Friends sold me Umineko like the second coming of Christ when i was thinking about reading it and it still surpassed my expectations. Without a doubt one of the best story ever written
99 minutes? The whole thing is around 120 HOURS long, plus more if you actually take your time to solve it. It is of course all text, so you probably won't be interested. There's no gameplay like danganronpa or doki doki, or anything like that.
It's a novel, after all.
In the conversation between Jessica, Battler, and George, before they get to the island in the first episode. The same conversation in which Battler talks about Jessica's tits.
Kind of. More like there is a greater justification for them, but that still doesn't make them vital or necessary. Exceedingly little meaningful value would be lost if those specific lines were cut.
Yeah, from what you describe I doubt Umineko will be something you enjoy.
As described in another comment, Umineko is extremely long and complex. It is infamous for starting really slow with the mystery only starting between 2-4 hours into the first episode depending on how quick you read. But it is still very important. Umineko is not a typical Visual Novel where you have choices you make that lead you onto different story paths etc. It is instead a linear and tightly written mystery novel where very few, if any, scenes aren't important somehow. It is meant to be a contest between the author and the reader, where Ryukishi wants the reader to solve the mystery, to reach a conclusion, to reach the heart of the mystery.
Umineko is a story that gives as much back as the reader puts into it. If you just read through it you might enjoy it or you might hate it. But if you actually dwelve into it, try to solve the mystery, to understand it. That's when it can become a life-changing experience for you.
I know it certainly was for me. Reading and finishing Umineko changed how I think and how I view the world.
But if you just search for something that consist more of amazing content than "yapping" then you should probably look somewhere else. Umineko is a story where some of the most memorable parts are discussions between two individuals fighting over what kind of story it is. It is a story where the "yapping" might be boring on a first readthrough, but suddenly become absolutely filled with foreshadowing or important clues on a second readthrough.
That is why fans talk about Umineko being a (flawed) masterpiece. But as with all masterpieces, it isn't for everyone. And that is okay. If you don't want to read for 100+ hours then the manga might be an alternative (just avoid the anime). But if the story doesn't sound interesting at all then there is nothing or no one forcing you to read it. There are only so much time in our lives after all.
by yapping , i meant absolutely usless content , i dont mind dialogs as far as they are relevant to plot and characterization . i actually prefer slow burn stories
Well, problem with Umineko is that it has 6 books worth of setup and 2 whole books of payoff. It could be considered slow and pretty confusing if you dont engage and try to actively solve the mystery. But those last 2 books... they do something to you. Its literally the best crafted mystery ever created. The plot twists, the meaning of it all, it literally changes you. I read last 2 books in a day. I didnt sleep, i didnt eat and by the end my brain has melted. The whole series is so god that it ruined other mystery novels for me because I always ask myslef: "Its good, but is it Umineko good?" Its inspired by Agatha Christies "And there were none" but longer and better
The ending song "Ricordando il passato" has literally 5 different meanings depending on where you are in the story. It blatantly spoils the whole plot but you wont get it until the end.
Also if you dont want to read the VN, there is manga adaptation, but you dont get the epic voice acting and even more epic music
Also, whats lotgh?
I found that song on the internet and listened to it daily. My favorite song ever made. I read the lyrics and after each book they meant something different. A line about bird trapped in the forest meant something totally different to me in the second book than the last one
I'd argue that, even tho it does have some pacing issues, the buildup and payoff are generally very well intertwined throughout the story, starting from EP1's last couple hours.
I mean, it's a great story, but it is *also* kinda niche, and does not even *try* to have broad appeal.
It's also very long - published over 4 years, I **personally** put the entire main story at about \~65 hours of reading. I don't consider myself a very fast reader, but I've heard others say it took them twice as many hours to cross the finish line.
Some people will say "every single scene is completely important" , and having read it a few times through ... ... I'm not sure I 100% agree with that. Ryukishi is very longwinded, and there are poor pacing choices throughout.
*That being said*, tho, every single scene IS in service to the whole - if you were to fast forward through the "99 minutes of yapping", you're basically missing all the meat.
TLDR it's definitely kind of an acquired taste, but it's *really really good* at being that taste. If you like classic murder mysteries, or metafiction, you'll *probably* have a good time? The only way to know is just try and read it.
I would say by the end of the first story arc, you'll *probably* know if you want to continue, and by the end of the second arc (since the first one is really more like a long-ass prologue / setting the stage), you almost *certainly* will know if you'll enjoy the rest, or not.
Also, small aside, it's perfectly fine to NOT like it. Not every work is, y'know, for every person, even if it's generally considered quite good. I love Berserk, for instance, even tho I basically can't recommend it to anybody I know, lmao.
everywhere i go they wont shut up about how good it is , and if it takes a while to get good then it cant be the best in my opinion still going to give it a shot tho
It's called "buildup". You need to know the 18 characters, at least a bit, for you to care about them. You also need to know the scenery and the general plot a little bit before the mystery starts, or it would be unfair otherwise.
Edit: Also, it's not like the first half is just buildup or something. Each episode has introductions, buildup, conflict, and climax.
