Just a notice, I have also read Episode 2 of the visual novel, but I have not seen the anime. This is also my first review. I'll try to be as descriptive as possible. If you have not read Episode 1, spoilers from it WILL be included in this review.
Story (9) - Welcome to the second question arc of Umineko. If you're reading this review, then that means you know the story already: The Ushiromiya family is called to a family meeting, a typhoon shows up, and the people of Rokkenjima start dying off in a sick ritual to revive a witch.
The first part
...
of Episode 2 has a very slow start compared to Episode 1, but we get to explore the relationship between Shannon & George, and Jessica & Kanon. There's also the fact that Beatrice plays a major part in developing both of these relationships, and she actually has a main role now(as in you actually see her). It really sets the stage for the later parts of Episode 2. It's basically a romantic sub-plot.
The story, at its heart, is a mystery. While people of Rokkenjima are dying, Battler and Beatrice are watching this "game" from the parallel world. This is where Umineko really shines, as I've never seen such a debate of the likes of what Battler and Beatrice have. Every time someone dies, Battler must explain to Beatrice a human's way of the death, as he has to deny the witch in order to win.Beatrice's goal is to convince Battler that witches exist. The logic both Battler and Beatrice use are twisted, and some of the most complex arguments I've read in anything. Argument terms such as "Devil's Proof", a argument where something cannot be proved or disproved, are used and reversed in quick succession. It's almost like the words themselves are bullets, as they fire out as quick as a machine gun.
Art(7)- I'm not one to really care for art, so I'll be really brief here. The facial expressions of characters are really amazing, and capture the freaky moments of the visual novel in order to make up for the lack of music. Overall though, it's passable in every other area.
Character(9)- I'm not gonna go into much detail here, as that would be very spoilerific of who survived the first twilight. I'll go ahead and say that most characters get A LITTLE more depth. It seems Umineko wants to develop these characters slowly, as to keep the story fast-paced.
Now, I really want to discuss Beatrice. Beatrice is a magnificent villain. Her insane laughter and facial expressions will give you the creeps, and her actions will make you hate her. Her dialogue is great, as she really seems she's offering a view from someone who is not human. It's obvious that she's better than Battler in this game, as she's quicker on the argument than Battler himself. She's definitely among one of my favorite characters of all time. Her magic is explained a little bit more, but not much as to keep it mystery until the Answer arcs.
Battler is 10x better here than in Episode 1. He's a badass fighter who uses words like a pro. It's really hard to believe he's 18 years old, as he knows many more things than any 18 year old I've seen. He's the underdog of this game, and you can't help but root for him, because you WANT Battler to win. You want to see Beatrice's cocky attitude crumble. His lines are of the "never give up" sort, but it's really inspiring when you're looking at his odds. He's practically fighting a god, and it's still surprising how he's able to get back up time-and-time again.
Enjoyment(9)- The main enjoyment of this manga is the conspiracies of the people of Rokkenjima is picking out culprits, and Battler and Beatrice's battle. With the insanity and mysteries, this manga is incredibly enjoyable. It was a great thrill ride for me, and I read the Episode 2 in the VN before the manga. I was biting my nails with the suspense.
Overall(9)- If you liked Episode 1, Turn of the Golden Witch is going to flip you on your head. Legend of the Golden Witch was just a prologue. Turn of the Golden Witch is where the real story begins. It may have a slower start, but when it gets going it never stops! I'm still picking my head up off the floor after reading that explosive ending. Episode 3 isn't fully translated yet, so I'd suggest you start the VN after you finish this manga. You'll be clawing out your throat to see what happens next.
 Alternative TitlesSynonyms: Umineko no Naku Koro ni Episode 2, When Seagulls Cry Episode 2: Turn of the Golden Witch Japanese: うみねこのなく頃に - Episode 2: Turn of the Golden Witch More titlesInformationType: Manga
Volumes: 5
Chapters: 28
Status: Finished
Published: Jul 22, 2009 to Dec 22, 2010
Theme:
Psychological
Serialization:
GFantasy Statistics Ranked: #12452 2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #1132
Members: 16,613
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Jan 30, 2013
Just a notice, I have also read Episode 2 of the visual novel, but I have not seen the anime. This is also my first review. I'll try to be as descriptive as possible. If you have not read Episode 1, spoilers from it WILL be included in this review.
Story (9) - Welcome to the second question arc of Umineko. If you're reading this review, then that means you know the story already: The Ushiromiya family is called to a family meeting, a typhoon shows up, and the people of Rokkenjima start dying off in a sick ritual to revive a witch. The first part ... 
Mar 29, 2014
“From now on when I speak of the truth, I will use red.”
Story: (9) After the incident of EP1, Battler accepts Beatrice’s challenge in the meta world. To deny the existence of the Golden Witch, he must once again solve the mysterious murders on Rokkenjima which somehow has completely different events and outcomes. In EP2, the murders occur around half way of the story. The first half focuses on some of the characters relationships, their feelings towards each other. Also some events prior to the family conference have been revealed which are important tips. Some may see the romance parts sort of unnecessary but do keep in ... 
Oct 28, 2020
“The witch expects a lot from you, and is more than ready to launch an assault right from the start. I also look forward to seeing your strategy.”
Those lines belong to the visual novel and correspond to the option of playing Turn of the Golden Witch. Why mention them? Because they summarize well what is being introduced to Umineko’s formula. [1. Let's elaborate with an introduction.] After Legend of the Golden Witch introduced the whodunit mystery element of the narrative, the readers were also barely initiated to two other elements as well: * The fantasy element is connected to the Endless Witch Beatrice herself coming to the spotlight. ... 
Dec 31, 2015
I ,quite frankly ,love the Umineko series .I haven't read the VN or watched the anime but I can say that this manga is a great piece of work when looking at how the story pans out .This is a review done after my second read of Episode 2 .I'm going to try and criticize it as much as I can.
Story - 8 Strictly speaking ,rating the story of Umineko's episodes individually might be a bit tricky considering that they are all part of one major sequence of events .So by seeing this as a sequel and an episode prior to episodes 3 through 8 I ... |
