Review of Bakemonogatari

Bakemonogatari is what is frankly called an unfinished tale.It gave me the feeling of nothingness perfectly.The series has no aim,no fixed story line,hushed relationships that make it seem like the makers were in a hurry to end the show right after it started.The series is actually made by borrowing bits and parts of the content from several other anime. The animation is good enough but what really makes this series stand out is its awkwardness. To start with the many flaws,oddities are not explained even once.Characters are introduced and then they suddenly disappear so that it keeps one wondering whether they had any significance or not.Character developmentsare not placed properly only except in senjougahara's case.

The theme songs are just okay but the ending theme has a nice and cheerful tune to it.The biggest drawback of this anime is the lack of an aim.After all the travelling,it seems to reach nowhere.And just when you think something's about to start,it ends abruptly.

Hachikuji could have played a bigger role and the worse part is that Oshino,the savior, has been totally left out.We don't get to know any history behind him,nor any touching background theme as to why he became a professional in oddities.It would have been very good if more information was provided about Oshino because throughout the anime one will feel Oshino to be more of a hero than the main character.

Araragi koyomi's character is that what you get to see in every other high-school anime,i.e, an honest,extremely timid and humble boy who attracts all the ladies with his innocence,never seems to have any clue of what's going on because he's too kind to suspect anything and is complete with secret fantasies which the girls fulfill for him gradually and eagerly.So,it might turn out to be a boring persona for some. But overall the anime is okay for a light watch and also if you are looking for some high-school teen fan service because its got quite a bit of that and doesn't disappoint in that sphere.

One notable point is that it draws references in most episodes from various anime like Dragon Ball Z,Doraemon etc. and also from some classic pieces of literature like 'The Monkey's Paw' by William Jacobs and such which comes as a pleasant surprise for those who have seen those anime or read the books.

The fourth episode has a different opening theme which is cute and lovely both to hear and watch.A disappointment is the ending story of the Tsubasa cat.It us incomplete and the last episode is nothing about the cat oddity which is awkward and strange.

But there are a few funny moments as well,like when Koyomi tries bribing Hachikuji and she blatantly falls for it and when Senjougahara throws her cruel sarcasms at Araragi and some more.

So in colclusion,if you are looking for a short,mindless anime with a pinch of tsundere,action,paranormal mushi-type creatures sprinkled with a bit of light comedy which won't take up too much of your time,you can give this a try but if you are looking for meaning,content,uniqueness and depth this is definitely not your cup of tea.