Note: All downloads are for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, please buy the original.

Album released by:
-nipponsei

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Umineko no naku koro ni Original Soundtrack
Release Date: December 9, 2009

Artist: Shinichi Sakurai, Moriwaki Masatoshi, dai, zts

Tracklist:

1. Majo ga Sumu Shima
2. Odayaka na Gogo
3. Odoru Shoujo Ningyou
4. Oimotometa Saki
5. Hai Yoru Fuan
6. Hirakareta Kinki
7. Sasori no Harawata
8. Requiem
9. Kobore Ochiru Namida
10. Yuuutsu na Gogo
11. Shizuka na Kattou
12. moon
13. Kokoro Oku no?
14. Kiniro no Hiai
15. Anryoku ni Shizumu Kan
16. Warau Monocle
17. Shukugan no Fukashigi
18. Toki wo Tabisuru mono
19. Karen na Reishou mono
20. Yami de Hohoemu mono tachi
21. Chiisana Sekai
22. Tojita Heya
23. Aka Ikutsu Nise
24. Kudasareru Shinpan
25. mortal stampede
26. Ouja no Tatakai
27. Shuutan no Senritsu
28. mirage coordinator
29. dreamenddischarger
30. happiness of marionette
31. Answer

Download Part 1«
Download Part 2«

This OST includes all the soundtracks used in the anime as well as remixes of songs from the sound novel OST. Though it’s not as epic as the original OST, there are still some good tracks to listen to, especially the epic remixes of well known sound novel BGM’s such as dreamenddischarger, mortal stampede and miragecoordinator.It’s a shame that some of the epic tracks in this OST was not even used in the anime, “dreamenddischarger” being one of them. It would have made some scenes more engaging IMHO.

Anime Final Impressions

Since I’ve mentioned the anime, I’ll include my final impressions about it here. Overall, I’ve found the Umineko anime to be just decent. It’s not too bad nor it is very good. For a stand-alone adaptation of a 30-50 hour long visual novel, I thought they did a decent job considering the time that they’re given.

Really, it’s not really THAT bad as majority of VN readers as saying. Yes, some of the directing choices were bad. Questionable choice of adapted scenes, animation errors which were not even fixed in the blue-ray version, pacing problems, many red and blue lines omitted. However, I guess that’s to be expected due to time constraints. At least the anime included all the important scenes and delivered it excellently given the limited time. The experience may not be as epic/awesome/brick-shitting as the novel, but it was still an entertaining experience nonetheless.

Though having saying all that, I still believe that other animation studios/directors could do a much better job. I for one support a change of staff or animation studio for the next season. I really think Studio DEEN was not motivated enough to adapt this series at their full potential. Heck, even I find this fanmade ending to be a much more superior closing scene for the series. This scene made me emotional in the fanmade ending while the anime ruined it with the ED song. They should’ve cut the ED instead of the OP. Here’s the link for fanmade version I’ve been talking about.

So overall, I would still strongly recommend anime-only watchers to read the novel to further understand the characters, and further explore the mystery aspect of the plot, both of which was greatly missing in the anime due to time constraints. It’s a shame since these were the two most important aspects which makes this story unique and enjoyable.

End of the Golden Witch English Patch

Speaking of the novel,the hardworking English Translation team popularly known as Witch-Hunt, gave us a Holiday present.

They just recently released the full english translation patch of the 5th novel of the Umineko no naku koro ni universe entitled “The End of the Golden Witch”. The patch could be downloaded (Here), (Mirror). After downloading, Don’t forget to give the folks at Witch-Hunt a big thank you for their efforts and non-stop dedication they put in making this successful. Also, be sure to support the creators, 07th Expansion, by purchasing the original game. Here’s the opening movie preview for those who are interested.

Opening Movie: “Umineko no naku koro ni Chiru ~End of the Golden Witch~”

New Characters FTW!! I guess it’s time to enter the world of Rokkenjima once more and help Battler reveal the true mastermind! Finally, my holiday will be more meaningful! Have fun reading guys~ and Season’s greetings from the CP staff!

Summary:

The episode starts off with the servants, together with Rosa and Doctor Ganjo, discovering the greusome deaths of Jessica’s, George’s and Battler’s parents at the chapel.It seems that the killer killed them in a horrible manner by cutting their stomachs open while stuffing candies it. Battler and the others saw this and was greatly shocked, enraged and saddened.

After seeing this greusome murder, Jessica immediately blamed the guest Beatrice for commiting this unforgivable act and decided to search for her. Gohda and Kanon were ordered to follow her.
When they entered Beatrice’s room, they could not find her. They instead a found a letter provoking them and stating that she will not be captured easily. While Jessica was more enraged by the letter, Kanon comforted her. Beatrice, the witch, suddenly interrupted and stated that she will use them as the next sacrifices for the second twilight.

