I went into this anime with nothing but the expectations of an ecchi show that had a lot of dialogue, but I completely underestimated this show. Before watching this show, I heard it was a terrible show for newcomers, so I kept putting it off despite being interested in it. I'm not sure if that was necessarily a bad thing, but I do understand the reasoning for that warning. I'd also agree that if you are new to anime, or don't like subtitles, stay away from this show. Now, for those of you are who are still interested, let's get onto the review.
STORY~
Bakemonogatari is pretty straight forward. It's about a guy named Koyomi Araragi that helps various girls seek help for their mythological and fantastical problems from a Hawaiian Shirt wearing man named Oshino Meme. Some of these problems may include having a traditional Japanese mythological being trapped inside of them. The story is split up into 2-5 episode arcs, each dedicated to the particular girl. Going through the anime, it was similar to a harem, but at the same time it wasn't. Each arc was very interesting and engaging. Some of the mythology doesn't translate well, but there are brief explanations. If you wish to know more, you can always look that up but it isn't necessary to understand the story. Overall, the storytelling is actually really interesting despite the Japanese Cultural references. Each arc is well done and concludes satisfactory.
ART~
This anime was done by Studio Shaft, known for their unique animation style in the popular "Madoka Magica." If you've seen Madoka Magica, then you probably know to expect solid animation, and Bakemonogatari is no exception. It has a really unique style and includes flashing frames of dialogue (taken from the Light Novel of which it is based), a montage of quickly changing images of the setting and bright colors. All of these elements combined with fluid animation sequences makes the show very appealing to the eye (Of course, only when you aren't reading paragraphs of dialogue). It really shines with the few action scenes and the amazing backgrounds at night. I also like the inclusion of widescreen scenes (21:9 aspect ratio) that makes the show seem more like a modern film masterpiece. There were also times where i was able to take a screenshot and make it my wallpaper on my computer. It's very high quality and should be watched in 1080p or Blu-ray Quality to get the best experience. Overall, the art in the show is definitely amazing compared to other shows from this time. the only negative here is that it's hard to appreciate it when you're reading a lot of subtitles.
SOUND~
With a series with so much dialogue, the Voice actors in this series really brought their best. All of the roles were well casted and they did an excellent job conveying the characters emotions. As for the music, it was remarkable. This is the first time I have seen a show with an OST this good. All the songs were well placed and helped amplify the scene. The Openings for Bakemonogatari were equally good or better than the rest of the OST. Special mention to "Staple Staple" (Hitagi crab, OP1) and "Sugar Sweet Nightmare" (Tsubasa Cat, OP5) for being the standout openings in the series. Overall, the sound doesn't sacrifice any quality compared to the rest of the series and will not dissapoint.
CHARACTERS~
With a show centered around character interactions, Bakemonogatari really shines here. All the characters are well written and have unique and distinct personalities and traits. For example, Koyomi Araragi has a single strand of hair standing up on his hair that is used to convey his reactions to the situation, instead of his face. This was well done in order to show extreme emotions without directly stating it. Each of the characters introduced are given equal screen time are given ample amount of time for development. Overall, the characters in this series are excellent and are well to allow for the lengthy dialogue sequences to develop them further. Some of the most meaningless conversations in the series give the characters depth and make them to seem like real people.
ENJOYMENT~
Now for my bias to show. I really loved this anime, if it wasn't already apparent. I found Bakemonogatari to be really unique in what it was trying to do and I loved every second. Despite the lengthy conversations that would sometimes leave me bored, I found them realistic and well thought out. I also loved the exciting action sequences that provided an excellent change in pace for the show and always got me excited. This show provides a really interesting story about mythological creatures that cause issues for beautiful girls. As a fan of both, this was an enjoyable show to watch and provided a fresh look on anime as an art form.
OVERALL~
Bakemonogatari is a really unique show that excels in each of these categories. Because of this, it has become one of my favorite shows and left me immediately knowing that it is a masterpiece. Watching each episode was like watching a passionate writer pour his thoughts onto a page while an amazing soundtrack quietly played in the background. Bakemonogatari exceeded my expectations by quite a bit, and made me appreciate what the creators were doing. Bakemonogatari is a rare gem that should be appreciated by everyone at one point in their "anime viewing career."
"Right now, I'm afraid of losing you...
Although my life hasn't been very fortunate until now, I'm glad if I caught your eye because of that misfortune.
Because of that, I was able to fall for you.
So we'll definitely do something, but I want to wait just a bit.
So, right now, the last thing I can offer you...
Is this starry sky."
~Senjougahara Hitagi
