What Yuki Nagato and Light Yagami read
A portrait of popular Japanese literature trends leading into the early 2000s and the ascent of otakudom.
The World-wide Exploits of Kuroneko Byouinzaka
The World We Broke (Sekai 3) takes on a distinctly celebratory tone compared to the high stakes murder mysteries that preceded it. In contrast to an ordinary whodunit, it was an experience that was distinctly reminiscent of the slice of life genre.
Imperfect Girl: Alone with the past, together within a locked-room
Imperfect Girl is not a story about heroes or heroines. It has nothing but contempt for the scolding attitude of what it might call “normal” stories, of the kind where good people learn to be better people by virtue of their goodness.
Another did it better? Mystery, cross-genre pollination, and crafting the perfect twist
The next time you encounter a twist in a big network TV drama, ask yourself why this school-life horror called Another did it all so much better.
When They Cry again, parts 5 & 6
This is probably bon voyage to Umineko’s live-reviewing. After EP8 comes the more classical full reviewing. Have a nice day. See you again.
Meiro Byouinzaka’s Enclosed-World of the Constant Suicides
An Eerie and Artless Enclosed World (Sekai 2) is written by Nisio, Isin, and it is the sequel to my favourite mystery novel ever.
When They Cry again, part 4
To end EP4, Time to theorise and deduce the solution to Umineko’s mystery as best we can. It’s the one thing we can only do at this precise juncture of the end of the Question Arcs.
When They Cry again, part 3
I would say, on the whole, EP3 was when I finally “got” Umineko. Some of it was vindicated from my prior complaints, but some of its problems have been exacerbated. At least, I solved the mystery.
When They Cry again, part 2
This time we’ll keep things shorter. Umineko: When They Cry has much, much more consistently well written characters than its older sibling, Higurashi.
When They Cry again, part 1
Umineko: When They Cry is good enough that I want to be reading it, not writing about it. And that is a great compliment to give any story.
