Umineko no Naku Koro ni 01: Ushiromiya Shonen no Jikenbo

3Jul/0919

Umineko no Naku Koro ni 01: Ushiromiya Shonen no Jikenbo

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Just looking at the amount of tropes that Umineko and Kindaichi share has made me wonder if 07th Expansion got their inspiration from the latter. Not that it's a bad thing of course, since, if anything we need more shows of the whodunit genre, and despite sharing similarities, I'm confident that Umineko will still be able to conjure the same brand of brick shitting moments and plot twists that made Higurashi so enjoyable.

Battler comes across to me as a mix between Phoenix Wright and Hajime Kindaichi, and like the famous amateur sleuth himself, our hero's quite the pervert with an unfortunate penchant for large breasts. It would have been a lot less awkward too if everyone here wasn't blood related, but hell, if any of my relatives looked remotely this attractive, there's going be lots of inbreeding going around

I shudder with delight at the sight of scary little girls but Maria is definitely in a class of her own, with that bone-chilling grin in the OP and sinister expressions throughout the episode. What's more, when she utters Uuuh~ for the first time, I brushed it off as just some moe moe speech pattern much like what Yui Horie has done for Hanyuu with her Hauuu~ Her pitiful wailing of Uuuh~ Uuuh! Uuuh~ definitely carried that ominous tone, and I can't wait to find out what it really symbolizes, as hinted by her mother. I must admit however, it got too grating even for this lolicon, and I'm glad Rosa shut her up with the slap to the face.

A trappish man servant named Kanon who also dons a fabulous hat? I don't think I need to elaborate any further.... On second thought, I should. In the first episode alone where some characters have gone from happy face to seriousing the fuck up, Kanon's expression so far has remained constant, which Studio DEEN should have little difficulty maintaining, as QUALITY rears its ugly head once again, coupled with lazy animating in other areas. That said, it has worked to their advantage in the past, with Higurashi's QUALITY rage faces not having its intended effect otherwise

Ah yes, that finger pointing stance, how I missed you. While no one has bought the farm just yet, Beatrice's appearance should mean that people are going to get culled one by one, hopefully in the most horrible fashion, with Battler here pulling off that pose once he's figured out the perpetrator. You know, after swearing upon his grandfather's prestigious name and all that, though from the looks of it, the old man's a craze occultist who probably set everything up in the first place

The OP itself needs special mention as its brilliant intertwining of haunting chants and soothing vocals made it an instant winner in my books, although Studio DEEN cheated with the use of Latin verses, which ups the coolness factor of any song. Just ask Nobuo Uematsu.

Posted by Shin

Tagged as: Bricks Shat, First Looks, thriller Leave a comment

Comments (19) Trackbacks (0) ( subscribe to comments on this post )

Mic2070
July 3rd, 2009 - 01:05

Actually, it’s not latin but italian.
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Shin
July 3rd, 2009 - 01:16

Oh, my bad. I clearly can’t tell the two apart then, though I stand by the foreign-sounding-chant-induced coolness factor

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Mika
July 3rd, 2009 - 03:33

If I were Maria’s mother, I would’ve squeezed all the air out of her.
I do hope she is the first to be murdered.
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Kabitzin
July 3rd, 2009 - 05:23

Nothing starts a season off right like trying to squeeze your cousin’s boobs or slapping the hell out of your little daughter.

Kabitzin’s last blog post..Phantom -Requiem for the Phantom- 12
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Setsuna-san
July 3rd, 2009 - 06:10

Rosa will be the first to die. NO ONE bitch slaps a loli and gets away with it.
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SinSnakeZ
July 3rd, 2009 - 08:49

I agree with the no-slappy-da-loli law but at least she showed some remorse for doing so after that… Gotta cut some slack for that…

Also I think we should give it some time for the show to set the stage with all the soapy drama crap for all the wonderful bloodbath in a locked room mystery in accordance to a witch’s dark prophecy of sacrifices and resurrection that will surely end up with many dead bodies lying in their own pools of blood on the path to reach the gold… …

Ahem.. Sorry, my mind kinda drifted away there for a moment. Anyways, this show should not disappoint…

PS: Nothing major but I think Italian is derived from Latin and are very similar so I am guessing that its not just any “foreign-sounding-chant-induced coolness factor”… It probably has to be along those lines to make it cooler… I mean try imagining the song having say Sanskrit chants for example… Probably the opposite effect but I could be wrong…
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TJ
July 3rd, 2009 - 10:53

I didn’t realize Kanon was a guy… And someone needs to put tape over Maria’s mouth.

