The fleshing out of the villains (and the allies for that matter) is sub par. While they have great stage presence, they lack impact and purpose. I would like to know more on these guys. Why is the bi-racial vampire so self loathing? What is so problematic about exorcisms? and what makes the priest, who is fully human, nearly as strong as Kiss Shot herself?
Nekketsu-hen gives rise to more questions than it answers, very irritating but it's obviously intentional. I guess they really want me to read the book.
Watching Kiss Shot spawn into puberty and early adulthood was uncomfortable and animation-wise, these scenes pale in comparison to her initial blight in Tekketsu-hen. She's more smug and less palatable in this go around. I feel like her character could have suffered 'less' if Hanekawa had been axed. I don't dislike Hanekawa, her interactions with Araragi are cute but meaningless. Her sole purpose as a cheerleader is maddening when literally the entire cast are more deserving of dialogue and screen time.
By the end of the movie, I was satisfied, granted, the ending was rushed. Very much so. Despite that, it was probably my favorite of the three showdowns if only for the Matrix, 1990s cyberpunk mood and boy was the music good.
If absolutely nothing else, I'd the seek the OSTs for this and Tekketstu-hen. They stand very well on their own but when re-watching either film, they almost don't quite fit together. The score is highly polished but coupled with some scenes, are down right base and childish. I mean it's easy to avoid this annoyance, just don't listen to the album but evenso, it doesn't mesh all that well.
Nekketsu-hen gets a 6/10.
