Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season

Koyomi Araragi spent his last year of high school helping girls in his town resolve various supernatural afflictions. But now Araragi has departed for university, leaving his friends to fend for themselves against new problems and curses that plague them. Yotsugi Ononoki, once a human corpse and now a living doll, takes residence in Araragi's home, keeping watch over his sister Tsukihi, a girl harboring a mystical secret of her own. As part of her duties, Yotsugi fills Araragi's vacated role as occult expert, assisting others in town with their issues.

One of these girls, middle school student Nadeko Sengoku, slowly recovers from her own recent brushes with the paranormal. She avoids returning to school, instead spending time alone in her room and pursuing her dream of becoming a professional manga artist. In order to speed up Nadeko's quest for mastery of her craft, Yotsugi convinces her to create four copies of herself, each representing a distinct aspect of Nadeko's personality. However, the clones refuse to help Nadeko, instead escaping into the town and creating a chaotic mess. Now forced to grapple with her own fractured sense of identity, Nadeko sets out to capture them and resolve her inner conflict.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Oshino, Shinobu Main

Sakamoto, Maaya Japanese

Araragi, Koyomi Main

Kamiya, Hiroshi Japanese

Sengoku, Nadeko Main

Hanazawa, Kana Japanese

Ononoki, Yotsugi Main

Hayami, Saori Japanese

Deathtopia Virtuoso Suicide-Master Main

Fukami, Rica Japanese

Senjougahara, Hitagi Supporting

Saitou, Chiwa Japanese

Hachikuji, Mayoi Supporting

Katou, Emiri Japanese

Kanbaru, Suruga Supporting

Sawashiro, Miyuki Japanese

Oshino, Ougi Supporting

Mizuhashi, Kaori Japanese

Araragi, Karen Supporting

Kitamura, Eri Japanese

Shioya, Yoshiyuki Producer

Ishikawa, Tatsuya Producer

Yodo, Akiko Producer

Nishibe, Maho Producer

Reviews

Dec 24, 2024

KrenZane

Recommended

*Monogatari will continue on growing in fidelity to time like the eternal vow Isin's characters promised to themselves*

~~

It's strange...A lengthy year post-Zoku hasn't even been shown yet, but the forward progress in reality's timeline being an indisputable verdict in the Monogatari Series henceforth casts a sense of inescapable obligation to be mindful of the years that have been, in looking over the year that is now. Nearing the end of the twelvemonth, I've dove into this new world outside the garden of the high school that we've known for so long through Araragi's eyes. And there's no more looking back, for the Fire Sisters have ... disassembled, operating with only Tsukihi as the sole agent of justice; Nadeko has begun to reconcile with her past, looking back on it hard to place more importance on looking onward; Kanbaru has retired from the basketball club and is attempting to make amends with the consequences of her generation strongly felt by her juniors; Shinobu had a reunion with Suicide-Master after six centuries; and Araragi found a new Maths friend in Meniko, being a full-fledged university student who has graduated from Naoetsu High. The gears have turned--they're turning and will continue to do so from now on as we've flipped past the chapter of Araragi's high school years. So it's strange, skipping through time with such finality specifically in this case. I was not expecting at all for Monogatari to be one with pure fidelity to the march of time so as to arrange a continuous affair with them and us after everything that's happened. It got to me only as of writing that it'll continue growing like the eternal vow Isin's characters promised to themselves.

!! Sentimental Drama Alert !!
In the face of a disciplined show with an unfading commitment to self-growth that does not avert its eye away from the philosophies that affect our reality, I once turned tail. Apart from the usual stress of university inhibiting a focused watch time, I was terrified of confronting the disappointment of knowing that the lessons I thought I'd learned from the past had been gradually neglected by me once again. To be honest, that sort of terror was present even dating back to the announcement--a surge of excitement for a new installment that preceded a gray sorrow. That was because I'll be watching a long-awaited entry to the series without a close friend anymore, the close friend that introduced me to it, who to this day perhaps has Monogatari as his favorite anime amidst all, the only friend whom I've made tryhard analytical discussions with and vice versa. The emptiness that comes with necessary growth so easily made me regress, and so I was placed in my most sorry state again, the same one I had years before, and watching the characters moving on from it (with huge emphasis on sweet Nadeko) was nothing short of exhausting. That battle of voices had me pause Off & Monster Season after Draw. Only now was I able to muster up the strength to confront myself through Monogatari once more. Though that friend was still on my mind all throughout, it seems the "Completed" tag slapped on this season in my profile shows a prevailing over what has been haunting the heart, albeit a victory not so overwhelming as I'm writing it to be.

