Perhaps the best way to dive into Umineko, then, is to have a firm idea of what the series is shaping up to be. Even that notoriously slow-paced first episode uses its opening hours to firmly place the reader on the island of Rokkenjima, frequenting them with its layout, eccentricities, and all-pervasive mood. Besides, Umineko doesn’t extend its runtime for the sake of it: the series uses every second of its time to better explore its characters, establish its world, and carefully craft its atmosphere. How many hours have you spent mindlessly watching seasonal anime or plugging away at your favorite mobage? Probably more than 80 hours, which puts things a little into perspective. Nevertheless, good things come to those who wait. All in all, this means that the series takes around 80 hours to fully read and appreciate, which isn’t exactly a small commitment.
It takes a good couple of hours before its first episode, originally released in 2007, really gets off the ground, and there are eight more of them to uncover after that (actually more, if you count the special editions). Right off the bat, we should acknowledge that Umineko is notoriously slow-paced.
Not only is it a masterpiece of the mystery genre, it also goes beyond to become a story full of infinite charm, wisdom, and universal appeal. Part of this is due to the fact that visual novels are now more accessible than ever in the English language, but it also has everything to do with the inherent strengths of 07th Expansion’s title. In recent years, the fandom surrounding and appreciation for Ryukishi07’s Umineko When They Cry(Umineko no Naku Koro ni) series of games has increased exponentially.