UMINEKO NO NAKU KORO NI EPISODE 4: ALLIANCE OF THE GOLDEN WITCH

DESCRIPTION

CAST

CHAPTERS

MANGA DramaUmineko no Naku Koro ni Episode 3: Banquet of the Golden Witch
MANGA DramaUmineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru Episode 5: End of the Golden Witch
NOVEL ComedyUmineko no Naku Koro ni Episode 1: Legend of the Golden Witch
ANIME DramaUmineko no Naku Koro ni
MANGA ComedyUmineko no Naku Koro ni Tsubasa
NOVEL DramaUmineko no Naku Koro ni Episode 4: Alliance of the Golden Witch

REVIEWS

• 

  RoseFaerie

  91/100
  The most emotional entry in Umineko yet. It's not up to you to decide whether magic is real for someone else.

  I'm finally back to Umineko. It ended up being a longer time than I intended, but I am back to my Umineko reviewing. (I am a shoujo reviewer first and an Umineko reviewer second.) I think this is one of those series which I put off constantly and then when I finally cave in and read them, I realize that I actually love them and want to read the entire thing at once. My problem is that if I were to read it all at once it would all blend together and I wouldn't be able to write the reviews, since I wouldn't know what happened in which part. Anyways, all that matters is I'm back in the Umineko game and I've got things to say.

  This time we visit the aftermath of the third game, where Eva Ushiromiya was the sole survivor and assumed guardianship of the youngest Ushiromiya who missed the family gathering due to illness: Ange Ushiromiya, Battler's younger sister. Left with few ties to her dead family, Ange clings to her cousin Maria's diary, a diary which provides glimpses into Maria's world, a world of magic and witches, a world Ange might be able to join. After Eva's death, Ange begins a journey to discover what really happened in Rokkenjima twelve years ago and finds herself mixed up in another game between Battler and Beatrice...

  This was the most emotional entry in the Umineko franchise so far. I almost cried during one of the Maria flashbacks. We really get to feel what Ange and Maria feel. Both their happiness and despair are conveyed beautifully. I also loved the metaphors of the Black Witch controlling people and manipulating their negative emotions, twisting them into monsters. It's up to them whether they leave their hatred behind or continue to cling to it and perpetuate others' suffering. Hatred is what sparked the intergenerational trauma of the Ushiromiya family. The hatred you have for your sister and the trauma she caused can be passed down. If you were to use your child as an outlet for that hatred you would cause your child to hate, you and take their hatred out on someone else. It's a cycle and only when you recognize it and take another path will the cycle break.

  This entry focuses on Maria and Ange the most and their struggles with abuse. They paralleled each other with their miserable existences in loveless homes with abusive parental figures, subjected to bullying and endless torment at school. However, the way they deal with their suffering is quite different. Ange becomes cynical and withdrawn while Maria perpetuates her own happiness through escapism. Maria's magic is what keeps her from hatred from overcoming her, and when it's taken away from her it has its consequences. She can no longer live as happily as she did before once she becomes disillusioned.

  This time the story doesn't focus on Battler and Beatrice's battles. We don't see much of their interactions until near the end. It focuses more on the events in Rokkenjima, Maria and Ange's pasts with magic, and Ange's struggles in the real world.

  There's just a lot to unpack with this part, especially since it gets super confusing. I have a lot more questions now. Questions about who Battler is, who Beatrice is, Beatrice and Maria's relationship, and Maria's relationship with magic. I was particularly confused with all that was going on magically (interestingly enough I believe in magic slightly less in this part, and I absolutely love Ange's approach to magic in the end). This part was pretty confusing, even by Umineko standards. I've heard that the first four parts are "question" arcs, while the last four are "answer" arcs, so I'm excited to finally start getting some answers when I continue.

  As for the culprit, I'm leaning towards Battler and Maria as my main suspects this time.

  I actually really liked Maria this time. I found her creepy and suspicious in other parts, but I was able to figure out why she turned out how she did. Part 2 gave me some insight, but it was through the eyes of Rosa, her abusive mother. This time we get to really see what Maria’s home life is like, and now abuse and neglect shaped this little girl.

  I also have to say that my favorite Umineko character is now Ange instead of Jessica. Ange clings to the past and to her dead family since that was when her life was happiest. That's all she has to bring her joy. She's lonely but unable to make connections. She straddles the line between empathetic and ruthless. She is quiet and a victim of severe bullying, and likely suffers from depression. However, she remains a strong character who makes her own decisions and is unafraid to learn from her own mistakes.

  The art took a bit of time to get used to. I did not like seeing Battler without his suit on. It felt unnatural and I cannot explain why. Fortunately, it was just in flashbacks. The new art style makes everyone look a bit cuter, and it somewhat lessens the deranged facial expressions that Umineko characters often make. That's not to say it cuts them completely because we see some horrifying faces from Maria, Rosa, and Beatrice.

  In general, I prefer stories that explore and convey emotions in beautiful ways, which is what made this arc so appealing to me. I also adored Ange and the flashbacks, even if it was extra confusing. I need answers now! Those "answer" arcs better not disappoint!

  Continue on AniList

SIMILAR MANGAS YOU MAY LIKE

• MANGA

  DramaHigurashi no Naku Koro ni: Himatsubushi-hen
• MANGA

  HorrorGod Child
• MANGA

  DramaTakopii no Genzai
• MANGA

  ActionHiganbana no Saku Yoru ni