Bakemonogatari

"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.

For every medium, there are few masterpieces that transcend the genre and become something special. Since I consider anime, as a genre, to be just as legitimate an art form (despite the bad rep it often gets), I will also review Bakemonogatari as a work of art, and it is irrefutably one of the special few anime series that fully capitalize on the strengths of the anime medium.

STORY
People have complained that the story is too episodic, too disjointed. However, the virtue of Bakemonogatari's storyline is that it is so minimal. In all senses, this anime is a character-based experimental, and an elaborate ... storyline would actually detract from that experience. There are plenty of anime out there that thrive on plot twists and progression that keep the viewer on their seats, but Bakemonogatari isn't one. The episodic storyline is a brilliant framing device for character development and nothing more, which works out perfectly for this particular anime.

ART
As usual Studio SHAFT splurged on art. This is definitely a series to be enjoyed in high-definition, preferably with the room lights turned off. Anime, by definition, is a genre segregated from realism. The beauty of anime as a medium is that every cut is animated, so that the blemishes, imperfections, and limitations of reality can be omitted in favor of stylized, beautified perfection. Anime art style that attempts to be too realistic are bound to lose that edge and, naturally, pale in comparison to live-action works featuring comparable visuals. Anime that go all in on stylizing can often seem distracting and too detached from reality. With all of that in consideration, Bakemonogatari is one of the few shining masterpieces of the anime genre that hits the sweet spot. Everything in this anime is crisp and beautiful, from the characters to the slightest scenery detail. What would have seemed tacky when drawn are boldly stylized and symbolized, rather than allowed to compromise the atmosphere. For example, people have complained about the cuts to photographs and abstract diagrams that pop up frequently. But imagine if all of those were actually animated; it would have been clunky and distracting from the dialog. For example, Senjougahara's mother isn't a character in this anime, therefore having an designed, animated character to her credit would distract from the very small and tight cast. I don't know how much budget went into this production, but they sure splurged where it was needed (characters, scenery-porn sequences, pivotal action sequences) and were decisive in radically minimizing what would have been superfluous.

SOUND
There is quite a rave about Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari and Staple Stable, and they are indeed catchy and appropriate opening/ending. Much more underrated are the mundane, ambient sound design of this anime. Just as Bakemonogatari should ideally be viewed in high-quality settings, so it should be heard with at least "nice" audio. Perhaps I had the fortune/misfortune of being an impeccable audiophile and watched the series with headphones that cost me half a fortune, but everyone should at least watch Bakemonogatari with real speakers or decent headphones. This is a series that can only be fully appreciated when the viewer is immersed in it, and laptop speakers simply won't do.
Having said all of that, the non-intrusive BGM and ambient sounds do a perfect job of accentuating the dialog/situation without, again, distracting from what is really important. Perhaps the best example is in the TV finale, where the BGM swells and fades without the viewers really noticing because they are so perfectly integrated with the ebb and flow of verbal/situational push and pull between the two leads.
The voice acting, without even the need to elaborate, are top-mark. The seiyuu for Koyomi is appropriately serious, jocular, and reflective. I especially enjoyed the sequences and inserts in which Koyomi is thinking selfish/perverted/silly thoughts. Excellent sound designing makes it sound like Koyomi's voice is really ringing inside my head, adding to the effect and how identifiable his character is. Voice acting for Senjougahara seemed a bit too fragile and breathy at first, but it was revealed to be not the fault of the seiyuu, but part of character development, but more on that will border on spoiling. Let me just add that voice acting for both leads hit the sweet spot at least by the TV finale.

CHARACTER
All of the other elements, story, art, and sound, up to now were accompaniments to the brilliant characters of Bakemonogatari. If those elements had their virtue in garnishing the backgrounds of this anime, the characters' virtue lie in their shocking assertiveness and charisma.

Koyomi - Of all anime leads I've seen, he is one of the few truly-believable leads that are likeable. He is objectively decent-looking and decently dressed, not, as are many a blue-haired shounen characters, outrageously flamboyant. He is not an outspoken paragon of bravery and power. He is even a bit of a sociopath. However, the subtle inner stability he shows makes him stronger than Goku or Lelouch in my opinion. He isn't a social butterfly, but he would never seriously harm another person. Though he is a bit of a pervert, just like the rest of us, the viewers can't picture him ever being disloyal to his romantic partner. Koyomi's inner strength and stability are what keeps this series from becoming a typical harem anime, and such qualities of his character are what makes the viewer so strongly and ineffably identify with him.

Senjougahara - First of all, her name is awesome, just phonetically. I read that it means something like "battlefield" in Japanese, but it sounds so feminine and appropriate to her character. With that aside, if Koyomi is the steady, dependable drummer keeping beat to the Bakemonogatari band, Senjougahara is the lead vocalist that captures and enthralls the viewer. Anime is, more than anything, a visual art, so it is of course important that her every frame is perfected and beautified with adoration. Not only is she one of the most flawlessly beautiful female characters in anime, the way she poses and moves is also idealized. Imagine a girl who never does anything unsightly: never makes an unflattering face, is never without makeup (or always looks perfect without one), never goes to the bathroom, you get the idea, and that would be Senjougahara. Again, the creators of Bakemonogatari really cashed in on this aspect of anime to create a visually flawless female lead. Utter perfection, however, isn't always likeable, as none of us are perfect. Senjougahara, therefore, needs some profound flaw in order to offset her physical perfection, and that's when her character development comes into play. I won't say much more on that for fear of spoiling, but she exists not as a perfect, standalone being, but someone who absolutely depends on Koyomi to complete her. That's why their interactions work, even though they should logically have zero reason to even know each other. Senjougahara is the modern Yamato Nadeshiko, though the usage of that term to describe her may be controversial. The numerous attempts to categorize her as a tsundere/kuudere/yandere/whaeverdere have all failed because her character is grounded not on a trope, but a real-life ideal of feminine beauty. She is the culmination, or rather, an amalgamation, of decades of anime heroines that captured the viewers, male and female alike. Senjougahara and Koyomi have such subtle and inexplicable chemistry because they are both subtle, ultimately mysterious characters.

ENJOYMENT
This is the one category where I admit that the 10/10 is highly subjective. Objectively, Bakemonogatari is a top-quality art form, and I firmly believe that high-profile artists, filmmakers, etc. would appreciate that Bakemonogatari is the epitome of modern anime counterculture (Suzumiya Haruhi being the mainstream crystallization of modern anime). However, you have to be looking for the right thing to enjoy this anime. If the anime you typically enjoy are Naruto, TTGL, etc. (not that they aren't fantastic either), Bakemonogatari is perhaps not for you. This series is really for people who have watched a lot of anime, perhaps even an otaku, and were drawn to the more sophisticated, post-modern aspect of the genre as a whole. It is, in a way, analogous to how Mozart is universally loved (for a good reason!), while composers like Hindemith appeal strongly to those who have developed a taste in classical music. I personally pick this series as the number one anime of all time (along with NGE) because it had all I was looking for: deep, subtle characters, platonic romance, somewhat surreal atmosphere, idealization only possible in anime, wit, and that pinch of sociopathy shown in each character, as are present in every human being. There isn't one thing about this anime that is the "hook" (though, if I had to pick one, I'd go with SENJOUGAHARA FASCINATION). Rather, every aspect of it plays its role perfectly to create a gestalt whole. Oh, and by the way, if you're like me and are desperately looking for non-moe, non-loli (getting harder and harder to find) anime made in 21st century, welcome to Bakemonogatari. This series is for mature viewers looking for a subtle, yet decisively anime experience.

Overall, if you think yourself the discriminating, intellectual beta-component of modern society (who also happens to watch anime), you will love this series. It's a love or hate type of anime, in my opinion, and if you are the type of person this show caters to, you will come to thoroughly appreciate every aspect of the show, besides just Senjougahara. If you're not, that doesn't mean you're not as cultured or some nonsense; just need to find your anime masterpiece, as I found Bakemonogatari.

"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 its own 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, I almost forgot Oshino Shinobu. 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? Araragi himself says; "Not ignoring her was the right decision... I think" (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 had helped him recover from the vampire attack; Oshino Meme. He 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. The interaction between Senjougahara and Araragi are always entertaining to watch.
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 great.
Sound: 9

Art: The art is somewhat similar to SHAFT's other work (as expected). It's almost like a mix of Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei and Arakawa Under the Bridge, but everything is crisp and clear nonetheless. Another element that plays a huge role in Bakemonogatari is the flashing text and small detail that happens almost too frequently 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 those who enjoy it. The romance was also done very well, which leaves the view with a warm feeling at the end. It took some time to get used to the weird flashing words in the beginning, but once you get used to it, you'll be in for an entertaining ride.

Overall Rating: 10

**Monster Story**

Gatari is voicing form of Katari. Katari is a tale which by oral tradition, is passed down from generation to generation. Thereby, the words "Bakemono" means monster and "monogatari" means story. Thus, you get "Bakemonogatari" which is an anime that contains tales of monsters.

Alright, enough of the trivia. Let's get down to business.

