Alternative TitlesSynonyms: Ghostory Japanese: 化物語
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 15
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Jul 3, 2009 to Jun 25, 2010
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 8.451 (scored by 91257 users)
Ranked: #1142
Popularity: #23
Members: 158,725
Favorites: 7,387 1 indicates a weighted score
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SynopsisThe story centers on Koyomi Araragi, a third year high school student who has recently survived a vampire attack, and finds himself mixed up with all kinds of apparitions: gods, ghosts, myths, and spirits.
(Source: Wikipedia) |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Monogatari Series: First Season
Summary: Bakemonogatari Recap
Sequel: Nisemonogatari
Prequel: Nekomonogatari: Kuro
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
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OshinoShinobu
40 of 55 people found this review helpful
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15 of 15 episodes seen
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| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
9 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
"Did you know every time you sigh, a little bit of happiness escapes?" - Senjougahara Hitagi, Episode 6
Well, you won't be sighing anywhere in this anime.
Bakemonogatari from the start can give the wrong impression to the viewer. They must be wondering, "Why is this rated so high, if it all it is, is just random words popping up on the screen?" However, it is a really good anime in a weird way, and you're probably going to have to appreciate it that way as well.
Character: Usually, I'd start my review with the main part (story), but I believe the most important part of Bakemonogatari is its character development. You have Koyomi Araragi, who interacts with 5 different girls throughout the story; the tsundere Senjougahara Hitagi, the cute and small Mayoi Hachikuji, the tomboy Kanbaru Suruga, the other cute loli Sengoku Nadeko, and the Queen of Fanservice Hanekawa Tsubasa. Oh yeah there's also me, Oshino Shinobu, but you don't have to worry about me until Nisemonogatari :). Each interaction and arc is unique. From funny wordplay, to stapling someone in the mouth, the character development is what makes this series a really entertaining one. If Bakemonogatari didn't have a storyline at all (which it does), it would still be entertaining to watch.
Rating: 10
Story: The first episode actually starts off with flashing scenes from Kizumonogatari, the prequel of Bakemonogatari. You have Koyomi Araragi, who was recently bit by a vampire. In the beginning of the story, he meets Senjougahara by catching her fall. Was that the right decision to make? Let's ask Koyomi himself; "Not ignoring her was the right decision... I think" (Koyomi Araragi, Episode 1). She then tells him (in fact, forces him by stapling the side of his mouth) to be quiet about her "incurable disease", but Koyomi insists on helping. He gets his friend who helped him recover from the vampire attack; Oshino Meme, who specializes in supernatural problems to help not only her, but everyone else throughout the story. The series overall isn't a story-focused one, it's more focused on the character interactions. I'm not saying that the story isn't there, but it compliments Koyomi's interactions. Oh, and Senjougahara and Araragi are a really funny couple.
Senjougahara: *to Araragi* "I'm suprised you know such useless things. This is the first time since birth that I've admired you."
Story: 9
Sound: The voices sound really nice, and the voice cast has a lot of popular names. The dialogue plays an important role is this anime, and is done really well, especially with its jokes. The OPs are really catchy (notable mention to Senjougahara's "Staple Stable" and Nadeko's "Ren'ai Circulation") and the ED (supercell - Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari) is just a great song to listen to.
Sound: 9
Art: The art is somewhat similar to SHAFT's other work. It's almost like a mix of Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei and Arakawa Under the Bridge, but everything is crisp and clear nonetheless (I watched it in 1080p). Another element that plays a huge role in Bakemonogatari is the flashing text and small detail that happens almost every second of each episode. I think it is done well, and sets a mood for the episode. You don't have to stop and read everything, but the flashing words do provide some info and foreshadowing.
Art: 10
Enjoyment: Bakemonogatari has a lot of entertainment value, and all the elements combined make it a really good supernatural-romance-comedy. Each arc is enjoyable, and has a good amount of fan service for people who enjoy it. The romance was also done very well, which left me with a warm feeling at the end. It took me some time in the beginning to get used to the weird flashing words and such, but once you get used to it, you'll be in for an entertaining ride.
