Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season

Highly recommended. This season is very good, with new animation and continued innovation from the studio making Monogatari more modern as the era progresses and doesn't look out of date. In the end, all the stories in Monogatari are very enjoyable to enjoy with animation that is adaptive from time to time without changing the characteristics and plot of Monogatari. Once you become a monogatari fan, you will definitely love everything about monogatari even without the presence of the MC (koyokoyo) and your waifu. Because, all the characters in this series are classy, and not easy to hate them. Good job Nisio Isin, Vofan, Shaft, ... and all the staff who worked on this series.

Amidst the pretty disappointing new anime this season has to offer, the gods of anime has finally blessed us with the existence of a new monogatari season, never had I ever thought of watching monogatari series weekly and thus this has been a new and fun experience for me to discuss the new episodes each week together with the monogatari community.

This season is simply incredible, it has been 5 years since the last monogatari season and they did not disappoint. This season although isn't finished yet at the time this review is written but I can say confidently that this is one of the best ... monogatari season that has been adapted.

All the 3 arcs that has been adapted so far is simply cinema, shaft once again showed us what amazing art directing is, although not as avant garde as bakemonogatari nor kizumonogatari with real life objects or real people being showed a lot but this season still managed to show what monogatari is about, the unique minimalistic background, weird angle shots, neck tilting, flashes of colored scene, and amazing character writing.

Tsukihi undo is a great choice to start the season as it is a short arc and with the sassy and expressive yet unexpressive ononoki as the narrator, it was nothing but fun and exicitement as this is the first episode of the long awaited monogatari series off and monster season

Nadeko draw has proven once again how monogatari is the goat in character writing, the development shown in this season is incredible, after witnessing the chaos and uncertainty of nadeko's character, we are then shown in this arc basically the conclusion of her character as she had grown into a much more independent and mature person as she face her own future with her own hands

Acerola bon apetit made me speechless, there are no words known inside my vocabulary that I can use to properly convey how amazing the directing, story telling and execution of this arc is. episodes flew by past me, I didn't realise that the episode has ended and was left there speechless as I was captivated with how the scenes was played, how the atmosphere was created and whilst everything was encapsulated with such a jawdropping amazing soundtrack.

This season is everything I wanted in monogatari, and knowing that there are still a lot of monogatari arcs that are yet to be animated put a smile on my face as I could wake up the next day to think that hey... theres something worth waiting for.

You know it, I know it, everybody knows it:
If you are here, you have likely watched the entirety of Monogatari and probably liked it as well (since you would not have watched it up to this point otherwise). Therefore, you will like this season as well. That's honestly all you need to know.

It's another masterpiece of art direction, philosophy and story telling. The openings and endings are amazing again. They kept up the quality of the series.

10/10


...Apparently this review needs more information, but honestly, it does not, so ignore this part of the review, but here you have some fillers that this review apparently ... requires:

>Is the story unique? If it was predictable, did you enjoy it anyway because you like this genre/set-up?
It's exactly what you'd expect of Monogatari.

>Do you think the art style is fitting for the story?
Hell yeah. The art style of Monogatari is unique and deserves a "Masterpiece"-rating all of its own.

>Were the characters well-rounded? Did they have flaws and strengths, or were they unusually strong/smart/stupid?
Of course they have flaws and strengths. That's basically the point of the story.

>Did the characters react to situations and events in a realistic way?
I guess? Monogatari is deeply philosophical and what you see can be interpreted in many different ways.

>Do you think others will enjoy/dislike this series, even if you didn't? Why?
As written above, if you have liked Monogatari so far, you will absolutely like tihs season as well.

Throughout these three chapters, the importance of change has been discussed, from the perspective of various characters, as well as what it means to live or die closely linked to both themes. A person who travels thousands of miles in a cave but returns to the same point has not really displaced. With this metaphor I exemplify the chapters up to this point. An almost dead being, who harbors in himself a feeling of immense curiosity for the aforementioned feelings; a being who never changes, who is always the same, who erases his memories and who in spite of moving, remains stagnant in the same ... place, unable to live (because if the end of a process is death, stagnating is synonymous with dying); a fragmented and confused girl, who upon becoming aware of herself, knows that she does not know as much as she expected and therefore, seeks to change; someone who despite being changes that could be considered drastic does not emit a radical change other than the very fact of the girl, of now being aware. Will they really achieve change?

