Umineko no Naku Koro ni - Episode 1: Legend of the Golden Witch, JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 8: JoJolion Recommendations
Umineko is a mystery story about the protagonist who needs to find the culprit of a series of murders on an island. It's not even certain that there's actually an assassin or if it's just the magical doing of a witch. Every time the protagonist fails to find this alleged culprit, the event of the murders keeps repeating over and over.
Jojolion has many different mysteries at its core, and it's a story about the protagonist discovering his identity and finding a place/family to belong. On that note, both protagonists don't remember who they are, and we accompany them in their journey of self-discovery and the
search for past memories.
That's why readers can easily relate to the protagonists, since at the start of the story, we know nothing, just like them. Josuke and Battler are goofy and inexperienced at the start, but they greatly improve over time.
Umineko and Jojolion are like putting together a puzzle, and each chapter/arc of the series is like a new piece of the puzzle. For every two pieces you put together, five more pieces appear, adding even more mysteries.
There is a heterogeneous blend of mystery, bizarre fantasy, and psychological elements in both works, especially the struggle between logic and supernatural forces. Umineko and Jojolion deliver their themes incredibly well (it may actually be the strongest aspect of both works) and revolve around breaking a curse (in their own ways).
Umineko and Jojolion have a very refreshing and realistic approach about the concept of the 'villain', but I'll stop here since adding anything else would be huge spoilers for both stories.
These series need to convey a lot of information, and that can be quite difficult without being boring or resorting to infodumps. Yet, they succeed.
None of the information serves only the current arc or defeating the current obstacle. It is all vital to the plot on a fundamental level. It gives you all the context you need to be invested in the mystery and the characters. It provides just enough information to make you excited about what you’re in for but falls just short of enough information to fully grasp what’s going on and where the story might be heading in the future.
Umineko and Jojolion can be read in a heartbeat, and you subconsciously absorb all of the information while reading. They require attention since they have very intricate plots, yet they never feel heavy or boring.
If you're searching for stories that are intriguing right from the start to the very end, these manga are for you.
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