Overall Rating: 10 read more
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8thSin
687 of 947 people found this review helpful
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15 of 15 episodes seen
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| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
9 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
"To be blunt, I just enjoy talking to you... so I want to talk with you more."
"If our opinions clash, let's talk it over." (Dialogue from episode 5)
'Bakemonogatari', cleverly translated as 'Ghostory' or 'Monstory', is about five not-so-normal girls that Araragi Koyomi, a vampire himself, encounters and attempt to save from oddities possessing them.
CHARACTER:
The main characters of 'Bakemonogatari' are among the most unique and complex I have yet to encounter.
Heroine Senjougahara Hitagi is a tsundere like half of all modern heroines in anime, but she is also 「ドS」, a sadist to an extreme degree, which is more common for side characters and rare for heroines. Our protagonist, as expected, is rather on the masochist side who takes constant verbal abuse from Senjougahara.
What makes the couple extraordinary, is that Senjougahara is often boke while Araragi is tsukkomi. Traditional Japanese stand-up comedy consists of a duo: One takes the "boke" role who says something stupid while the "tsukommi" role points out the flaws in boke's argument, often with a violent slap in the head.
Yes, that's right. Boke is masochist by nature and often not very intelligent, while tsukommi is sadist by nature and often more observant.
The leading couple in this series, on the other hand, take turns with the roles. It is particularly interesting when the sadist and intelligent Senjougahara purposefully take on the boke role and overwhelms tsukkomi. Such as making insulting statements that sound flawed, but when Araragi tries to make a comeback, he realizes what she said was true. Or Senjougahara makes a blatantly flawed statement just to hurt Araragi, and his comeback fall into deaf ears. And of course, plenty of intentional boke or tease spoken with so much authority that Araragi just gives up and let it slide.
The unlikely toggling of comedy roles were delivered extremely well, and this back and forth interaction between the leading couple is a key part of this show's appeal.
The remaining four main characters are not as complex as the leading couple, but they all have their own unique issues that drive the story,each with distinct personalities that made them memorable.
There are 6 main characters in this series, and total of only 5 side/peripheral characters (Meme, Shinobu, two sisters, and Senjougahara's father) in the whole series. The limited character headcount made thorough character development possible despite being an arc-based series.
STORY:
Simply put, half the show is about the romantic relationship between the Senjougahara and Araragi.
The other half is about a constant argument between two values: The rational vs the idealistic, with Araragi as Mr. Nice Guy seeking happy end for everyone. Solution of supernatural oddities as the topic of the argument.
Hachikuji, Kanbaru, and Hanekawa's arcs developed the relationship of leading couple while offering new topics to the story.
The only flaw in the story in my opinion, is that Sengoku's arc was pretty much by itself, and contributed very little to the whole series other than loli and moe fan service.
Each arc is an incident focusing on a different girl, but all the arcs combine to show a whole picture of Araragi and Senjougahara closing their personal distances.
"Bakemonogatari" is essentially a verbal performance with visual support. Story is driven by back and forth debate on various issues.
SOUND:
With verbal performance playing such a big role in this show, voice acting is taken to a whole new level in this series.
Every characters' voices fit perfectly, and not only that, distinct tones and nuance of speech establish unique impressions for every single character. The characters speak so fast in this series with lots of tongue twisters, but the seiyuu cast had done a wonderful job in keeping up. I don't think it's an exaggeration to describe voice acting in this series as epic.
Music score in 'Bakemonogatari' has a generally consistent ambient feel to it with a nice flow. Other than intense music for action scenes, they don't particularly set the mood or enhance drama as what I usually consider to be strong BGM for anime, but the usually upbeat sounds in the background set the quick pace for dialogue, and make conversations all the more engaging.
OP song "Staple Stable" is one of the best anime opening theme song by a seiyuu, ever. Really memorable tune accompanied by great vocal and lyric by meg rock was simply amazing.
The other four OPs sang by seiyuu of each arc heroines were nowhere as impressive as "Staple Stable", but offers refreshment value to the OPs, and fits each character perfectly.
