Reviews

May 11, 2012
Bakemonogatari isn't the typical anime. It can even be even in its own category, going above and beyond what the "norm" is. It frequently crescendos and comes back down, dramatically, slowly, eking every last drop of your attention and leaving you completely and utterly exhausted when the scene mercilessly ends. It's beautiful storytelling, really. One that will leave you yearning for more. It delves into the basic human condition: are we not all mortal? Do we not face emotional roller coasters in our everyday lives? Bakemonogatari goes beyond entertainment and dives head first into such tender topics.

Story: 8/10

The story background is vague. Very vague. The past is hardly dredged up except a few subtle comments made by Araragi-San, interestingly enough. Just know that A. his life is beyond normal and B. there are vampires and other mysterious and metaphysical beasts that live among humans like you and me.

Overall, though, the storytelling is FANTASTIC. Told from one point of view but flitting from various characters many times, it never leaves anything out. Usually, the episodes are labelled on what that particular episode, but not in the way you would normally imagine. Also, right after the OP, there are a creepy string of "though messages" which perhaps, if you are to read them all (I did. Like the loser I am), you would realize something distinct. Annoyingly, however, one of the main critiques I have for the story in general is how it tends to stray from the story-line and focus on humor and pointless bantering between characters. Of course, this being so high-class, there was a ton of play on words and generally it elicited a laugh every now and then. But seriously, when you spend 10 minutes of back and forth circular arguments, it gets old. Fast. Overall, though, there were enough plot twists to keep you entertained for the majority of the episodes. Otherwise it was sometimes uneventful.

Art: 10/10

Here's where the anime just NAILS it. The art was stunning, no: perfect. Really, it was beautiful. The general theme was that of remorse, guilt, loathing, jealousy: and the art reflected that perfectly. The characters were drawn skinny and tall, with large female body parts and perfect curves. Eye-candy; but when those characters were interacting, the art did something dramatic I've never seen before. Instead of drawing two characters talking one on one, it would switch: maybe just the animation of a mouth, or a close-up of an eye, or a fade-out to the background. I've never seen something so perfectly executed. Instead of being bored to death with the average conversation, I sat there, mesmerized, as an ordinary conversation became a beautiful conflagration of colors, random angles, and astonishing precision. The emotions were never skimped on. The characters' various facial expressions changed quickly, and the art nailed that as well. This, of everything else, deserves a perfect score. It made this anime unique and definitive, drawing away from the crowd and going out on a tightrope to try something new.

Sound: 9/10

Grand, epic music of fantastic proportions. I loved the music. It was never stale and never conflicted with the mood. I loved listening to the background music, even. It always matched the mood and continued throughout the story. The OP changed depending on what the episode was about; it was amazing. A little foreshadowing, which was good in and of itself. The ED was great and serious, as usual. Typical stuff. But seriously,the voice acting: astounding. Great. I mean, you have such a wide cast that covers a range of personalities and every character played their role with gusto and perfection. Amazing, amazing acting.

Character: 9/10

Dang. These were some quality characters. There were a variety of characters with crazy personalities. None which usually exist in real life, which made for some interesting ways of interaction. However, the main character, though seemingly weak-minded, came out actually a little more forceful and had a beautiful character arc. Though he seems annoying at first, and though everyone along the way he meets seems too good for him, he ends up changing for the better. He meets various odds and ends throughout the anime, so you're never really disappointed with the character selection. The usual sort of people. But honestly, the way these characters interacted made it pretty worthwhile. Also, it was surprisingly dramatic and suspenseful at times, throwing me off guard. Especially since the light-hearted mood came bare minutes before a crazy drop to seriousness. But overall, amazing characters, great interactions, and fantastic way to put them together.

Overall: 8/10

Though going above and beyond the call of duty in terms of animation style, sound and some character development, key characteristics were missing, and the storyline became sort of repetitive after awhile. It lacked a certain finesse and grace that would have made this anime much smoother. It became focused on a person rather than the qualities that make him who he is. However, there were many pros that definitely outweighed the cons, and I would immediately recommend this to anyone. It had an interesting enough story line to pique my attention, as well as indiscriminate (and often inappropriate) humor that kept me yearning for the next episode. Who knows who you'll encounter in the world? And remember: Your best friend isn't necessarily just a friend.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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