Umineko When They Cry is an anime television series, based on the sound novel series of the same name by the Japanese dōjin soft maker 07th Expansion. Produced by Studio Deen, it is directed by Chiaki Kon, written by Toshifumi Kawase, and features character design by Yoko Kikuchi, who based the designs on original creator Ryukishi07's original concept.[1]
The story focuses on a group of eighteen people on a secluded island for a period of two days, and the mysterious murders that befall most of the people. The 26 episodes in the series aired in Japan between July 2 and December 24, 2009 on the Chiba TV broadcasting network and aired on additional stations at later times.[2] Six BD and DVD compilation volumes were released in Japan by Geneon Universal Entertainment between October 23, 2009 and March 25, 2010. The opening theme is by Akiko Shikata, and the ending theme is by Jimang.[3]
| Volume | Release date | Publisher | Content | Catalogue No. (DVD) | Catalogue No. (Blu ray) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First press | Special edition | Regular edition | First press | Regular edition | ||||
| 1 | October 23, 2009 | Frontier Works (JP) | Episodes 1-2 | FCBP-0115 | FG-8016 | FCBP-0128 | FCXP-0006 | FCXP-0019 |
| 2 | November 26, 2009 | Episodes 3-4 | FCBP-0116 | FG-8017 | FCBP-0129 | FCXP-0007 | FCXP-0020 | |
| 3 | December 23, 2009 | Episodes 5-6 | FCBP-0117 | FG-8018 | FCBP-0130 | FCXP-0008 | FCXP-0021 | |
| 4 | January 22, 2010 | Episodes 7-8 | FCBP-0118 | FG-8019 | FCBP-0131 | FCXP-0009 | FCXP-0022 | |
| 5 | February 24, 2010 | Episodes 9-10 | FCBP-0119 | FG-8020 | FCBP-0132 | FCXP-0010 | FCXP-0023 | |
| 6 | March 25, 2010 | Episodes 11-12 | FCBP-0120 | FG-8021 | FCBP-0133 | FCXP-0011 | FCXP-0024 | |
| 7 | April 21, 2010 | Episodes 13-14 | FCBP-0121 | FG-8022 | FCBP-0134 | FCXP-0012 | FCXP-0025 | |
| 8 | May 26, 2010 | Episodes 15-16 | FCBP-0122 | FG-8023 | FCBP-0135 | FCXP-0013 | FCXP-0026 | |
| 9 | June 23, 2010 | Episodes 17-18 | FCBP-0123 | FG-8024 | FCBP-0136 | FCXP-0014 | FCXP-0027 | |
| 10 | July 22, 2010 | Episodes 19-20 | FCBP-0124 | FG-8025 | FCBP-0137 | FCXP-0015 | FCXP-0028 | |
| 11 | August 25, 2010 | Episodes 21-22 | FCBP-0125 | FG-8026 | FCBP-0138 | FCXP-0016 | FCXP-0029 | |
| 12 | September 23 | Episodes 23-24 | FCBP-0126 | FG-8027 | FCBP-0139 | FCXP-0017 | FCXP-0030 | |
| 13 | October 22, 2010 | Episodes 25-26 | FCBP-0127 | FG-8028 | FCBP-0140 | FCXP-0018 | FCXP-0031 | |
| I | May 26, 2010 | Frontier Works (JP) | Episodes 1-8 | FCBP-9013 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| II | August 25, 2010 | Episodes 9-16 | FCBP-9014 | |
| III | October 22, 2010 | Episodes 17-26 | FCBP-9015 |
| I | December 4, 2012 | NIS America (US) | Episodes 1-18 | NIS-UMIB1201 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| II | Episodes 19-26 | NIS-UMIB1202 | ||