Story: 9

It'd be very difficult to describe the story without letting out spoilers. With that in mind, I can only tell you that Bakemonogatari is a collection of monster tales that are revelant to life. The story depicts surrealism and "supernatural phenomenons" amongst people, which occur when the main character, Araragi, interacts ... with them.

Art: 10

Once again, SHAFT saves the day! SHAFT is well known for their artistic techniques to portray abstract scenes. Their other works, such as Ef - A Fairy Tale of the Two, are very much similiar. Bakemonogatari utilizes many, unique camera angles that are relevant or not relevant to what is being said. Such scenes could be the sky, cars, the character's hair, etc. Additionally, multiple screens and walls of text pop up to give the viewer a sense of abstract understanding.

Sound: 10

The music is amazing. I don't really know anyone who dislikes the OP and Ending themes. To make Bakemonogatari interesting, director Akiyuki Shinbo, allowed only a few episodes to have certain OP/Endings and mix them so it won't get boring. Indeed, it's nothing like your standard anime where there is the same boring OP and Ending played over and over. The insert music is also very excellent.
OP:
#01: "staple stable" by Chiwa Saito (Eps. 2, 6)
#02: "Kaerimichi (帰り道)" by Emiri Katou (Ep. 4)
End:
#01: "Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari (君の知らない物語)" by supercellxnagi

Character: 8

The reason for the 8 is because, I feel the characters aren't being introduced thoroughly. Of course, it's understandable that Bakemonogatari will only be 15 episodes - thus they have to "pack and condense" the character development (Tales) to fit the 15 episodes. Had Bakemonogatari been 24 episodes though, I think overall character growth would be KILLER. The romance between tsundere-Senjougahara and male lead-Araragi is pretty nice, however.

Enjoyment/Overall: 9

Beside the story and character development-in-15-episodes, Bakemonogatari deserves a good two thumbs up. Also, for a anime having a tsundere female, I'd say it REALLY stands out from Shakugan no Shana or Zero no Tsukaima. Albeit the many interesting anime coming in 2009, Bakemonogatari is certainly something else. It's unique because it stands out from your traditional anime. It is as if Bakemonogatari is wearing a green shirt while the other anime series wear white.To put it bluntly, Bakemonogatari offers this sense of upmost perfect surrealism that is damn near addicting.

Bakemonogatari (Monster Story) is definitely a MUST-SEE.

It is very rare to see such a successful marriage of a director’s vision and an author’s material. Bakemonogatari’s existence is an anomaly especially in present day where adaptations are subpar when compared to the source. However, there has never been a more potent combination than Nisio Isin and Studio SHAFT’s Akiyuki Shinbou. Shinbou’s quirky, and imaginative art direction greatly compliments the fast paced dialogue and witticisms that Nisio is known for. The end result is a tour de force of both visuals and prose. Bakemonogatari is a meticulously crafted tale that never ceases to maintain the viewer’s attention and titillate the imagination.

Story- Bakemonogatari is ... a broken into individual arcs, each focusing a certain character dealing with a supernatural “Oddity.” There is an overarching plot that is delicately threaded throughout each arc. Every character is related to one another either directly or indirectly. Throughout each arc, we learn more about each girl and their specific affliction. In other shows, this would mean long, drawn out expository dialogue that lacks personality and charisma. However, Bakemonogatari is unlike other anime. Every interaction is interesting due to how well the visuals compliment the dialogue. Although the dialogue seems to meander from time to time, the interactions between characters are always at the very least entertaining. And through these seemingly meaningless conversations, we learn more about their personalities, motivations and personal beliefs. It is all done in a very subtle way so it may take some close attention to catch some of the nuances of the characterization. Bakemonogatari does not try to baby the viewer; it tells you only what you need to know and lets your imagination fill in the gaps.

The quality of writing remains consistent throughout each arc but the show takes a bit of a downward spiral during the Nadeko Snake arc. Not that it is a bad arc as much as it is underwhelming. Sengoku Nadeko is easily the most uninteresting female in the cast. She is timid, shy and cute. She does not have any stand out traits or eccentricities like the other members of the cast. It seems her sole purpose in this arc is to appease fetishists due to her being placed in many compromising positions. She wears school swimsuits and her affliction is the most sexual in nature. The conclusion to this arc also leaves much to be desired but it is only a minor dip in the overall quality of the narrative.

Art- Studio SHAFT has become synonymous with eccentric art and whacky animation, and Bakemonogatari really benefits from SHAFT adapting it. It is a true visual spectacle, using a mixture of different art styles to make conversations much more interesting. Most scenes are vibrant and full of color and unusual geometric shapes which breathe life into the show. It also uses an interesting blend of typography and simple black and white scenes that really support the tone of the conversations. You could argue that Bakemonogatari’s success is due to the visuals. It truly is a feast for the eyes.

Character- Bakemonogatari features of one of the most intriguing cast of characters I have had the pleasure to watch. However, the crowning achievement of the show has to be Hitagi Senjougahara, the protagonist Araragi’s girlfriend. She is cruel and cynical and never ceases to make Araragi her whipping boy. But that is all a part of her indelible charm. Past her ice cold exterior, lays a really gooey and lovable center. Her change is gradual but very apparent by the end of the series.

The relationship dynamic between Araragi and Senjougahara is simply a joy to behold. It is free of all usual issues that plague romantic anime: awkward confessions, a melodramatic backstory and a general lack of believability. The development of their relationship is set at a slow but realistic pace. Think of it as a flower in bloom, when it blossoms you can truly appreciate it in all its beauty. Throughout the course of the series, Senjougahara’s presence makes itself known even she is not on screen. Araragi’s relationship has actively changes his character and influences what decisions he makes. Each encounter also builds upon their relationship and builds an unspoken bond of trust and affection.

The supporting cast of females also serves to facilitate the development of Araragi’s relationship with Senjougahara. While each arc deals with a specific heroine, it very subtly also tackles aspects and issues within any romantic relationship such as: miscommunication, jealously, and infidelity. Every obstacle they face reinforces the strength of their bond.

The supporting cast are not only mere catalysts for the development of Araragi and Senjougahara, but they stand strong by themselves. The cast is comprised of the usual harem archetypes: the little sister, the class representative, the loli, and the energetic girl but they are given distinguishable traits that separate them from any other character. For example, take Kanbaru Suruga. Although she falls into the energetic girl archetype, she completely betrays our expectations of what that character should be like. She is not only athletic, but she freely embraces her sexuality by making jokes about it and making advances towards Araragi if only in jest.

Bakemonogatari is a tour de force of visual storytelling. It represents the best of the medium as it completely defies all storytelling conventions of anime. It is wordy but never ceases to captivate the viewer with its beautiful imagery and wit. Bakemonogatari popularity and acclaim is well deserved as it will likely linger in your mind, whether you liked it or not, for a long time.

Finally giving in to the hype, I picked up Bakemonogatari, the most discussed anime of '09, on the very first day of this year. The show's appeal was lost on me during the first few episodes, but after a while the reasons for this anime's charm on so many became apparent. As to whether that charm worked on me as well, that's something I'm going to explain a bit more thoroughly further on.

The story of Bakemonogatari may at first seem confusing with the odd events of the show's beginning. Soon, however, the plot's structure comes clear enough as new characters (all female) are introduced, with ... each of them having their own arc consisting of a few episodes at a time. Amidst the weirdness of Bakemonogatari's characters, artwork and animation, a simple storyline like that is a welcome asset. Of course, on the occasion you're not one to enjoy a storyline based on a few episode-arcs, it'll be exactly the other way around for you.

Despite each story arc concentrating on a new character each time, the story of our main couple, Araragi and Senjougahara, flows along nicely as well. The relationship between the two is somewhat the core of the entire show, with the story-arcs functioning either as a means to deepen their chemistry as they go about solving the encountered mysteries together, introduce new characters, or bring more depth to our main hero, Araragi. This I have no qualms of, for I quite like the way a clearly harem-esque series has the most prominent love interest set in stone instead of the guy tinkering on edge until the very end about who it is that he loves.

Be not completely turned off yet, all you who despise everything which has the word "harem" attached to it, for even though I dubbed Monstory as "a clearly harem-esque series", this show isn't an average one in that category in the least. Yes, it's yet again a series where a single guy is surrounded by attractive females (sans the loli character), and yes, all of them are expressing more or less of an interest in him. But they're not brainlessly-unconditionally-helplessly or otherwise idiotically in love in him, nope. In fact some, if not most of them are having open and cheeky banters with him _AND_, unlike in most of your typical harems, the guy isn't actually an utter retard with no redeeming qualities.

This brings us to what I believe is commonly praised as Bakemonogatari's greatest strength, which namely is the wonderfully wicked and excellent character chemistry. As I stated before the characters actually have more intricate interaction between them than your usual scenario of a bunch of chicks loving on an idiot with an attraction level somewhere around -9000. The verbal battles between Araragi and co. (and especially with Senjougahara) are indeed the shows most prominent and refreshing aspect.