Beatrice summoned Goat-deaded servants to attack the couple while Kanon fought back with his magic red sword. After Kanon defeated the goat-headed servants, Beatrice summoned the 2 stakes of Purgatory, Asmodeus and Satan. The stakes pierced through Kanon and Jessica’s bodies leaving them both dead. Beatrice wasn’t satisfied and decided to humiliate the couple more by moving Kanon’s body out of the room.

Meanwhile, Battler and the others are solving the mystery behind the murder at the chapel. George wondered how the culprit managed to lock the door at the chapel while the only key which could open it was found on Maria’s envelope.

The world suddenly froze as Meta world Beatrice suddenly challenged Meta World Battler how to solve this closed room mystery without relying to magic. Battler managed to solve this mystery by guessing that the culprit may have switched the keys found on the Maria’s envelope while they were asleep.

Preview: Episode I-IV – “skewer”

Thoughts:

I’ve got to say that this is my favorite episode so far. They did a great job with the chapel scene though the censorship kinda ruined it for me. I hope this censorship will be absent in the DVD’s/BD’s. The magical fights have also started, and I have to say that I was relatively impressed. Yui’s voice as Asmodeus was fitting and Mio voicing Satan just made her character hotter than what I imagined. Jessica’s and Kanon’s deaths was also depressing as I could remember from the sound novel. Curse you Beatrice for not even giving Jessica a chance to hear Kanon’s real name at her final moment (;_;).

The first meta-world battle argument between Beatrice and Battler also was satisfying enough, though they were less tense and engaging compared to the sound novel. I was also satisfied on how they handled the red truths, though sometimes it can become quite annoying with all the texts flying rapidly at the screen. Overall, I was impressed with this episode and now I even have more high expectations for them for the upcoming arc.

Summary:

The episode starts off between October 1984 and December 1985 where George and Shannon are holding out a date at an aquarium. George has confessed that he was interested in her after all this years that she had met her as a servant. Shannon was delighted at this and blushed afterwards.

On December 1985, Shannon broke a mirror at a small shrine located at Rokkenjima. She yelled to the skies that she had fulfilled her promise and now it is Beatrice turn to keep hers. On October 1984, Eva’s family had visited Rokkenjima for a meeting. While the meeting was taking place, Jessica and Shannon were outside the garden talking about George’s personalities. Jessica noticed that Shannon had liked George based on her actions.

While they were chatting, George has noticed them and decided to join in the conversation. Eva noticed George talking with the servant and started to threat her. Shannon decided to reflect on her feelings on why a furniture like her was given a heart than can love other people.

Beatrice suddenly showed up in front of her and told her that she make George fall in love with him for all eternity. In exchange for this, Beatrice told her that she must break a small mirror at a small shrine near the shore. Shannon has rejected this and told her that bad things might happen if she broke the mirror. Beatrice gave Shannon an option to change her mind if she wishes to so she gave her a golden butterfly ornament. According to Beatrice, it has the power to grant her wish if the mirror at the shrine is destroyed. Kanon saw this conversation but Beatrice had left.

On August 1986, at a beach on Rokkenjima, Shannon had thanked Beatrice because of her magic so she decided to return the golden ornament and told her that she would not use it anymore because she believed that they should be the ones putting in the effort to make their relationship last forever. Meanwhile, Jessica has invited Kanon to join her at a school festival. Kanon noticed that jessica acts differently in school compared to her usual self in the mansion.

Back home at Rokkenjima, Jessica told Kanon that people can change themselves to something they want to be and that he should stop treating himself as something as a furniture. But Kanon couldn’t accept this and insisted that humans and furniture cannot love each other. Kanon relaized that Beatrice was just playing around with the couples by giving them false hope.

Preview: Episode II-II – “Early Queen Move”

Thoughts:

What a lighthearted episode to start the 2nd arc. We got ourselves focused on the character development of this series which was pretty much absent in the first arc.

Between the 2 pairs, I prefer the Shannon and George pair the most because 1.) any character being voiced by TEH RIE = win and 2.) Even though Yu Kobayashi is awesome, Emo-Kanon is just plain annoying for making poor Jessica cry ;_;. The lack of Tsurupettan was a bit disappointing since the song they used in the anime didn’t add the epicLOL randomness feel of the scene. I remember laughing hard when I got to this part in the novel. But yeah, at the end, I guess it’s okay. At least they still used Jessica’s VA to sing the song. ヽ(´ｰ ｀)ノ

Next week, a special guest will appear as the 2nd round finally starts! Again, I can’t wait! XD