Monogatari does not disappoint and so far, it has proven to be a worthy work, in addition to its wonderful direction and art.

The curtains finally close on the latest entry of the Monogatari Series. An installment in the franchise that, before airing, had many fans dreading the potential disappointment that it could’ve been due to recent troubles within the animation studio and the five-year hiatus the show had been on during this.

Thankfully, what we actually got in the end was a continuation of the series that, as far as I’ve understood, surpassed everyone's expectations (mine included). I'll be the first to admit that you could certainly feel the stiffness of the animation at times, but the oh-so-important style and direction of the franchise is unquestionably still ... there. If a couple of janky moments is what it costs to get a production like this, then I’d gladly pay the price any day of the week. It’s inspiring seeing Studio Shaft stay true to their form this far into the game, utilizing the myriad of possibilities that this medium provides you with to make some of the most visually engaging content in the industry.

I believe that it also helps that this season adapts some exceptional stories from the source material as well. I found myself thoroughly enjoying all three of them for completely different reasons, just as you’ve come to expect from this show.

-You get a single-episode story that’s just plain fun in the regular ol’ Nisioisin way.
-You also have a fantastically entertaining, yet deeply thought-provoking character introspective of someone whose story you thought had ended, yet had actually just begun.
-And lastly, the season finishes with a story that takes itself a bit more seriously, which in the process casually recontextualizes basically the whole series… yet again.

Outstanding stuff, it’s all there.

If there’s one last gripe with this season that I have to point out, it’d be the music. While all of the new tracks are genuinely great, they’re almost composed to a point where they kind of distract from the rest of the scene. Monogatari’s score has always been very “BGM:ish” due to its relatively low amount of physical action, and all of the dialogue doesn’t lend itself that well to the loud and attention-grabbing pieces that are heavily featured in these episodes. But that’s a very gratuitous nitpick, I just felt like I should have more to say about the continuation of my favorite anime.

All in all, I can't wait to see what's next in store for this franchise. Hopefully, they keep the ball rolling, and we have multiple seasons of amazing content ahead of us. In the meantime, let's hope they finally get to translating the rest of the visual novels.

THE GOAT IS BACK BABY

After 7 FUCKIN YEARS Shaft came back and gave us this masterpiece!!! They cooked so hard with this one gang !!!

One a serious note tho I'm genuinely happy with how this season is going so far. After the announcement 6 months ago, I had been bingin all of Monogatari's episodes, re-lived every single moment I had with this franchise, just to be ready for this new season again. But if you are a newcomer or a new fan to this franchise, you can go in this season blind and still find your self enjoying it, ... you can take my word for it.

Everything in this season is top-notch. Shaft is giving this show the proper care it deserves. And you will not regret spending time watching it. We are so back Monogatari fans !!!

Sorry for my clumsy English, but it seems like this season really deserves praise.

I really like this season's story, the character development especially for Sengoku Nadeko, is really shown very interestingly, we can really understand the character's reactions and dialogue and maybe some of it can be applied to real life

Honestly, it seems like giving a rating of 10 is still too low for a season of the Monogatari series which is very well adapted (perhaps the best), the animation is improving but doesn't lose one bit of the art style of the Monogatari series itself.

I really like what Studio Shaft has delivered for ... the Monogatari series this season and it seems like raising my expectations won't be a problem, highly recommended ? Nahh Don't ask questions that have a definite answer

That is what makes Monogatari great.

There are a lot of studios making horrible adaptations around there, they aim for the money over everything, they do not care for the author, and how he would like the adaptation of his work to be, but SHAFT made an awesome work with NISIOISIN. they made it alongside with him, respecting the novels, and maintaining the quality that the previous seasons had.

All the philosophical dialogs and monologs are how it was meant to be. The jokes, reflections, investigations, all made in such a exceptional way.

As a novel reader, I can say that the anime is the best adaptation there ... is, and will be. Monogatari does a great work with something called "perspective", it makes us investigate with the characters, try to understand what they feel, and how the problems are going to be solved.

I totally loved these arcs, and you are going to love too, at this point you are obviously a fan of Monogatari, so don't worry, it is all perfect.

Here we go again!

The Monogatari series has always held a special place for many anime fans, ever since Bakemonogatari first aired in 2009. At that time, the unusual direction style, coupled with brilliant writing, immediately captured the interest of many. The series continued to deliver equally scintillating sequels—or should I say prequels—since the story isn’t narrated chronologically.