But whereas "a bunch of chicks loving on an idiot" can be seen as one frustrating extreme of character interaction, at times I felt as though Bakemonogatari presented a polar opposite no less frustrating. All too often it seemed like the heavy dialogue was there just to accentuate the girls' excellency over Araragi as the poor fellow always appeared to get the short end of the stick in their interactions. A feature meant to be humorous for sure, and I do remember smiling at times, but I certainly wasn't as entertained as I guessed I should've been.

Another fracture burdening on the show's enjoyability is the usage of still-images with text which I suppose were there to support the story. I can't remember if there was a single episode where there wouldn't have been a series of stills flashing on the screen so fast it was impossible to read the sentences on them without stopping your media player to read them. You can guess if I myself cared much for doing so. A hint: I didn't. Surely I didn't miss anything of importance when I opted to roll my eyes in annoyance instead of stopping to read each time when a still featuring either a sentence or a meaningless word like "red" or "black" appeared on the screen, but it certainly didn't add to my viewing pleasure either.

That's about it from me this time, really. Other factors you'd usually pay attention to while watching, like the music and art, fell into the vast category of "alright". The theme songs let alone the rest of the soundtrack left no impression on me whatsoever, and just like everybody else, I did notice the artstyle in this show was a bit funny at times. Surely nothing which folks familiar with Gankutsuou, Zetsubou-sensei, and SHAFT in general can't handle. Characterization, relationships, and intriguing story are the plusses, somewhat questionable humour and stupid stills the minuses. Sounds like yer cup of tea? Then drink up. It doesn't? Then go look for another one - but not before sampling this.

Bakemonogatari is based on a series of light novels by Nisio Isin, and is later produced by Shaft. It features different short stories all related to the main character, Araragi Koyomi. Bakemonogatari is now known for its superb art and animation, and the unique way the story was presented to us. Adding to that, Bakemonogatari surprised many due to its weekly ranking sales and how well it sold across Japan. This was clearly evident in the field of BD sales, where it made history, selling 29,000 units of Bakemonogatari Vol.1, beating out the previous record holder of Macross Frontier, which sold at 22,000 units. It ... also took first place in DVD sales in Oct 26 - Nov 11, beating other titles such as Gintama, Haruhi and Eden of the East. Volume 3 of Bakemonogatari also sold a lot, getting 1st place again in terms of DVD and Blu Ray sales, the margin between 1st place and 2nd place (Detective Conan Movie) being around 5 million. Volume 4 will be delayed a little while and will be released in January 27th, hoping to take the title of 1st place again.

It is clear at why Bakemonogatari sold so well over the time. Bakemono is a collection of short stories, all with their unique characteristics and aspects that makes a show great. It showcased different supernatural cases such as the Hitagi Crab, Mayoi Snail and Tsubasa Cat. Plotwise, Bakemono surely delivered and made it an entertaining show to watch. These different stories usually panned out in 3-4 episodes, where we see some character development and background story on some of the characters. Although each story shows a different heroine, one can still say that these stories are connected together, and this becomes evident in the later stages of the light novel, which has yet to be animated. The stories are engaging, and keeps the viewers interested with new materials to showcase each time. This allows endless opportunities for OVAs and even a second season due to its numerous heroines with each a unique background and even later chapters in the light novels which have yet to be shown in the animated version.

As already stated before, Bakemonogatari has its fair share of characters. Although 4 heroines is typical in a generic romantic comedy show, Bakemonogatari is somewhat different, as each heroine has their own story that can be deeply developed and shown more insight to in the future. The characters are well thought out, and what makes the show shine is their mindless rantings and they way they interact. Hitagi, being the central heroine of the show is aware of her "tsundere" status and is possessed by a crab who takes all of her weight. Then, we have a loli girl who gets her "first touch" taken away by Koyomi, and has entertaining fight sequences with Koyomi. Not only that, we have a smart and well mannered girl who you would consider as the clumsy one in all anime. However, she is anything but ordinary, and has a completely different persona which is because of a cat! These characters are a unique touch and strives to break out of the ordinary. Bakemonogatari offers us a distinct range of characters that are all unique in its own way, and tries to enhance the show even more with the interactions between the cast.

Bakemonogatari is definitely a true highlight due to its plot and characters, but it doesn't stop there. Bakemono offers us a unique art style and animation that is just as good as its story and cast. From the moment it started, Bakemono offered us a visual treat unlike any other, and the use of lighting and colours truly brought the world of Bakemonogatari to life. The art is high quality, and the characters are drawn exceptionally well. the background is unique and uses different techniques that you don't see in a regular anime. The fight scenes are also choreographed really well, and the animation is smooth. I mean, what more is there to not like? I was absolutely blown away by Shaft's effort in the new art direction it gave us and it certainly created a visual masterpiece. It was consistent all throughout the entire season, and although some may say that the Nadeko arc was a bit rough on the edges, it didn't mind me at all. Overall, the art and animation of Bakemono was another highlight to the series, and is just perfect.

Bakemonogatari also offered us different new openings for each heroine. My favourite would probably be Nadeko's and Hachikugi's openings as they were upbeat, and the animation sequence it provided was spectacular. The musical score of Bakemono were great too, and each track was done well. The seiyuu's did a good job too, especially Chiwa Saito as the voice of Senjougahara Hitagi.

Bakemonogatari is by far one of the best animes I have ever seen. Combined with a great plot and entertaining characters, every minute was truly enjoyable. It didn't stop there, as it also presented a visually stunning work, filled with vibrant colours and the animation being generally smooth. The different openings were great, and were always a blast to listen to. Bakemonogatari is definitely something you should watch - and make sure to download it in the highest quality possible to truly enjoy this new anime by SHAFT.

Grade

Overall: A+

Story: A+
Character: A+
Art: A+
Animation: A+
Sound: A+

Pros: A great story and overall entertaining to watch. The characters were all unique in their own way and the character interactions were nice. The art and animation was absolutely spectacular; a visual masterpiece.

Cons: You are not watching it right this second.

'People save themselves on their own. Nobody can ever save anyone else'
- Araragi Koyomi

To begin this review, I shall say that while there were always disagreements whether a certain show was good or not, no series was ever able to split the community like the Monogatari series does. And there will always be the ones saying that it is the best of the best in the anime world, and the ones that will see it as just a pretentious over-the top harem show. Now, before you cast of my review thinking that I'm just going to praise the show, I'll have to ask you to ... stay until the end, since I started this anime just so I could drop it because, I too, thought that it was just a philosophy for horny weebs. Let me show you what made me change my mind. I'll try my best to keep the review spoiler-free for all the people who haven't yet seen the show.

Lets begin with what I think is the reason Bakemonogatari excels more than most of the anime you'll run into: the characters. Now, if you ask any qwasy-elitist about the Bakemonogatari characters, he/she will probably tell you that the characters fall very well into the defined tropes of the anime: unassuming/confused lead protagonist, a female tsundere lead constantly insulting the MC, a bratty loli, a shy and innocent imouto trope, and so on. And on the surface, they are right. But as each of the characters develop, they restrain themselves of these labels to the point that it almost reaches the deconstruction of the certain anime character tropes. And what Bakemonogatari does so good, is the connection it constantly makes by bonding the story with the characters, making them equally progress.

So, to further explain the characters, I will base myself on the actual story. Bakemonogatari follows a 18 years-old Araragi Koyomi, who is 1/10 vampire, as he encounters various number of girls. Each of them comes with their own unique story, and a complete arc primary focusing on one specific character. Each of the characters is followed by an apparition (supernatural being) AKA aberration (unusual, unwelcome entity). They are phenomenons of supernatural nature, in which a person is involved, both as a cause and a victim. To be precise, apparitions are the supernatural creations of ones own mind, possessing the host. The story mainly focuses Araragi, with a help of Oshino Meme, the balancer, attempting to help and save those who suffer from such spiritual illness. But then why did I choose that specific quote to begin my review if it now seems incorrect?
And so we come across with what makes Bakemonogatari one of the best shows of all time: it is a metaphorical battle with one's own inner self. Each of the apparitions is carefully presented as a specific animal or a monster symbolizing the ones problem. And it is no coincidence that it turns out that each of the monsters turned out to be projected by humans. Or rather, they all seem to resemble the problems of one's own personality, the parts they try to deny and hide from the others by burying them deep inside, and metaphorically constructing a false reality and projecting them into a harsh enemy: a soul-sucking demons, apparitions. And so the only way to solve the problem is to confront them as what they truly are. the show smartly illustrates the struggle it takes to overcome your own inner pain. And no, that's not pretentious. You need to learn to separate the edginess from the actual depth.

And to explain that, lets move on to the various elements that make the series work, and how they interact. So, storytelling. Through each well-defined arc, we slowly dig deeper into the character, ripping apart the trope, and revealing what lies beneath. This compelling introspection of the characters is what drives the story. Even tho the show contains some nice well-combined comedy and few action sequences, it primarily revolves around dialogues. A well-packed, meaningful and thought-provoking dialogue, with various use. Whether it is used to serve some good laughs, develop the character or advance the plot, conversation is never there just to fill the 23-minutes of free space, which is expected from the Godlike-writer NisioisiN, who's wordplay transcends beyond just a simple rebuses.

