Bakemonogatari

I vaguely remembered watching this nearly a decade ago, enjoyed it, and when I stumbled upon it again, figured it was worth a rewatch..

Have to say this is one of the few times something was better the second time around. With a older eye and a deeper understanding I could see so many small things, from how the "camera" is used to focus on the female form is all used to tell the story. Nothing seems to be done just for the sake of fan service or fitting inside a genre, but to tell the tale from the perspective of the protagonist and how he'd see, even the silliest moment serves a purpose..

Maybe I've giving it too much credit, but I'd add this to any must watch list, and keep an open mind when viewing it.

Bakemonogatari had been on my 'want to watch' list for quite a long time. And then I decided to watch it for the bingo challenge: Fall 2019 and also there is a badge for finishing this anime( I thought I had to finish all the Motogatari titles to earn the badge. Phew!)

How do I feel about Bakemonogatari? In a sentence it's different, beautiful and I found it unique. Now let's talk in details about it. Shall we?

Story:

At first( I mean for the first episode) everything seemed really confusing. But with time things started to settle in a pattern. Araragi Koyomi is a highschool boy who is a post-vampire( I mean, he was a vampire for some time. Now he is not). He can recognise or sense aberration very naturally and that's how he was familiarised with Senjougahara Hitagi. Koyomi knows a guy named Oshino Meme( Yes, his name is Meme. And I like him) who knows how to deal with these aberrations. Soon Koyomi meets more characters like Hitagi who are suffering from supernatural situations and that is how the story flows.

Animation:

Graphically Bakemonogatari has a different type of animation than other anime clearly. It was different and I loved it. I think this type of art is exactly what this anime needed. The background, the characters, the surroundings, I loved everything.

Sound:

I want to talk about the background music that is played where a bunch of scene is shown with just a bunch of line. The suspense that held that music is praisable.

Character:

Araragi: Or Koyomi, it's his first name. Most the characters are female but the main protagonist is a male. He has an ahoge on his head that moves a lot( I mean a lot a lot). He was once a vampire for sometimes but he is recovered from that. He still has some superpowers though. I liked Araragi more that I thought I would. He is kind of a pervert( the kind a typical teenager is). But doesn't like to admit though. Yes, he is all about saving people and friends but not in the typical way we see in the shounen anime( like screaming how he will definitely save all his loved ones by beating the crap out of the enemy). He just wants to help despite anything. He cares. That's what makes him so great.

Senjougahara: She is my most favourite female character by far. As a woman myself I am always kind of disappointed by the female characters in anime about their character developments being not so great. But I am really happy to find that Senjougahara Hitagi is a really well written character. She is violent, shows almost no emotion on her face and brutally honest. She is the ultimate example of Tsundra( Yes, it's tsundra not Tsundere). The way she confessed was mild blowing. I love her. Chiwa Saito's voice acting added a new dimension to her chilliness.

Hanekawa: She is like the total encyclopedia. She knows everything. But still you will hear her say It's not like I know a lot. I just know what I know. She is a kind character with a pathetic family story.

Hachikuji: A middle schooler hanging around with her schoolbag. Araragi likes to tease and harass her. And she alway mispronounces his intentionally and says she is sorry that she stuttered. I also loved her voice.

Kanbaru: I thought I wouldn't like her. But she came out to be great. And also Miyuki Sawashiro did a really great job.

Oshino Meme: Yes. You are not wrong. HIS NAME IS MEME AND HE IS THE MY MOST FAVOURITE CHARACTER IN THE ANIME(I wrote it in both bold and capital. You better know how musch I admire him). He is kind of an exorcist who has a vast knowledge about spirits, demons and gods. He did mention supernaturality or something was his subject in college. He has a mind blowing confidence and an aura around him which is hard to ignore. He is a laid back, homeless person. He is the one who revived Araragi.

Overall?

I loved this anime and I will definitely finish the whole Monogatari series. I also highly recommend this anime.

Happy watching

Rating: 7.8

Favorite Episode: Tsubasa kyatto sono ni

Good overall. It's witty entertaining dialogue with interesting characters. Almost like an anime Twilight Zone. It can be formulaic sometimes, but every arc brought something new to the table and it never got stale. The fanservice in the last openings was strange but didn't detract from anything.

Senjougahara is the highlight of this whole thing.

Bakemonogatori is trashy, lowbrow comedy, partly deeply philosophical. A good drama to boot. Harem has a reputation for being dreck, but this is one of the best shows of its generation. To start Araragi is an MC with a personality! A rarity. He is rational, and in command. An all around "nice guy" but with oversights and flaws that make him human. This depth of writing does extend to each girl and the only other male character, Oshino (a Supernatural consultant).

Stylistically flawless. A surrealist veneer of visuals and audio to keep it interesting. Camera shots swivel instantaneously, and the eye to detail breathes the show to life in contrast to its overtly simplistic setting with nonexistent cars or humans. This is done to strengthen a core storytelling mode of this show. The main mode of story is longwinded conservations. There is action, but it's placed carefully. This sounds boring but it's the opposite. Dialogue is a mile a minute, be alert with your subs.

Each section of Bakemonogatari is dedicated to a different supernatural case. In this, we progress the story and introduce new characters. The show never overwhelms you and absorbs you in its dense universe. Conversations are highly lucid, and contain wisdom. Bakemonogatori has a playful, reference laden side, but a foothold in life's realities as well. These characters have endured hardships and many moments of hopelessness. So don't watch if you expected something idyllic. This is pretty dark at times. Not too R-rated, but an adult bent for sure.

Anyways, my only complaint would be some fairly regrettable fanservice elements but you can always skip past that and that comes standard with most harems anyway. Rewatching after 2 years only confirmed how well this has aged since 2009. It will continue being just as good 10 years on.

Bakemonogatari is an anime for those interested in the unconventional and are looking for something unique. The show focuses on the supernatural affecting the characters lives and how the apparitions(spirits) they are bound by result from the unique struggles each character possesses. This is used to convey the shows idea of the mysteriousness of the supernatural and the human tendency to find answers and remedies through it once the suffering of the real world proves too harsh for some to deal with. Character development comes primarily through each characters personal conflict with the supernatural through the arcs which focus mainly on a specific character, allowing you to gain insight into the character and how the supernatural reveals certain truths to each character that they either sought to repress or did not understand about themselves, providing the viewer empathy to the character and personal attachment towards them. The animation through the vibrant colors and focus on light makes the physical features of the characters very striking and interesting to look at helping to capture the emotional moments of each character.