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Witchblade was originally an American comic. Which was made into a live-action TV series. Then it was adapted into an anime with a completely different setting and story. Except for some concepts they can be considered unrelated. It made downloading the anime kinda hard though because the comic and live-action series are also somewhat popular.

anyway Halo (size)
[spoiler]









[/spoiler]

@Witchblade

Aaahhh that makes sense. I think what I saw was the film-length pilot, then. Looks like they're making a major motion picture as well! Hmm.

I'm actually watching Millennium Actress right now <333 All that talk about it got me wanting to see it!

So rewatching Bakemonogatari 1 (Frostii subs, this time):

I was talking to a friend while I watched this and was trying to figure out a way to properly describe the pain my eyes endured from trying to read it at normal speed. I decided to type out the entire OP (and then ... the whole fucking episode):

[spoiler]0:01: "In front of Naoretsu Senior High School"
0:01: "Naoretsu Private High School"

0:18: "KISS-SHOT ACEROLA-ORION HEART-UNDER-BLADE.
I guess it's about time to talk about her.
I'm obligated to do so."

(Note: Starts appearing earlier at around 0:16)

0:21: "In Front of Naoretsu Senior High School"

0:46: "Blood Blood Blood Blood Blood Blood Blood Blood Blood Blood Blood"

0:48: "Araragi Koyomi"

0:50: "Street Light Street Light Street Light Kiss-Shot"

0:54: "I met her during summer vacation, the short gap between my second and third year of high school."
0:54: "The encounter was both shocking and destructive."
0:54: "Anyway, I was just unlucky."

0:56: "I wasn't able to escape that misfortune, and even if I had ---"
0:56: "the chance that someone else would end up meeting here"
0:56: "was probably zero."

0:58: "Calling me unlucky"
0:58: "would be a pretty irresponsible way to put it."
0:58: "Perhaps I should be honest and admit I was at fault."

1:05: "After all,"
1:05: "this chain of events happened"
1:05: "because of me."

1:06: "Senjyogahara Hitagi is your stereotypical 'class sick girl.'"
1:06: "Even though I've been in the same class as Senjyogahar during my first, second, and even third year of high school, I've yet to see her bustle about. Senjyogahara is always reading in a corner of the classroom. I've seen her read difficult-looking hardcover books, and I've also seen her read comics with crappy cover designs that seem to sap your intelligence away."

(Note: wtf?! I could read like ... maybe half that first line before it disappeared. Shit...)

1:10: "She seems to be pretty smart, as she's ranked high at the end of the school year."
1:10: "When the rankings are posted after the exams, Senjyogahara Hitagi's name definitely appears among the top ten."
1:10: "NOT SUBBED"

1:19: "She doesn't seem to have any friends. Not even one."
1:19: "It's not like she gets bullied. Senjyogahara always sits in a corner of the classroom and reads, with an expression like she belongs there. She builds up a wall around herself."

1:22: "She belongs there."
1:22: "She doesn't belong here."

1:23: "Well, even so, that doesn't mean anything."
1:23: "Though we were fated to be in the same class for three years, I've yet to have a conversation with her. By the way, I don't think she's lonely. Things are okay this way. Senjyogahara is definitely okay with it."

1:25: "That's how I feel."
1:25: "Even so, something happened one day."

Didn't do the end of the OP (Hitagi - Crab, Mayoi - Snail, - Suruga - Monkey, Nadeko - Snake, Tsubasa - Cat, Koyomi - Vampire) ... fuck, I just did it now. GOD DAMN IT.

And then I got bored. Here's the rest of the episode:

1:34: "I was running up the stairs at school because, as usual, I was late. A girl fell from the sky just as I reached the landing."

1:49: "Red Frame"
"Senjyogahara Hitagi"

2:02: "Black Frame"

2:05: "Black Frame"

2:06: "Black Frame"

2:25: "Black Frame"

2:32: "It's not a laughing matter. It's pretty mysterious. It's pretty creepy. It's as if she's not here."

