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Bakemonogatari fans unite!

Tldr: if you're into Bakemonogatari, or dialogue-heavy films, then you should definitely give this anime a try. Kyouko Suiri is an unexpected gem, a story-rich youkai mystery series with carefully thought out arcs. The art is decent and palatable. The SFX is fine and the OP and ED is good enough for me to resist skipping them while watching. The characters are not flat and the interactions between them are entertaining and deep.

The main thing(s) that deserves attention in this series is the story and characters, and I’ll be delving deeper into these 2 factors in the review.

Firstly, the story itself is excellent. ... The story is surprisingly rooted to present times, with the arcs even utilising contemporary issues as a plot device. Fake news, social media and pollution are naturally woven into the plot of the story without making it obnoxious and scream “I WANT TO SEND A POLITICAL MESSAGE” unlike other media and films. These modern contexts put in just make the story more engaging and believable – making the world of Kyouko Suiri more engaging.


“Humans truly think up and commit such horrendous acts”

Thematically, Kyouko Suiri explores the relationship between humans and their surroundings. It explores our relationship with the (super)natural, technology, and other human beings. This realistic theme offers a fresh respite from the wave of ‘other-worldly’ anime that has been driving the meta of the industry thus far, and is worth taking a look into. At the end of it all, Kyouko Suiri shows us how, ultimately, in a world full of monsters, ghosts, demons, tanukis, etc: the biggest and most prolific monster is us humans - the dangerous creative force that makes monsters out of ourselves and others.

Actual story-wise, the plots are on the heavy side and harder to digest than other similar anime.
With these short 12 episodes, by the 8th episode it seems that there will really only be 2 arcs explored in this season, with potentially more seasons planned for the future.
The first four episodes were amazing. It introduces us to the world and main characters. A nice, tightly-wrapped amuse bouche that introduces us to the world of Kyouko Suiri with a savoury “murder mystery” to bring out the introductions. The rest of the season then focuses on the next arc. Because of the amount of setting up and detail put into the story, it inadvertently causes the story to feel heavy, and at times bloated. As much as the story tries to make things interesting by introducing developments upon developments (that’s admittedly done well plot-wise), the dialogue heavy exposition may cause things to become confusing.


“But I may be the only one in this world that can truly understand you.”

With regards to the characters, the characters are three dimensional and don’t reek of standard anime troupes. The voice actors that play them do an excellent job in bringing out their characters and temperaments.

How fitting it is for a show that roots itself on mythological creatures to have the heroine and hero exist on a duality – a theme that is virtually present in any myth.

Although the main characters exist on two sides of the same coin, it is not your standard ‘good and evil’ sort of coin. Its more of a multi-faced coin where in many ways the 2 characters are opposite from each other.
One is viewed as a beautiful goddess by the youkai, and the other a terrible being.
One is lacking in the limb and eye sector, while the other is in ~perfect~ physical shape (if you watch, you'll get it).

Despite the differences, they are still, part the same weird coin and have unique similarities that ultimately bind them together and makes for a interesting dynamic on the get-go. Iwanaga and Kurou’s quips with each other make for a fun watch. The interactions between the main cast and the other characters also aren’t superficial and are relatable. The interactions are much more realistic and logical than many other anime, making for an enagging watch, which is impressive given the state of some anime out there...

All in all, be prepared for a fun, intriguing ride when you watch this anime. This show certainly is worthy of a watch, especially so if you are a fan of similar anime like Bakemonogatari.

Story 9/10
Art 6/10
Sound 8/10
Character 8/10
Enjoyment 8/10
Overall 8/10