Review of Bakemonogatari

"I can't save you. Only you can save yourself." Bakemonogatari tells the story of high-school senior Araragi Koyomi, and his run-ins with five girls, each with their own emotional baggage and afflictions in the form of aberrations or monsters that forever Mr. Nice Guy Araragi must help them sort out. I love Bakemonogatari. I love the entirety of the Monogatari Series, but no part of it stuck with me as much as Bake did. It's stories, characters, it's one-of-a-kind art design, truly make for a unique and breathtaking experience. Story - 8/10 The story, first and foremost, follows five arcs, each titled after the centric afflicted girl in it,i.e. Hitagi Crab, Mayoi Snail, etc. Each one not only introduces or gives depth to the character in question but also reveals more about other characters and previously-established events, making for an entirely immersive experience. Bakemonogatari dives deep into psychology and how the human mind works, and is definitely one of the strong points in the plot department. How far would you go to save someone close to you? How would you deal with your emotions, your pain, upon being affected by an aberration or after a traumatic event? Bakemonogatari takes a deep dive into the human psyche, and it's honestly one of the best parts of it for me. Some parts are slower than others, for example the Suruga Monkey and Nadeko Snake arcs most notably, but they are still enjoyable in their own right and this shouldn't put you off of the series.

Art - 10/10
The art is a particular standout in this installment of the Monogatari Series, having more ambitious imagery and overall artistic flair over the majority of the rest of the series honestly. It is only ever really done to such a high caliber again in Kizumonogatari. The character designs are very well done and faithful to the original light novel illustrations and descriptions for the most part, and even when they are different they still respect and even reference the original in some cases, i.e. Senjougahara's purple hair becoming brown in certain scenes like her LN counterpart. Absolutely outstanding effort from Shaft here and my favourite out of the entirety of Monogatari.

Sound - 9/10
The soundtrack to Bakemonogatari is literally one of my favourites, trumped only by the likes of FLCL and Cowboy Bebop for me. Some tracks are repetitive in the series however, but this is definitely improved upon as the series goes on past Bake. Not much to say here, but very good and very original soundtrack indeed.

Character - 10/10
The characters are definitely where Bakemonogatari shines the brightest. Each one is so amazingly fleshed out and given life here, each with their own mannerisms, motivations, emotions and problems. They all feel unique and memorable, even the male protagonist who can be taken as a mockery of sorts to typical harem protagonists. Trust me, you'll find a girl or two that you absolutely love here, and each arc where their initial problem is resolved is so well put-together and amazing. Definitely consider Bakemonogatari most for the characters if not anything else.

Enjoyment - 9/10
Bakemonogatari's length, form and content above all else make for a fantastic experience. As I mentioned before, the Suruga Monkey and Nadeko Snake arcs are slower and with slightly poorer pacing, but overall Bakemonogatari is a fully immersive, completely enjoyable experience that is paced well and has a logically somewhat medium-sized length.

Overall - 10/10
So, in short, Bakemonogatari is one of, if not my absolute favourite anime. It gripped me so much and stuck with me, and will be on my favourites for years to come. I really do recommend it for anyone looking for an immersive series to sink their teeth into, I'm sure that you will not be disappointed.