Case File 02

Case File 02 is a booklet released with the Blu-Ray collection of episodes 19-26 of the Umineko anime, published by NIS America. It is a compilation of TIPs and artwork originally featured in booklets released with the Umineko DVD Gold Editions. The Case Files go into detail on various subplots introduced in these episodes and serve to guide the viewer's thinking.

Transcript[]

About Ange and Eva's Relationship[]

Ange makes her appearance at the end of Chapter III. She's Battler's younger sister (Kyrie's birth daughter) and clams to come from the world of 1998. We don't have any information regarding the connection between each chapter of the "Umineko" case (parallel worlds, narrator's creation, etc.). but judging from what we see of Ange's upbringing in Chapter IV, we can assume that Eva was the only survivor, just like in Chapter III, and inherited control of the Ushiromiya family. That being said, it's unknown whether this is Chapter III's "future world."

Because Ange was unable to attend the family conference in 1986, she managed to avoid the tragedy that struck the rest of her family. As a result, however, she came into Eva's care and was raised very strictly to prepare her to take over the family. But it's clear that Eva, who had lost her own beloved family, must have taken out her frustration on Ange during her "education."

Ange, too, lost her family in the incident on Rokken Island, and the pain she endured caused her to avoid human contact and refuse to open up to Eva as she grew older. The greatest misfortune in all this may be the way Ange and Eva both came to despise each other more and more with every passing day.

Shortly after Eva draws her final breath, Ange seems to give up on life and prepares to leap off the hospital roof. At that moment, Bernkastel suddenly appears and uses her magical powers to transport Ange to the Rokken Island of 1986. But was magic really involved?

Even after all that, Ange continues to exist in the world of 1998 and begins her own investigation into what really happened on Rokken Island. Is this Ange in fact the same Ange that appears on the 1986 version of Rokken Island (or its meta-world)?

For one thing, the Ange that jumped from the building was said to have "miraculously survived," but is that what really happened? For example, perhaps more than one "Ange Ushiromiya" existed, or maybe Ange really did die when she jumped, and false stories were circulated later on by someone else.

Anyway, as long as the observer for this "Schrödinger's cat" theory remains unknown (perhaps Battler from the "Umineko" world?) any sort of interpretation is allowed. Is logic alone enough to revel the truth of the matter?

On the Subject of Maria and Beatrice[]

Maria's past is slowly revealed throughout Chapter IV. It may seem like a terribly unfortunate situation at first glance, but Maria, the one actually going through it all, by no means thinks of herself as miserable or even unhappy.

She has a special friend, Sakutaro, and she seems to believe that happiness is what you create for yourself. To create something from nothing—that is the power of the apprentice Witch of Origins, a power which even Beatrice respects.

It's also made clear that Maria and Beatrice had become acquainted before 1986. Even if this "Bea" is simply the true killer in disguise, it's possible to imagine that such a person had planned the murders over several years. It should be noted that a young Ange took part in the same alliance which Bea and Maria formed—"Mariage Sorciere." Could this be somehow connected to the eventual "Rokken Island Reverie Murder" case? If so, how?

About the Mysterious Tetsuro Okonogi[]

This man appears in the world of 1998 as the president of the Ushiromiya Group, which Eva had organized and presided over until her death. He has also long been sympathetic to Ange's situation.

He helps Ange escape from Kasumi Sumadera's thugs and also brings on Amakusa to serve as her bodyguard. Mr. Okonogi has managed to help and support Ange while being particularly careful not to directly oppose the Sumadera family—a very shrewd man indeed.

A person by the same name also surfaced in the "Higurashi" case, but even assuming the two cases took place in the same world, those events would have occurred fifteen tears earlier. Is it possible that he survived that incident and maneuvered himself into a position to gain Eva's favor? At the very least, it's been presented so that attentive fans can't help but consider it. But the originator of the tale, "Ryukishi07," simply says, "I'll leave that to your imagination."

The Mystery of Kinzo's (?) Appearance[]

In Episode 23, Kinzo finally decides to reveal himself to the entire family. This surprising turn of events doesn't take place even once in Chapter I through Chapter III. Previously, the only time the family saw Kinzo was as a corpse. It was thought that there was something there that would lead us to the "truth," but was that nothing more than a blind hypothesis? Was Kinzo really alive all this time, even in previous episodes? Was he the one controlling all the murders from behind closed doors to satisfy the ritual and resurrect Beatrice?