(Note: Lasts a long fucking time ... like 5 whole fucking seconds. All the ones during the episode last quite awhile so this is mostly pointless but whatever. I STARTED I FINISH.)

2:43: "Episode One. Hitagi Crab - Part One. Font Used for the Animations: HGP Mincho B."

7:58: "Caught."

8:46: "Senjougahara Hitagi
Height: 165 cm
Weight: 5 kg

Symptom reported by patient: Sudden Drastic loss of weight.

Decrease Weight

Existing ailment: None in particular

Invective"

8:49: "Body measurements divided according to age

Chart that I'm not typing out as it would hurt me immensely."

8:51: "Body measurements segregated according to age

Same as above."

8:52: "A. Axial skeleton A. Skeletal muscle A. Circulator system
B. Upper limb bones B. Cardiac muscle B. Lymphatic system
C. Lower limb bones C. Visceral muscle"

9:26: "Hitagi said: 'It took my weight away completely.
Well, you don't really need to understand.
I'm just telling you about it because you'll cause a lot of trouble for me if you continue to snoop around, Araragi-kun.
Araragi-kun?
Hey, Araragi Koyomi-kun?'
She called my name repeatedly.
'I don't have any weight... none at all. I don't have anything that resembles weight.'"

9:27: "Hitagi said: 'It took my weight away completely.
Well, you just don't really need to understand.
I'm just telling you about it because you'll cause
to snoop around, Araragi-kun.
Araragi-kun?
Hey, Araragoi Koyomi-kun?'
She called my name repeatedly.
'I don't have any weight... none at all. I don't h"

9:28: "You don't really need to understand. Because you'll cause a lot of trouble."

10:15: "Black Frame."

13:04: "NOT SUBBED."

13:06: "Fresh Fish"

13:19: "This is just the start of life. Chunen Middle age, go"

13:25: "Bicycles Allowed
No Entry
???ght vehicles allowed
Parking 60 minutes
DANGER
??S ROUTE"

13:48: "NO ENTRY
NO ENTRY
NO ENTRY
DANGER
UNDER CONSTRUCTION NO ENTRY"

13:49: "NO ENTRY NO ENTRY NO ENTRY"

13:50: "DANG[ER]
NO TRESP[ASSING]"

13:51: "[P]RIVATE PROPERTY
NO ENTRY
THIS SITE IS DANGEROUS! DO NOT ENTER!
MIND YOUR HEAD"

13:52: "DANGER
NO ENTRY
NO ENTRY
WARNING
MIND YOUR HEAD
NO ENTRY
DANGER
NO ENTRY
WARN[ING]"

13:58: "MIND YOUR HEAD
DANGER ZONE
DANGER"

(Note: Her threat to cut "it" off reminded me of Eden of the East ... god damn penis cutting off.)

14:28: "Danger - Please do not enter."

14:06: "SAFETY FIRST"

14:48: "Black Frame"

15:36: "She knows..."
15:36: "...about my family."

15:46: "[N]O ENTRY
TRESPASSING IS FORBIDDEN.
TRESPASSERS WILL BE REPORTED TO THE POLICE.
OFFICE"

15:48: "Black Frame"

15:51: "DANGER! ENTRY FORBIDDEN!" repeated a lot on the Caution Tape.

15:53: "Bizarre"
15:53: "Objection"
15:53: "A certain .. Weird Weird Weird"
15:53: "Strange Strange"
15:53: "Guided Her"
15:53: "Shadowy"
15:53: "Oshino Meme"
15:53: "Strange"

15:54: "Bone Bone Body Body Body"

15:55: "Weight"

15:57: "Eye ye Eye"

15:59: "Finger Finger"
15:59: "Going through here is dangerous."

16:01: "Nose Nose Nos os"
16:01: "Mouth Mouth Tongue Teeth"

16:03: "My instincts
I'm about 100% right"

16:10: "BAKE"
16:10: "MONO (Bakemonogatari [Part I])
16:10-11: "GATARI nisioisin"

16:16: "Immortal."
16:16: "How do you feel?"

