Umineko no Naku Koro ni - Episode 3 Discussion / Poll

[chounokoe]

Originally Posted by TJR

Ignoring the omissions and lack of atmosphere, the first two episodes of Umineko are very poor from any film-making perspective (the worst I've personally seen all year). They're loaded with disjointed transitions from one scene to the next, and there's almost no buildup toward the big surprises. That's one reason why VN readers are particularly disappointed - since they know the story already, the massive flaws are the only things that stand out.

Nevertheless, Ep. 3 is a marked improvement.

Well, we have to assume that DEEN still has to save some money, regarding the financial situation in the entertainmant industries around the world, so many things are presented a bit less big to save money for more important parts....at least I think so.

Also, DEEN has never been a studio that goes with a really artistic type of presentation, their style of scene-transitions and scene build up always seemed more simplistic in style to me.
They are doing a good job...they are maybe not the best studio out there, but one of the few which can almost guarantee a run of more than 13 episodes.

Also, if you say the worst in the year, what are you comparing it to?

Well, I don't want to imply that it is not okay to criticize Umineko for it's faults, but I think many of the avid followers of the VN are a bit too worked up about minor flaws that happen in every anime production, especially within a recesion.

[June 1983]

Yeah. The fact is, I watched episode 1 before I started playing the game. I knew certain things about the plot, and I knew Higurashi pretty well (mostly the anime, but I have played a bit of the VN) but essentially I didn't have any experience with Umineko. And I loved the first episode. Now that I've played the VN, I can see what they left out and elided over, but despite the fact that it was rushed, I felt that episode 1 was pretty well constructed and paced, and that they managed to tone down some of the slow, boring bits and end it on a note which hinted at what was to come. I actually watched episode 1 about three times because I loved it so much. Now, I have a little more criticism for episode 2 and 3, though I thought 3 was handled pretty well.

And I know I wasn't the only one. So I think DEEN is doing a passable job, balancing between VN readers and noobs, and trying to both compress the story and still make it work, and there have been a few missteps, but nothing deadly.

[Archon_Wing]

lol Maria's like summoning Washizu from Akagi. And Shion as well as Rena.

But anyhow, the suspense is definitely growing here. It's been a while since I've seen something that leaves me wondering what the heck is going on. In a good way that makes one think. Too many suspense shows and movies are very lame and brain dead usually featuring ass pull twists. We'll just have to see. Do you believe in the witch?

8/10

[Matrim]

Ignoring the omissions and lack of atmosphere, the first two episodes of Umineko are very poor from any film-making perspective (the worst I've personally seen all year). They're loaded with disjointed transitions from one scene to the next, and there's almost no buildup toward the big surprises.

Very much agreed. Well, except the worst of year part, there is a lot of crap in the anime industry these days.

Well, we have to assume that DEEN still has to save some money, regarding the financial situation in the entertainmant industries around the world, so many things are presented a bit less big to save money for more important parts....at least I think so.

Maybe but aren't the first few episodes absolutely vital for winning the anime some much needed new fans (the VN readers will take a look anyway, I guess)? Cutting corners from the beginnnig is a very poor marketing strategy, IMO. Most series start by showing off some of their best artwork/action scenes/whatever in the first episode. Plus, I am not sure they know which are the more important parts unless Ryukishi07 has already described the end of the game to them. And saving money can explain the clumsy animation but that's not even close to being the series's biggest problem thus far which, at least for me, is the lack of atmosphere which most likely is caused by the director being incompetent rather than lack of money.

[Alaya]

Ryuukishi does not need to describe the end of the question arcs, they just need to play the game :P

The problem for Umineko is that it starts with very detailed description about relationship and everything. So it is very hard to adapt those scenes.

For me, Umineko hasn't start yet.

[Saerianne]

I think it's just that Umineko has a lot to say and shove into your minds in such a short time space. This and that they have to do it and progress at the same time. It will take a while for Umineko to show it's full potential.

[MeoTwister5]

I never really considered Umineko to have started until I was halfway through the game.

[maximilianjenus]

I never considered it started until Episode 2 starts.

About thecheap animation I hope they are saving up some money now, because this arc does not really need anythign impressive, but the next arcs sure can use that extra money.

Originally Posted by Jan-Poo

She's actually happy, look at when they find the blood in the dining room, she grins.

What I find more disturbing is Eva. In the case of Maria I know why she's happy, you should get it by now. But in the case of Eva the way she takes advantage to the situation to still prosecuting her feud against Natsuhi is really incredible. Her bothers are all dead, an assassin is lurking around and she doesn't seem bothered at all, she isn't really saddened.

She had some special needs to attend, no wonder why she was locke din her room with hideyoshi, both with lock AND chain and he was already taking a shower.

Originally Posted by Jan-Poo

I think at this point I can only think that the odd one is Battler. He is way shorter than he is supposed to be. He isn't much taller than Jessica either. Also Shannon is pretty much the same height as Kanon as shown in ep1-2. So it's not Kanon that's tall, it's Battler that's short.

You know, battler being shorter than he should be fix all the height problems in the series' designs, good observation. I guess they made him shorter so the primary viewers can identify themselves more with him.

Originally Posted by Mirrinus

Higurashi wasn't bad necessarily, but Umineko has been so much more watchable for me just because Battler > Keichii.

In general I liked the umineko characters much more than the higurashi ones, as well, ever since I read the first chapter of the manga (and I tought I was going to dislike them because of the designs I saw at wiki, lol).

[Serpit]

As for Battler's height, you also have to consider Japanese standards - they're small. Calling someone the size of 1,80m a "giant" still seems laughable to me.

[Fychan]

I agree with whoever said that there was a lack of atmosphere, but I think it was way better in episode 3 than in the others... Well, at least it wasn't anti climatic like it was in the first episode.

So they're improving, I guess?

[-Sho-]

What is hilarious its that no one don't ask questions about Maria . Like "What is this sick face she did" or "how can she know about this" etc ... and she didn't seem shocked for his mother dead !

But i still like her XD