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Now, I'll be honest here. I dropped Nisemonogatari when I first watched it. I came in expecting the next Bakemonogatari, what I ended up getting was completely different, and I dropped it. I even went so far as to declare the series dead in my eyes: that nothing would ever come close to the excellence of its predecessor, and it was a waste to even expect something decent anymore.

It took only one forum thread full of disagreeing people to change my mind. I quickly got my hands on the Blu-rays and got to watching; this time not expecting anything but disappointment. Now that I'm finished, ... this is my conception.

Bakemonogatari and Nisemonogatari are equal. They're just better at some things and worse at others.

Nisemonogatari follows our resident high-schooler/pseudo-vampire/pedophile Araragi Koyomi shortly after the events of Bakemonogatari. Having rid five girls of their respective oddities in the last season, Araragi doesn't seem to have any urgent business to attend to. And it shows, especially in the first few episodes, which are nothing but Araragi screwing around with his friends and sisters. The plot only really begins to be explored around the fourth episode, where the first main antagonist (a con man named Kaiki Deishuu), is revealed and introduced. This story structure is why I was initially disappointed. Nisemonogatari, at least for the first few episodes, has almost no sense of urgency, something that was in abundance in Bakemonogatari. A problem is not introduced until at least the fourth episode, and the episodes leading up to this revelation are not full of foreshadowing and anticipation, but sexual comedy and assorted antics. Even after the problem is introduced, the sense of urgency doesn't really return like you'd expect, and the issue itself is approached and solved through more of the same: sexual comedy and assorted antics. The show only truly becomes intense during the final climax, which is where I found the most to love. If you're looking for serious, critical situations for our main protagonist to be thrown into, you will surely be disappointed; at least for a little while.

But within this weakness of a slow start lies Nisemonogatari's greatest strength: its dialogue. The conversations some of these characters have with each other are insane; employing copious amounts of jokes, wordplays, and references, all at blindingly fast speed. These numerous and extremely entertaining exchanges were not missing in Bakemonogatari, but because Bake focused much more on the mythology behind and ramifications of the respective oddities, there was much less room for these sorts of discussions than there was in the void of happenings that ruled Nise's first few chapters. What it comes down to is that if hilarious dialogues spoken in the oratory equivalent of rapid-fire sounds like something you'd be interested in, I'd implore you to watch this; especially so if you dropped it early because of the fan-service. These interactions will not leave you disappointed.

Something that has not changed from Bake to Nise is the quality of the art and sound. The art, done in the customary SHAFT fashion, with many abstract windows, objects, and designs, is truly a sight to behold in Nisemonogatari. The character art, again, is impeccable, with special mention going to the animation of Araragi's myriad of facial features, which really hit home with me and brought on more than a few laughs over the course of the show. The soundtrack is fantastic, with the OST's multiple styles being some of the highlights of Araragi's numerous fantastical adventures, typically melding to fit the mood of the scene, whether it be serious and pressing or cordial and casual. The voice acting steals the show once more, with exceptional deliveries coming from Kamiya Hiroshi (Araragi), Kitamura Eri (Karen), and Iguchi Yuka (Tsukihi). Once more, the obvious star is Kamiya Hiroshi, whose over the top line deliveries allow Araragi's dialogue to take on nearly a life of its own at some points. My only quip was the lack of catchy opening and ending songs. Naisho no Hanashi, the ending performed by Claris, was fine but not great, and neither of the two openings really appealed to me either. I guess we can't always have a Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari level ending, or a staple stable level opening, but for a highly anticipated sequel such as this, I expected just a bit more.

The characters, while not the most deep and developed you will ever see, run the gambit and get the job done. The standout this season is not Araragi, actually, but rather Senjougahara, whose gradual change from tsundere sadist to regular, caring girl, can be seen here, despite her lack of screen-time compared to the last season. Everyone else is pretty much unchanged from Bakemonogatari, with the exception of Araragi's sisters, Karen and Tsukihi (which are developed exponentially and are given a much larger role), and Araragi himself, who has gone from slightly sexually frustrated do-gooder (who is occasionally perverted) to complete pervert, which isn't my favorite character transformation, but allows for many more entertaining and embarrassing exchanges between him and his friends, which, as I argued above, is really the core of this show. So in that regard, the change works, and I think the show is better for it.