16:17: "Drawing of XX doing XX to XX"
16:17: "[Doi]ng this [a]nd that."

16:19: "I won't feel that way now."
16:19: "The staff finished up the food hungrily later."

16:23: "The Araragi
Hot-blooded
Arm
Finger
Sweat
Unusually ligh girl
The Senjyogahara"

16:28: "DANGER"

17:00: "EMERGENCY ALARM"

17:57: "Eye Nose Eye
Right Ear Brain Brain Brain Brain Brain Left Ear
Ahoge"

18:08: "2"

19:00 "Beautiful demon"

22:23: "Bakemonogatari
Crab
Hitagi Crab Part 1"
22:23: "2009 Nisioisin"

I missed a few things, notably the EMERGENCY EXIT sign but meh, it shows up enough that I didn't feel like typing it out every time it appears. I have no idea why I started typing out the signs and shit but meh. That and it's hard to miss the stuff during the episodes unless you read slow as shit.[/spoiler]

Umineko ep 5
[spoiler]Yeah, it does lead us down the path that someone else really did kill her, but I think it's really trying to lead us down the path that "Beatrice did it!!"

However, even if the kids walked out when she was shot, I still feel that there could easily have been another culprit. They were so focused on her body, but they are standing out in the hall with the stairwell above them. It wouldn't be much of a problem for someone to shoot and then quickly hide.

Sorry, I'm with you on this one, Battler. I don't believe in Beatrice.

@Bernkastel... XD She looks so much like Rika it's kinda funny. I SERIOUSLY want to see her tilt her head and go "Nipaaa~"

LOL @ Lambdadelta. What is that their way of giving a nod to Higurashi or something? Or am I missing something there o_O;

Anyways, at the butterfly scene, I think it's one of those red herrings that Deen liked to throw out for Higurashi. Remember, we have to be careful of those. I almost feel that everything that happened outside of the room was not in Battler's perspective but what Beatrice would see. So, to be truly honest, I don't think we can believe anything from that scene since it's not in Battler's perspective. It really feels like another Higurashi Arc 1 end, where the perspective corrupted the truth.

Damn, I wanted to see them die in SOME way to at least CONFIRM that they were killed. Without that, I'm almost willing to suspect that one of those four are the culprits. Though, even then, after my perspective-statement, I guess I still wouldn't be able to believe it.

BTW: there was just an absurd amount of boob-zoom and boob-bounce in this episode, or was that just me?[/spoiler]

@preview: WTF... Touhou.... o_O;; Jessica as Marissa..... fucking awesome if not totally weird.

@preview: Sasameki Koto is the only anime that looks interesting there. Well, Darker Than Black and To Aru.. might be too, but they're sequels to anime that I've yet to watch.

Touhou? Where?

Umineko 5
[spoiler]It's definitely trying to say "Beatrice was there and used magic to reflect the bullet back." The only gun that was shot was Natsuhi's (smoking barrel, only one gunshot) but the bullet wound doesn't really match a Winchester rifle, even assuming it hit her after traveling 50-60 ft (25-30ft to Beatrice and back). It's IMPOSSIBLE to be a suicide with that gun as it would've DEMOLISHED her head.

It's pretty obvious it has to be an outsider that shoots her ... but the lack of a gunshot makes it a little curious, though a silenced pistol would work (and fits the bullet hole). The VN has them find Natsuhi already dead, but I actually like the Anime showing them "see" her die in an "empty" room.

I know very well about the red herrings (ironically, I used the same point with a friend earlier who's only seen Umineko and not Higurashi) but it is worth noting the butterfly scene is in the VN too. Again, though, Battler never reacts to the butterflies so it's probably insanity setting in on Jessica and George. Battler was going insane, yes, but he shot the portrait, not the butterfly that was there.