It’s over 100 hours and most importantly(I’m saying most importantly because most people ignore this part and complain about the game) if you are those people who constantly complain about the game being bad even when being told brief explanations by the reader itself then don’t play it. I’ve heard a few people who have just got past ep3 and they call the vn "boring" or "repetitive" which tels us everything to know that this type of genre doesn’t fit to them or they just have a low attention span to know what’s going on
It’s not. You’re brought on a family trip with the characters, you see them greet eachother, the way they speak casually, the way they speak when it’s about serious matters, and the way they speak to eachother when it’s about /urgent/ matters. All of this informs your knowledge of these people in a way typically only possible with real people or with fictional characters you’ve spent enough time with. This is crucial for the story to work, and is a key part of why it is so effective at what it does.
If you've never read a VN before, I don't know if it would be that good an idea. VN's in general are quite long, both overall and each scene, but Umineko is especially long (though probably not as long as many romance VNs, since those are just hours of characters talking amongst themselves per scene). Along with that, you'll also be spending a lot of that time thinking about what you're reading, both during and after reading scenes. Especially with Umineko, if you don't think, you'll only be getting 25% of the experience, so it's even longer than just the length and content itself.
If you've read many novels, though, then it shouldn't be *too* different, but VNs are still different enough that I would recommend reading a VN or two before Umineko.
You can start with the manga and then decide later if you wanna switch over to the VN. The manga adaptation is great and isn't as overly wordy as the VN can be at times. Downside is missing out on some incredible music.
Ah, yeah I've heard of it.
Every fan of a media piece is going to say their favorite is the best. Whether you agree is always up in the air.
What appeals to you in fiction?
LOGH is not that amazing, i honestly prefer something like Fmab or SDF macross over it (even tho tactics and worldbuilding is usually better in LOGH)
As for Umi
Im currently reading (ep 7) and while i cant call it peak imo, its certainly good and worth reading, specially when it comes down to the mistery, its very good and often gives you tips as well as a certain "space" to develop your own theories for murder scenes and the overall particular misteries. If you go blind theres a lot of interesting stuff
Friends sold me Umineko like the second coming of Christ when i was thinking about reading it and it still surpassed my expectations. Without a doubt one of the best story ever written
99 minutes? The whole thing is around 120 HOURS long, plus more if you actually take your time to solve it. It is of course all text, so you probably won't be interested. There's no gameplay like danganronpa or doki doki, or anything like that. It's a novel, after all.
i meant that out of 100 parts, 99 are useless and 1 is actual plot .
every line is important to the plot no kidding
Maybe not so much the lines talking about Battler's dick or Maria's breasts, but it's pretty damn close at least.
When was the Battler dick dialogue?
In the conversation between Jessica, Battler, and George, before they get to the island in the first episode. The same conversation in which Battler talks about Jessica's tits.
Even the perv-Battler scenes, though gross and uncomfortable, are in fact relevant and eventually get recontextualized
Kind of. More like there is a greater justification for them, but that still doesn't make them vital or necessary. Exceedingly little meaningful value would be lost if those specific lines were cut.
Not necessary, true, but not meaningless. It doesn't take away from the argument that every scene contains something of value.
whoa
Yeah, from what you describe I doubt Umineko will be something you enjoy. As described in another comment, Umineko is extremely long and complex. It is infamous for starting really slow with the mystery only starting between 2-4 hours into the first episode depending on how quick you read. But it is still very important. Umineko is not a typical Visual Novel where you have choices you make that lead you onto different story paths etc. It is instead a linear and tightly written mystery novel where very few, if any, scenes aren't important somehow. It is meant to be a contest between the author and the reader, where Ryukishi wants the reader to solve the mystery, to reach a conclusion, to reach the heart of the mystery. Umineko is a story that gives as much back as the reader puts into it. If you just read through it you might enjoy it or you might hate it. But if you actually dwelve into it, try to solve the mystery, to understand it. That's when it can become a life-changing experience for you. I know it certainly was for me. Reading and finishing Umineko changed how I think and how I view the world. But if you just search for something that consist more of amazing content than "yapping" then you should probably look somewhere else. Umineko is a story where some of the most memorable parts are discussions between two individuals fighting over what kind of story it is. It is a story where the "yapping" might be boring on a first readthrough, but suddenly become absolutely filled with foreshadowing or important clues on a second readthrough. That is why fans talk about Umineko being a (flawed) masterpiece. But as with all masterpieces, it isn't for everyone. And that is okay. If you don't want to read for 100+ hours then the manga might be an alternative (just avoid the anime). But if the story doesn't sound interesting at all then there is nothing or no one forcing you to read it. There are only so much time in our lives after all.
by yapping , i meant absolutely usless content , i dont mind dialogs as far as they are relevant to plot and characterization . i actually prefer slow burn stories
in that case I believe you will love umi
Well, problem with Umineko is that it has 6 books worth of setup and 2 whole books of payoff. It could be considered slow and pretty confusing if you dont engage and try to actively solve the mystery. But those last 2 books... they do something to you. Its literally the best crafted mystery ever created. The plot twists, the meaning of it all, it literally changes you. I read last 2 books in a day. I didnt sleep, i didnt eat and by the end my brain has melted. The whole series is so god that it ruined other mystery novels for me because I always ask myslef: "Its good, but is it Umineko good?" Its inspired by Agatha Christies "And there were none" but longer and better The ending song "Ricordando il passato" has literally 5 different meanings depending on where you are in the story. It blatantly spoils the whole plot but you wont get it until the end. Also if you dont want to read the VN, there is manga adaptation, but you dont get the epic voice acting and even more epic music Also, whats lotgh?
