Umineko no Naku Koro ni


The fall anime season.

       Well, as the beginning of the fall anime season approaches, it’s time to give some thought to what series I should cover. I’m pretty certain that I’ll cover White Album II, and Winter Sonata. Letter Bee, and Kaidan Restaurant look very interesting. I’d like to cover Kimi ni Todoke (Reaching You) but I have this strange feeling that this series will win the most over blogged award, and I really don’t think that having fifty bloggers instead of fifty-one covering the series would hurt the anime community.

       I would like to know if any of my readers have any suggestions for any of the new series they’d like to see me blog in an episodic manner. Click on the graphic at the bottom of the post to see a list and description of the fall anime shows. 

Continuing projects, show droppage, and my blogroll.

        I’m going to continue working on covering all of the Candy Candy anime episodes, and I’ll also keeping doing my Japanese Idols posts, and my Weekly Anime Motivational Poster posts (many of the idol pics and motivational posters get downloaded several thousand times). I’m also thinking of adding another classic shojo anime series as a long term blogging project.

       I going to drop my episodic coverage of Emily of New Moon, while I loved this series, I just fell too far behind, and I see no point in continuing. I’m also dropping my episodic coverage of Umineko no Naku Koro ni, while I really love and enjoy this anime, covering the series in a episodic manner seems to suck all the joy out of watching the show, for a detailed review of the series read the Anime History Blog (he does a much better job covering the series than I ever did).

       When I started my blogroll, I linked to a few blogs that I really enjoyed reading, but the time has come to say goodbye to several of my former favorite blogs. I really can’t justify keeping links to blogs where the anime posting level has fallen to a post every 3-6 months, so goodbye Cinnamon Ass, Hop Step Jump, Lolitron, Memories are like the Wind, and Picture Perfect Paranoia.

Fall 2009 Anime Season Chart.

you can't beat me Battler 

        This episode begins with Kinzo waking up in the morning to find out that he’s still alive and wondering who Beatrice chose as her first six sacrifices. Meanwhile, we see some of the others gathered in front of the blood sealed chapel, and we find out that Krauss, Eva, Rudolf, and their spouses are missing. Later, we see Rosa inside the guest house going through Marie’s handbag, and inside the envelope that Beatrice gave her Eva finds the key to the chapel. Battler awakens to see Rosa with the key, and Rosa tells him and the kids to stay in the guest house.

 which six pieces did you takethe blood sealed chapellooking inside Maria's purse

        Once Rosa returns with the key they enter the chapel to find the missing people seated at a dining room table, murdered. But this time, instead of their faces being mutilated they have massive damage to their chest areas, and soon George, Battler, Jessica, and Maria wander into the slaughterhouse. As the kids are screaming in horror, the scene freezes and Battler and Beatrice (the ghost/real ones) appear, Battler calls Beatrice tasteless but Beatrice says that this time she left their faces alone reducing the number of possible suspects for Battler to consider. Beatrice dares Battler to explain these killings logically, they both disappear, and time moves again.

now you can see their faces battler 

        Jessica yells that this is all Beatrice’s fault and runs out of the chapel to confront Beatrice, and Rosa sends Kanon and Gouda to follow her. Then George notices that there are some bars of gold inside the pumpkin located on the dining table, and Maria goes into her crazy girl mode saying that she wants Beatrice to take her to the golden land.

there's the gold bars 

        Jessica makes it to Beatrice’s room to find it locked, and she uses Kanon’s pass key to open the door. Once inside, Jessica finds Beatrice missing but she left a note taunting Jessica and mocking her parents. Jessica experiences an asthma attack and Kanon has to help her to her room where her inhalator is located. After Jessica starts to feel better, Kanon gets ready to leave but it seems like Jessica wants him to stay with her, and at that very moment Beatrice appears and starts mocking Kanon about not understanding women because he’s furniture.

