Review of Katanagatari

Katanagatari is a historical fantasy anime revolving around a set of incredible cursed 'swords'. These incredibly powerful weapons corrupted anyone who would use them, and became known ad the Deviant Blades. The main characters are Togami, a short white-haired girl who has been tasked with the retrieval of these weapons, and Shinchika, a tall dark-haired martial artist who she enlists to do the actual fighting. What follows is a grand adventure across twelve episodes and most of the country as they do battle with these cursed weapons. This is where the Story takes a bit of a left turn. The show has a very loose definitionof what a sword is, and as the episodes continue, the swords become increasingly bizarre and eventually impossible, hence the show existing as fantasy. There's also mentions of a prophesy, and the hint that the events of the series are being manipulated in some kind of grand scheme that reaches across time and space itself. To say more would be to spoil the plot entirely. What I can tell you is that while the plot is serviceable enough, that's what it is - a vehicle for everything else. 7/10.

The good news is, everything else is GREAT. The Art style is different, to say the least, and looks a bit like a fusion of Samurai Jack and Naruto. While you're getting your head around that bizarre visual, let me say that it's very pretty, though the minimalist method occasionally has you begging for more detail. 8/10.

The Sound design is pretty good, and let me say while the music itself does a great job of capturing the feeling behind the moment, the actual sound you're going to hear can get a bit annoying. Some of the twangyness from a few songs stuck with me like the auditory equivalent of gristle in my teeth - mildly unpleasant but not enough for me to reduce the volume. 7/10.

Characterization is the strongest aspect of this show by far. Shinchika and Togami have a wonderful dynamic that slowly progresses from episode to episode, and you can track specific qualities of their character growth with ease. Perhaps the best part of the characterization is how the protagonists always get to know the owner of the Deviant Blade before doing battle, and the human qualities we see in them create a subtle cognitive dissonance. Most of them are not using their weapons to do any harm, so are the protagonists the 'good guys'? The show never gives any easy answers, and at the very least the nature of the characters will stick with you long after the show is over and you've forgotten the plot.

One character in particular keeps this from a perfect score - Shinchika's sister. To explain the exact nature of her character would ruin the plot of at least two episodes, but in advance she's probably the greatest Mary Sue to ever exists. Episodes with her are entertaining, but her complete lack of meaningful flaws and poor character development make her a liability more than an asset. 9/10

I really enjoyed Katanagatari, far more than the studio's previous show Bakemonogatari. The relationship between characters feels natural, the fights are a fun mix of physical prowess and cerebral strategy and tactics, and the slower pacing of the show never felt like a hindrance, rather it gave the writers more time to explore the nature of the characters presented. 9/10

I give it a solid 8 out of ten. If you're looking to blow a full day (the episodes are 50 minutes each, not 22) and you're into historical fiction or martial arts, you'll have a good time. Just don't analyze the plot too much, and just roll with it.

As a final thought, I should mention that the final episode of the show is ALL payoff, and contains one of the most brutal, one-sided series of fights I have ever seen, culminating in an incredible final showdown that will leave you wanting to watch it all over again.