The name “Bakemonogatari” comes from two root words. Bakemono, meaning monster, and monogatari, meaning story.
The story centers on Koyomi Araragi, a high school student who is 90% human again after briefly becoming a vampire as a result of an attack. One day, Hitagi Senjogahara, a classmate who never talks to anyone, falls down a flight of stairs, and Koyomi catches her. But to his surprise, she weighs almost nothing. However, that was something she’d rather have had nobody find out. Despite being threatened by her, Koyomi helps her out anyway. He takes her to Meme Oshino, the man who cured his vampirism, in order to have him cure Hitagi as well.
After that, Koyomi just has one encounter with an apparition after another. Ghosts, demons, spirits, mythological beasts, you name it.
The art direction in Bakemonogari is very odd. Well, I suppose you could say the whole show is a bit odd, though. But this is the good kind of odd. Unlike certain other shows, I was able to follow the story along pretty well.
Bakemonogatari is also (in)famous for having its final three episodes horribly delayed. The first twelve episodes aired on TV, and the final three were to be streamed on the Internet. But what should have been a 15-week show, was instead spread out to almost an entire year, after the online episodes were delayed, delayed, and delayed again. It kind of reminded me of Valve, actually…
Was the ending worth the wait? Well… I’m going to have to say that it was. I didn’t feel let down at the end as I have with many another show. Now that’s an achievement.
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