Open up Beatrice, nowthe letter mocking JessicaJessica and her inhalator

you're supposed to stay by a woman's side

you can understand a human heart

        Beatrice tells Kanon to show his power to her, and she materializes several monsters. Kanon then summons an energy blade that covers his right arm, and he tells Jessica that he’ll protect her. Kanon easily defeats Beatrice’s minions, and Kanon goes after her but she easily dodges him. Beatrice tells him that furniture should know its place, Jessica sticks up for Kanon and tells Beatrice that he’s not furniture, he’s human. Beatrice laughs at her and summons One of the Seven Stakes of Purgatory, a female creature called Lust. Beatrice tells Lust to carry out the second twilight and Lust goes to fight Kanon. It quickly become apparent that Lust is much too fast for Kanon and soon Lust transform into a dagger/stake saying she’ll pierce him. As the dagger flies all around Kanon, and is about to stab him, Jessica blocks the dagger with her back. As Jessica is dying in Kanon’s arms Beatrice mocks Kanon about not being able to protect his lady.

I'll protect miladyJessica dying in Kanon's arms 

        Then Beatrice summons another Stake of Purgatory called Wrath. When Wrath appears, Beatrice tells her to kill Kanon, and Wrath turns into a dagger and flies towards Kanon striking him the chest. As both Jessica and Kanon lay dying, Jessica reaches out to Kanon, and Kanon reaches out to her. Jessica tells Kanon he’s not furniture and she asks him is real name, and Kanon tells Jessica, thanks to her he’s not furniture, but he dies before he can tell Jessica his real name. Beatrice mocks Kanon telling him that she can still humiliate him even in death, and she uses smoke from her cigarette holder/pipe to make his body disappear.

I want to pierce you're chest

 the dying lovers

I can still torment you in death

       Kinzo having been informed by Shannon and Genji about the six deaths tells Shannon to get the stuff ready for him to prepare his will. Back with Battler and the others they find out that they are unable to reach the police or authorities. As Battler and the others are trying to figure out how the murderer got into and out of the locked chapel while the key was in Marie’s purse, the scene freezes and Battler and Beatrice appear on the scene again. Battler says not another locked murder scene again, and Beatrice tells Battler to explain how the locked door was opened and closed with out the key. Battler tells her that’s there’s not enough information, there could be a extra key or a hidden door, and Beatrice makes a rule saying that every time she speaks the truth her words will appear in red letters. After Battler tries to make some additional arguments Beatrice amends the rule by saying if her words speak the truth Battler has to take them at face value and not ask for proof, he reluctantly agrees to this.

explain the chapel door

this way you have no excuses battler 

       After a little question and answer between Beatrice and Battler, he comes to the conclusion that during the night the murderer took the key from Marie’s purse and put the bodies inside the chapel and then returned the key to Maria’s purse, so he refuses to affirm that magic exists. Beatrice laughs at him saying if it wasn’t magic then he’s fingering one of the remaining living people, prove it. Time flows again, and we see the group continuing to discuss Beatrice’s letter, and George wonders if she wants them to find the gold. Maria goes creepy again saying Beatrice wants them to solve the riddle, Battler asks her if she can solve it, and Maria says who cares, she just wants to go to the golden land. Soon, Rosa, Genji, and Shannon enter the room with Rosa carrying the gun saying she’ll protect everyone. Well, that’s all for this episode.

the murdered snuck in and took the key

I don't need magic

      Well, I found the format where Battler and Beatrice watch events unfold as invisible observers and then argue back and forth about whether or not these crimes could have occurred with or without the use of magic very interesting. But, I wonder if anything will ever be settled since Beatrice has the ability to rewind events and replay them in a different order so I wonder if it would be possible of Battler to catch her in a mistake? I also found the fight between Kanon and Beatrice’s minions pretty strange, I never would have thought that Kanon would have been able to materialise a energy blade, so what the hell was Kanon supposed to be, a magical butler? I found Beatrice’s stealing of Kanon’s body to be a great move, now the suspicion will probably fall of Kanon since he’s missing. Oh-well, all I know is that I’m really engrossed with this tale and can’t wait for the next episode.