TJ’s last blog post..
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Baka-Raptor
July 3rd, 2009 - 12:15

No mention of the MANLY ending theme?

Baka-Raptor’s last blog post..Asu no Yoichi: Best Harem Anime Ever
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Rakuen
July 3rd, 2009 - 13:55

NANI?! That bitch slapped my loli?
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ahelo
July 3rd, 2009 - 13:56

i cracked up at the picture you showed on the very top.
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Rikimtasu
July 3rd, 2009 - 16:56

Originally Posted By KabitzinNothing starts a season off right like trying to squeeze your cousin’s boobs or slapping the hell out of your little daughter.

Kabitzinâ��s last blog post..Phantom -Requiem for the Phantom- 12

minus the slapping part,the other part works fine to me.
Have to finish this EP1-1 once i posted this.
anyone expacting the story will goes till EP3?

Rikimtasu’s last blog post..C76 and new anime.I guess.
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Omisyth
July 3rd, 2009 - 23:43

I’m surprised no-one’s shopped OBJECTION onto that picture yet.

Omisyth’s last blog post..One Year Anniversary
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LDC
July 4th, 2009 - 06:25

Umineko fanart>VN>>>>>>>>>anime
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Mika
July 4th, 2009 - 10:05

Omisyth- Done
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BimoZX
July 5th, 2009 - 22:25

hmm, a pervert detective first time I’ve heard of this

I just hope they don’t cancel/delay some episodes like last time
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Blackholeheart
July 6th, 2009 - 01:11

Sanskrit chant feature heavily in Navras by Juno Reactor and kicks much ass.

@SinSnakeZ –
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Anonymous
July 6th, 2009 - 13:57

Reading Maria’s Uuuu~ sound wasn’t too bad. Hearing it however, I finally understand why Rosa wants her to stop to the point of beating the shit out of her.

That scene was still shocking and awkward as hell. As seeing someone beat a child should.

Anyone else notice that the adults in the family are rather well endowed? I never would’ve guessed from reading through the sound novel but then again the art didn’t help any.

@Rikimtasu

They’ll probably go until the 4th to finish up the Question arcs.
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Shin
July 6th, 2009 - 16:32

@Mika – Give Maria a chance to redeem herself?

@Kabitzin – How about granny boobs?

@Setsuna-san – I don’t see a Koshimizu Ami character dying that soon.

@SinSnakeZ – I got spoiled a little regarding Rosa, and believe me, she more than compensates for her unmotherly actions here. One word: SHOTGUN

@TJ – Does it matter at all? Wouldn’t you hit Kanon, regardless?

@Baka-Raptor – I like manly songs, but the ED’s too elder citizenly for me

@Rakuen – Retribution will follow suit, since I’m expecting everyone but Battler and Jessica to die

@ahelo – Because you know it’s true.

@Rikimtasu – Noooo, you’re tempting me to play the game.

@Omisyth – I guess because I see Battler more similar to Kindaichi as they are both detectives(?) while Phoenix Wright’s a lawyer.

@LDC – I see what you did there.

@Mika – Superb.

@BimoZX – Well, both delays came about due to really bad timing, so unless some otaku goes on a killing spree when Umineko’s being aired, I don’t see it happening

@Blackholeheart – I’m listening to it as I’m replying here and I must agree, it does kick a lot of ass

@Anonymous – AM I CREEPY, UUUU~ Yeah, I mean, it’s not Maria’s fault she has autism Exactly, VN players I know were complaining too about those well endowment, and they despise DFC

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Anonymous
July 6th, 2009 - 17:40

@Shin –

I like the moms as they are. Makes me wonder why Rosa’s husband would leave her since all she needs is lots of attention sex.

Oh hey, that sounds like the makings of a great ero doujin.
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