But it doesn't just end there. The visual aspect in Bakemonogatari isn't just there for the aesthetic value. Director Tatsuya Oishi takes the whole media into his advantage, making surrealistic and abstractly symbolic visual storytelling. Using the first-person perspective through Araragi's narration, his world remains without the people he has no interest in, whether it'd be an empty street in the middle of the day, or an empty classroom. Every camera angle is focused primarily on what he is interesting in and what he wants us to see, or pay attention to. Otherwise, there is a fantastically fluent animation, incredible use of colors and a regular SHAFT's head tilt.

The music is there just to keep things alive. It never fails to bring a character motion to life and to project the certain emotion, whether it is making you be at the edge of your sit with eyes wide open as the mystery gets unraveled, or it is making your heart break apart from the sadness of the moment. Boosted with various number of melodies and instruments in soundtrack, the enjoyment is guaranteed.

To conclude:
Personally, this show has in itself everything I ever wanted an anime to have. Philosophy, abstract symbolism, depth, fast pacing, interesting and well-written characters, emotional and slightly tearjerking elements, creativity and innovation, and a weird, but unique way of storytelling. All together, an anime that everyone should see, but not everyone will like. It is not a story that will destroy your brain with lots of mindfucks, nor is it one that will ask you questions and make you wonder about the answer. This is not a show that knows everything, but it knows what it knows. It will tell you everything it can and it has the knowledge to.
But what you will do with it
is up to you.

SHAFT's chaotic experiment is certainly a welcome break in creativity for the industry, and Bakemonogatari has all the right elements to make for a great anime: a promising premise, great character design and a shot of insanity. Yet here is a great example of how deliberate attention to detail can cause directors to miss the mark entirely, resulting in a bigger picture that revels blindly in its mediocrity.

There isn't much of a story. Episodic in nature, Bakemonogatari is driven by an almost Japanese-folklore perspective on loneliness and loss layered beneath the tone of this generation's rebellious youth. Sounds clever enough, but the not-so-subtle hentai subtext ... cheapens any semblance of artistic endeavor. Perhaps it was a failed experiment at integrating pop-culture critique within its chaotic fabric, but my guess would lean towards a pathetic attempt to draw a larger audience.

But, well, critics are really going crazy for the art, so I was expecting to be pleasantly surprised. Only to be let down. Hard. Like the unmethodical and distracted camera angles, the artistic choices were made with the most pompous cries for attention. The still-scenes flicker in an epilepsy-inducing fashion, while the gorgeously rendered characters and back drop were drowned in the quickness of the scene-changes and flashes of blank screen with (unreadable) text. Moments that are meant to be mulled over pass too quickly while the more exciting scenes seem to linger with pure apathy. It's almost as if director Akiyuki Shinbo's job stopped pre-cutting-room-floor, leaving the series a chaotic mess with miserable pacing and an unspectacular storyline.

But enough about its fall from grace. Bakemonogatari may still be one of the best series the industry successfully produced in 2009. What SHAFT does well is create a highly entertaining series whose shiny surface can cover its internal flaws. The eclectic feel is enough to draw an audience, while the screenplay and writing remains surprisingly mature despite its rather unfocused story. And while certainly flawed, the artistic expression still garners appreciation for its bold step out of the ordinary. If you are a SHAFT fan, this title is unlikely to disappoint.

written for Minitokyo's Newsletter: MT-Maigetsu

Story
In total the anime is divided into 5 arcs (separate and independent stories). In each arc, the main character meets new girls, and helps them to solve their problems with "monsters". Thus problems are solved in various ways, they never repeat and therefore the feeling of secondariness doesn't arise.
At the same time it is possible to see other storylines in the background: Koyomi's relations and Hitagi I consider that it's not a bad move to let the main plot run parallel with the love storyline. Though, I think that it would be possible to develop their relationship more clearly. All of this with great battles ... underway, but more on that later.
9/10

Animation
In most of the cases, animation in Bakemonogatari, serves as an addition to dialogues between the main characters, and that certainly benefits the very anime all the more.
The picture in an anime is quite unusual - for it studio Shaft should be credited. The majority of the backgrounds in the anime is rather abstract. Although it is strange, such an abstraction goes very well with Bakemonogatari - probably because of the type of narration, which is chosen by its creators. The background doesn't distract from the subject line and all attention is engrossed by characters. And it’s with background that made in some striking colours. Not bad. Everything happening behind the characters is quite chaotic, but it starts to be pleasant to the third episode.
Even continuous flashing of various inscriptions and numbers doesn't prevent from watching this anime but only gives it charm.
Characters are traced perfectly. And they look good against the background. It should be noted that characters sometimes appear in strange poses and from some freakish point of view. It only admires the viewer. Dialogues are filled with additional inserts, because of it listening to the dialogue won't bore and there are no wish to turn away even for a second. There is everything that possible. Both bloody scenes and scenes with smart fanservice, and paranormal effects which bewitch the viewer. Fights also look very showily and colourfully. They are dynamic and realistic. Magnificent animation deserves an appreciation.
10/10


Sound
Music plays very important role in the anime. Kosaki Satoru put a lot of effort into creating a huge number of "small masterpieces" which are wonderful and catchy. Special charm to culmination points of the anime is given by different variations on the main music themes.
Each opening (there are five of them) corresponds to each heroine’s character.
10/10

Character
Characters - one of the greatest strengths of this creation. All heroes of an anime turned out unique and special. Each character has characters which aren't similar at each other and, of course, each of them they correspond their own special habits and qualities. Founders collected almost all characters existing in an anime in this anime. Each hero is thought over ideally. The main characters should be loved : )
Seiyuus of characters are picked up ideally. They very precisely demonstrate characters as a hero, which forces you to fall in love with them even more. The actor's voice perfectly fits into the atmosphere of an anime.
10/10

Enjoyment
Magnificent anime. I would tell anyone that it is a masterpiece. It's a magnificent animation, with a fascinating plot and dialogues filled with sense. I received a sea of pleasure from watching it. Bakemonogatari is an anime in an unusual format. I advise all fans the supernatural and the unusual to watch this anime. This anime really intrigues.

10/10

P.S. I'm sorry, if there are mistakes in the text. I'm not very good english ^^

Shaft is a studio well known for their weird experimental style, seemingly endless stream of anime in-jokes, and plentiful fan-service. Needless to say their work is an acquired taste and can be hit-or-miss. While this certainly applies to Bakemonogatari, it uses Shaft's signature style very well. Incredibly weird, and at times intentionally obtuse, yet undeniably intriguing and charming (albeit in its own weird way). This is easily one of the studio's best efforts.

The show follows high school student and former vampire (it's complicated), Koyomi Araragi, through a string of bizarre supernatural happenings. Each happening is centered around an individual (all girls, of course) whom somehow ... has become involved in the supernatural, and stumble upon our protagonist, who by nature feels the need to aid them. The show is divided into five arcs, each intriguing and creative on their own right, which are loosely tied to each other into a well thought out whole.

Now, this might sound like the show is formulaic, but rest assured, the show's unhinged creativity always keeps things interesting. Every minute feels fresh and engaging, even when a single conversation takes majority of an episode... which happens quite often.

It is really quite astonishing just how entertaining it is to hearing the characters banter amongst each other. Araragi is a winsome oddball with a healthy amount of snark, it is fun just to listen to him all on his lonesome, and it is even more fun to hear him play off the other characters. The insanely guarded and moody; self-proclaimed 'tsudere' Hitagi Senjougahara has a sharp tongue and a warped sense of humor. The fact that it is hard to tell when she is joking and when she is not makes her all the more interesting to watch. In contrast, the class rep Tsubasa playfully teases Araragi (and the audience). Every character has their own distinct way of talking, as well as their own reoccurring gags and catchphrases, which is exactly what makes their conversations so entertaining to listen to; add to that Shaft's usual cleaver word play and anime in-jokes.

Bakemonogatari is just as crafty with the supernatural as it is with its dialogue. The show has an uncanny way to tie the characters' issues with the weird supernatural circumstances that afflict them. Whether it is an inability to cope with reality, family problems, or jealousy; the personal problems of the characters are connected to the supernatural in cleaver, and sometimes surprising, ways. A lot is revealed about the characters through their interaction with the supernatural, fleshing out their already likable personalities. The class rep Tsubasa, in particular, gets great character development in the final arc; revealing insecurities hidden behind her playful demeanor.

Possibly the most important factor to Bakemonogatari's success is the relationship between Araragi and Hitagi. Aside from being the focus of the show's opening arc, their developing relationship add continuity to the loosely connected vignettes. This prevents Bakemonogatari from degrading into a puddle of randomness the way many of Shaft's works often do. Furthermore, their relationship gives the show a nice emotional core for the audience, and it is gratifying to see how their relationship progresses as the show continues.

Aesthetically, this show has Studio Shaft written all over it. The minimalist and bizarre visual style is not unlike what the studio has done before, in fact it is kind of expected. This, however, does not mean it is any less entrancing to watch. The color scheme is constantly being played around with, and there is always something interesting to look at. The odd camera angles and quick editing fit the show's off-beat tone very well. Character designs are well detailed, especially concerning the girls' assets; and while the backgrounds are not the most stunning you will ever see, they give the show an appropriately surreal atmosphere. Like most works form this studio, the show does get a bit carried away with visual gimmickry, but does not ever get jarringly so. The sound design is splendid; it is very successful in setting the tone, and consistently impressive on its own right. The music itself is excellent; it is especially good at sustaining the mystery and mysticism that envelops the series, and does a great job in the more tense or funny moments as well.

