A pure, distilled version of what made both Season 1 and Season 2 so fascinating, Owarimonogatari works on almost every level.
If I were to write a review of the entirety of season 3, i'd include Tsukimonogatari, however, that's a separate review, so feel free to look at my review for that if you haven't before. That being said, I will be factoring my enjoyment of that arc with my overall enjoyment of the third season.
This will be my wrap up before i delve into the OVA and the movies.
_____________________________________
[PART 1] : Extraction
The shows first three arcs serve as a big overarching story about an anime cliche done well. With Oikura Sudachi playing the role of the "forgotten friend" or perhaps "forgotten love-interest" that is seen so often in anime and i'm assuming light novels.
However, much like every other cliche this show addresses, its both addressed bluntly and flipped on its head. She plays a tragic character that is used expertly to subvert every expectation I had going into the arc.
But i'm getting ahead of myself. This comes after a wonderfully exposited story delivered by Ougi Oshino; the shows most mysterious character.
Although i'm disappointed we don't get to know more about her, in a way, its nice to see this show leaving room for more stories to tell. With Ougi, who has a spectacular character design may i add... using flat colors and completely darkened eyes, she never feels like she belongs in a very alien way.
...
Her arc leads us, as i said, to Oikura who serves as a good exploration into both Araragi and herself as a new character. The arc reveals a darker backstory and elaborates a lot on Araragi's increasingly compelling character.
...
While I wasn't huge on Oikura's initial character design, what with her Hachikuji-esq pigtails (except grey) and general lack of uniqueness. The more I thought about it, the more I appreciated the juxtaposition between her entire symmetrical self and her entirely crazy backstory.
Without delving into spoilers, this arc doesn't go where I expected it to. This subversion really served to create a fascinating story.
__________________________________
[PART 2] : Combination
When I said that this show is akin to a distilled version of season 1's positives and season 2's positives, I meant it.
If Oikura's story played out like something out of season 2, and Tsukimonogatari played out like something from Bake or Nisemonogatari, the final arc was a different beast.
With Shinobu Mail, there's the sense that this show has a total direction to follow. It deals with Shinobu's past and relates her story with the overarching themes that this show's entire structure has been built upon. Romance.
A lot of people mistake romance for an ideal. Like, "I've been feeling romance", or something stupid like that. Its not "love", its not a metaphoric object that you can have... like love.
Its a feeling of mystery, as well as a feeling of excitement that comes from this mystery. Yes, it relates totally to love, but its a concept from that metaphoric object.
That's the true beauty of this final arc, and honestly, the entire show. It reflects the feeling of romance in almost every way. What makes this even more obvious is my initial confusion towards this show in my rambling first review of Bake and Nisemonogatari (All in one post under Bakemonogatari).
This show makes you feel, essentially, the emotions one could feel in romance. The excitement from seeing something you shouldn't. The mystery of an unfolding story. The fact that this unfolding story relates to something you shouldn't be seeing. The very idea that another definition of romance is "a quality or feeling of mystery, excitement, and remoteness from everyday life."
Now tell me that doesn't reflect the entire concept of this show! The feeling of mystery from a conversation that goes nowhere! The feeling of excitement from seeing your sexy classmate. The feeling of remoteness from locations completely devoid of people!
This makes me love the idea of Kanbaru, the shows more overtly romantic character, being Araragi's companion in the final arc. Its something that fits so well I didn't even realize it until Kanbaru and Shinobu's big conversation. Its perfect. The shows more romantic character addressing romanticism in a show about romance. Its so hilariously blunt, especially with her characterization involved.
Much like Araragi and his romantic view, she sees the world through a lovers glasses. Everything she sees and experiences is out of impulsive romance. There's even this big hilarious detour into romance-driven light novels.
This show is the embodiment of romance. It takes every idea and feeling given from romance and puts it on screen for you to experience. Araragi can be kind of like a surrogate for yourself, but also serve as a more fleshed out character than he was back in season 1.
With this shows final arc, this feeling has never been more obvious to me. People hate romance, people love romance, people have a feeling of uneasiness towards the concept of romance. I've seen every reaction to this show before.
___________________________________
[PART 3] : Misunderstanding
Now this is why i'm baffled by the amount of reviews I see of this third season saying that this show "lacks developement", or more audaciously, "has no more action," all the while touting the quality of season 2.