Araragi's absence at the beginning of the new season formed the bedrock of its effective storytelling. Although the menace overtook the latter half (for better or for worse for the many), the established absence only made acute the ubiquity of his salvation spree's influence. I hate it but it's funny how Araragi's constant attendance on screen made it so that there's a degree of anxiety hovering around whenever the rest of the characters encounter major apparition-related issues without him, compared to Shinobu Mustard where it was a breeze to watch through without any sort of restlessness simply in virtue of his being involved. And he's not even a Deus Ex Machina; it's not even like everyone is overly dependent on the guy. I understand that this weird conception stems from my own weakness. I am a character in Monogatari who was helped by Araragi, but I am also a person who can help myself even without someone like him--or at the very least, after he has imparted the seedling from those noble deeds for me to nurture for myself, only if I take bravery into my arms.

See, Monogatari has a way of slithering into the more personal quarters of a person (and just like me, share my thoughts with vulnerable dramatism). Tsukihi Undo's colorful theatrics, led by the verbal deadpan queen Ononoki and Nadeko Draw's wild goose chase littered with the titular protagonist's humorously self-aware internal soliloquies were sure to be a fun ride in and of themselves, what with the flex on stylistic genius utilizing the medium in such a bizarre yet artistic manner so as to further reinforce its identity seamlessly through the ocean of dialogue, but in reflecting over the experience, it is the feeling of witnessing a Koyomi-less adventure that takes good care of the individuals now placed at the center that makes me wistful. The first fruits of change have shown themselves. And it's not like the series shoves it into your throat that significant ordeals should always turn the tables of your life around. Sodachi singlehandedly conveyed how the development of character does not indiscriminately follow a scripted evolution at the snap of a finger. Her inclusion in Off is a testament to the complementary relationship the cast of Monogatari possesses.

Well-written, most definitely, this entry is. The expected divide between Off and Monster felt nonexistent thanks to Shinobu Mustard integrating the function of time, change, and youthful angst to facilitate its respective plot very well, notably because it was Acerola bon Appetit that segues into it. So much thought was given at the outset to make it appear that common themes can be found across these different story arcs to make cohesiveness reign. This directly contributes to the easy feeling of enjoyment because there weren't any irritating tugs or scratches or pokes coming from indeterminate places, all of which can only manifest in places of disjointed storytelling.

I would just like to express, however, that the last pair was not up to the standard that Nadeko Draw set. Admittedly, the sentimental affinity was not shared as much as well. My connection with Shinobu has dwindled over the years, so the tale of the Beautiful Princess and portions of its continuation served like a casual museum visit to the halls where gothic portraits of historical figures are animated, where sheer visual aesthetics and dynamic (yet appropriate) style shifts please the beholder nonstop. The commanding aspect of Deathtopia Virtuoso Suicide-Master was nothing short of an achievement in character presentation. The mystery of the female high school mummies inflicted no boredom at all; it had the same Monogatari flavor and I was made to be eager to know the answer to this incident. Araragi has taken the wheel, too! You can never really know that you miss something so familiar until it's been gone for a while, huh? Perhaps I was simply leaning toward being unresponsive to this specific expansion of the lore and the intricacies of the vampire species--their moral systems, changes throughout longevity, conversion processes, and how they relate to the human side of things.

If I can describe those episodes leading to the ending, it would be...airy. Airy in the sense that I did not feel so anchored to the screen by the power of some seductive potion enchanting attachment to the drinker (and there was none), airy in that I did not perceive the gravity of the conflict to be as impactful as it seemed, airy--reason being that that conclusion which has flooded me over with enough appreciation for Araragi to be added to my favorites after all this time because of the more mature tone he's been treading on was insufficient to carry the "light" experience of the episodes leading up to those brief bits. I could not give much fixation about Harimaze and Suicide-Master, and the information that was communicated from the reunion between the purebred vampire and a regressed Kiss-shot does not hold so much weight to me; apart from that, it was just...nice to know.

However, the thematic point of Shinobu viewing humans as monsters from the cold-blooded vampiric lens of seeing them as food does provide a means for further discerning and direct participation in the story. To me, I understand it as Shinobu learning the special strength humanity contains; it takes assuming a more equal or slightly inferior position against the object at hand to refer to it as a monster. Other than that, it's Shinobu understanding that people have a depth that is difficult to fathom, for they are monsters that can take form into anything they wish due to powerful emotions and circumstances, hence the label that is fit for foreign beings. The vampire known as the Apparition Killer is now saying humans are monsters instead of food, and indeed, there's a monstrosity hiding within our dizzying numbers that could even affect the world with oddities at large. Of course, there is the literal route, case in point Harimaze Kie and her willingness to shed her humanity in the madness of it all, not to mention the crab, monkey, snake, and cat from the seasons way back when--not to mention Koyomi himself.