To be honest, I don't know if this Bernkastel is the same Bernkastel from Higurashi (the "alter"-ego of Rika created during Saigoroshi-hen). It's worth noting that the VN for Higurashi has Bernkastel exist from the beginning of the series and the Manga shows Rika speaking with Bernkastel between the various fragments (at least she does in Minagoroshi-hen). They have the same power so it's probably more than just a cameo appearance but I can't say that she's the same as Higurashi Bern.

...then again, Beatrice mentions that Bernkastel's previous game was against Lambdadelta (34 = yaddayaddayadda = Miyo) so ... also, the Higurashi VN uses the reference too (the anime too, though it doesn't explain it just has the #34 report).

Also, Battler, George, Jessica, and Maria are confirmed dead in the VN (TIPS, body parts) ... though I suppose only Maria is ever really scientifically confirmed (her jaw is found amongst the parts). It fits what the anime shows in the Holy Land / Tea Party scene when they dissolve into lumps of meat, which I was surprised to see. That said, it's hard to say "confirmed" dead when it's apparent that one of the previous deaths that were "confirmed" were lies too. That and if you believe Battler died, I guess we're believing Beatrice revived just him for their game since it's this Battler doing battle with Beatrice. Uu...god damn it.

Unlike Higurashi, which only really flat out lied to the viewer like twice, Umineko is built around not being able to believe what you see; Ryukishi flaunts that in the Umineko description and ultimatum. Every scene is skeptical to some degree if it's not witnessed by Battler himself (now which Battler though? the one partaking in the events or the Meta-World Battler competing with Beatrice?). I suspect the coming arcs will become more and more corrupted, for lack of better word, with supernatural elements to confuse the player/viewer ... until it becomes flat out batshit insane.

Remember though, suspicions aren't enough for Umineko. Due to the whole Devil's Proof aspect, it's more than just "well yeah X could've done it." After witnessing every murder, I can explain every single one of them being committed, though I can't explain the who associated to them, notably how any of the survivors did the 6th-8th Twilights.

Though, I suppose this only matters if you care for the Beatrice and Battler battle and trying to find proof; it isn't to suggest that it could've been done by humans but that it WASN'T done by magic. Sounds the same but it's not really; it needs impossible proof that it was both done by humans and that magic wasn't involved. That is, you can't say "humans did it therefore magic wasn't involved" or "magic wasn't involved therefore humans did it" but that "humans did it AND magic wasn't involved." Need proof of both accounts, not using one to prove the other (i.e, "There is no proof that the devil exists therefore he doesn't exist" does not satisfy Devil's Proof).

Edit: And yeah, definitely more boobage in this episode (notably scenes like where Beatrice's breasts take up half the screen). With shows like Princess Lover, Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou, and even Bakemonogatari, does Umineko really need fanservice?

Hell, I'd think NEEDLESS and it's ED would be enough fanservice to satisfy a few seasons.[/spoiler]

Edit: Umineko background info + Ryukishi's ultimatum translation: http://www.witch-hunt.com/hist.html

And ... I have a serious question on Umineko that sounds a little weird but... (about the First Twilight but goes to end of episode 5 too)
[spoiler]...HOW THE FUCK DID THEY DIE? Yeah yeah, their faces were beaten in and destroyed but ... how were they killed? Were they shot? stabbed? poisoned? strangled? What? Or was the process of destroying their faces what killed them? If so, no evidence of a struggle at all?

My theory is simple. They were shot, similar to Natsuhi, by a pistol. The faces were destroyed to hide the evidence of them being shot (perhaps digging out the bullet). Eva and Hideyoshi as well as it's the only logical way I can explain how the most able at self-defense was killed; the stake was placed in the bullet wound afterwards. Kanon turns and is shot (we're "shown" he's impaled), Kinzo and the rest are shot (and I guess then have their faces tenderized). The problem with this, and every other fucking theory, is how Nanjo missed it (well, besides the one's involving him dead).