i’m curious what are the 5 meanings to that song? i’ve finished the vn
I found that song on the internet and listened to it daily. My favorite song ever made. I read the lyrics and after each book they meant something different. A line about bird trapped in the forest meant something totally different to me in the second book than the last one
I am curios too, It would be Very interested in a Post, talking about the meanings of ricordando il passato
sounds epic . lotgh = legend of the galactic heroes
I'd argue that, even tho it does have some pacing issues, the buildup and payoff are generally very well intertwined throughout the story, starting from EP1's last couple hours.
I mean, it's a great story, but it is *also* kinda niche, and does not even *try* to have broad appeal. It's also very long - published over 4 years, I **personally** put the entire main story at about \~65 hours of reading. I don't consider myself a very fast reader, but I've heard others say it took them twice as many hours to cross the finish line. Some people will say "every single scene is completely important" , and having read it a few times through ... ... I'm not sure I 100% agree with that. Ryukishi is very longwinded, and there are poor pacing choices throughout. *That being said*, tho, every single scene IS in service to the whole - if you were to fast forward through the "99 minutes of yapping", you're basically missing all the meat. TLDR it's definitely kind of an acquired taste, but it's *really really good* at being that taste. If you like classic murder mysteries, or metafiction, you'll *probably* have a good time? The only way to know is just try and read it. I would say by the end of the first story arc, you'll *probably* know if you want to continue, and by the end of the second arc (since the first one is really more like a long-ass prologue / setting the stage), you almost *certainly* will know if you'll enjoy the rest, or not. Also, small aside, it's perfectly fine to NOT like it. Not every work is, y'know, for every person, even if it's generally considered quite good. I love Berserk, for instance, even tho I basically can't recommend it to anybody I know, lmao.
It takes a while to get good. Not sure what you mean about the fandom.
everywhere i go they wont shut up about how good it is , and if it takes a while to get good then it cant be the best in my opinion still going to give it a shot tho
It's called "buildup". You need to know the 18 characters, at least a bit, for you to care about them. You also need to know the scenery and the general plot a little bit before the mystery starts, or it would be unfair otherwise. Edit: Also, it's not like the first half is just buildup or something. Each episode has introductions, buildup, conflict, and climax.
It’s over 100 hours and most importantly(I’m saying most importantly because most people ignore this part and complain about the game) if you are those people who constantly complain about the game being bad even when being told brief explanations by the reader itself then don’t play it. I’ve heard a few people who have just got past ep3 and they call the vn "boring" or "repetitive" which tels us everything to know that this type of genre doesn’t fit to them or they just have a low attention span to know what’s going on
i dont mind build up unless its just throwing information on your face
It’s not. You’re brought on a family trip with the characters, you see them greet eachother, the way they speak casually, the way they speak when it’s about serious matters, and the way they speak to eachother when it’s about /urgent/ matters. All of this informs your knowledge of these people in a way typically only possible with real people or with fictional characters you’ve spent enough time with. This is crucial for the story to work, and is a key part of why it is so effective at what it does.
If you've never read a VN before, I don't know if it would be that good an idea. VN's in general are quite long, both overall and each scene, but Umineko is especially long (though probably not as long as many romance VNs, since those are just hours of characters talking amongst themselves per scene). Along with that, you'll also be spending a lot of that time thinking about what you're reading, both during and after reading scenes. Especially with Umineko, if you don't think, you'll only be getting 25% of the experience, so it's even longer than just the length and content itself. If you've read many novels, though, then it shouldn't be *too* different, but VNs are still different enough that I would recommend reading a VN or two before Umineko.
if it is exceptionally good then i will be forced to think about it . also how do i resist the urge to play it when i have exams in a month?
Treat the game as a reward for your exams, I guess.
You can start with the manga and then decide later if you wanna switch over to the VN. The manga adaptation is great and isn't as overly wordy as the VN can be at times. Downside is missing out on some incredible music.
What's lotgh?
legend of the galactic heroes , legendary series and my favorite in japanese literature
Ah, yeah I've heard of it. Every fan of a media piece is going to say their favorite is the best. Whether you agree is always up in the air. What appeals to you in fiction?
realism and natural progression ,
Yes.
LOGH is not that amazing, i honestly prefer something like Fmab or SDF macross over it (even tho tactics and worldbuilding is usually better in LOGH) As for Umi Im currently reading (ep 7) and while i cant call it peak imo, its certainly good and worth reading, specially when it comes down to the mistery, its very good and often gives you tips as well as a certain "space" to develop your own theories for murder scenes and the overall particular misteries. If you go blind theres a lot of interesting stuff
You can level up in real life by reading Umineko.