The overall reflection on what it means to be growing into an adult and processing the changes living beings go through in the flow of time still triumphs within, yet it is unfortunate for me to say that the latter half was not able to prop me up to greater heights. Nonetheless, this is the Monogatari Series we're talking about. This season would have been lovely to dissect with the close friend I've been mentioning as we did all those years, which does mix in downcast feelings within. Such a strike that pervades the personal life means Monogatari is continuing to be a most special piece of art.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Nov 6, 2024

Single_fighter

Recommended

Review for arc Off & monster season from monogatari series is good as expected. Still with a complex storyline, unique animation style, abundant monologues and deductions from the characters that are sometimes confusing or difficult to understand giving a strong impression of mystery in the story, this is what makes the story of the monogatari series always interesting to watch. My longing for the character nadeko chan paid off in this arc and some of shinobu chan's past mysteries were revealed. It is undeniable that every character in the monogatari series has a deep impression on me and I am sure also for veteran viewers ... who have watched this anime series until now.

For animation and OST / sound effects are good and unique as expected. The soundtrack that describes the character nadeko chan always impresses me.

So in conclusion, I monogatari series will always be one of the best anime I have ever watched. I can recommend this anime for certain groups who like the slice of life or mystery genre. Because for new anime followers it will be difficult to accept where most of the dialogue and monologue are confusing in this anime. And this monogatari series anime requires you to watch all the arcs/series before from the beginning to understand the storyline. Thank you

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Nov 28, 2024

Brittaman12

Mixed Feelings

Animation: Not much to say. Shaft is not a flashy studio like Ufotable or Mappa. But where they lack in eye candy they more than make up for in art direction. Every frame serves a purpose. Every frame has personality. And in this entry, those qualities are as present as ever.

Nadeko Draw

Story: Definitely one of the stronger stories so far. A very moving culmination of a decade’s worth of character development for a very complex, well-written character. As with past stories, Nisio Isin’s usage of his aberrations to give shape to the inner complexities of his characters is fascinating, and with this story, very well ... executed. This story seems like a great improvement on the author’s unique storytelling method, and Shaft presented it very well.

Music: Some pretty clever usage of Renai Circulation’s main melody. Definitely an old fashioned approach to scoring, but executed perfectly. A tasteful use is heard in the main opening, but also the utilization in character themes was done very well. Also very appropriate to the theme of the story. A story where the main character is confronting their storied past is perfect for this form of musical expression.
As for the ending. YOASOBI loves their 4-on-the-floor dance grooves, but I would be lying if I said this song wasn’t catchy as hell. And the visuals were also quite simple, but stunning in their own right. Quite a testament to their confidence and commitment to making quality music.

Overall, one of the best if not the best stories of the entire franchise so far. Quite simple in some ways, such as the music, but I don’t view that negatively at all. In my opinion, the later installments to the monogatari series, such as Hana, Tsuki, and all of Owari, were straying from the simplicity that really made me enjoy the earlier installments like Bake. So seeing Nadekomonogatari really makes me feel refreshed. The vision is still alive. 9.6/10

Shinobu Mustard

Story: To start with, let me just say the short story that prefaced this arc was very good. I think it set up Suicide-Master's character well and gave good insight into Shinobu's origin. However, the main arc leaves much to be desired. The pacing of this arc was pretty bad. It took me a lot of willpower to remain interested. Its cool that Araragi came back, and there was definitely some great humor thrown in here and there, but overall, the story was boring, didn't have much at stake, and mostly served to reunited Shinobu and Suicide Master. It seemed unnatural and awkward to me and I think that it was executed poorly.

Music: A good third of the arc actually lacked any sort of opening theme or overarching motif throughout the story, and when it did finally show up, it was just a recycled version of past Shinobu arc OPs that was executed uncreatively and didn't have much going for it in terms of visuals. Uninspired and uncreative. Very dissapointing.

Overall, boring. Not much to say. I really feel like they flubbed the momentum they built with the first arc. Suicide-Master ended up being quite boring and didn't add much to the story. The twist at the end was unexpected for sure, but it was weird and random.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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	New Opening Theme for BR of Episode 1 Mini-arc EggoGBones - Dec 17	3 replies	by CHT13 »» Dec 19, 9:06 PM
	Poll: Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season Episode 14 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) IzanaSolos - Oct 19	107 replies	by yveltalkyogre »» Dec 10, 3:04 PM
	Poll: Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season Episode 8 Discussion ( 1 2 ) IzanaSolos - Aug 31	84 replies	by Desqera »» Dec 1, 5:03 PM
	Poll: Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season Episode 13 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Softhenic03 - Oct 12	52 replies	by DABUNGINATOR »» Nov 30, 1:07 AM
	Poll: Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season Episode 2 Discussion ( 1 2 ) IzanaSolos - Jul 13	80 replies	by Duc_Richelieu »» Nov 23, 8:54 AM