With Bakemonogatari, Studio Shaft has crafted a very cleaver and highly effective supernatural romp. At the same time, retaining the off-kilter charm that the studio is so well known for. The show is equal parts deranged and heart-felt, creating an experience that feels unique despite the many similarities it has with other Shaft works. It does get too wrapped up in itself at times, but overall it is still a damn good watch.

The story follows third year high school student Araragi Koyomi; a past vampire. Over his spring break he was attacked by a vampire thus turning into one. With the help Meme Oshino, an expert in the field of oddities: Who helps Araragi become a human again with payment. The series has a set of chapters, with a heroine in each chapter being induced by an oddity. This show is full of word play, which is the author's strength in his writing of the light novels.

The art in the series is nothing less than spectacular. The lighting, the animation, the colors is just all so beautiful. ... The scenes that would be plain have some sort of interesting aspect and life to it. This is done by Studio Shaft (one of my favorite studios) so it's very familiar to those that have seen Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei or Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase. Which are fantastic as well. And yes, Shaft does make use of production slides and storyboards for dialogue or just for some effect on the situation. CAUTION: Some of the storyboards/production slides go by really fast. You're going to have pause to read them.

The sound is great. I'll mention OPs and EDs. The OPs are great, different ones for chapters and they fit well based on the heroine of the chapter. The ED is by supercell (they did the theme for Cencoroll as well) is fantastic, the animation in the ED is personally a favorite of mine. Now, to the real sound that counts, the BGM. It's great, fits every scene well and adds emotion to them as well. Very well done.

The cast of characters is all over the place. Araragi is overly kind and tries to help anyone he can. Amongst the heroines there are the basic characters that stick out. There is Hitagi Senjougahara who describes herself as a tsundere. She speaks in a very threatening way to anyone. Suruga Kanbaru, a self-proclaimed lesbian, masochist, and fujoshi. Many other characters appear with other personalities which gives a delectable assortment of characters.

Overall, this anime is definitely one to check out; one of my favorites from this season. With the overtone of spirits, mythological creatures, ghosts, and gods there is room for romance in this anime as well. Chapters are relatively short (limited to three/two episodes for one chapter) but capture a lot of the story through this dialogue heavy anime. An anime to a remember with the great depth of the characters and how the chapters help the characters develop.

So it's time to review the one of Monogatari series, Bakemonogatari.
And yes, my general opinion about Bakemonogatari is :

"The interesting thing is not about its story, but its SHAFT-styled story-telling and character development."

That makes every character seems real, as if they are really exist IRL. Let's start from the main protagonist, Araragi Koyomi. Koyomi's character was rather unique, despite his ordinary circumstances for being surrounded by girls, like other harem animes. He was a perverted man, but very wise and willing to try his best to solved his friends' problems. Sounds ordinary though, but in this review I'm talking about SHAFT. Yes, since this ... anime was developed by SHAFT, the audiences will definitely have new experience after watching this one. For example, pausing in every "red scene". That's the art of trolling, LOL. Every episode was always interesting although each of them have many dialogues. Furthermore, most of them didn't really important, but still worth to enjoy. Audience who used to watch anime with full of action and less dialogue will definitely got bored easily. I felt that at first, but then I realized that those dialogues are needed to develop each of characters' personality.

Main plot of this anime is about Koyomi and Oshino Meme solving problems of these girls: Hitagi, Mayoi, Suruga, Nadeko, and Tsubasa. Each of their stories are good but not really impressed me. The good thing are these two things that I said again and again: story-telling and character development. In addition, the artwork was awesome and extraordinary. Very different from other animes.

And let me tell you once again, this is what I like about this anime: CHARACTER. This anime itself has a CHARACTER that really differs it from other animes, not just mere "physical" characters. If you know what I mean, hehehe. Talking about characters, the most significant characters of this anime are of course, Koyomi and Hitagi a.k.a the couple. Both of them have unique character. Hitagi claimed herself as a tsundere. But since there is no way a tsundere admit that he/she is a tsundere, so I think her argument is invalid, hahaha.. She was definitely a yandere a.k.a the sadist, but she has sweet and romantic side too. Koyomi successfully take advantage of her sweet side and won her heart. Finally, they started going out.

Then Hitagi revealed herself as a very protective girlfriend. So protective that she won't hesitate to intimidate Koyomi. Koyomi realized that she was dealing with very dangerous girlfriend, so he took his steps carefully to avoid something bad happen to him. Although he tried it, he still couldn't control himself, especially when meeting Mayoi. So, it's a proof that Koyomi is actually a lolicon and yet he was going out with Hitagi. Watch yourself, Koyomi.. hahaha.

This anime revealed that Koyomi have two little sisters, Karen and Tsukihi. Both of them rarely appeared, and just like alarms to wake Koyomi up. Story of Karen and Tsukihi will be told in Nisemonogatari, this anime's sequel.

Okay, time for summary. This anime have five separated stories, but interconnected. Some unnecessary but hilarious moment and dialogues made this anime have strong character development. The OSTs are amazing, especially first OP by Chiwa Saitou (Hitagi's seiyuu) and the ED song "Kimi no shiranai monogatari" by supercell. Therefore, sound is an important factor for this anime. That's why I gave score of 9 for it. For enjoyment, yeah I enjoyed the show. Sometimes I rewatched an episode to read the kanji on "red screen," watch the hilarious moment again, or just enjoying the extraordinary artwork.

Last but not least, I'd like to say thanks for this anime. This anime really inspires me about the art of story-telling and character development.

That's all folks! Thanks ^^

Winner of the 2009’s popular vote for Best Anime of 2009 on Animereactor, Bakemonogatari is yet another anime that Shaft can add up to their collection. To make it short, Bakemonogatari is overrated. Overrated in a sense that the animation style has nothing to brag about, the story isn’t unique in any sense and that the characters aren’t even special in the first place. However, it doesn’t change the fact that Bakemonogatari is still a very good anime to watch and it is among my favourites of 2009.

Bakemonogatari is structured with five story arcs, with the fifth one being aired solely online. For ... those who are Shaft followers you will see no difference in how the story is told in this anime. Just like most of their work, Bakemonogatari’s story is driven by the dialogues rather than the action. This being said, Bakemonogatari dialogues, while they make most part of the story, aren’t exactly telling the story itself. More of a casual discussion between two peoples, the plot is not given away for the purpose of being vomited to the viewer, but it rather flows with the casual talk that the show tends to offer. Now of course, there are some action scenes and fighting scenes in Bakemonogatari, but it is mostly used in a way to conclude an arc or for adding a bit of spice. I have to say that the story arcs aren’t original and can be quite repetitive as it uses the same recipe for each of them. It is repetitive in a way that each story arcs starts the same way and pretty much end the same way as well. Of course, not being original and being repetitive is not a synonym for boring. Bakemonogatari always managed to interest me with each story arcs with its direction toward suspense and climax build up.

There’s a problem with the story arcs and its character. Because the story arcs holds almost no connections toward each others, Bakemonogatari fails in term of characterisation and it always seems that the relation between Senjougahara and Araragi is stalled. Step aside the social and love relations, this series hold way more interest in the characters individually, and by that I mean Senjougahara. While Araragi is an interesting character, he’s nothing different from any other male lead that Shaft use to have, and they all have the same voice actor of course. He may be fitting leading for this anime, but his lack of originality and the fact that he’s just a Shaft preset doesn’t make him a good character. On the other line, Senjougahara, to make it short, is the spotlight character of this show. While the anime tends to put her as a side character, being not so important except for the first arc, she is a woman that is very interesting for her sarcastic tonality and her way to lead everything. Now, there’s nothing that support her characterisation very well and that I have to admit. It’s more of her personality that makes her a good character. Bakemonogatari also has a strong set of side characters that really supports the show very well. These side characters are cool, fun to watch and entertaining, but it doesn’t go beyond those points. Just like any side characters should be.

The visual is perhaps one of the most controversial in anime history. I’ll say it, those red screens is not a form of art, it simply a form laziness and does not bring anything, except for pissing off the viewer big time. Now that I’ve talked about those screens, let’s look at the actual art. The visual is nothing original, as it is the same that Shaft uses in almost all of their anime. Bakemonogatari uses lots of pretty colors, high contrasts, typical chalkboards and many cut scenes that one would recognise as a Shaft work. However, the characters are very well made, unique and distinctive. And even though it’s been made dozens of that, I actually never get tired of Shaft’s fancy visual style and it actually compliments the anime very well.

The sound is on a whole new standard. In fact, it is absolutely amazing. Without no hesitation, Staple Stable became an instant opening favourite for me, and for the ending as well. Bakemonogatari also offers a new opening song for each story arcs that supports the soundtrack very well. The inner songs in the anime actually capture the moments and intensity perfectly. Voice actors are also top notch. Hiroshi might have been using the same kind of voice, but it’s simply because it’s the same kind of character. Chiwa Saito, who also sings the opening, is the highlight voice actress of this show.