The Off Season is a fantastic continuation of this amazing series! While it doesn’t dive into the story of our beloved Araragi or Senjougahara, it invests in the stories of the other girls who were involved in Araragi’s life in various ways. Just like every previous part of the ... series, the Off Season includes almost everything you loved about Monogatari, and even improves on certain aspects (to avoid spoilers, I’ll refrain from elaborating here).

If I have one complaint, it would be the lack of strong and memorable BGM that we've come to love in the Monogatari series. To be clear, the music and themes here aren’t bad, but compared to what Monogatari has delivered over the years, this season felt somewhat weaker in that department. However, Caramel Ribbon Cursetard was a blast!

As a fervent fan of this series, I highly recommend the Off Season to other Monogatari fans. And to those not familiar with the Monogatari series, I also recommend experiencing this uniquely crafted anime, at least once!

My overall rating: 10/10

I'm always gonna give Monogatari a 10/10. It's Monogatari.

This Season feels diffrent from what we are used to though.
I actually like Ononoki taking Araragis place for a while. Flashes out her character more and i've always been an Ononoki fan.
The first episode of this season is peak and feels like a well rounded mini arc, in which we learn more of the phoenix part of Tsukihi. I hope this plays a big role in some future arcs, cause it makes tsukihi quite unique as a character.
The nadeko arc starts strong and ends strong. The middle part i have mixed feelings for. Monogatari shines, because ... of lore and character depth imo. Which the middle part provides not to much new stuff of. The arc ist wrapt up pretty good though.

Overall the season is diffrent and feels like a true side story. And if you accept it as such, does a great job flashing out characters that have not been in the spotlight too much.(not considering Nadeko)

So overall: good shit!

(english is my secound language, so i dont give a damn about my spelling)

Bakemonogatari holds a high place in anime history, rightfully so.
Off & Monster Season takes everything we've seen so far and... makes it better!
Love the characters? Here's even more reasons to love them!
Love the stories? Here's another story that's fantastic!
Love the artwork? Not only is there 'classic bakemonogatari' art? There's even more art styles! And yes they are 100% fitting to the story.

Even if you haven't seen the series? You might still enjoy this, it's just that good. But knowing the history is kind of important, many small references are slipped in which need you to ... pay attention to 'catch' them. Hey! Just like all the previous seasons! It rewards viewers for paying attention and never once insults their intelligence.
10/10 how does it keep getting better? Segoi!
PS: Nadako is cute throughout this, even cuter than before! (But don't tell Shinobu I said that)

*Monogatari will continue on growing in fidelity to time like the eternal vow Isin's characters promised to themselves*

~~

It's strange...A lengthy year post-Zoku hasn't even been shown yet, but the forward progress in reality's timeline being an indisputable verdict in the Monogatari Series henceforth casts a sense of inescapable obligation to be mindful of the years that have been, in looking over the year that is now. Nearing the end of the twelvemonth, I've dove into this new world outside the garden of the high school that we've known for so long through Araragi's eyes. And there's no more looking back, for the Fire Sisters have ... disassembled, operating with only Tsukihi as the sole agent of justice; Nadeko has begun to reconcile with her past, looking back on it hard to place more importance on looking onward; Kanbaru has retired from the basketball club and is attempting to make amends with the consequences of her generation strongly felt by her juniors; Shinobu had a reunion with Suicide-Master after six centuries; and Araragi found a new Maths friend in Meniko, being a full-fledged university student who has graduated from Naoetsu High. The gears have turned--they're turning and will continue to do so from now on as we've flipped past the chapter of Araragi's high school years. So it's strange, skipping through time with such finality specifically in this case. I was not expecting at all for Monogatari to be one with pure fidelity to the march of time so as to arrange a continuous affair with them and us after everything that's happened. It got to me only as of writing that it'll continue growing like the eternal vow Isin's characters promised to themselves.

