Bakemonogatari

You don't have to be a member of the anime community for long to know that the Monogatari series is very, very highly praised. Inevitably, I gave into the hype and tried it out for myself. The result? Well... I walked away entertained, but FAR from impressed. Yes the characters are amusing, yes the dialogue is witty, and yes the visuals are beautiful, but make no mistake: Bakemonogatari is just a harem. It exists only for comedic gags and fanservice. The characters are shallow and have little to offer beyond their archetypes and their dialogue, not to mention that the "plot" is loose and unimpressive to say the least. I guess I have very mixed feelings about this anime; I'm happy I watched it, but the people hailing it as a masterpiece need to check themselves.

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.

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.

Hitagi Crab, Mayoi Snail, Suruga Monkey, Nadeko Snake, and Tsubasa Cat. These are the five arcs that make up the series Bakemonogatari. Each one is so distinct and mind-blowing, and Bake never fails to deliver a great story. It is the tale of a quasi-vampire name Araragi, and he goes on a journey of self-discovery and sometimes heartbreak with a group of girls. They all have a supernatural connection somehow. Bakemonogatari is just the beginning of a the masterpiece Monogatari, which is one of the greatest animes of all time!