Bakemonogatari: Part One

4/06/2013

Director: Akiyuki Shimbou

Publisher: Hanabee

Bakemonogatari can be described as a living book; it grows before your eyes while using patterns and quick cuts to deliver incredibly meaningful stories. It transforms the light novel by Nisio Isin into something tangible and chaotic. I hear you thinking, “Ugh, not another…” but this brings humour, intelligent and witty conversation mixed with SHAFT’s stylized art. If you haven’t experienced their visuals before, this is one anime you do not want to skip.

Bakemonogatari focuses on a boy, Koyomi Araragi, who was cured from vampirism by a man who has become his mentor and go-to, Meme Oshino. He seems to attract girls afflicted with ghosts, demons, gods and other apparitions who he tries to help cure. With each story it tells, it heightens your anticipation as you try to work out the riddles of what is being said and shown. The key to each story is its use of symbolism. Noticing the imagery used helps give the viewer clues about what affliction is being described. Each climax is predictable, but what I find most compelling is that it’s purposely predictable. The viewer is meant to know what is happening before it’s said. Once it’s confirmed by the story, you have a sense of being hit in the face twice. Bake does well to twist your mind, throw you against a wall and give you some hope until you finally get the slow relief of knowing exactly what is happening. I’ve never watched anything like it, and for Bakemonogatari to achieve this within each story it tells is incredible.

Our Heroine Senjougahara Hitagi is much like most heroines today; cold at first and gradually warms up to Araragi, a tsundere as she’s commonly referred to. Her point of difference is her extreme sadism. Araragi seems to be her punching bag, but what becomes interesting is the way their roles at times seem to swap and change in such a quick way that it keeps you wanting to hear more between the leading couple. Each girl who is introduced seems to be quite similar, but this could also be something to be told about our protagonist Araragi, and how he feels about women in general. There are many ways to interpret this – it could even be put down to the script writing.

Unfortunately, one thing to note is that the humour and some meaning can get lost in translation. Unless you have some knowledge of Japanese culture and some of their nuances in language, it might at times lose you in banter between the characters.

There is a lot of story telling, a lot of witty dialogue to chuckle to. Sound plays a role in ambience but you can see very quickly that the visuals are meant to draw you in. Use of rigid, patterned line is often used in scenes to describe the structured feel of not only conversation but also the setting. In the first episode you’ll notice the beautifully set up shots, as if turning pages in a storybook. Once the story becomes more chaotic, lines seem to break without any order to them. It’s a holistic experience.

Highlight Moment

What stands out most is how SHAFT reaches the meaning of each story. It’s delivered to be predictable. It’s set up so that you can feel like you’ve accomplished the task of solving the riddle before it’s said, and then a character confirms this for you. It’s a revelation that makes you want to sit back, pause the series and think about the emotional turmoil SHAFT just put you through.

Summary

You need to be patient with Bakemonogatari. It’s about sharing a story with you, a different perspective on how to view common issues that you may have tackled in your life. The often literal interpretations of each story helps you evaluate how you see obstacles and their solutions. This isn’t an anime for people who only want to see action, but for those who want to have a unique experience with a novel adaptation.

Score: 8.5

Written by Yiánna Paris