In the end, Bakemonogatari has its reason for being overrated, because it is actually enjoyable and very good. Fans of Shaft will obviously love it, and for the others it might as well be a hit or miss.

There’s some debate about whether or not Bakemonogatari (pr. bah-keh-moh-no-gah-tah-re) is an ecchi-harem. A mere six seconds into the first episode, one of the female leads is introduced with a panty shot, and several shots of panties, boobs, and butts are dispersed throughout the series. Aside from two other characters that appear in a few episodes, the main character, Araragi, is the only male, and he’s usually surrounded by females who’ve developed a fondness for him after he helped them in some way.

Is it an ecchi? Most likely. Is it a harem? Probably. Regardless, what distinguishes this series from other ecchi and harem anime is ... that this one could still be entertaining without the ecchi and harem elements. It’s not an ecchi with some story, but a story with some ecchi.

Bakemonogatari, the first adaptation of Isin Nisio's Monogatari novel series, can be summed up as an allegory of how problems grow beyond our control when we don't tend to them. In this story, unsolved problems transform into apparitions that can handicap, possess, and even attack people. This premise was likely inspired by the Buddhist "āsavā" concept, which is defined as an influence or mental bias that binds people to their desires and attachments. In this story, various types of mental biases are illustrated through the lives and interactions of the characters.

This series was headed by veteran director and animator Akiyuki Shinbou, whose style has become synonymous with the Shaft animation studio. His distinctive use of lines, shadows, and off-centered shot compositions are in full effect here. There are some scenes that are likely just meant to look cool, but, generally, the visuals have purpose and avoid garishness. The visuals are specific, and help to establish tension, isolation, and other tones.

The true highlight of Bakemonogatari is the Tarantino-esque dialog written by Isin Nisio. When the characters converse, they’re not simply saying things that’ll move the plot forward. They’re having in-depth conversations, free of restraints, that seamlessly transition between topics as conversations do in real life. However, that’s not to imply that the characters take themselves seriously. It’s quite the contrary. The characters often tease and challenge each other, and sometimes break through the fourth wall to make the viewer a part of an exchange.

The Monogatari Series would be appreciated by most anime fans who enjoy sleek art, witty dialog, the supernatural, and don't mind some fanservice. If you decide to pick it up, I suggest watching it in the order that it was adapted: Bakemonogatari, Nisemonogatari, Nekomonogatari: Kuro, Monogatari Series: Second Season, Hanamonogatari, Tsukimonogatari, Owarimonogatari, Kizumonogatari.

For starters, this is more of an analysis than a review and is intended for those who have already seen Bakemonogatari.

Introduction

Bakemonogatari is the first installment in the Monogatari Series, a series of novels written by Nisio Isin. In short, the Monogatari Series is about its characters maturing and becoming better people by way of overcoming their internal (sometimes external) conflicts and insecurities.

It is a gripping character piece and a technical and audiovisual marvel that fully capitalizes on the strengths of its medium.

Story

One would expect a series named ‘Story’ to have a multilayered narrative that seamlessly juggles complex and profoundly deep themes. While that ... is the case (to a certain extent) in the later installments, Bakemonogatari’s narrative is simple and straightforward in comparison.

The audience follows the story through the eyes of Araragi Koyomi over five arcs. Every arc has a different main heroine and explores different themes; however, they have a few things in common. One of them is how the heroines resolve their conflicts with Araragi’s help. At this point, it would be good to clarify that my abovementioned description of the series is also an oversimplification. The show depicts said conflicts and insecurities in a way that is unusual and wonderfully unique. Through the brilliant integration of supernatural elements, the characters’ internal feelings, insecurities, and traits are portrayed as functionally corresponding spirits or creatures called oddities. For example, Senjougahara’s strong desire to forget her past feelings led to her encounter with the Weight Crab, an oddity which made her weightless (in Japanese, feelings『思い』and heavy『重い』are both read ‘omoi’). Moreover, Senjougahara’s outwards abrasive, but sweet-on-the-inside personality is represented by the hard shell, yet soft inside of a crab. I can’t emphasize enough how creative this is and how much it elevates a potentially dull character trait due to the unique twist.

Another important thing to highlight would be the romance aspect of the show, which Bakemonogatari executes beautifully. The relationship between Senjougahara and Araragi began with one of my favorite lines from Araragi: “If our views clash, then let us properly talk about it”. I consider romance in fiction to be a double-edged sword - if executed correctly, it can provide a powerful emotional hook; however, if not, it can drag shows down and make them a chore to watch. Bakemonogatari combats this by having Senjougahara become romantically interested in Araragi very early on and having them become a couple as early as the fifth episode. In the novel, she even states that she hates “romantic comedies where it’s obvious the two characters are going to get together at the end, but instead they drag out the story with a bunch of lukewarm twists and turns”. As a result, their relationship feels uneasy and (at times) artificial to start; however, by the end, they truly do connect and develop feelings for one another. This, along with their hilarious back-and-forth banter, makes for an extremely enjoyable and gratifying romance.

I won’t talk about the arcs in detail; however, I will mention that all of them, excluding Sengoku’s, are connected by the theme of overcoming one’s past. Senjougahara overcoming her trauma that was caused by the disarray in her family, Hachikuji became a ghost due to not being able to locate her mother’s house before dying, and Kanbaru and Hanekawa are tormented by their unrequited love. The most impressive thing about Bakemonogatari’s arcs is that they serve as a brilliant setup for the later installments while offering elegant character development, and a smooth introduction to the oddity system. Though it feels a tad self-indulgent and over-reliant on sex appeal, Bakemonogatari offers an enticing story fueled by its quirky and lovable characters.

Characters

Speaking of quirky and lovable characters, here’s the character section.

The most interesting aspect to note about Bakemonogatari’s heroines is that they are pseudo-parodies or outright mockeries of established tropes in anime. Senjougahara is a blatant lampooning of tsunderes, Hanekawa is reminiscent of the childhood friend trope, Sengoku is a typical moe girl, etc. Where the brilliance lies, however, is in the way Isin, in addition to providing meta and deconstructive commentary on the tropes, also subverts them to give the characters meaningful development and progression. What's noteworthy as well is that the characters’ development doesn’t conclude in Bakemonogatari. As I’ve already mentioned, what Bakemonogatari offers is phenomenal characterization through fun-to-listen-to exchanges between characters, and an excellent setup for future confrontations.

Araragi Koyomi is the glue that holds the series together. His idealistic tendencies resulted in him having to face constant reality checks and accept unfavorable compromises which helped form his likable and relatably human personality. He is a bit of a pervert, and he certainly isn’t the brightest lightbulb; however, I couldn’t have asked for a more fitting protagonist for this series.

Oshino Meme is Bakemonogatari’s paragon character. His trademark line “People can only help themselves” ironically, yet perfectly describes his methodology. The advice he gives to someone is often ambiguous, which leaves the person he’s helping in a state of confusion, but in turn makes them think for themselves, helping them grow as a person. Him leaving the town signifies his belief that everyone he’s given advice to has matured to the point of being able to resolve their own conflicts and confidently help others.

Senjougahara Hitagi is not a tsundere. The closest she comes to being one is when Isin decides to use her as a meta-fictional medium for mocking the trope. I have a hard time understanding how anyone who’s seen the “tsundere service” scene from episode fourteen could unsarcastically label her as one. Moving past that, Senjougahara is Bakemonogatari’s frontwoman, owning the spotlight in every scene she finds herself in, completely enthralling the audience with her charismatic and forthright personality. Her brash exclamations of love and/or discontent, and Araragi’s hilarious, yet realistically reserved responses are the cornerstone of one of the most inexplicably enjoyable relationship dynamics I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing. She is a breath of fresh air and a phenomenal female lead.

Kanbaru Suruga is a unique character – she’s insecure and harbors an inferiority complex towards Araragi due to his relationship with Senjougahara, but acts like a libido-driven exhibitionist, teasing him with lewd propositions and bawdy humor in order to hide it. It could be said that this aspect of her is taken to the extreme, as Isin never shied away from letting her speak her mind, but this is not without its merits. What makes Kanbaru truly shine are the moments in which she forgoes this act (intentionally or otherwise) and shows glimpses of her true self – a loving, calm and reflective person. Her humor is blunt and loud, but that is precisely what makes those moments special, gracing them with a profound serenity.

At first glance, Hachikuji Mayoi could be classified as comedic relief; however, it’d be a major disservice to her character to do so. A lot of times during the series, Araragi will be interacting with someone on the streets while he’s traveling from place to place. However, there’ll be times when he’ll be traveling alone and he’ll have no one to talk with over the phone, and this is where Hachikuji steps in. Watching the two argue over anything and everything, and listening to their engrossing banter makes her role in the story very clear – she offers a sort of safe-haven for Araragi when he’s on the road, alone with his thoughts. Her presence gives off an odd sense of security which beautifully dovetails with the overarching themes of her arc. Hachikuji embodies motifs of family and home while being a source of great comedy and a joy to listen to.

