Surprisingly, I did not expect this to be another harem anime. This is, perhaps, one of the best harem anime by far but not the best anime of all time. It is good in some ways, quite enjoyable and the art is amazing.
Story (6/10)
There’s not much of a story but it is quite enjoyable at times. Some parts are really funny, thrilling, exciting, romantic, erotic and philosophical but most of the time it’s all talk which is half interesting and half boring. The story pretty much follows a step by step formula: problem, help and solve. It is somewhat similar to anime Hell Girl and xxxHolic but with an additional spicy kick to it so, unlike the two, you would be, somewhat, eager to know what would happen in the next episode.
Art (10/10)
The best thing about this anime is the art. It is different, indeed but at the same time pleasing to the eye. They have ingeniously incorporated different artistic medias such as 3D images but still maintains the mood of the anime. Sometimes it’s sullen, tranquil, dark and at times confusing but it all worked out well. The way the characters are animated is also quite memorable so despite being a harem anime, it does not give off the same cliché harem feeling.
Sounds (8/10)
The intros and eds are good but unlike its art, it’s not quite memorable. Though, the background music and other sfx are fun, strange and can bring out the mood of the characters and the scene – the way they manipulated some of the sounds to give out confusion and other quirkiness is quite brilliant.
Character (9/10)
The characters are pretty well done and memorable especially Senjougahara and Araragi. They have their own strangeness going on and not to mention their strange powers. All of their personalities are quite unique so they stand out. Despite having a simple and sometimes boring story, the characters pretty much made the talking quite interesting.
Additionally, I find it a bit strange that there are very few “normal” characters lurking around in this show. Despite being in a school, there are no other students but the main characters themselves…not even a teacher for that matter. It has a sort of small world and lonely feeling but whether it is a good or bad thing all depends on how you look at it. It was able to bring out your focus on the main characters but the sense of it being socially realistic is taken away.
Story 6
Art 10
Sounds 8
Characters 9
Enjoyment 7
Overall, it does not have much of a story but the rest of the other artistic elements are great; it is memorable in a way – some of the jokes, some of erotic moments, the odd characters, the bloody scenes and the art most especially.