It's still too early to draw any concrete conclusions, though. In Episode 19, the siblings had approached Krauss and Natsuhi with their suspicions that Kinzo had already died by the time October 3rd rolled around. Meanwhile, Battler had been observing the entire game and used his blue words to confront Beatrice with the same idea. So the timing of Kinzo's appearance right afterwards seems a little too perfect. Rather, it's only right that we take this as Game Master Beatrice's answer to Battler's challenge.

Furthermore, upon appearing at the family conference, Kinzo begins to summon the witches' furniture one after another. Drawing from the human-killer theory, which denies the existence of witches, we can suppose that he isn't actually Kinzo. The question then becomes...who is he? Gaap and the others refer to him as Lord Goldsmith, but one might speculate that he's a being similar to Eva-Beatrice from Chapter III.

We could also build a hypothesis that "Kinzo Ushiromiya" and "Goldsmith" are nothing more than titles that can be passed down—in which case, the Kinzo that appears before the family isn't the actual Kinzo, but simply whoever took over the name of Kinzo.

Eva solved the riddle of the epitaph in Chapter III and gave birth to Eva-Beatrice as a result. Might someone following along feel an odd connection between that and Kinzo's declaration that he would give "everything" to whoever solved the riddle...?

Ange and Maria's Connection, and the Essential Nature of "Magic"[]

As Maria's friend, Ange was admitted into Mariage Sorciere when she was young. But one day, she spoke up and denied Sakutaro, as well as Maria's "magic." Being the child that she was, she hid no malicious intent behind her words. Still, her actions led to her being excommunicated from the group, and between then and Maria's death (or perhaps disappearance) during the events of 1986, it seems the two didn't have much interaction.

Ange and Maria suffer unfortunate good-byes more than once, but after Ange beings attending St. Lucia Academy, they're "reunited" in a most unexpected way...Maria's journal. Using the journal as a vessel, Maria appears before Ange and Ange alone. How is this possible? Perhaps it's because of their similar circumstances—Ange lost her entire family and has no close friends, while Maria was rejected by her only family, her mother, and withdrew into her own world. Maybe that connection was all it took.

In any event, Ange decides to train int he use of magic once again, and her studies pay off when she manages to summon and command the Seven Sisters of Purgatory. However, one day—during a classroom scene in Episode 21, to be specific—she ends up denying magic yet again. Ange cuts herself off from Maria as she pushes away the Seven Sisters and Sakutaro, calling them nothing more than "delusions and illusions."

Afterwards, while she's on the boat taking her to Rokken Island, Ange finally comes to understand the true meaning of magic that Maria had tried to teach her. Magic is the heart which believes, and an individual's will is what grants the power to make magic possible. Other people don't factor into that at all.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that understanding this is the single biggest key to solving the mysteries of the "Umineko" world. The "magic" used by all the witches follows the same logic, and accepting its principles is the only weapon humans have to battle it. The portrayal of magic involved in each of the murders...behind this hides the true intentions of the killer.

Another point that comes to mind is...who taught Maria magic in the first place? We know that it's someone Maria adores and calls Beatrice. We've already established that Maria's been close to this person since she was very young, so there's a good chance it could be one of the eighteen. And even among that group, it's possible to narrow it down further. But who's most likely...?

The Mystery of the World of 1998[]

In the world of 1998, Ange decides to visit certain people concerned with the Rokken Island incident. The sons of Dr. Nanjo and Ms. Kumasawa received strange envelopes from an unknown sender. Inside each envelope was a card and key used to open a safe-deposit box located in a secure vault located beneath the head office of a certain major bank. The PIN number for each of them was "07151129." Ange remembers that she once received the same kind of envelope herself. Dr. Nanjo's son remarks that the safe-deposit box contained a duralumin case filled with stacks of money.

These three people all share one thing in common—they're all the bereaved family of those who died during the Rokken Island incident. If the killer sent the envelopes, was the money meant as a sort of consolation?

