The nineteenth person

The existence of a nineteenth person on the island of Rokkenjima is a recurring element in Umineko no Naku Koro ni. Initially, there are only eighteen people believed to be living on or otherwise inhabiting the island at the time of the Rokkenjima massacre; Kinzo Ushiromiya, Krauss Ushiromiya, Natsuhi Ushiromiya, Eva Ushiromiya, Hideyoshi Ushiromiya, Rudolf Ushiromiya, Kyrie Ushiromiya, Rosa Ushiromiya, George Ushiromiya, Jessica Ushiromiya, Battler Ushiromiya, Maria Ushiromiya, Genji Ronue, Chiyo Kumasawa, Shannon, Kanon, Toshiro Gohda, and Terumasa Nanjo. Therefore, after the massacre begins, many characters believe there is a possible nineteenth person on the island who is committing the murders. As the story progresses, certain truths regarding the people on the island as well as the island itself reveal a more accurate head count at the time of the massacre. Taking into account the fact that Kinzo Ushiromiya is actually already deceased and the fact that Shannon and Kanon are actually one in the same, it is more accurate to say that there are sixteen people on the island.