You may not know this, but I’m a bit of a sucker for “magic that’s stretched to reality”. In other words, supernatural events that are presented as supernatural, but in the end they can be explained without the use of anything but what is strictly realistic. One reason I like this is because the magic involved can’t get out of hand – the failings of most series, novels, comics, etc. I think is when they start resurrecting people and destroying planets and… well you get the idea. If it has to be stretched to at least a seeming reality then it has to have severe limits. Still, the stories that are able to pull of the ridiculous and still stay in those bounds have my full respect. This is also the sort of “genre” I like to write in. (I’m not published and most of my larger works are unfinished and unshared, >.>).
There are a few series that take full advantage of this and sort of take it in essence: Mouryou no Hako, which grounds everything down, even when it starts to get a little ridiculous, and better yet it deals with spirits and demons and folklore tying even that to reality; The Illusionist (no, I’m not talking about the Prestige – though that was good too); a lot of elements in Nisiosin’s works follow this same sort of pattern (it’s hard for me to explain so I won’t), even if they go supernatural; but the pinnacle of this is found in Ryukishi07’s works Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni, and Umineko no Naku Koro ni.
Even if Rika does, and she definitely does, have supernatural powers in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, each individual arc can be explained, by the end of it all, realistically. It’s especially amazing to watch the first arc, Onikakushi, (that I regard as the best arc, maybe tied with Meakashi…) after knowing what is going on, and seeing the truth beyond the narrators growing insanity. It’s the perfect unreliable narrative story. But you might say, “there’s no magic in Higurashi, so why is this an example?” Well it focuses around unexplained events and a “curse” – with most things “easily” explained only by supernatural events. Now I have a few things I don’t really like too much about Higurashi, especially the more fan/fanservice-focused aspects, but it has way too many good things going for it for me to dislike it ^_^.
What Higurashi doesn’t have, Umineko does. Umineko no Naku Koro ni is about witches, and it’s a closed island murder mystery to top it all off! At this point, not having delved into the Answer chapters (5+) yet, I’m not sure if there’s actually going to be magic, or if it’s just going to be limited magic, or if there’s going to be no magic at all. So far at least, Umineko seems to rely on the faith system for magic (see the original Final Fantasy Tactics ^_^) which I like: magic is only as effective as those involved having faith that it is and will work: Battler is able to get out of a variety of situations (barely), by denial; Maria’s creations can only stay as long as they are not rejected from existence, the Seven Sisters of Purgatory will only appear if they are believed in, and Beatrice’s spell fails continuously without Battler’s recognition. Yokuwakaru Gendaimahou actually dealt with this pretty well, with a character that completely didn’t believe in magic and was completely unaffected by it. There’s also the impermanence of magic’s effect on the real world. A perfect example of this is with young Beatrice and Virgilia (Beatrice then?). Beatrice breaks a vase, and Virgilia can restore it, but only if it is broken again right after; the only thing she’s able to do is move the blame from Beatrice to the cat. So far, Battler has been at least dubiously able to reject all the supernatural occurrences by the skin of his teeth, even when he’s performing them himself. It’s also very interesting to look at the individual powers of the witches. (Frederika) Bernkastel’s power deals with putting a “miracle” into action as long as it is possible. Lamdadelta’s power is simply the power to kill with certainty, Maria’s power is to create something out of nothing (think of it as an incredibly powerful imagination). I won’t spoil anything else ^_^;. A final interesting piece to this is the fact that that the entire scenario is compared to Schrödinger’s cat, with the continuous possibility of both reality and super-reality existing on the same plane. This is why I love it.
I love it so much I’m going to finally start playing the games – which will be a bit of a task, because it’s not exactly supposed to be easy reading, but I’ll get there – I’ve gotten to the state where I refuse to go off of fan-translations if I can help it.
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As if this “article” wasn’t long enough; the translation post was delayed due to Christmas festivities, and I ended finishing the “Umineko no Naku Koro ni” anime in the meantime. So here’s a (short, plot-less/summary-less) review of the series. You can skip down to the song below if you’d like.
It’s been a sort of given thing with Expansion07 so far that if you’re going to watch/read it, expect bad animation/art – it’s low budget, and the selling point is the story and sound, not the visual aspects. The Higurashi anime was certainly like that, the animation was abysmal throughout the first season, and even simple things were off, eyes and faces and body proportions and… well, it was pretty bad. The second season (Higurashi Kai) was much improved, but still bad – and it was especially painful when they flashed back to scenes in the first season, where you were reminded that it was even worse back then. Now, for Umineko. The animation studio (Studio Deen) is the same, but the animation is much improved from Kai (meaning it’s much much better than Higurashi’s first season). It’s not really on par with the excellence that you see from other animation studios with large budgets etc, but it’s by no means painful. Maybe they had a higher budget, maybe the Studio Deen is just doing better in general (they’ve made quite a few things in between), but the animation no longer really hurts the series. There are moments when the animation goes weird, but those are usually during certain moments when it’s supposed to, perhaps at moments when you’re supposed to feel sick or deranged or something. That’s ok, it doesn’t happen often or out of place.
I love the story and concept (as mentioned above), and it’s skillful at steering you in the wrong direction, distracting you from important things; fooling you altogether. Points of the series are a bit confusing, and I figure it would make more sense in the visual novel, and there are also a few gaps that might or might not have been handled better, but it’s an anime from a visual novel that has a lot of plot. (For example, looking at the novelization, the first two arcs are 1160 JIS B6 pages of text and make 11 episodes. Similarly Bakemonogatari is 864 JIS B6 pages of text and makes 15 episodes. I picked Bakemonogatari to compare because Bakemonogatari is similarly complex and on the same size paper ^_^). So it has a bit of a plot follow issue for being condensed at parts, but it’s manageable – take notes!
