When They Cry - Higurashi and Umineko

More news for Nocturne of Truth and Illusions.

The following seiyuu will be appearing: Dlanor: Miyuki Sawashiro
Gertrude: Shizuka Ito
Cornelia: Risa Asaki
Zepar: Mitsuki Saiga
Furfur: Eri Sendai
Will: Hiroki Takahashi
Lion: Ayako Kawasumi
Beatrice Castiglioni / Claire V. Bernard: Sayaka Ohara
Young Kinzo: Daisuke Ono
Also, a leak of the game (which also happens to include bits of the OP for the game):

I like how they include bits of the original OP in.

The club was formed for what reason again? Damn, I *must* get some time to finally read all of the V Ns instead of just the first two. They're so insanely long, but worth every moment, I *must* get the time...

Seriously, that single "backstory twist" just made me respect the characters and the story even more than I already do, and given how much I love Higurashi, that's an accomplishment.

The cheer Satoshi and Satoko. They were harassed by their aunt at home, so Mion figured the solution would be spending less time there. They would be scolded if they didn't head home immediately after school, therefore a 'school club' would be ok. And since they would also be scolded if their clothes/appearance was messed, the club shouldn't do any outdoor activities.

Yeah, I read about that on the previous page. Holy goddamn what an epic additional twist for the backstory...

Some hope? D:

To clarify, this quote comes from the official translation thread at Animesuki Forum. Said quote, however, is not official at any form. For what I understand, it is just a random user.

He is mostly correct, however, I believe. Just do not take it as an official statement.

edited 27th Sep '11 5:19:47 AM by Heatth

Usagi Tenpura is one of the translation staff.

Okay, does anyone have an exact number for the population of Hinamizawa? I need it for the fic.

I think it was stated to be a little over a thousand. That's about as specific as I think it gets. Might be 1100ish.

Can anyone please help me? I'm trying to install the PS 3-fication patch on my Mac where I have 1-4 installed, but I can't get it to run right, and the readme isn't helping.

For Umineko I assume? Well, I doubt I can help, as I don't own a Mac, however being more specific would be useful. For instance, which path you are using? The old EP 1 only version or the most recent being developed in a wiki?

Anyway, if the latter, you should post your questions here, I guess. It is why it exist.

Either case, be aware the path is not complete at all. The voices will stop halfway through. I am not sure about the sprites, but I believe those are not finished either, even in the most recent version.

Pretty sure the project is dead too. Which is sad.

Meanwhile, at Witch Hunt:

Translation: 65%
Editing: 50%
Picture Editing: 85%

You know what, I may never get the chance to say this ever again. If I wait too long, the chance will escape me.

MEANWHILE, AT WITCH HUNT

• Episode 8: Part 1
• 100%

• Episode 8: Part 2
• 34%

edited 27th Oct '11 6:57:18 PM by Crinias

CMON, A BIT MORE!

You know, I have such fun ideas for a crazy metafictional Umineko fanfic.

Except...

CLOSED ROOM MYSTERIES ARE HARD TO MAKE. D: D: D:

Seriously trying to cook up some stuff to make it work means I have gained a new found respect for Ryukishi for being able to cook up a ton of these.

Start reading some mystery novels. Then blatantly copy their tricks. I doubt an average fanfic reader would notice (and you can put in an author's note latter where the inspiration came from).

That's no fun.

It's what most writers do, isn't it? Steal tricks and then when you understand them a little better, you steal tricks and twist them a little.

They say as much in Umineko, in fact. I believe even Umineko's locked rooms were inspired in some other books.

Even if it is not to 'copy', reading as much as mystery novel as possible is the best way to come with your own tricks. See what have been done what could have been done with a similar set up, etc. Everything comes with experience, after all.

Writers tend to collect story devices and elements like some people collect friends, but rarely does a writer completely borrow an element from another story without tweaking with it first. By twisting around expectations, a common plot becomes innovative.

Ryukushi clearly bases himself on several known mystery novel plots and the entire story analyses the concept while making it enjoyable. We have a situation similar to And Then There Were None, except that the real motive for the murders occurring is not explicitly revealed until near the end, and only implied at that. If some sequences of it were compiled and adapted for a novel format, it would clearly qualify for an essay of the mystery genre as a whole, but it wouldn't be nearly as interesting as what he has done in its place. On yet another level, it's also allegorical since it deals with Battler and Beatrice essentially being Dante and, well, Beatrice; the most original concept that Umineko explores is the whole Meta-world angle, and by the gods, if I start talking about that I'll never stop.

So in the end, its a combination of the best of both worlds.

• Made in Japan, yet clearly has many Western influences, both in-story and out of it. The presentation, writing and plot devices used are a mix of both.
• Deep enough characters to allow speculation about their motivations and actions and be able to love (or hate) them. Characterization is solid enough that fan works have nearly no difficulty in portraying characters.
• Has all the great points of a mystery (allows the reader fair chance to come to the correct conclusion while simultaneously misdirecting him, lots of foreshadowing) while having "fantastic" (no pun intended) elements (questioning reality, exploring other dimensions and possibilities).
• Enough depth to the story that you can get completely sucked in. From a story-telling perspective it is a complete achievement, being able to run simultaneous realities and meta-levels while still having things make sense and have the time to be Postmodernist about it.
• Similar to Lost or Homestuck: it started out small while hinting heavily at what was to come, most revelations in the story bring more questions than answers (thus inspiring a huge number of WMG), has a loyal (and huge) fanbase, it was long and convoluted and as it progressed all our previous expectations were shattered.
• Supreme soundtrack and-... actually, the art could be better, but to hell with that, everything else more than makes up for it.

Somehow I twisted my post about how tropes are used to me analyzing and gushing about Umineko. Huh.

edited 28th Oct '11 9:40:17 PM by Crinias

You're right though. And PS 3 patch is fixing art so even less to complain about art.

Both Higurashi and Umineko were fun to puzzle out. I'm not really a big mystery person so I haven't really looked at the locked room stuff, but those generally don't matter since the whole story is a mystery to figure out. Though without this thread to egg me on I would have just read straight as a story and while there would have been more surprises, it would lack a certain element to the tale. Both Higurashi and Umineko.

If I am not mistaken, the stories were made to be discussed with other people while being read. This is even alluded in Umineko, when Yasu says discussing her mystery novels with Kumasawa and Battler is part of the fun. I believe Ryuukishi incentived the Japanese community as well, in his webpage (although I obviously can't follow it).

So, yeah, reading the story straight looking only for what comes next really take something from the experience.

I hope 'When They Cry 5', if ever made, get quickly a fast translation group, so I can follow the story along with everybody (I only picked Umineko after Episode 5, myself).