Reviews

Jul 27, 2016
Monogatari Series: Second Season is the start of a long-awaited payoff for faithful fans of the series. If you've kept up with the dense dialogue of the first installment and the fanservice-fueled insanity of the second, this is your reward: one of the best seasons of anime I've ever had the pleasure to watch. Second Season is full of heartfelt moments, witty banter, and the pieces of an overarching plot finally piecing together now that we have a fully-developed cast of characters in place.

I won't go into detail about the visuals and the soundtrack. This is a Monogatari installment, so it looks and sounds great all the time always. This is nothing new. Instead, let's focus on what's new in this season that is different from Bake/Nisemonogatari.

First of all, in a first for the series, the audience is invited to delve into the minds of the Monogatari cast, liberated from Koyomi Araragi's headspace. This is a much-needed breath of fresh air for the franchise, for as much as we all love the perverted pseudo-vampire, at this point we've come to know him so well that his reactions usually aren't surprising or revealing anymore. Instead, we see the world through the eyes of Deishu Kaiki, Tsubasa Hanekawa, and others. We see how Koyomi is reflected in the eyes of these characters, and the results are often surprising.

As I mentioned above, in this season the series begins setting the pieces up for a real overarching plot, something that it's never really done before. A couple new characters, Izuko Gaen and Ougi Oshino, arrive on the scene and their intentions are quite dubious as they begin initiating the events of the series via "chance encounters" with members of the cast. Although it is clear that these two are far more than they appear on the surface, their motives are never explained, setting the stage for a future confrontation.

The series still hews closely to its light novel origins, adapting each of the volumes into a 4-6 episode arc. I will say that the arcs vary quite a bit in quality. Tsubasa Tiger, Nadeko Medusa, and Hitagi End are some of the most climactic, surprising, and heartrending story arcs this series has ever produced. Mayoi Jiangshi I didn't like all that much, mostly because I have never been fond of Hachikuji, but it still told an entertaining story with a bittersweet conclusion. Shinobu Time is easily the weakest arc, a four episode time-waster only existing to set the stage for the final arc while explaining the events of the previous one. However, even it had its moments, including a tearful farewell that will tug at your heartstrings.

The series also includes a handful of recap episodes to refresh the viewer's memory as to the events of the previous series installments. These are optional to your enjoyment of the show proper, but it's worth your time to check them out if it's been a while since you viewed the previous seasons. These recaps are absolutely not a proper substitute for watching Bakemonogatari and Nisemonogatari, so if you're new to the series, get on that shit first.

Overall, this season is like a loveletter from Nisio Isin and the producers at Studio Shaft. "Hey, we know you love these characters. We love them too. This is our gift to you. Enjoy the tears. Enjoy the laughter. Enjoy watching these characters... no, these people... grow from what they were into something more. See you next time."

After seeing this masterpiece it almost hurts to know that the end of the series is coming all too soon. But for now, the journey has just kicked into overdrive, and the stage is set for something big. And this reviewer, for one, can't wait to see what will happen when the Monogatari stirs again.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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