Review of Bakemonogatari

For the clarity, before Bakemonogatari I had watched Kizumonogatari and Nekomonogatari. Spring break along with Golden weak ended. Time for the new school term to begin. As it was said approximately in Kizumonogatari: "Once you've met an aberration, there's high chance to meet another one". Furthermore, Araragi is himself an aberration. So, it happens. Aberrations come one after another hardly giving Araragi an opportunity to rest. Unexpectedly enough, they are all girls. The whole show can be divided into several parts. It's easy to define. Because, depending on the arc, there're different op-s. Each part tells about different aberration. Araragi just can't help himself butto help people.

Each part has its own philosophy and story. A story about an aberration and a story about a character. Mystic, mystic and more mystic. It managed to create a certain amount of suspense to keep me engaged and interested.
From another point of view, it resembles quite much a harem story. But you would be wrong to call it a dull harem story. It doesn't follow usual tropes but well, quite familiar with them. I mean, there are only two male characters in this show and one of them is the old man. It comes to Araragi to have all possible girls' attention.

Girls which are many. To every possible taste, I'd say. Araragi is quite a lucky bastard to have not only two sisters babysitting him but also a bunch of cute girls.
Fanservice in large amounts. Besides, fanservice of different types. Bakemonogatari knows for sure how to entertain a viewer. Camera angles, words, facial expressions, everything is used. I'm not a great fan of fanservice at all. But here, it's done very stylishly and beautiful in some way. Nonetheless, I think it's overused in some places. That would be up to you to consider. I just hope monogatari series won't become more haremish than Bakemonogatari now.

Ararararagi. Oh, sorry, I stammered. Everytime he tries his best to solve the problem. From this aspect, Araragi hardly differs from another average main character. He's kind. That's his main characteristic.
You would hear his monologues throughout all show. Personally, I like this technique of storytelling via outlooks of a main character. I should admit, almost all his monologues are rather complicated and may lead astray because sometimes he changes his mind unexpectedly.

Visually it's one of the most "tasty" to my eye shows I've encountered. Here and there I rewinded scenes backwards to watch them again.
Stylish is the very word to describe it.

OP-s are awesome. Every op is unique and dedicated to a certain character. They feel very different. Almost like openings of different shows. It's a clever decision to make openings like that. I watched almost every ep without skipping 'em.

Oh, also that is the only show I was compelled to press spacebar dozens of times to read what the heck the show wanted to tell me. :). Odd experience.

To sum it up, I quite enjoyed it. Well, maybe less than Kizumonogatari because Bakemonogatari turned out to be a more... rather less grim and more prominent with comedy elements. It reminded me a bit about The World God Only Knows. Just a trifle a bit.
That's it. I'd recommend it to only people who are resistant to fanservice of a certain degree and who are into odd-stories with odd-characters.