At last weeks Otakon, Nippon Ichi Software America announced they had acquired the anime adaptation of Ryukishi07′s visual novel series Umineko no Naku Koro ni (To be released under the title Umineko: When They Cry which follows the naming system of Yen Press’s manga releases while encompassing both the title name and series name). While the series is primarily set to be a murder mystery with supernatural elements which leave you wondering if they are done by a human or the hands of the “Golden Witch” Beatrice, there is a sufficient amount of gore involved in some of the murders which were censored (Mosaic’ed) in the original Japanese television release.
The Otaku’s Study reached out to the team at NIS America to confirm the status of censoring in this release and you will be glad to know that the gore scenes that were mosaic’ed in Japan will not be censored in the English release.
Umineko: When They Cry is set to be released by NIS America in two parts – both in December 2012. As a fan of Ryukishi07′s work, I am personally excited to seeing this get a release outside of Japan (and who knows… first the anime…. next the Playstation 3 games…).
About Umineko no Naku Koro ni
Storyline
The affluent Ushiromiya family patriarch, Kinzo, is on his deathbed, and his family has assembled at their private island to discuss the division of his estate. As they bicker over their father’s immense inheritance, a typhoon closes in, trapping them on the island. They suddenly receive an eerie word of warning…and then, in the dead of night, the murders begin. One by one, family members are discovered murdered in bizarre and inhuman ways. Some within the family turn to superstition, blaming it on a witch rumored to inhabit the island. But one of them—the young Battler Ushiromiya—refuses to accept the supernatural and vows to uncover the real killer behind the seemingly impossible slaughters. He soon finds himself confronted by the apparent witch, and enters into a life-or-death battle for the truth.
Voice Cast
Daisuke Ono as Battler Ushiromiya (WAGNARIA!!, Higurashi WHEN THEY CRY)
Sayaka Ohara as Beatrice (Fate/Zero, Toradora!, anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, bunny drop)
Yui Horie as Maria Ushiromiya (Toradora!, Zakuro, Persona 4)
Marina Inoue as Jessica Ushiromiya (Gurren Lagann, High School of the Dead)
Kenichi Suzumura as George Ushiromiya (Daily Lives of High School Boys, Gintama)
Rie Kugimiya as Shannon (Toradora!, Fullmetal Alchemist, Shakugan no Shana)
Yu Kobayashi as Kanon (Baccano, Occult Academy, Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge)Staff
Director: Chiaki Kon (Higurashi WHEN THEY CRY, Zakuro, Nodame Cantabile)
Animation produced by: Studio DEEN (Higurashi WHEN THEY CRY, Fate/stay night, Hell Girl)
