Harry Potter influences and analogues
Many critics have noted that Jill Murphy's "The Worst Witch" series (first published in 1974 by Allison & Busby), is set in a school for girls, "Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches", reminiscent of Hogwarts. The story concerns an awkward pupil at a boarding-school for witches, who faces a scheming rival student. Her professors include a kindly and elderly headmistress and a bullying, raven-haired potions teacher. Murphy has commented on her frustration at constant comparisons between her work and "Harry Potter": "It's irritating … everyone asks the same question and I even get children writing to ask me whether I mind about the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and pointing out similarities. Even worse are reviewers who come across my books, or see the TV series, and, without taking the trouble to find out that it's now over quarter of a century since I wrote my first book, make pointed remarks about 'clever timing' – or say things like 'the Worst Witch stories are not a million miles from J K Rowling's books'. The implications are really quite insulting!"
Umineko When They Cry
The first game of the "Umineko When They Cry" visual novel series, titled "Legend of the Golden Witch", was first released on August 17, 2007 at Comiket 72. The second game "Turn of the Golden Witch" was released on December 31, 2007 at Comiket 73, and the third game "Banquet of the Golden Witch" was released on August 16, 2008 at Comiket 74. The fourth game "Alliance of the Golden Witch" was released on December 29, 2008 at Comiket 75. The first game in the "Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru" series, entitled "End of the Golden Witch", was first released on August 15, 2009 at Comiket 76. The sixth game "Dawn of the Golden Witch" was released on December 30, 2009 at Comiket 77. The seventh game "Requiem of the Golden Witch" was released at Comiket 78 on August 14, 2010. The eighth game "Twilight of the Golden Witch" was released at Comiket 79 on December 31, 2010. A fan disc titled "Umineko no Naku Koro ni Tsubasa" was released the same day as "Twilight". A second fan disc titled "Umineko no Naku Koro ni Hane" was released at Comiket 81 on December 31, 2011. MangaGamer released the Windows games on Steam.