Sengoku Nadeko stands out as Bakemonogatari’s main character with the least substance, though that isn’t inherently a bad thing. Her childish personality has its merits and is important to take note of, as she will be explored in-depth further down the line.

When discussing Hanekawa Tsubasa, it’s hard not to talk about the melancholic aura that surrounds her. From her first conversation with Araragi, it’s plain to see that Hanekawa is shouldering a heavy burden. Maintaining her image as an ideal student while suppressing her romantic feelings and familial troubles was severely taxing on her mental health and continuously added new cracks to her cheerful façade until her stress finally manifested itself as an oddity. In many ways, Black Hanekawa is what Hanekawa longs to be – she’s confident, seductive and free to go where she pleases. Knowing that the roots of her stress haven’t been dealt with and seeing her don a warm smile in the epilogue made me deeply sympathize with her. Though Hanekawa’s arc ends on a negative note, Bakemonogatari ends with a heartwarming scene displaying the bonds the characters have formed which left me in high hopes that all of them, including Hanekawa, will be fully content with themselves at some point in the series.

Visuals

For the sake of clarity and getting my point across better, I’ll separate ‘visuals’ into two categories – art (character design, background, etc.) and direction/storyboarding.

Bakemonogatari is a beautiful looking show. Studio Shaft went above and beyond in making sure every frame looks polished to the point where it could be considered wallpaper-worthy. That is obviously an exaggeration, but in all seriousness, Shaft produces some of the most gorgeous looking backdrops in the industry.

There are two crucial aspects in a character’s design – the look itself and the extent to which the design reflects the character’s personality. The Monogatari Series nails both, with the characters looking sleek while also revealing plenty about themselves to a viewer’s first glance. Senjougahara’s menacing facial expression and Sengoku’s uncomfortable posture are excellent examples of design being strung together with personality. A lot of the characters have some sort of symbolic detail affixed to their design as well. Hanekawa’s cat-shaped hair clips or Hachikuji’s ‘snail shell-looking’ backpack are just a few examples. These details don’t necessarily add anything to the characters in terms of substance, but they are neat and they add to my appreciation of the series.

A good descriptor of Studio Shaft’s direction and storyboarding would be the word ‘eclectic’. Even to the untrained eye many of Shaft’s stylistic idiosyncrasies should be noticeable - zany jump cuts and sequencing, playful and/or symbolic scene composition, quick flashes of imagery to illustrate a character’s surroundings, the use of color-coded still-frames for various occasions, frequent switching of the art-style, etc. What’s important to note here is that these ‘techniques’ aren’t inherently groundbreaking or remarkable; however, their implementation is exceptional. For example, take a random scene of Araragi observing something and pay close attention to each shot – a subtle indicator for an upcoming perspective shot will be shown in the form of a shot of his eye or a close-up. Another great example is whenever flashcards are used to highlight pivotal character lines or story beats. The directors, Shinbou Akiyuki and Oishi Tatsuya have carefully constructed every scene so camera emphasis is always meticulously placed – if they wanted the viewer to see something, they will show it in a clever way.

To further illustrate my point, and to tie into the last paragraph I’m going to talk about the novels in a bit more detail. Isin utilizes a writing style akin to ‘stream of consciousness writing’ which is characterized by narration that describes happenings in the flow of thoughts in the minds of characters. As a result, their writing is hectic, conversations often digress, or get detailed or segmented. It’s a self-indulgent and at times unfocused style; however, it isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination. When pulled off correctly, in addition to completely immersing the reader, it establishes a more intimate relationship between the reader and the characters. It’s also a great vehicle for Isin’s character-centric humor. It is precisely Shaft’s style of editing that displays their understanding of Isin’s writing mannerisms, as well as what makes their shows so interesting and endlessly iconic.

Sound

The ‘Bakemonogatari Original Soundtrack’ is an instantaneously recognizable collection of impeccably produced and deeply evocative pieces of music. Tracks such as “Shugendou” and “Gaidan Kousetsu” make the oddities and folk tales feel tangible, while “Zaregoto”, “Jinchiku” and “Suteki Meppou” are microcosms of the series’ inherent strangeness and playfulness. Oddly nostalgic tracks such as “Classmate”, “Nichiyoubi” and “Sanpo” permeate a sense of safety, comfort, and romance. It’s an intently composed, extraordinary track-list, in which each track is not only varied to the point of being iconic in its own right but also elevates and/or complements scenes tonally, thematically, narratively or otherwise.

Openings are something I seldom consider a contributing factor to a show’s artistic value; however, that is not the case with the Monogatari Series. Not only does Bakemonogatari have five openings spread across its fifteen episodes, but throughout the series’ entire runtime the openings are sung by the respective heroine’s respective voice actor as well. It’s a testament to how much heart and dedication has been poured into the Monogatari Series both by the studio and the voice actors.

Bakemonogatari’s voice actors are phenomenal. From the most prolific names – Kamiya Hiroshi, Sawashiro Miyuki, Hanazawa Kana; to the lesser-known ones – Saito Chiwa, Katou Emiri, etc; Shaft have attentively picked out a cast of voice actors that give Isin’s characters voices full of vibrancy, wit and, most importantly, heart. As I’ve mentioned, their devotion to the series is incredible. All of them have read Bakemonogatari prior to (or immediately after) auditioning in order to most effectively integrate their voice and speaking habits with the characters. Kamiya Hiroshi had even, at the time of his audition, read all of Isin’s hitherto published Monogatari novels multiple times. I adore each and every one of their portrayals of the characters, and I couldn’t imagine a line-up of voice actors more perfect than this.

Closing words

Watching Bakemonogatari (and the Monogatari Series as a whole) has been a unique and unforgettable experience for me. Though a bit esoteric, with its visual and narrative boldness, it’s one of the few shows I can label as successfully experimental. Its fun-factor never stifles nor plateaus, and I recommend it to not only appreciators of excellent cinematography, but to any casual watchers as well, since, in my eyes, Bakemonogatari stands as a paragon of creative expression and progression.

I would wait until the series is done before writing a review, but unless episode 15 is a complete bomb that ruins the whole the show, then my opinion probably isn't going to change. Bakemonogatari is one those special animes that come out maybe once every couple years. On the surface it appears as a generic harem show with a funky artstyle and tongue-in-cheek characters. But I would be selling it short if I said that was it, Bakemonogatari at its core is a deconstruction/parody of the harem genre.

Bakemonogatari's story is nothing special. The basic premise involves a boy named Koyomi Araragi coming ... across and solving people's problems or "oddities", which is to say supernatural anomalies. The plot is there simply to propel the characters around and move them from situation A to situation B. Though that's not necessarily a bad thing since storytelling isn't the focus of this anime. The narrative recognizes itself for what it is: exposition that that merely leads the characters along a path but never actually becomes a focal point. Nothing more, nothing less. If you're looking for a good plot, you definitely won't find one here.

The focus of the show, and the main reason why anyone would watch it at are the characters. This is where the harem deconstruction sctick comes into play, all the characters are written as realistically as possible which is a stark contrast to most harem shows. Most of the time, the female characters fall madly in love with the male lead for stupid reasons, yet in Bakemonogatari, the relationships are written well and are feasible. Not to mention that there's a very tongue-in-cheek approach to all the archetypes that have become so common in anime. The female lead for example, Senjougahara is a self-proclaimed "tsundere" yet she displays not of the traits common in other characters of the same archetype. If anything, she comes across as more of a kuudere/yandere. Araragi also displays characteristics that aren't typical of a harem lead. Most are spineless self inserted Gary Stus that the entire cast loves for no apparent reason, while Araragi is a snarky anti-social punk that comes across as more of a shounen lead. Needless to say all of the characters are well written and its fun to see them interact with each other on screen.

The dialogue is another main feature of the series. I've heard many people say that its intelligent and witty, but in my opinion its neither of those two. The dialogue is extremely fast paced so it might give off the impression of being witty when its actually just poking fun at itself. Many of the exchanges between characters tend to meander around aimlessly and have no real significance at all, but if anything that's a testament to how enjoyable the show is. If the majority of an episode can be filled with nothing but absurd dialogue and still manage to be extremely entertaining and funny then I'd say its doing its job incredibly well.

The art has a very clean look to it, albeit a bit generic yet its extremely stylized. There's a lot of debate over the animation, but there a big difference between bad animation and not that much of it. All the actions that are animated are well done and smooth, characters generally move around while talking and don't make static facial expressions. The lip flaps also aren't just the open and close variety, characters do give off a decent impression that they're forming vowel sounds with their mouths instead of just the old open and close routine. The bottom line is that a show like Bakemonogatari doesn't really need animation, hence all the skepticism when it was being adapted. However Shaft did a good job to play to the show's strengths and all the stills/cuts are there to get the viewers to focus on the dialogue. Simply watching people talk would get boring but the frantic cuts and text screens keep the viewers on their toes and have them focus on the audio aspects when the visuals are far too haphazard to make sense off. All the style definitely works in favor of the show.

