Shinbou Akiyuki's unique style combine with Studio SHAFT on their A-Game to make stunning, detailed scenes with lovely character animation that sells the weight of every moment with that certain, difficult-to-describe level of quality that just hits the sweet spot. While Mr. Akiyuki has previously used his directorial style to sell the mystery and drama of Bakemonegatari—and would further it with titles such as Puella Magi Madoka Magica—it's used here in a subversive, brilliant way to give a timeless edge to the presentation. This may have aired over ten years ago now, but everything here is still just as relevant as it ever has been.
All that—and yet nobody's seemed to have watched it?! It's sitting at a meager 20,000 "completed" ratings on this site. I think it's a rare case of something just sort of not making it across the border well. Even the reviews of the U.S. Blu-Ray release on Amazon are entirely populated by Japanese importers looking to pick up a cheaper copy than the domestic release. It's one of those works that does require having seen a few works from the genre before to really gel with—but for so few to have seen a production with the highs this has leaves me at something of a loss. As the show explores itself in episode 10—maybe "SoreMachi" will escape it's niche eventually, even if it does require 500-odd years and a time machine.
The word "underrated" gets thrown around a lot to a point where it's almost lost all meaning. This show finds meaning in that word.
Watch it.