!! Sentimental Drama Alert !!
In the face of a disciplined show with an unfading commitment to self-growth that does not avert its eye away from the philosophies that affect our reality, I once turned tail. Apart from the usual stress of university inhibiting a focused watch time, I was terrified of confronting the disappointment of knowing that the lessons I thought I'd learned from the past had been gradually neglected by me once again. To be honest, that sort of terror was present even dating back to the announcement--a surge of excitement for a new installment that preceded a gray sorrow. That was because I'll be watching a long-awaited entry to the series without a close friend anymore, the close friend that introduced me to it, who to this day perhaps has Monogatari as his favorite anime amidst all, the only friend whom I've made tryhard analytical discussions with and vice versa. The emptiness that comes with necessary growth so easily made me regress, and so I was placed in my most sorry state again, the same one I had years before, and watching the characters moving on from it (with huge emphasis on sweet Nadeko) was nothing short of exhausting. That battle of voices had me pause Off & Monster Season after Draw. Only now was I able to muster up the strength to confront myself through Monogatari once more. Though that friend was still on my mind all throughout, it seems the "Completed" tag slapped on this season in my profile shows a prevailing over what has been haunting the heart, albeit a victory not so overwhelming as I'm writing it to be.

Araragi's absence at the beginning of the new season formed the bedrock of its effective storytelling. Although the menace overtook the latter half (for better or for worse for the many), the established absence only made acute the ubiquity of his salvation spree's influence. I hate it but it's funny how Araragi's constant attendance on screen made it so that there's a degree of anxiety hovering around whenever the rest of the characters encounter major apparition-related issues without him, compared to Shinobu Mustard where it was a breeze to watch through without any sort of restlessness simply in virtue of his being involved. And he's not even a Deus Ex Machina; it's not even like everyone is overly dependent on the guy. I understand that this weird conception stems from my own weakness. I am a character in Monogatari who was helped by Araragi, but I am also a person who can help myself even without someone like him--or at the very least, after he has imparted the seedling from those noble deeds for me to nurture for myself, only if I take bravery into my arms.

See, Monogatari has a way of slithering into the more personal quarters of a person (and just like me, share my thoughts with vulnerable dramatism). Tsukihi Undo's colorful theatrics, led by the verbal deadpan queen Ononoki and Nadeko Draw's wild goose chase littered with the titular protagonist's humorously self-aware internal soliloquies were sure to be a fun ride in and of themselves, what with the flex on stylistic genius utilizing the medium in such a bizarre yet artistic manner so as to further reinforce its identity seamlessly through the ocean of dialogue, but in reflecting over the experience, it is the feeling of witnessing a Koyomi-less adventure that takes good care of the individuals now placed at the center that makes me wistful. The first fruits of change have shown themselves. And it's not like the series shoves it into your throat that significant ordeals should always turn the tables of your life around. Sodachi singlehandedly conveyed how the development of character does not indiscriminately follow a scripted evolution at the snap of a finger. Her inclusion in Off is a testament to the complementary relationship the cast of Monogatari possesses.

Well-written, most definitely, this entry is. The expected divide between Off and Monster felt nonexistent thanks to Shinobu Mustard integrating the function of time, change, and youthful angst to facilitate its respective plot very well, notably because it was Acerola bon Appetit that segues into it. So much thought was given at the outset to make it appear that common themes can be found across these different story arcs to make cohesiveness reign. This directly contributes to the easy feeling of enjoyment because there weren't any irritating tugs or scratches or pokes coming from indeterminate places, all of which can only manifest in places of disjointed storytelling.

I would just like to express, however, that the last pair was not up to the standard that Nadeko Draw set. Admittedly, the sentimental affinity was not shared as much as well. My connection with Shinobu has dwindled over the years, so the tale of the Beautiful Princess and portions of its continuation served like a casual museum visit to the halls where gothic portraits of historical figures are animated, where sheer visual aesthetics and dynamic (yet appropriate) style shifts please the beholder nonstop. The commanding aspect of Deathtopia Virtuoso Suicide-Master was nothing short of an achievement in character presentation. The mystery of the female high school mummies inflicted no boredom at all; it had the same Monogatari flavor and I was made to be eager to know the answer to this incident. Araragi has taken the wheel, too! You can never really know that you miss something so familiar until it's been gone for a while, huh? Perhaps I was simply leaning toward being unresponsive to this specific expansion of the lore and the intricacies of the vampire species--their moral systems, changes throughout longevity, conversion processes, and how they relate to the human side of things.

If I can describe those episodes leading to the ending, it would be...airy. Airy in the sense that I did not feel so anchored to the screen by the power of some seductive potion enchanting attachment to the drinker (and there was none), airy in that I did not perceive the gravity of the conflict to be as impactful as it seemed, airy--reason being that that conclusion which has flooded me over with enough appreciation for Araragi to be added to my favorites after all this time because of the more mature tone he's been treading on was insufficient to carry the "light" experience of the episodes leading up to those brief bits. I could not give much fixation about Harimaze and Suicide-Master, and the information that was communicated from the reunion between the purebred vampire and a regressed Kiss-shot does not hold so much weight to me; apart from that, it was just...nice to know.