I feel like a lot of people are missing the point. This show isn't supposed to be some action-packed rom-com with quirky characters and an eccentric harem-having lead. Sure it mocked that concept with Bake and in a way, with Nise. But i don't think i'm giving it too much credit when I say that that's not all it is.
Much like real life, and much like romance, a lot of this show acts like a subversion. A subversion towards what it means to climax is prevalent throughout the shows run-time too. This is even stated multiple times in multiple different occasions.
But who knows, maybe it will be that in the future. But i'm sure its not what it is now, at this point after Owarimonogatari ended. I'm left with the feeling that the writer and director created and adapted this show to portray that feeling of romance.
How to address romance, how to live with it, the situations it can put you in. How seeing everyday life can be a romantic experience in a way. One day your going to school, the next day your bitten by the most highly regarded vampire ever... and just continuing with school and living a regular life. Its a romantic way of looking at a mundane life, no? A romantic way of looking at nonsensical interactions and absurd progression.
___________________________________
[PART 4] : Reflection
In a way, i'm rating this show in its entirety right now. The way I watched season 1 directly influenced the way I saw season 2. Those two seasons and my opinions of them undoubtedly determined my final thoughts on the third season as well.
That's how television works. Every episode builds on another and creates an overarching view of the show. You remember the good and the bad.
What this final arc did in Shinobu Mail is the unbelievable, by making my most despised arc, Nekomonogatari (White), somewhat more bearable and understanding in context.
This is because the entire structure of the show often feels like a puzzle. Once again, the characters do address this, so trust me, i'm not pulling it out of my ass.
Many times in its second and third seasons, Monogatari skips time and tells its stories like pieces of a large puzzle. Although we've gotten a lot of the endgame, we are still missing a few pieces making up the base, which is what the movies will deliver I believe.
This exquisite puzzle slowly forms in front of us and missing pieces just appear. So it only makes sense that it helps the disappointing Nadeko arc become just a tad bit better.
_____________________________________
[PART 5] : Conclusion
All of these thoughts are coming from someone who not only has a negative opinion on anime, but went into this show wanting to dislike it. So whether everything i'm saying was something planned by the writers, or simply the ramblings of a pretentious film student; I can't help but be slightly amazed at the result.
Season 3 of Monogatari does what i've wanted to see in the show. It takes the heavy romance-inspired themes and the comedy of season 1 and mixes it with the well-written plot-heavy storytelling of season 2.
While my favorite arc of the show is still most likely Hitagi End from season 2. There is no doubt in my mind that the most solid and truly great season is season 3. Starting from Tsukimonogatari and going through Owarimonogatari.
________________________________
EPILOGUE
Its very difficult for me to come to terms with what this show means for me. I feel like it did a lot with helping me come to terms with my enjoyments, and perhaps cheekily even gave me a romantics view on storytelling in some areas.
It means a lot though. I feel like everything it delivered to me was confusing at worst and eye-opening at best. There's no doubt in my mind that I will remember these characters in the future, whether there's more to watch after the trilogy of films air.
I feel like I remember every character now. Going all the way back to my first review written about Monogatari. How memorable these characters are. Or how distinctly cool the show feels in so many ways. I audibly said, "Man, this character is so fucking cool." More times than I'd like to admit.
This is something i'd love more anime to take note of. There are so many shows that simply try to over-do the "coolness" factor and end up making everything very same-y and boring. However, with every jolt of action or creatively designed character that's introduced, I feel an air of excitement and mystery. An air of romance? If we're going by its very dictionary-defined meaning.
Whether its Ougi's mystery, or Gaen's hipster know-it-all-ness, or Episode's completely bonkers weapon, or Kagenui's menacing and spectacularly original character design, or Ononoki's special power... everything is delivered with the idea that its cool but it doesn't need to rub it into your face. There's no need for dramatic monologues about how badass a character is, or how scary the villain is... Its just delivered. I wish more anime did things like this. Its refreshing subversion of something that's old and tired in the anime format.
But i'm rambling. Point is, this show is extremely unique. Its something that can be endlessly read into but equally surface-level. Its a dangerous amalgamation of something I can't help but romanticize when I go to bed and think about it.
To hearken back to my first review; Monogatari is exploitative, gross, sleazy, sexist, beautiful, fascinating, memorable, and confusing.
It's romance.
