Review of Bakemonogatari

I'm a big fan of the Monogatari series to the point where I have purchased all of the light novels, mangas and overpriced Aniplex Blu-Rays. However, I'd be lying if I told you it's for everyone. I myself did not start enjoying this series until a few episodes in, but my biggest problem stems from a single character. More about her later. The story is about supernatural entities in a contemporary setting that affect various characters, often relating to their psychological state. The main character, Koyomi Araragi, a half-vampire who has experience dealing with these "Apparitions" as they're called, helps these individuals with their problems. Alsoevery single character he helps happens to be a girl, making this a harem anime. That being said, they don't get carried away with the fanservice until the second series, Nisemonogatari where there is plenty of nudity and erotically charged scenes.

One thing to note about this series is that many of the story arcs are not shown in chronological order. Because of this, you have to deal with a lot of vagueness where characters allude to past events that you have not yet seen. For example, the three-part movie series Kizumonogatari is actually the chronologically first part, but that wasn't released until after Monogatari Second Season. This vagueness can increase intrigue, but it can also be a source of frustration for new viewers who prefer more straight-forward stories.

Another thing to note is that this series is extremely dialogue-heavy and has a lot of word-play that is impossible to translate into English. Because of this, I would argue that an intermediate understanding of Japanese is required to get the full experience. Furthermore, you must be prepared for long, drawn-out conversations with little substance. Usually the characters ramble on about meaningless stuff before arriving at the real topic. So don't expect an action-packed series, although there are some pretty spectacular action scenes scattered throughout the series. Most of it is dialogue and quirky visuals.

Speaking of visuals, if you're familiar with director Akiyuki Shinbo, who also directed Madoka Magica, you know what to expect here. Bold visual style with artsy camera angles, eye-catching shapes and contrasting colors. You could make the argument that this is superficial style-over-substance fluff, but I personally enjoy the style. I have to make a special mention of the opening and ending themes. All of the main characters get their own opening theme, and they're a joy to watch. The animators experiment with several different styles and moods. I think it's pretty safe to say that the Monogatari series has some of the best and most varied opening animations in the history of the medium.

Now for the things that I don't like, namely Hitagi Senjougahara. I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I despise her character, especially in this first season (she becomes a little more tolerable in the later seasons). Because the first story arc focuses on this character, I almost dropped the show. She refers to herself as a tsundere but she's more of an abusive sociopath. She constantly insults, threatens and even physically abuses the main character who's being nothing but nice to her. I honestly cannot wrap my head around why this character is so popular. I unironically find the villains in this series more likable than her.

Fortunately Hitagi doesn't get much screentime after the first story arc, and every other character in the series is infinitely more likable and interesting. So if you can get through the first couple episodes where an abusive girl constantly berates a friendly guy trying to help her, the rest of the show is actually quite good. And like I said, I seem to be in the minority as someone who doesn't enjoy Hitagi's character, so chances are you'll find something to like about her.

Check out Bakemonogatari if you're looking for a supernatural / psychological harem show with a unique visual flare.