Anime Hajime Review: Monogatari Series Second Season

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Monogatari Series Second Season and all previous installments to the Monogatari series. Reader discretion is advised. ***

Series Synopsis

Koyomi Araragi (voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya) remains on the lookout for the entities known as Oddities.

Every action is but another step into the unknown. Hard-won victories were only preludes to greater hardships. Koyomi must now face the fallout from the events of Bakemonogatari, Nisemonogatari, and Nekomonogatari.

In a dire situation, Koyomi faces some of the most dangerous Oddities yet encountered. Though the odds are stacked against him, Koyomi's not alone in this fight. Always at the ready are his trusted friends and loyal allies.

The first is Koyomi’s headstrong and intimidating girlfriend, Hitagi Senjogahara (voiced by Chiwa Saito). With an unbreakable bond, these two find strength in their feelings for each other.

The second is Koyomi’s close friend, Tsubasa Hanekawa (voiced by Yui Horie). Though not yet free of the spirit within her, Tsubasa is a much-needed voice of reason.

The third is Koyomi’s bonded partner, Shinobu Oshino (voiced by Maaya Sakamoto). With hundreds of years of experience, Shinobu is an important source insight.

The task has never been harder. The decisions made now may not only result in the elimination of an Oddity. But determine whether if they will survive to see tomorrow.

Series Positives

Bakemonogatari was unlike any anime I had seen up to that point. Though with its share of problems, it demonstrated what could be done with this series.

Nisemonogatari experimented with its style. And it showed in the quality. It wanted to do a lot. But in the end, it felt forced. Like it was trying to perfect what was already perfect.

Nekomonogatari corrected most of the mistakes of its predecessor. Unfortunately, it failed to meet the benchmark set by Bakemonogatari. Yet its biggest accomplishment was showing that this series could recreate the magic.

Now we’ve arrived at Monogatari Series Second Season. Did it fulfill the promise of Nekomonogatari? Had it learned from the missteps of Nisemonogatari? Did it match the standard set by Bakemonogatari?

No.

Monogatari Series Second Season did it better.

The Story

Second Season wasn’t chronological. This is a storytelling method I’ve seen work in movies. But never in anime. With success at least. Going from point A to C and back B is hard to maintain over the course of many episodes. Second Season made it work though.

As always, the show was broken into specific, well-defined arcs. Each one containing hints sprinkled throughout to help us determine where it all fit.

Second Season pulled out all the stops. It was lighthearted when it needed to be. It was hilarious at times. It even had a strong creep factor. But what set it apart were the things it did that the other seasons didn’t even try.

Second Season had heartbreak. In particular, there was one scene which has fused into my memory. This was the first time where things didn’t work out. It was Koyomi’s first failure. It wasn’t easy to watch, but it was perfect in its execution.

There was also a real triumphant moment. Sure, there have been plenty of examples before. Yet none have been done like this. The final victory came from a detail which seemed insignificant. It was so unexpected that it crossed the line from cleverness to shear brilliance.

The Dialogue

Dialogue is one of the two aspects which define Monogatari.

In Bakemonogatari, the dialogue was fantastic. There’s no question about that. Except, everyone spoke too fast. It was hard to follow at times. You had to give one hundred and ten percent of your attention to have any hope of getting it all.

Nekomonogatari rectified this issue. Everything was still fast, but it was much more manageable. Now by saying things slowed down, isn’t the same as saying thing were dumbed down.

The dialogue remained smart, witty, deep, and though provoking. The only difference, it was better paced. Therefore, Nekomonogatari had some of the best dialogue of the series. I say "had" because Second Season brought it to a whole other level.

Enthralling isn’t even close to a good enough word to describe it. Plus, Second Season did something that made me giggle like a school girl.

To start, Second Season focused on the two characters who give the best dialogue. Hitagi and Tsubasa. And yes, it was as amazing as you can imagine it being.

The Visuals

With dialogue being one of the two defining features of Monogatari, the visuals are the other.

It’s repetitive at this point to mention how awesome this series looks. That’s not going to stop me from doing so, but what more can I possibly say?

It’s a style unique to itself. Other shows can try to replicate it. But many can’t even hope to reach this level of excellence. This artwork is a key ingredient. It makes Monogatari a treat to watch. It’s animation at some of its best.

And the fact this season was the most stunning entry of the series was a nice bonus. Where Bakemonogatari had freshness, Second Season had scale and experience.

Series Negatives

What Second Season managed to do to the Monogatari series is unbelievable. The ability to take this franchise to this level is like fulfilling destiny. Therein lies the issue at hand.

Monogatari Series Second Season was phenomenal. One of the best anime out there. Except this is your warning. This will be very heavy and very dense.

Let’s assume for a moment that Second Season was a standalone series. This being the case, the entire show would crumble under its own weight.

Compare this to say Another. There was a show that can stand on its own two feet. Second Season can't boast the same thing. It needed the support of its previous installments. This was the product of a lot of trial and error. And wouldn’t have been achievable without what came before.

Good thing for us, what came before was pretty great.

Final Thoughts

Try and guess what I might say here.

I’ve loved this series since the beginning. As a franchise, this is one of the best. To say I’m excited to watch the rest is an understatement.

I wanted this to be good. I came in expecting it to be good. Yet even I didn’t think it would be this good.

Forget if you’re a Monogatari fan. Forget if you’re an anime fan. Forget if you’re a fan of animation. If you have any respect for story and art, you’re a fool not to watch this series.