However, the thematic point of Shinobu viewing humans as monsters from the cold-blooded vampiric lens of seeing them as food does provide a means for further discerning and direct participation in the story. To me, I understand it as Shinobu learning the special strength humanity contains; it takes assuming a more equal or slightly inferior position against the object at hand to refer to it as a monster. Other than that, it's Shinobu understanding that people have a depth that is difficult to fathom, for they are monsters that can take form into anything they wish due to powerful emotions and circumstances, hence the label that is fit for foreign beings. The vampire known as the Apparition Killer is now saying humans are monsters instead of food, and indeed, there's a monstrosity hiding within our dizzying numbers that could even affect the world with oddities at large. Of course, there is the literal route, case in point Harimaze Kie and her willingness to shed her humanity in the madness of it all, not to mention the crab, monkey, snake, and cat from the seasons way back when--not to mention Koyomi himself.

The overall reflection on what it means to be growing into an adult and processing the changes living beings go through in the flow of time still triumphs within, yet it is unfortunate for me to say that the latter half was not able to prop me up to greater heights. Nonetheless, this is the Monogatari Series we're talking about. This season would have been lovely to dissect with the close friend I've been mentioning as we did all those years, which does mix in downcast feelings within. Such a strike that pervades the personal life means Monogatari is continuing to be a most special piece of art.

Best anime I have seen so far.
This is the level of media in which I can't think of any reason why I wouldn't rate it as a perfect 10/10

It has one of the best if not the best cast in anime with every character getting great character arc, unless such character appeared for 10 minutes and even then they arent some souless characters with little to no thought behind them.

The story although being quite confusing at times is almost flawless with almost no plot holes, but at the same time the series is still ongoing (both anime and source material) so its quite eaisly excusable.

Artistically ... it is really pleasing and unique. Out of pure animation standpoint it is suprisingly really good for an anime that isn't action focused.
Cinematography it is even better and there is little to no debate about that.

Both dialogue and momologue is really enjoyable and unique, but it takes alot of effort to truly understand some of it.

Talking about main character isn't really possible since this season has multiple protagonists hence why I won't talk about this aspect.
Although every protagonist of specific arc has a really intresting character arc
which does a great job with showing us how much they changed across the series

Making any sort of analisys on symbolism or depth of the show while leaving this review spoiler free is quite obviously impossible so I will leave it out.

One of the bigger improvments from previous seasons is lowered amount of fanservice which was a big issue for many people including myself but this season doesnt have such a problem.

Probably the best aspect of this season is that it shows many characters even more love than they got before,
which is quite an achivment becouse they felt immensly intresting even before that,
but in this season creator cranked the character writing up to 11.

The biggest issue that can be mentioned is the fact that there isn't more of it.

(Warning: If you're someone who hasn't seen the rest of Monogatari, DO NOT WATCH THIS FIRST, go back to Bakemonogatari)

After five years, peak has returned

This, much to my chagrin, goes entirely out of order so even when all of Off and Monster Season is adapted, it's going to be hell for LN order followers. Before this, the biggest pain would've been to slot Hana in middle of Second Season but lol good luck following the Off and Monster Season LNs when this finishes.

This first cour focuses more or less on two characters: Yotsugi Ononoki (who, ironically, is only the deuteragonist in both arcs she's in) ... and Shinobu Oshino. As an Ononoki believer, I was excited for the first part and... less so for the second part. I like Shinobu but I'm mixed on when they dive into her past as Shinobu Time was the weakest arc of the otherwise almost flawless Second Season and Shinobu Mail dragged down the otherwise really good Owari S1.

...turns out I was right.

We start with a one-episode fun little side story about Tsukihi Araragi and her "plushie" Ononoki. As a taster to dip your toes back into the Monogatari pool, I think it works really well. It looks really good and is a blast to watch. Not only that but it isn't just a sugary sweet, it does have something to say about Tsukihi's character, which is nice to see.

Next is the peak of the season, for me, Nadeko Draw. The next chapter in Nadeko's story, having Nadeko "kill the past", so to speak, was a really fun way of showing Nadeko facing herself based on a fun, quirky problem which ends up solving itself so to speak. Looking back on the season, I think this is THE story that was worth telling. I almost feel unholy comparing it to the peak that is Tsubasa Tiger but that's the vibe I got from it.