ED song's lyric made little sense at first, but its meaning was unveiled in a conversation between the leading couple in a certain episode, and it turned out to very suitable for the series. The two Senjougahara theme songs (OP1, ED) were masterpieces.
ART:
Animation in 'Bakemonogatari' mainly serve as a visual aid to the verbal performance, and it proved to be very effective.
Visuals for the anime got somewhat of an "art house film" treatment. There were many abstract and surreal scenes, unconventional cuts, and intriguing camera angles that made the viewing experience very pleasant. It's the perfected form of SHAFT's signature style.
Character designs were attractive, and main characters had visually shown a wide range of emotion that further portrays the character's state of mind.
The only complaint I have with the animation is the use of photographs/videos of real-life imagery. At the risk of sounding like a super-otaku, I would say 3D images do not belong in the world of 2D.
ENJOYMENT:
As a fansubber and having seen thousands of hours of fan/professionally translated works, I can tell you that at least 10% of the meaning is lost in translation, no matter how well translated. In conversation/narration driven series filled with wordplay and metaphors, at least 20% of the meaning, therefore enjoyability, will inevitably be lost to non-Japanese speakers.
Still, 'Bakemonogatari' is a true masterpiece with experimental production that actually worked. Attention was paid to the tiniest details, and a story well-told. Truly amazing direction by Shinbou Akiyuki left us with so many memorable scenes, and this will definitely be a series to be remembered.
The 8-month wait for the final three episodes were excruciating, but the ending was so satisfying that it almost made it worth the absurd wait. Given the commercial success 'Bakemonogatari' has achieved, I will be hoping for the remaining novels in the series to be animated. Possibly 'Kizumonogatari' OVA/film and 'Nisemonogatari' as a sequel season.
To be blunt, I just enjoyed listening to them... so I want to listen to them more.
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Recommendations
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Both series start with the meeting between the protagonist and an odd yet characteristically deadpan girl he forms an arbitrarily romantic relationship with and follow up with his dealings with various increasingly odd people and their problems. Having the same production studio, director, and lead seiyuu, they often feel quite similar, despite Bakemonogatari possessing a seriousness and sequential arc structure Arakawa consistently avoids.
It is obvious that if you liked Bakemonogatari you should watch Arakawa Under the Bridge. The main character of the both series is voiced by the same actor, which gives the impression that we have to deal with the very similar story.
Another thing that is in common is the way the story is being told. It is almost the same. The key factor is the fact that Bakemonogatari was made by the studio that has also made the Arakawa Under the Bridge. Both series will rather not be liked by the most of the viewers because the storyline is made for more intelligent people.
The only difference is shown using the art style, which is rather similar to the standard anime shows in Arakawa Under the Bridge. But it should make it easier to watch for non otakus.
Both are done by SHAFT, hence it's shafty. When, Bakemonogatari focuses on very little amount of characters and analysis them in depth using clever and witty dialogues, Arakawa under the Bridge raises the madness of the characters by far and the number of the cast is significantly larger with bother-line retarded and nonsensical conversations. Still, they are very similar in the fact that both focuses mainly on dialogues of individual characters. Oh, and eye rolling scenes too.
Thus, both looks great.
Arakawa Under The Bridge follows the legacy of Bakemonogatari with exactly the same style, same director, same elite main voice actors. However, this show is one or two notch(es) down from Bakemonogatari on romance, plot, and characters. Afterall, good learning material for funny Japanese chatter.
Both are random-esque animes that tend to shift from situation to situation, involving comedy or general mishaps between the protagonist and his girlfriend or friends. While Bakemonogatari does have a more concrete ending, Arakawa has a much more lighthearted feel to it and will keep you laughing for quite a while. The happy-go-lucky feel is present in every single minute of the anime.
Similar humor and character developments. Emphasis on a very small area of the anime's locale. The person that voices the main character in Arakawa (Kou) also voices a main character in Bakemonogatari (Hitagi), and does an amazing job. The all around feel of both anime's are very similar, funny, and enjoyable.