That got me to thinking, the "Stake of Belphegor" is what was placed in Nanjo. Belphegor, the demon associated to laziness (sin of sloth) but also a sort of con man. Assuming he was bribed into this, Belphegor fits perfeclty; Belphegor's "role" was to bring discord amongst mankind through riches. Beyond that, "laziness" fits if he fucked up the autopsies, though to fuck up 10 of them (6 in shed, Eva and Hideyoshi, Kanon, and Kinzo) is a bit of a stretch I can't really swallow.[/spoiler]

Umineko seriously needs some absolute truth statements (i.e., "X is dead" or "Y killed X but not Z" that are irrefutable) to hammer down a suspect ... and from what I can gather, this is the easiest of all the games as far as plot goes. Fuck.

I find it weirder in the preview that...
[spoiler]Beatrice says that she'll curse Jessica into singing her character song ... and then remarks that does that mean she'll have to sing her character song as well.

Probably just poking fun at fan theories saying she's the culprit (of ... which game?) It's much like DEEN's mocking of people when they animated the "KINZO HID UNDER THE TABLE" theory.[/spoiler]

oh and Fall 2009 stuff:
Darker Than Black: Comet of Gemini
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun
Fairy Tail (if only to see it fail like Groove Adventure Rave's Anime did)
Kobato (clampfag what can I say)
White Album 2
Asura Cryin' 2
Seitokai no Ichizon
Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu: Purezza

And a maybe to:
Armed Librarians (what a weird title)
The Sacred Blacksmith (corny title)
Kimi no Todoke (if only for Production I.G.)
11eyes (always need to watch an eroge apparently)
InuYasha Final Act (IT FINALLY ENDS)
Pretty much everything that showed tits (in case I need to satisfy a fanservice quotient / they actually aren't terrible fanservice-only shows).

RAVE
[spoiler]I so wanted to see the Musica x Reina stuff from GAR animated ... but no, they stop before that. Liked those two together more than Haru x Elie ... even if the entire Musica x Reina romance side-plot is ONE FUCKING VOLUME long.

I guess it doesn't help she was my favorite character Then confess die. T.T[/spoiler]

New anime for the bishounen fan crowd: . Looks to be Hetalia with metro stations instead of countries.

In reply to Scy / Umineko:

[spoiler]
I don't know anything about witches in Higurashi? o_O; whaaaat?? Does it have something to do with Rei?

@Tea Party bet: To me, this whole sequence was just something fun and light, but really is about as true as the thoughts that floated through Keichii's head when he believed people were trying to kill him. In a way, I actually feel this whole Battler vs Beatrice thing is prolly what goes on in the last minutes in Battler's head, after he's snapped but still refusing to believe that the witch could survive.

@"WASN'T" done by magic: I think they need to make this clearer in the scene. I got it and obviously you did, but they kinda took a long way around trying to convey this to the viewer and it still came out all muddied. The short of it: If you don't want to believe it was Beatrice, then find the true suspect.

I just have a very big question (well I have more but I want to put in another watch of this arc now that I'm acquainted more with the characters before I throw them out):

- Why and WHEN did Maria send that message in the bottle? Maria is a die hard believer in Beatrice. And again, I really wish it showed their deaths. Not just because of proof, but the WHEN. When would Maria have sent that message if she supposedly died THAT NIGHT? o_O Even that night she was screaming Beatrice did it! When was she suppose to have time to write this letter?

Oh and seriously, though, @Kinzo not being in his room but not accounting for when he left. It's his fucking mansion, please do not tell me that no one has ever considered the possibility of secret stairwells and shit. We already had one confirmed to the boiler room (well, not really secret, but you get the message). That could even throw a wrench into much of our thinking. How many possible secret passages could there be that someone could sneak out of and murder someone without them ever knowing?

Hell, that damn portrait of Beatrice could be covering up something.[/spoiler]

meowmix + water
[spoiler]The Tea Party scene is weird. Considering the events of Umineko here on out, I have to take this event at face value since the rest of the Episodes revolve around the Tea Party; I think the location of it and all was a bit weird (plus the revivals) but the actual events that transpired do happen (Battler and Beatrice's battle beginning). No one can really say for sure yet when, where, how, or anything about the Tea Party's occurence, though I'm inclined to believe that Beatrice exists to a point, much like Bernkastel's involvement in Higurashi. At the very least, Beatrice and Battler are locked in their little game, whether or not the Tea Party as shown happens the way it does.

