Kizumonogatari II: Nekketsu-hen

Large improvement from the first movie. I see a lot of 9's and 10's but I don't think it was anything groundbreaking in this film. It is certainly enjoyable however and I must say that the movies should not have been split up in the first place. This film does a decent job of portraying the nuance in araragi's character. In bakemonogatari, araragi seems like a kind saint who can do no wrong, an altruist who wants to save everyone out of kindness. The end of bakemonogatari showed us that he isn't entirely a pacifist but it's amplified in kizumonogatari nekketsu-hen as we see the ... more irrational and volatile side of araragi. I think the plot started to pick up which is why it was a much more enjoyable watch than the first movie. Etoile et toi is an absolutely magnificient piece of music. The cinematography and witty humor is always on point, the way things are going, the next movie will be the best, I look forward to it. I also have a slight spoiler that I want to critique regarding monogatari's excessive fanservice. Hanekawa tells araragi that she "almost fell for him" then continues to blush hard while she takes her fucking panties off and hands it to him. I feel like that was a moment of shocking writing and/or araragi being extremely dense. In any case, it's hard to understand the motive for a lot of the fanservice in monogatari, I think that some of it is ok and it actually enhances the humor. However, I think the series could do without a lot of it as well. 8/10. thanks for reading!

Overall rating: 6, further review below

So, you're telling me it's easier to give your panties to the guy you love than it is to straight up confess? I honestly don't know if it's me or the author who needs to hang out with more women, and my criminal record is too clean to make the experience myself. So, welcome to Kizumonogatari II: A better vampire story than Twilight (kind of) where Araragi becomes the worst attempt I've ever seen at gaining a fangirl's attention, the story takes a few steps forward (don't worry, it'll get there one day I'm sure of it), Kiss shot ... is still somewhat underwhelming as a character and Oshino is based af.

As for the story progression, well Araragi beats bad guy number 1, 2 and 3 in a relatively short period of time, I still don't understand what's the purpose of Hanekawa aside from spilling her guts (hehe geddit) on her feelings and some more. So, I guess I need to adress the elephant in the room: Why is it higher rated than the first movie? Honestly I just liked the action, not enough to redeem the whole thing, but it was some dumb fun, despite the antagonists not having all that much substance to themselves, but I'd like to believe the third movie is where the big reveals will start to hit (copium).

Story-1
Art-5
Sound-4
Character-1
Enjoyment- 3
Overall-1+5+4+1+3/5=3

It is the worst monogatari arc I've seen so far and whoever rated it 10 isn't in their right mind as I'd never expect story so porly written in monogatari series.

The previous movie introduced us to 3 antagonists Araragi has to defeat in order to get Shinobu's limbs back. I f you think it'll take this and 3rd movie to do so, just like I did, you're sadly mistaken.
All 3 fights are crammed in this movie, Araragi's opponents hardly speak so we know nothing of them, like what drove them to do what they did, their motivations, stories. There's nothing except for minor ... small details provided by Shinobu:
1st one is a vampire who hunts vampires because it's a job(I'm not even sure he was so forgettable and disappears forver after being defeated).
2nd is half vampire motivated by personal interest
3rd and the last one is a human priest.

That's literally it. There's nothing to spoiler because that's all there is to these characters. We never learn what was the priest's religion, and the reason I mention that is because it clearly doesn't condemn kidnapping and killing innocent people if it helps him to achieve his goal. His moral compass is never explored.

Now the biggest insult and disappointemnt- Hanekawa. Her character was ruthlessly butchered, and debased. Someone apparently thought it a good idea to reduce her to being a shameless tramp. Now, it's been few years since I watched Bakemonogatari, in which I believe her relationship with Araragi was especially important because she was his obvious crush, he relied on her etc etc and I just couldn't remember her the way she is in this movie.
First of all, her breasts are at least 2 or even 3 times larger than they were in Bakemonogatari and later seasons(!). And that's what keeps attracting your attention because they are preposterously, heinously big moving along with Hanekawa's slightest movements. She asks Araragi if they'll make up if she shows him her panties, which she does. Before his last fight she TAKES OFF her underwear and gives it to him as a... I don't know some creepy good luck charm? She's nothing like Hanekawa I remember nor is her relationship with Araragi, it was always her who drew the line. There's a dialogue I remember from prev seasons:
-Alright Araragi-kun I'm giving you a ticket that allows you to touch my breasts.
-WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!
-Ofcourse if you use it I'll never forgive you.
-T.T

Shinobu was inconsistent too, they tried so hard to make her a helpless damsel in distress. As it was established in a previous movie her powers are greatly limited, but do not forget the scene in which she jumped from the roof of the building into the blazing sun to save burning Araragi burning herself at the same time. It required a lot of strength and agility which no human possesses, not to mention they both healed immadiately. Despite that she almost loses her balance after she catches her own thrown in her direction. Then after eating it she transforms from being about 8 to about 14(?) years old. There's a scene in which in order to remember something she uses her vampiric strength to pierce her head(and skull!!!) with her bare hand to give her brain a little massage. After she's done the wound heals immdiately. Not long after that she receives another leg from Araragi and, theoretically, becomes stronger.
BUT after Araragi asks if she's going to retrieve her hands by herself she responds she's still not strong and her regeneration powers are still in pitiable state even though every time they were shown they seemed extremely sufiecient and at the same LEVEL of Araragi's.

Nothing so far contributed to Araragi's or others' character development, plot had plenty of holes and contradicted itself so insultingly obvious you'd need to be gray cell deficient to not notice. It's the poorest monogatari story we've gotten so far.