Beatrice could fix this

      This episode begins with us seeing Maria and Rosa together before they head to the island, Maria acts quite bratty and Rosa overreacts by slapping the crap out of her. Then we see that servants getting ready for all the visitors that will be showing up and we see most of the family gathered together waiting to head off to the island. Later, we see everyone walking up the path to the house when time freezes and Beatrice and Battler appear off to the side, Beatrice says that this is a game that we can repeat over and over again until Battler admits defeat and accepts the fact that witches do exist. Battler tells Beatrice that he’ll never give in, so Beatrice tells Battler let the pain begin.

I want to dress like a witchhave some candy girl001 give it back to me 001

I told you to stop saying that

this will go on forever

let the game of pain begin

      The scene picks up with everyone walking towards the house and Maria mentions the witch again, Rosa stops her, and starts beating the crap out of her, Maria cries out for her mother to return and defeat the witch. Later, Kanon goes out to check on Maria asking her if she’s alright, Maria goes into crazy Maria mode and babbles about knowing Beatrice and that she’ll even play with her later. After a few minutes, Rosa realizes what she did to Maria and rushes outside to get her, she apologizes to her and Maria says it’s not her fault because she was possessed by the evil witch.

why won't you listen to me

please come back mommy 

      A few seconds later, Beatrice appears before Maria and Rosa looking different from how she appeared in past episodes? Beatrice fixes Maria’s broken candy and hands Maria a letter and tells her it contains her invitation to the golden land. Then Beatrice hands Rosa a letter and tells her to open it and read it to everyone once they’re all gathered together.

001 a letter for you, Maria 001 the letter 

       Inside the house, we see Beatrice messing with Kanon by making him kiss her boots or she’ll kill Shannon. Then we see Beatrice messing with Shannon telling her that she only sparked the love between her and George so she could twist it. Shannon tells Beatrice that she’s not going to let Beatrice control her fate any longer, she controls her own future. After Shannon leaves the room Beatrice says that she’ll kill both Shannon and her lover.

Beatrice and Kanon 0001I just might kill ShannonI control my own fate

       As the family is enjoying dinner Gouda gets asked if the special guest will be joining them, and he tells them that she wishes to eat alone. When someone demands to know who the guest is Gouda tells them that it’s Beatrice. This answer causes quite a commotion between the family members and they demand that Genji comes and answers some questions. The adults excuse the children and the doctor to retire to the guest house where the doctor tells them that Beatrice was once Kinzo’s mistress but he’d never met her, and he’s sure she died long ago. Then we switch to the garden where George gives Shannon the ring and proposes to her and this time she immediately accepts his proposal.

I promise we'll be together forever 0010010001

shannon wearing george's ring

the eternal promise

       Back inside the main house we see all the adults meeting with Beatrice, they all accept and acknowledge that Beatrice does exist and she is a witch. Well, that’s all for this episode.

 they believe in Beatrice 0001they believe in Beatrice 0002they believe in Beatrice 0003

I believe in Beatrice 0004

you are the famous Beatrice 0001 

       Well, this was quite an amusing episode, it looks like Battler’s and Beatrice’s test of wills has begun in earnest. After, a few moments of back story showing Maria and Rosa before the island, and seeing George preparing to ask Shannon to marry him, it seems that Beatrice has hit the reset button and changed how things progressed from pretty much the moment everyone left the boat. If this is truly a battle of wills between Battler and Beatrice, with Beatrice trying to convince Battler that she and witches do exist, I don’t know how this method of attack will settle anything. I think that if Battler truly doesn’t believe/or refuses to believe in witches it really won’t matter how many times Beatrice forces Battler to relive the events of the past couple of days. I think that in the end Battler may win this fight because no matter how many thousands of times Beatrice replays the past you can’t convince someone to believe in something they refuse to believe in.

In closing I’ll offer Battler a little wisdom from one of my all time favorite novels, Dune.

I must not fear.

Fear is the mind-killer.

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

I will face my fear.

I will permit it to pass over me and through me.

And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.

Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.

Only I will remain.

—Bene Gesserit Litany against Fear, Dune

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