The voice actors are all terrific, they do a splendid job in delivering the lines with the perfect amount of emotion or lack of in some contexts. The background music itself isn't too memorable, has a nice beat when everyone is rambling on and becomes dramatic during important scenes. The openings are all really catchy and well sung by the female cast. The ending in particular is probably one of the best I've seen/heard in general.

Overall, I had lots of fun watching this anime. One important thing to realize is that its best to go in not having any expectations for this show. I had no idea what I was getting into when I first started watching and I'm glad I didn't. If I had to put a label on it, I'd say that it's tremendously quirky and its awesome for it, sorta like FLCL. It has a lot of charm, and if you take it for what it is, you'll enjoy it too.

There isn't really a middle road to be found with Bakemonogatari. It's a show that one may take in much delight or endeavor in extreme frustration. Those familiar with director Akiyuki Shinbo will know why since he brings a style of visuals and direction that is often very surreal and frantic. He meshes together typography with a world of visual captivation that accentuates every action, conversation, and detail. This style of direction is then applied to the extremely heavy, fast paced dialogue of Nishio Ishin's Bakemonogatari which also tends to include a lot of word play. Some may find this combination to be akin to ... the creation of Frankenstein, but the way I see it, the two form an awesome combination that has yielded a strikingly imaginative, engaging, and most importantly, an entertaining experience.

The story of Bakemonogatar revolves around the male character Araragi Koyomi, whom apparently has recently gone through some supernatural events that led him to temporarily becoming a vampire, though he still has some after effects, and how he proceeds to encounter more and more of these types of events where he ends up trying to help several girls get through these problems. The structure of the story thus lends itself mostly to developing its characters in arcs, which is really what this show is mostly about. The dialogues, conversations, and banter of the characters which serves as the main source of entertainment in the show, is also the main tool of character exposition. Throughout each arc the many conversation strings often to converge to propel a couple of main ideas and movements in character relations.

This of course just shows how critical Bakemongatari's cast is to the show, and like the show itself, the characters are representative of its imaginative and engaging style. Some of them are childhood friends, random strangers, potential love interests, or friends of friends, all of which bring something to the table in some form or another.

In particular the main female lead, Senjogahara Hitagi is at the forefront of this. She has several characteristics that make her a memorable, and unique character. Firstly, in contrast with the usual overly sweet cream-puff girl, Hitagi is very witty, frank, and upfront about everything. She also has a tendency for sharp and biting sarcasm. To top it all off, she is self-deprecating. She realizes that her sometimes aggressive and jealous side is a fault. Even though she is nicknamed in the story as "tsundere-chan," and even calls herself one at some point in jest, she really is so much more than that usual tsundere.

I often find that tsundere characters in anime are often dishonest with very everyone around them including themselves, often have very few attractive or redeeming traits, and are also very needy. Hitagi is not like this at all though. She is often more than willing to try and improve herself as a person. Many times tsunderes form what I call doormat relationships (One person is basically grovelling at the feet of the other character) with their love interests, which tends to be a very souring experience, but Hitagi does not. Hitagi and the main lead Koyomi actually ends up forming one of the most balanced and believable relationships around where neither serves as a doormat for the other.

It must be said though that Hitagi is not the only character that seems to flaunt their trope in one way or another, or manages to bring something with just a little more substance underneath. We also have for example the main character Araragi Koyomi. Koyomi while displaying the usual traits of being the kind and helpful main lead, also has a lot of personality about him. He is not so kind to let somebody run over him with words and is willing to trade in biting remarks, and at the same time may even be a bit of a sociopath in nature, whether it be his perversions or treatment of others. So while there is ample reason why many of the characters end up liking him, he is not sold as the perfect human being either, which really in a way naturalizes a lot of the story.

It is important to note this because the relationships in this story are not merely formed on weak pretenses such as random whims of kindness. A lot of it is how the chemistry of the characters work. Characters in the story do not simply become friends in name, but actually learn about and try to understand each other. The conversations are a two way street, where you really get the impression that there two human beings interacting and figuring out stuff about each other.

It is these types of nuances in the characters that really exemplify Bakemonogatari's strengths. The series does not rely on cookie cutter formulas or anything of the sort, but actually goes above and beyond the usual tropes to bring truly genuine story telling which is utterly indispensable to any great story. Must of this is owed of course to just how self-aware this story is and how it makes sure to come across as above the average run of the mill stuff.

In the end, love it or hate it, Bakemonogatari certainly is a unique experience that I think anyone should be willing to try out. It lives or dies by its crazy style, but it really manages to leave an impression one way or another. In my personal point of view, Bakemonogatari has offered one of the most pleasurable and interesting viewing experiences in the last few years.

Just like Kill La Kill, Deadman Wonderland or Mirai Nikki, Bakemonogatari is not an anime I would recommend for newcomers. Absolutely not would I actually lead people to watch an anime that is not very "user-friendly." However, what I do believe is how people can actually be open to new things in anime and perhaps be open-minded about the whole aspect of somewhat ecchi or bloody content. I guess you could say that the content is mainly for adults but anime in itself is holistic and in many ways is not restricted to serving one audience. So enough with that argument

Bakemonogatari by the name in ... itself is a wordplay between two words; bakemono (monster) and monogatari (story). Of course a name like this would bring people into thinking, "It might be just your typical supernatural show." However, one should realize that the name Bakemonogatari as the title is the essence of the show. As a continued reference, having a wordplay in the titles of each monogatari series is something that it does to represent each show. In literary context, you could say that each title of the series has meaning and that meaning is translated into the show.

Bakemonogatari is a 12-episode show while the last 3 episodes were streamed online. The overall story of the show is essentially divided into "stories" quotation mark quotation mark. I say this because that is what monogatari (story) is. Bakemonogatari is separated into 5 different arcs, each with a title representing that "story"; these being Hitagi Crab, Mayoi Snail, Suruga Monkey, Nadeko Snake, and Tsubasa Cat. Each arc focuses on particular characters tied to the arcs. The plot essentially follows a former vampire, Araragi Koyomi in his journey through high school meeting various oddities.

Not to dissuade you from watching this but this anime is absolutely full of dialogue. Bakemonogatari has one of the most mind-provoking monologue content I have ever seen. There are a couple of action scenes animated but the gist of the show is how Araragi engages in interesting conversations with many different personalities. How Bakemonogatari keeps people interested in listening to monologues and dialogues is its use of artstyle, animation, music and interesting characters. Although you won't see much action, you will definitely see a lot of interesting landscapes, backgrounds and animation styles. What really got me interested was the content of Araragi's monologues and his dialogues with most people as well as the characters. Somehow one can relate to these. Some of it can be funny, and interesting but as I said if you prefer shounen animation then this anime won't probably appeal to you.

The music of Bakemonogatari is absolutely superb and used effectively in a lot of the scenes in the anime. Funnily enough the anime reuses its music in its sequels and prequels which I appreciate with the addition of new music. To me, Bakemonogatari was the door that led me into the world of Monogatari. It got me interested as the relationships and references in Bakemonogatari carries over to the other Monogatari series. You can see how one part in Bakemonogatari had an affect with another part of another story. All in all, I think Bakemonogatari is an extremely well-done anime (not surprising that it was adapted from light-novels). It contains a good plot, a well paced timing, glorious art, amazing music that complements each scene and characters that stick with you till the end of the Monogatari series

Thereby I rate Bakemonogatari as 10/10 for my personal enjoyment as well as the overall score

*CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS*

The monogatari series currently consists of 6 different seasons, Bakemonogatari, Nisemonogatari, Nekomonogatari:Kuro, Monogatari Series Second Season, Hanamonogatari, Tsukimonogatari and Owarimonogatari (Kizumonogatari will be released in 3 different parts later on in the next year).

Bakemonogatari at first was confusing, I had no idea what was going on and I could not keep up with all of the talking but in a couple of episodes everything started making sense.

Story: Araragi Koyomi is in third year at Naoetsu Private High School, he has two sisters and through out the story he gains a lot of friends. During a day at school he comes across a ... mysterious girl by the name of Hitagi Senjougahara and saves her from a crab aberration with the help of a Specialist, Meme Oshino. The story goes on as Araragi saves mulitple girls from different types of abberations.

Art: The art for me gave a satisfying feeling when watching Bake. Shaft has done a wonderful job with animation in Bake and the rest of the monogatari series.

Sound: Bake had 5 different OP themes for a 15 episode series "staple stable" by Chiwa Saito, "Kaerimichi" by Emiri Kauto, "Ambivalent world" by Miyuki Sawashiro, "Renai Circulation" by Kana Hanazawa and "Sugar Sweet Nightmare" by Yui Horie". The openings were all great but I was in love with the ED theme "Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari" by supercell.

Character: I'm not going to go over every character but just to point out the main character "Araragi Koyomi". How he deals with all of the girls and abberation while maintaining a stable relationship is beyond me. He cares for each charater and has a special bond with all of them.

Enjoyment: Once I started I could not stop. Every episode for me was a cliff hanger. I have never had the urge to rewatch an anime before but I'm most likely to with Bake.

Overall: While I find this anime amazing some people may find it boring or just dumb but that won't change my opinion on it. I strongly recommended it for everyone but don't judge it by the first episode, try watch it through.