Im 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 wouldnt be able to write the reviews since I wouldnt know what happened in which part. Anyways all that matters is Im back in the Umineko game and Ive 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 Battlers younger sister. Left with few ties to her dead family Ange clings to her cousin Marias diary a diary which provides glimpses into Marias world a world of magic and witches a world Ange might be able to join. After Evas 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. Its 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. Its 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 Ange becomes cynical and withdrawn while Maria perpetuates her own happiness through escapism. Marias magic is what keeps her from hatred from overcoming her and when its 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 doesnt focus on Battler and Beatrices battles. We dont see much of their interactions until near the end. It focuses more on the events in Rokkenjima Maria and Anges pasts with magic and Anges struggles in the real world. Theres 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 Marias relationship and Marias 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 Anges approach to magic in the end. This part was pretty confusing even by Umineko standards. Ive heard that the first four parts are question arcs while the last four are answer arcs so Im excited to finally start getting some answers when I continue. As for the culprit Im 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 Marias 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. Thats all she has to bring her joy. Shes 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. Thats 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