The envelopes were al postmarked October 3rd, 1986—just before the Rokken Island incident. Would that mean that the killer had concrete plans to kill Ms. Kumasawa, Dr. Nanjo, and Rudolf and his family? Of course, there's a very real chance that the bereaved family of the others received similar envelopes/ In that case, it would seem clear that the intention was to kill all eighteen of them (or everyone other than the killer, at least).

So, do you recognize that series of numbers, 07151129? That's right—the mysterious message Eva and Battler found on the door in Chapter III was the PIN number to the vault. One can easily assume that Eva, the sole survivor, realized what that number meant and came into a large amount of money after getting off Rokken Island.

Putting those tidbits aside, when you combine Professor Ootsuki's story about the bottled messages, Captain Kawabata's testimony, and al the information gleaned from the game board from Chapter I through Chapter III, a most interesting reality begins to emerge. All the information Ange uncovered in 1998 comes from the real world. Therefore, they act as hints that can be used to figure out what happened on Rokken Island before 1986. If we can take all this evidence and continue to apply it logically, we're sure to reveal the truth hidden behind this display of illusions.

The Mystery of the Succession Test and the Myriad Display of Illusions[]

Let's discuss the test imposed on the cousins to select the family successor. George and Jessica both answer the question according to their own beliefs, and go head-to-head against Gaap and Ronove. It seems like George and Jessica are holding their own, until they fall into the witches' trap and accidentally kill each other. This is what plays out before us, but is it the whole truth?

No matter how powerful Jessica's punch of George's kick might have been, destroying a human head like that just isn't physically possible. After dying, Jessica finds herself resurrected "for the time being" and manages to make one final phone call to Battler. It's completely possible to bring the whole situation into question as a simple extended illusion.

Speaking of phone calls, one other thing should catch our attention. Soon after Battler finishes his conversation with Jessica, he receives another call—this time from Kyrie. And like Jessica, her message is simply to "believe."

If we assume that Battler is this story's ultimate observer, we have to accept that they really did say those things to him. But still...could they be hiding an ulterior motive? Or maybe they were compelled by another party to say what they did...

The Mystery of Beatrice and Battler[]

In Episode 24, Battler receives a call from Beatrice and goes to meet her on the balcony. It seems like this is the first time Battler has ever met Beatrice, so at the very least we can surmise that the real-world Battler (as opposed to the meta-world Battler) hasn't carried over any of his memories from previous chapters.

Battler is then confronted by Beatrice, where she demands that he recall his sin from six years earlier. He "committed a sin" on Rokken Island, and she claims that his sin is what triggered this tragedy. He says he has no idea what she's talking about, which implies that his "sin" wasn't anything as serious as, say, murder. Even if we go back to previous chapters for clues as to what happened six years ago, all we hear is how the cousins and Shannon played together happily. Could Battler really have met Beatrice when he was twelve years old?

Beyond that, there was a secret that even Battler himself didn't know about—he was not Asumu's son. So, if the Battler we've come to know isn't really "Battler Ushiromiya," could he be the "Mr. X" who stands outside the other eighteen? In which case, where did the real Battler Ushiromiya go? All sorts of premises are starting to collapse under the weight of careful consideration, and yet...

The Mystery of Kasumi, Eva, and Amakusa[]

In Episode 25, the Ange from 1998 finally arrives at Rokken Island. Waiting for her there is Kasumi—Kyrie's younger sister, Ange's aunt, and head of the Sumadera family—along with a detail of subordinates. Kasumi is Ange's only surviving relative, and if Ange were to die, the entire Ushiromiya estate would come under Kasumi's control. Disregarding whatever personal grudge she might hold against Kyrie, that alone is reason enough to want Ange dead.

Also worth noting is that Amakusa, who accompanied Ange to protect her, disappears as soon as they reach the island. Once the fighting broke out, where could he possibly have disappeared to? As Mr. Okonogi's subordinate, he was directed to act as Ange's bodyguard, so it's hard to imagine he would just sit and wait on the boat even at Ange's command.

After we see Kasumi die, the 1986 version of Eva materializes and faces off with Ange. In her final death throes, the last words we hear "Eva" speak is "Cool..." Amakusa had made that a catchphrase of his own-is there some connection there?