We get a couple arcs focused on Shinobu's past which, as I expected, were the lowlight of the season.

First is the little half episode before Acerola Bon Appetit and idk, it just seems like the Ugly Barnacle from SpongeBob except it's the Beautiful Barnacle. It's nicely animated but I never really found a need to dig into Shinobu's past so this does nothing for me.

Speaking of which, Acerola Bon Appetit. I do like this arc on an aesthetic level but it just kind of pours more stuff on Shinobu's past that I didn't care to know. It's not like character ruining or anything but honestly, I would have preferred Shinobu just... be Shinobu. Why does she need to have been this perfect pretty pretty princess who was so perfect that everybody died? Deathtopia is probably the biggest new character we meet this cour and... she's fine. She's on the lower tier of Monogatari characters but she's not aggravating or anything. If she came back for future stuff, I wouldn't mind, but she's no Sodachi or anything.

Finally, we have Shinobu Mustard. I thought the mystery was kind of fun but the whole high school basketball team angle... like, I get it, but I never really connected with it. Not to mention it has a heavy serving of Izuko Gaen which honestly, I didn't mind her here, but I know there's at least a few people who don't like her so be warned. By the time the mystery was solved, it was just kind of a wet thud, although I appreciate how the "battle" ended. The main antagonist doesn't really get much characterization and what we get... eh? If she never appears again, it will not be a tragedy.

IMO, there were a lot of cool shots this season. The new director certainly breathes life into the series. I liked the Hachikuji rakugo scene and the Ononoki/first half is filled with a bunch of nice stuff. Overall, I think the Ononoki half hard carries this score but Shinobu Mustard is decent.

We only (as of the end of the ONA broadcast, time will tell if they go back and add more) got 2 new OPs and one was from a Shinobu arc so we only really got one banger. I think Caramel Ribbon Cursetard is easily the weakest of the three Nadeko OPs and I didn't really need Ononoki singing too even if I LOVE Orange Mint but it's still pretty good. I don't know what the title of the Shinobu Mustard OP is but we did get one. Idk why it sounds like The Godfather but it's probably the best """Shinobu""" OP. I can't imagine any Acerola OP would be better and idk if they're even going to bother doing Tsukihi Undo since it's one episode so... yeah.

Release the full version of Caramel Ribbon Cursetard, cowards

Speaking of songs, YOASOBI did the ED! It's good. I find most of the Monogatari EDs to be forgettable (although they cooked with the Neko Black one for some reason?) and for whatever it's worth, it's not forgettable as someone who only really hears YOASOBI when they contribute to an anime I watch.

I think at this point, unless something drastically changes, Monogatari is Monogatari is Monogatari. This deep in the game, you probably know how you feel about it if you're reading this and if you don't, you certainly will if you watch all of the preceding content.

This is certainly more Monogatari and whether that is a positive or negative statement can easily be gathered from your prior viewings.

I don't think it's peak like Bake or Kizu or Second Season but it's a very solid entry in one of the best anime ever made.

It's been years since I last watched a season of monogatari and I was left speechless at how easily the team at shaft was able to immediately make me fall in love with the series again. The art direction, atmospheric soundtrack, writing and character development, occasional comedy, and references to previous entries are making this a joy to watch.
Before watching this I had mixed feelings about Nadeko as a character (not for her writing or anything, just her actions in the past, etc.) but she's now easily one of my favorite characters. The way they develop her character in such few episodes is masterful.
Its impossible ... to touch on all of the things done incredibly well in this season, but suffice to say if you've appreciated monogatari in the past this is an absolute treat.

