cutting….
I was about to say “and everyone got to the Golden Land, but as they were dead, they couldn’t receive the money, and was sent to their children”.
Oh, but we all know that wasn’t like that. Ever since the first game Battler has prohibited everyone from getting to the Golden Land as he does not believe in the witch…
…Does this mean that in the end Battler surrenders!? Nah, THAT can’t happen. *delets my own theory*
I think Ange saw Sakutaro in that bag…
I thought it was interesting that the doctor was trying to calm down Kyrie. I mean, I understand that they’re all imprisoned, but Kyrie wasn’t even doing anything, she was just standing and glaring. I’m probably looking too far into it though.
On the bag thing, it seems to big for Sakutaro. I could see it being something completely unrelated. Why would the boat man even have Sakutaro? I guess that’s magic for you.
Mysterys are usually very formularic – something the VN also points out at several points. This makes it so interesting, Umineko is never clear if it´s a Mystery or a Fantasy story.
It´s really good at being unpredictable when it wants to be and when it is it ends up being intentional as part of a setup far a even bigger Twist.
Beatrice doesn´t show the first episode for several reasons mostly because it´s pointless. Battler never “solved” it and he has to solve ALL episodes to prove that witches never existed. The longer the game goes the less “relevant” the events on the island become and the more the Magic aspect of the Game goes into the front. Beatrice makes Magic much more acceptable (not believable!) by giving it as benefit to Battlers “side”.
@ Pafiume:
A theory as to why the boatman had Sakutaro is that Rosa actually felt sorry for her actions and remade Sakutaro, only she never had the chance to give it to Maria (she left it in the boat, then died).
This would also explain the “magic” of bringing Sakutaro back to life, even if Rosa denied his existence (given that she repaired him).
George was boring and uninteresting in previous arcs. It’s good that all those episodes of him being a nice guy and getting picked off finally paid off. I like this George.
Ange met the boatman on the second floor of a bedding store: a Sakutaro doll or pillow would not at all be out of place in such a store. (I sort of wonder if Kawabata owns the place or just lives on the second floor, although I lean strongly to the former. He’s certainly not using his boat to earn a living, given how he normally let’s someone else use it.)
The numbers of the door!! Was that the note written by Eva? And the letters are the same of Maria’s diary.
And I think magic only depends on what one believes on and the strenght of ones own determination(thats how it looks). Although Battler would be the opposed to this theory. And finally who are really fighting those two. And in the reality (magic just hides it): Ronove is Genji(I think he gives a clue, this shameless Ronove) and the other lady? Were they all killed that easily in a family reunion? Mmmm..