Review of Bakemonogatari

Winner of the 2009’s popular vote for Best Anime of 2009 on Animereactor, Bakemonogatari is yet another anime that Shaft can add up to their collection. To make it short, Bakemonogatari is overrated. Overrated in a sense that the animation style has nothing to brag about, the story isn’t unique in any sense and that the characters aren’t even special in the first place. However, it doesn’t change the fact that Bakemonogatari is still a very good anime to watch and it is among my favourites of 2009. Bakemonogatari is structured with five story arcs, with the fifth one being aired solely online. Forthose who are Shaft followers you will see no difference in how the story is told in this anime. Just like most of their work, Bakemonogatari’s story is driven by the dialogues rather than the action. This being said, Bakemonogatari dialogues, while they make most part of the story, aren’t exactly telling the story itself. More of a casual discussion between two peoples, the plot is not given away for the purpose of being vomited to the viewer, but it rather flows with the casual talk that the show tends to offer. Now of course, there are some action scenes and fighting scenes in Bakemonogatari, but it is mostly used in a way to conclude an arc or for adding a bit of spice. I have to say that the story arcs aren’t original and can be quite repetitive as it uses the same recipe for each of them. It is repetitive in a way that each story arcs starts the same way and pretty much end the same way as well. Of course, not being original and being repetitive is not a synonym for boring. Bakemonogatari always managed to interest me with each story arcs with its direction toward suspense and climax build up.

There’s a problem with the story arcs and its character. Because the story arcs holds almost no connections toward each others, Bakemonogatari fails in term of characterisation and it always seems that the relation between Senjougahara and Araragi is stalled. Step aside the social and love relations, this series hold way more interest in the characters individually, and by that I mean Senjougahara. While Araragi is an interesting character, he’s nothing different from any other male lead that Shaft use to have, and they all have the same voice actor of course. He may be fitting leading for this anime, but his lack of originality and the fact that he’s just a Shaft preset doesn’t make him a good character. On the other line, Senjougahara, to make it short, is the spotlight character of this show. While the anime tends to put her as a side character, being not so important except for the first arc, she is a woman that is very interesting for her sarcastic tonality and her way to lead everything. Now, there’s nothing that support her characterisation very well and that I have to admit. It’s more of her personality that makes her a good character. Bakemonogatari also has a strong set of side characters that really supports the show very well. These side characters are cool, fun to watch and entertaining, but it doesn’t go beyond those points. Just like any side characters should be.

The visual is perhaps one of the most controversial in anime history. I’ll say it, those red screens is not a form of art, it simply a form laziness and does not bring anything, except for pissing off the viewer big time. Now that I’ve talked about those screens, let’s look at the actual art. The visual is nothing original, as it is the same that Shaft uses in almost all of their anime. Bakemonogatari uses lots of pretty colors, high contrasts, typical chalkboards and many cut scenes that one would recognise as a Shaft work. However, the characters are very well made, unique and distinctive. And even though it’s been made dozens of that, I actually never get tired of Shaft’s fancy visual style and it actually compliments the anime very well.

The sound is on a whole new standard. In fact, it is absolutely amazing. Without no hesitation, Staple Stable became an instant opening favourite for me, and for the ending as well. Bakemonogatari also offers a new opening song for each story arcs that supports the soundtrack very well. The inner songs in the anime actually capture the moments and intensity perfectly. Voice actors are also top notch. Hiroshi might have been using the same kind of voice, but it’s simply because it’s the same kind of character. Chiwa Saito, who also sings the opening, is the highlight voice actress of this show.

In the end, Bakemonogatari has its reason for being overrated, because it is actually enjoyable and very good. Fans of Shaft will obviously love it, and for the others it might as well be a hit or miss.