(...maybe a little bit biased considering the only people who’d make it to this far would be diehard Monogatari fans…) AH SCREW IT! If Bleach the thousand-year old fanboys can mob their way to the top of MAL, so can we! Peak is back baby! And boy has it been a while. Well, except for me as I started my Monogatari journey a year ago.
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A brief overview of this season now that it has finished and in case anyone seeing this hasn’t watched it yet, we have:
Episode 1 which focuses on Ononoki and Tsukihi. A fun, slightly longer episode that ends the same way ... it begins, with all the style Monogatari is known for. I was really worried Shaft may drop the ball - I mean it’s been a while, y’know? But this episode assuaged those concerns.
Episodes 2 to 6 which focuses on Nadeko as the narrator and Ononoki (and a couple of other Gatari-girls make a brief appearance). This arc is up there in some of my favorites in the series, and goes to show that you really don’t need Koyomi as the narrator to make Monogatari, Monogatari (obviously). It also continues the trend of the Nadeko arcs being the best ones :v) …Except her introduction arc.
Episode 6.5 to 8 focuses on Shinobu’s past, 600 years ago back when she was Acerola, a human, and her eventual encounter with the vampire Deathtopia Virtuoso Suicide-Master who would turn her. It starts with an 11 minute prologue episode which was interesting. The rest of this short arc was good too. It had a good, gothic atmosphere which I enjoyed a lot.
Episodes 9 to 14 which brings back Koyomi as the narrator and focuses on Shinobu, Deathtopia Virtuoso Suicide-Master, and Gaen Izuko surprisingly. You also have a bunch of other characters make an appearance. This arc admittedly had its ups-and-downs. The ending felt a little rushed and had other parts that felt contrived. My eyes glazed over at points. Based on what I could gauge from the light novel, they unfortunately skimmed over a couple of important details while focusing on things that weren’t that necessary. You could also tell Shaft’s animation was starting to stiffen up over the course of the season too, and it really shows in this arc. Overall though, I still enjoyed it. It had some good, funny moments and intriguing character interactions, and it absolutely does not detract from the rest of the season.
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I’ll just throw out my 10/10 and a “go watch it!”

Review for arc Off & monster season from monogatari series is good as expected. Still with a complex storyline, unique animation style, abundant monologues and deductions from the characters that are sometimes confusing or difficult to understand giving a strong impression of mystery in the story, this is what makes the story of the monogatari series always interesting to watch. My longing for the character nadeko chan paid off in this arc and some of shinobu chan's past mysteries were revealed. It is undeniable that every character in the monogatari series has a deep impression on me and I am sure also for veteran viewers ... who have watched this anime series until now.

For animation and OST / sound effects are good and unique as expected. The soundtrack that describes the character nadeko chan always impresses me.

So in conclusion, I monogatari series will always be one of the best anime I have ever watched. I can recommend this anime for certain groups who like the slice of life or mystery genre. Because for new anime followers it will be difficult to accept where most of the dialogue and monologue are confusing in this anime. And this monogatari series anime requires you to watch all the arcs/series before from the beginning to understand the storyline. Thank you

An absolutely triumphant and gorgeous return for Monogatari after five years that continues to push the envelope on what anime can be as an art form.

Off and Monster Season (Off Season especially) have more of an anthology structure compared to the original run of the series, and so I think it’s perfect for the team at Shaft to crank the experimental dial up to 110%. This season is absolutely crazy - past the continuation of Araragi’s story in Shinobumonogatari, we have a Gothic-style arc set hundreds of years in the past, a one-off for Tsukihi and Yotsugi, and a beautiful continuation of Nadeko’s story ... that perfectly redeems her from her original appearances in the previous seasons.

It’s been so exciting to catch Monogatari week upon week and be absolutely blown away every single time. On top of my nostalgia from mainlining the series and then watching Owarimonogatari S2 at release all those years ago, Off and Monster Season is just so much fun that I can’t help but love it and never want it to end. I will be waiting eagerly for the next season now.

Tldr: It's still going strong and the studio keeps on delivering

Inherently I am myself a rather new anime enthusiast and I only really started to seriously watch anime around 2 years ago. Throughout this time I encountered many things that surprised me of how underrated they are or other things left me disappointed in how overhyped some adaptations have gotten looking at you Re:Zero, Oshi No Ko etc. Monogatari was that one series where it always managed to bring solid stuff and this time this season is one of the strongest ones out there. The barrier of entry to this season is high there is ... a lot of material to go over but the journey the characters go through the symbolism the series make with real life aspects were always highlight of the show.

Monogatari belongs to one of those series where everyone can see that they are putting their heart and soul in it and it shows big time the storytelling is unique and despite being hard to understand they incorporate different shots or show something symbolic as the characters keep on talking and talking. It is an information overload but somehow Shaft was capable of making the yapping enjoyable too

I highly recommend this newest season without a doubt Monogatari is here to stay and I am very glad to see that because let's be real a lot of popular entries started to flop hard in later seasons or have a horrible ending where the author just wanted to end it.