umineko is a 2007-2010 sound novel (because it has basically no branching paths) thats known for being very, very long. its also the most important work of fiction in my life, even more important than those that have been a part of my life for years. unfortunately, i cant disclose the plot without completely ruining the experience, in the off chance youd like to read it for yourself, but here goes the best summary i can give.
the story, at its very core, is about a rich family of individuals named the ushiromiya family, who are so, so filthy rich that its head, kinzo ushiromiya, straight up owns and lives on his own private island with a huge ass mansion and multiple workers. every year, the main family holds a family conference to talk about family and money and being rich and family, but most importantly, whos going to get the money of their rich father. see, kinzo is dying, so in 1986 - the year the story takes place - another family conference commences, and once again kinzos children are tearing each other apart to figure out whos going to get not only the money and mansion and island kinzo already has, but the fabled 20 tons of gold that supposedly exists somewhere hidden in this island. the main protagonists are battler ushiromiya - an 18 y/o whos kind of a perv, very sentimental, and a harsh believer in the not magics, and beatrice, a witch who claims to be the true owner of the island, be able to use magic, and loves to troll battler until he cries. also, umineko is a murder mystery. lots of people die.
while i am completely aware that i didnt do the best job at summarizing the entire plot of umineko, its for good reason - its so, so much more than what it may seem at first glance. ill try to keep the sentimentals for later, but what originally starts as a murder mystery plot - who killed the ushiromiyas? was it the witch or someone else? does magic exist or not? - ends up being a grand story about family, and being fucked up, magic, trauma, the effects of true crime, being honest with yourself and others, hope, imagination and creation, and so many other things that i cant even bear to properly talk about. umineko has a huge cast, with humans, witches, demons, and angels, an absolutely banging OST, and such an incredible, hard-hitting story that you really need to just read it to believe it. its not perfect, yes, and it is INSANELY dark (the answer arcs, and especially the seventh episode, are probably the darkest things i have ever read ever), but it is so worth it if you are willing to invest 150+ hours into it. it starts out slow and then it just hits you with punches and kicks and headbutts, and i for one am all for it.
once again, words cant describe how much umineko means to me, and also i want to stay off spoiler territory, but umineko simply changed my life for the better. its influenced the way i look at any fictional media nowadays, and its messages have stuck to me since i finished it. i know that this section being short could raise suspicion, but no, seriously, its just that important to me. its a story that shows that nobody is perfect, and there can be good in bad, and bad in good, and youre never alone, and, and and... its called by many the greatest visual novel ever written, and even 'the greatest work of fiction ever written' for a VERY good reason. unless its subject matter is sensitive to you, or you simply dont feel like wasting 100+ hours on words on a screen, you should absolutely read it. its so incredible. holy shit!