The one thing I can't wrap my head around is the whole "WITCHES DON'T EXIST" yet the game between Battler and Beatrice (and there is an ongoing game as the two engage in a battle of wits) occurs. I don't really get how Battler can go on about Witches not existing whilst in battle with one. I dunno, maybe the rules of the game are that he's merely disproving Witches intervening with the games.

The first arc tries really hard, in the anime, to make you think that there was a magical being involved. I think the VN does too, actually, since the Tea Party (and ???? Tea Party) play out nearly identical, down to Bernkastel's speech to the player/viewer/Battler. I think it becomes more clear when the actual battle between Meta-Battler and Beatrice starts as they set down clear rules for their battle. That or it may be more obvious as Battler spends a lot more time during the events rationalizing the events over and over and over again and the ONE cut line from the Tea Party scene (Jessica begging Battler to not give up and believe like her and George did; to find the truth).

The game does get to cheat a little and the Umineko information I linked flat out taunts you about solving the mystery along with Battler, though it is futile and the cycle repeats until you believe.

As for Maria's letter ... who knows. There's one suspicious thing though ... Episode 1 and their lunch by the beach. Maria disappears to the coast for awhile~ The VN doesn't give any more details than the TIPS saying they all died so maybe "Beatrice" began killing again and Maria wrote the letter then. Or, it could be something else altogether, not even written by Maria ... it reads a lot like K1's letter from Onikakushi-hen (which is the intention, I suppose).

Edit: Oops, this is VN (and Manga) only as they discuss the epitaph in detail that she disappears. I still find her rose disappearing more suspicious; I think whomever has her rose is "Beatrice" in her eyes and "normal" without it. The VN gives more details on Maria being super impressionable and will believe whatever she is told.

And for Kinzo ... I still stand by my theory he is dead long before October 4th, which makes Natsuhi entering his room highly suspicious. There's definitely hidden passageways as it just seems "well, duh" for the house (and a murder mystery of course).

That said, it's not like their existence changes much about the possibility of the murders in my book. Unless there's a period of time that one of the four in Kinzo's room vanishes for however long it takes to kill the three, destroy the faces, clean themselves up, make the call, AND get back to the room all without being suspicious. It could just be a missing detail not shown (since, after all, Natsuhi sent the "four suspicious ones" away).

Still leaves Natushi's death as an unknown as portrayed in the anime but possible in the VN (dragged out by Jessica or George when Battler is with Maria and murdered out there; a trap is set up to trigger the gun to fire to alert them later).

...hey now, Jessica has lived on the island her whole life...[/spoiler]

Higurashi (Manga Minagoroshi-hen images size):
[spoiler]In the VN (and manga), there's poems that detail the arcs. These are descriptions of the truth behind the kakera and are written by Bernkastel. The odd part is, as far as I know, Frederika Bernkastel as the other identity of Furude Rika isn't created until Saikoroshi-hen and that takes place AFTER Matsuribayashi-hen. It's weird I dunno. Maybe Bernkastel is created from Rika earlier than that without Rika's knowledge?

Edit: The poems: http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=31811

The manga shows Bernkastel (identical to Rika) in Minagoroshi-hen in the meta-world between the worlds. She tells Rika of her death and shows her the fragments she can choose as well as the Higurashi rules. As for Miyo, it's probably just a name reference thing as I don't think there's any reference to Miyo being a witch. Bernkastel's role in Higurashi is merely a bystander as she watches Rika's struggles, though I think she imparts her Magic of Miracles at some point (she's the final piece to solve Matsuribayashi-hen in the VN I think).

Edit: I feel dumb. Bernkastel appears twice in the anime, not counting Rei.