White Magic and Black Magic Revealed[]

Ange gained a full understanding of "magic" when she spotted something at Captain Kawabata's house. What could it have been? Whatever it was, it allowed her to grasp the true meaning of magic, resurrect the Seven Sisters, and even bring back Sakutaro, who Beatrice herself couldn't resurrect. Ange referred to this as "white magic," but was it really a magical power that exceeded all human ability?

Eva, who was a prisoner of black magic, gave rise to Eva-Beatrice. Eva-Beatrice, in turn, further provoked Kasumi as the black witch. And according to Maria's journal, her magic—which started out so sweet and cute—gradually transformed into an evil magic as she thought more and more about hurting others.

According to Ange's understanding, these are all the same kind of magic—what transforms it is whether it's used for the good of another, or whether a person lets spite and hatred take over their heart. Does this way of thinking apply to the other chapters as well?

The Battle Between Blue and Red[]

During Battler and Beatrice's battle in the final episode, several mysteries come to light, including those from previous games. One of these mysteries deals with the idea that Kinzo was already dead when the game began. This was touched on earlier, but any scene in which Kinzo appeared, not including flashbacks, would had to have been an illusion.

Judging by Beatrice's reaction, Battler's assertion that someone inherited the name of Kinzo, and that person used his name to attend the family conference, seems to reach close to the truth. But who could it have been? It's thought to be one of the seventeen family members, not including Kinzo himself, but...

Battler uses blue words to describe his "simultaneous shooting" and "small bomb" theories, but while Beatrice doesn't deny them outright, she does seem to laugh them off. Admittedly, they do stretch the imagination. Can we take them seriously ourselves?

At last, Beatrice poses her final riddle—"Who am I?" Very mysterious words. She no longer exists, but she's about to kill Battler... Could this point to a third person who has taken over her intentions? Or is it possible that Battler is about to suffer death at th4e hands of his own trap theory, via a bomb or some other mechanism that's already been set in motion?

Ange, Bernkastel, and Lambdadelta[]

Ange was able to stir Battler to action by sacrificing herself. Before arriving on the Rokken Island of 1986, she made a promise to Bernkastel—she was never to reveal her true identity to Battler. By breaking that promise and throwing away her own existence, Ange played a vital role. But in the end, she was nothing more than another piece put into play by Bernkastel.

In the final scene of the final episode, we see Bernkastel and Lambdadelta sprawled out on a bed, talking in casual tones about Bea and Battler—just who are these girls? It seems as if they plan to have Beatrice continue the battle with no hope of victory... Could they somehow be "higher" than Beatrice, despite them all being witches? And if they are higher, would it be according to some spatial-temporal concept, or something even beyond that?

If we continue to explore past the show itself, it begins to appear that these two girls are in charge of the game board. And yet...

Character Bios[]

Ange Ushiromiya[]

Battler's younger sister. She's absent from the family conference in 1986 and so she's spared from those grisly events. However, twelve years later she finds herself presented with the opportunity to revisit that fateful day and find out what really happened to her family.

Tetsuro Okonogi[]

The current Ushiromiya Group president. He took over after Eva's death, and while he doesn't seem eager to cross Kasumi himself, he does seem happy to help Ange escape whatever fate Kyrie's sister might have planned for her. What his end goal is in all this is something only he knows for sure...

Gaap[]

Another noble demon of hell, just like Ronove. She first appears when she is summoned by Kinzo during the fourth game to help facilitate Beatrice's resurrection. She is also tasked by Kinzo to give George the test to determine if she is worthy of becoming the family head-a task she seems to enjoy greatly.

Sakutaro[]

Maria's stuffed lion brought to life. When Rosa's around, he's just a normal toy, but once Maria's on her own, he seems to transform into a living boy. The exact nature of his existence isn't totally clear, but it seems that he gained life directly through Maria's power of belief.

Juuza Amakusa[]

Ange's mysterious protector. Little is known about him, but he seems to have some sort of connection to the new company president, Tetsuro Okonogi. Also, we see him easily handle Kasumi's goons, which would lead us to believe he's got some amount of military or martial training.

Kasumi Sumadera[]

Kyrie's younger sister. Other than Ange, Kasumi is the last living relative with any connection to the Ushiromiya family. If Ange were to die or disappear unexpectedly, Kasumi would take control of all existing Ushiromiya holdings and assets. And it would seem Kasumi is eager to make that happen...