Battler is great along with his Phoenix Wright pose, and the series has the “epic” moments that every mystery needs so you don’t end up bored. Even so, the anime doesn’t really wrap anything much up at the end, but it’s not supposed to, because it’s only the halfway point. I heard rumors that Umineko Chiru might not get picked up (at least not by Deen) because the DVD sales haven’t been that great – I hope that’s not the case – I want more, and I don’t like it much when animation studios switch in between series, look what it did to Minami-ke!
Overall, I love it, but it’s not something I’d recommend to everyone. I’d recommend you watch a bit, read a bit about it maybe (whilst avoiding spoilers) and then give it a try – if you don’t like it then it’s just not your thing. I think if you liked Higurashi there’s a better chance you’ll like Umineko, but it really is quite a bit different, so I can see some people liking Higurashi and not Umineko, and others liking Umineko but not Higurashi.
I’ve written enough – way too much actually. So I’m done.
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Anyway, I got Umineko no Koro Ni ep. 4 and 5, 4 containing 1234, and 5 containing the first arc of the second half “Chiru” series. This song is the opening for episode 5, and it’s great. After hearing the first few notes in the original video, I was like O.O it’s Yuyuko’s theme!!! – It’s not. I suggest watching the opening video, maybe you’ll get hooked like me. Here’s a YouTube link for you: [link] – My eyes were like O.O the entire time.
TLNotes:
“Illūmināte” is latin (masculine/vocative ie meireikei) for Illuminate, if you didn’t guess that already :) pretty much spelled the same, but pronounced differently.
“This omniscient power overthrows, isolates, and descends” rather than isolate, it’s more like tearing away from reality (in an intransitive sense).
“Occult” in English is an adjective, but 神秘 that roughly translates into occult stuff is a noun. I’ll be using “occultic/s” which is not a word, as a noun form of occult, due to its use in the title.
“それ”/”That” refers back to illumination: Illumination is that which causes you to see through everything, so cackle in that way → back in times when illumination and occultics were worshipped etc. etc.
福音(ふくいん) Fukuin is more commonly “gospel/evangelic” but it’s literally a “sound” of good fortune, with Christian overtones – as witches are often associated in Christianity as their antithesis, etc. etc, I figure that’s why the word was used, but I think it should remain as good fortune.
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オカルティクスの魔女 (Occultic Witch)
ＰＣゲーム「うみねこのなく頃に散 Episode 5」主題歌
(PC Game “Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru Episode 5” Main Theme Song)
作詞／作曲：志倉千代丸 編曲：上野浩司 歌：Ayumu
(Lyrics, Composition: Shikura Chiyomaru / Arrangement: Ueno Koushi / Vocals: Ayumu)
この世界に散らばる オーブ 視覚に届かぬ者
実体の無い 観測者 全知を満たす
繰り返すペンデュラム 僅か少しの不純動機
生命の樹の果実は 土に落ちた
Scattered throughout this world are “orbs”: imperceptible beings,
Observers with no true form, bringing with them omniscience.
The pendulum repeats with an impure motive, however slight,
The fruit from the tree of life fallen to the ground.
魔法のように 不自然で 狂気じみたこの儀式が
陣を描く筆先で 叶えるのなら 世界ごと否定する
If like magic, this unnatural ritual stained in insanity, comes to completion
Under the tip of this brush drawing a magic square, the world itself will be rejected.
イルミナート “それ”はまるで全てを 見透かす様に
不埒な力で 嘲笑い 至福に満たされ行く
イルミナート 錯乱する描写で “誇示”するほど
全知の力は 覆り剥がれ堕ちゆく
「仕組まれた奇跡」へと――――
“Illūmināte!” Cackle in insolence, as if you’ve seen
Through everything, and head toward ecstasy!
“Illūmināte!” through deranged depictions put on ostentatious display,
This omniscient power overthrows, isolates, and descends
Towards “planned miracles”~!
閉ざされた神秘主義 そこに生まれた通過儀礼
憧れの魔女 合理的 幻術のタブー
蒼ざめた馬達が駆ける 偽典を許し給え
流麗な風 上位なる 喋々の舞
Sealed occult doctrine and the ritual etiquette birthed from it,
The beloved witch and the taboo of her rational enchantments.
As the faded horses gallop, yield to her fabricated rite!
In the beautiful flowing wind, spectacular butterflies dance.
魔法のように 目も眩む 悪夢に似た非日常が
杖の先の一振りで 操るのなら 未来ごと否定する
If like magic, this unnatural, dazzlingly nightmarish existence can be controlled
With a single swing from the tip of this staff, then the future itself will be rejected
イルミナート “それ”をかつて神秘と 崇めた頃
大いなる愛で包み込み 福音をもたらした
イルミナート 目に見えない“奇跡”が 不都合なら
いつかの鍵が 僕達を導いてゆく
「万物の理論」へと――――
“Illūmināte!” In the time “that” and former occultics were worshipped,
With great love embraced, and good fortune was brought about.
“Illūmināte!” these invisible miracles! If you have trouble
With them, then we will guide the key,
Towards “the theory of all things”~!
イルミナート “それ”はまるで全てを 見透かす様に
不埒な力で 嘲笑い 至福に満たされ行く
イルミナート 錯乱する描写で “誇示”するほど
全知の力は 覆り剥がれ堕ちゆく
「仕組まれた奇跡」へと――――
“Illūmināte!” Cackle in insolence, as if you’ve seen
Through everything, and head toward ecstasy!
“Illūmināte!” through deranged depictions put on ostentatious display,
This omniscient power overthrows, isolates, and descends
Towards “planned miracles”~!
「ゼロになる奇跡」へと――――
Towards “the zero miracle”~!
kafka-fuura 