[/spoiler]

Edit: Reading VN changes of Higurashi makes me depressed.

There is a crappy horror movie that really comes to mind. Now, I have no clue how much of an influence this Tea Party does have on everything, but I still feel that this might potentially answer your question (well not that it's a question, but kinda help with the "Tea Part real or not?" matter) and it is something I feel as well.

I will be giving away the full story and ending of this movie
[spoiler]The movie is Skeleton Key and it's really a crappy horror flick but the main premise of the movie is that if you don't believe in magic - it has no effect on you - but the moment you believe in it, it has all the power in the world. The MC of the movie is taking care of this old man who believes he is cursed and she, a hospice worker, wants to uncurse him, so she decides to try to play by "his" rules. She doesn't believe in it - but he does - and that's all that matters. But in playing the game, the more and more she involves herself, the more she comes to believe that magic really is true. In the end, because of all the dabbling she has done, she ends up believing in magic and the spell of the villains works when it wouldn't have had she just NOT believed in it. BAD END.[/spoiler]

Now back to Umineko:
[spoiler]Right now Battler is in a realm where everyone around him believes in this witch, but in order to disprove it, he's going to have to play by their rules, but the moment he gives in and accepts that magic is truth, he's going to receive game over that's none too different than that of the movie. If he wins, then magic doesn't exist for him. It's a bit of a bad boundary. Either in the end the events of the Tea Party will prove to be something his insane brain came up with (or whatever other theory he makes up) or it will turn out to be completely true. And for others around him, those who believe, there is no question that it is true. He is trapped in the game, now he just has to keep his non-belief in tact and place logic to the puzzle to receive GOOD END.

@Rose: There has to be SOME major importance to it. That episode went to a LOT of effort to hammer it into our heads, and i don't think it would do that just for the sake of showing us how Rosa beats her daughter (Rose/Rosa.... wtf?)[/spoiler]

PARTIES AND TEA AND STUFF AND TEA
[spoiler]Yeah, the realm doesn't exist without 100% belief, hence it being dispelled when Battler wonders why everyone is speaking as if Witches are real. The Skeleton Key plot as you say it is pretty much the whole deal with Umineko. Without belief, Magic has no power; they are trying to make a lie into a truth by believing it (turning "black" into "white").

I just don't get the whole "I will disprove Witches in a battle with a Witch" but it'll probably make more sense with the rules (i.e., probably a game to disprove Magic did anything and not their existence itself). That paradox confuses me a little.

Still, I think until Ryukishi tells us the answer, the Tea Parties being "real" is just unknown. Or maybe wait for other Tea Parties to clear things up.

And, just so you know, the Tea Parties are a big deal for making sense of each arc and the events of the first Tea Party set up the actual plot of Umineko (Battler vs Beatrice, anti-fantasy vs anti-mystery).

There has to be a significance to the rose. Just my gut telling me this. If Episode 2 has a rose scene too (with or without Rosa's mother of the year beato) then I'll go on to say that the rose is vital somehow. It makes sense knowing Maria's personality from the VN.

...which reminds me I need to put more time into the VN. So far, there's a lot of details changed and man, the first like hour of the VN is so much more info on each character than all 5 episodes of the anime combined.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]As I said, the paradox vanishes when the question is answered. Either in the end Battler will aknowledge that were was a witch to do battle with and he lost or in the end, he will get to say THERE IS NO WITCH and it will be like there never was one to begin with. Reality is what you make it, after all <-- which I'm getting the feeling is going to be a very big theme with this story in more ways than one.

Perhaps while out in the rain looking for this rose, Maria saw something she wasn't suppose to see? Maybe a confrontation of some sort? If we want, maybe it's important enough to believe that it might be the trigger point. I mean,t he story didn't start getting weird until that rose scene. But, either way, someone would have had to have prepared that letter in advance and they went out of their way to go outside KNOWING that Maria was out there, jsut to give it to her. Maybe the rose was nothing more than to ensure that Maria would be out there to give her this letter?[/spoiler]