When i started watching Bakemonogatari it almost instantly reminded me about Arakawa. Art and characters, their humor and actions, and random plots. Both are really good and funny.
-Male main character meets strange female character
-Both male main character share the same VA
-MANY other strange characters
-Same producer: Shaft
-Same humor
Oh God, that randomness and humor in both of these series.
Shaft is involved in both series and brings unique comedy into both of these series that are sarcastic and out of this world.
Both series meets a strange girl and becomes a couple with them. The protagonist in both series are quite similar in terms of personalities and even a bit in appearance.
Both series are outrageously funny and a must watch.
Both anime excel in Extreme Trash-Talking
Like seriously some of the most outright fascinating dialogue possible
Both anime were Produced by Shaft--really awesome group
Neither of these anime involve the typical --school nonsense
Both of these anime really get their Substance from all characters that are not the
Main Character
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Both anime have great stories and artwork. But the best part about it is the way the stories are told. Both anime have kinda the same level of comedy and are both amazing watches. It wasn't until recently that I found out that the author was the same person but I would make the recommendation regardless.
Katanagatari reminds you of Bakemonogatari in many ways, it has the same use of camera angles and the hectic dialogs. And offers pretty much the same characters in a different setting (Boy meets Girl). Both shows are also based on light novels written by the same author, Nisio Isin.
Plenty of dialog and witty jokes and remarks here and there. Level of humor used in both shows are quite similar, including the casual use of some innuendo to brighten the mood. Artwork and visuals are superb in both.
Both are from the same author and as expected, characters are developed nicely with a quirky sense of humour. Both are animes featuring surrealist drawing style, little actual plot, curious characters, and random discussions about life the universe and everyting.
Both are adaptations of light novels written by Isin Nisio, and both are extremely heavy on dialogue. The style of humour employed in both Bakemono and Katana is very similar, so if you like one you're sure to enjoy the other. Also, though Bakemonogatari and Katanagatari seem like the typical harem and shonen series,both quickly break the confines of their respective genres.
To begin with, both animes are great and of high quality. They were both also made by Nisio isin. They both have a lot of similar core features, such as, romance and humor, while also being able to offer up a serious yet basic plot. They are both episodic while katanagatari is longer at 50 minute episodes. I highly recommend watching one if you have seen the other!
Both series has a similar animation style that incorporates the usage of heavy dialogue usage by the main characters. The light novels are also written by the same author (Nisio Isin) hence reflects upon a similar style of story telling.
Both series' humor is presented very well and considered entertaining and amusing with the dialogue, action, drama, and interactions between the main protagonists with other characters.
Both series features some supernatural themes and later on some romance.
Written by the same author. Each show is filled with entertaining dialogue and character interactions are a central focus.
Katanagatari is essentially NisiOisin's take on a "shounen."
One similarity is the fact that both shows do not contain much action but the main parts of these shows/stories are the HUGE amount of dialogue and the characters. The huge amount of dialogue is not a bad thing as, in both shows, it sheds light onto the story and adds so much depth to the characters. Almost everyone is well-fleshed, compelling, and has a lasting influence.
Another thing to note is that both employ unique visual styles. While Bakemonogatari feels very cinematic with its weird angles, music, head-tilts, and sometimes its lack of color, Katanagatari feels like a japanese storybook written/drawn on parchment with its vibrant colors yet simple style which definitely proves to be effective in my book.
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Opening Theme#1: "staple stable" by Chiwa Saito (eps 2, 6-7, 11-12; BD/DVD: 1-2, 12)
#2: "Kaerimichi (帰り道)" by Emiri Katou (ep 4; BD/DVD: 3-5)
#3: "ambivalent world" by Miyuki Sawashiro (ep 8; BD/DVD: 6-8)
#4: "Ren'ai Circulation (恋愛サーキュレーション)" by Kana Hanazawa (ep 10; BD/DVD: 9-10)
#5: "Sugar Sweet Nightmare" by Yui Horie (eps 14-15; BD/DVD: 11, 13-15)
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Ending Theme"Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari (君の知らない物語)" by supercell; performed by nagi (Gazelle)
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