Nisemonogatari is far from the sexually charged fan-service-y trash I initially labeled it. It is indeed sexually charged, but it takes that charge and applies it to the fastest, most entertaining exchanges I've seen between characters since Hyouka, the funniest characters I've had the pleasure of watching in a long time, the most passionate voice acting I've heard since Steins;Gate, and a very beautiful art style that blurs the line between background and abstract painting. If you haven't watched this yet, if you've been putting it off because you've heard unflattering things, or if, like me, you dropped it prematurely... let me be the one to tell you: this show is not Bakemonogatari. Arguably, it is nothing even close. But it is witty, funny, entertaining... and definitely worth your time.

I know a lot of people, both on this site and in reality, that have some sort of negative bias towards this show. Maybe it's the admittedly generic setup (loner/non-energetic guy goes to club with beautiful girls) or the fact that is has "ore no" in the title, which is typically a red flag that tips off generic romance comedies or ecchi shows. Either way, I am here to put all of those misconceptions to rest:

Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru (*breathe*) is far from generic. In fact, it's one of the most original and charming romance comedies I've had the pleasure of ... watching in a while.

The story revolves around Hikigaya Hachiman, a high school student made loner after entering high school months after everyone else because of a traffic accident. His antisocial nature is noticed by his guidance counselor, who forces him to join the similarly antisocial beauty Yukinoshita Yukino in the Volunteers' Club, which accepts requests for help from the student body and fulfills them. Sounds pretty standard, right? Well, it is. The actual plot of the story is fairly basic when it comes to the events the characters find themselves in, with the exception of a few episodes (such as the summer camp episodes). But where this anime really excels is the characters, the lot of which I'll get to very soon.

The animation is average; there's nothing really striking to be seen. The art and character designs, though, are excellent, as they help to lend insight into each character: Yukino's harsh blue eyes and formal looking black hair give an impression of solitude and defense; Hikigaya's fish like eyes help to illustrate his loner-y personality; and Yui's bright orange hair and casual style of dress help to portray her as what she is, friendly and easily approachable. The side characters are also designed well.

The sound is nothing to sneeze at, but it won't amaze you. The voice acting is done well, especially Hachiman and Yui, who are portrayed in a way that, once again, reflects their personalities. I've never listened to the ED, sadly, so I can't make a judgement on that, but the OP "Yuki Toki" sung by Yanagi Nagi is fantastic and mirrors the theme of the story in ways that aren't always immediately visible.

Now here comes this anime's largest strength by far: the characters. Going into this anime, I had very low expectations for the characters; they were most likely going to be cardboard cut-outs with one or two personality traits and (in the case of the female leads) an incredulous affection for the main character. Never have I been so pleasantly surprised. Hikigaya Hachiman, the main character, is one of the most relatable characters I have ever seen; his experiences with other people have hardened him into an extreme pessimist, but he's not completely ignorant of the inner ramifications of social interaction. In fact, he's quite the opposite, displaying extremely in depth knowledge of the ways in which people interact with one another, as well as their true intentions. This is used frequently for both comedy and drama, and it works well in both. Yukinoshita Yukino is standoffish and frequently prickly, and these characteristics allow an excellent dynamic to grow between her and Hachiman; leading to a trading of insults between the two that is always entertaining to watch and reminds me of two skilled fencers attacking each other, searching for their opponent's weak point or blind spot. Yui is also a very well-developed character, with a large portion of the early episodes dedicated to helping her work through her problems with giving in to other people.

If Evangelion was a deconstruction of the mech genre, then Y.O.S.L.C.M is a deconstruction of the romance comedy genre; taking all the cliché cardboard cutouts other romance comedies call characters, and replacing them with actual characters that make the viewer empathize and sympathize with them. It either does away with common tropes or uses them in extremely funny new ways. Sure, it's not a masterpiece: there are other romance comedies that were just a bit higher in overall quality (for example, Toradora), but for me, Yahari stands as a testament to what the romance comedy genre can do, and what it can still bring to viewers.

And yes, I did compare it to Evangelion. Deal with it.

Ah, Evangelion. I like to consider myself something of an Evangelion fanboy. I loved the first two rebuild movies so much, I went back and watched the original series as well as EOE. I bored to death anyone who would listen to my numerous theories and explanations behind the recurring symbolism and the less "cohesive" sections. And most of all, I would never pass up a chance to illustrate my excitement for the next rebuild movie. I spent four years waiting for the release, and another 4-5 months for the BDs. I watched, I took in, I digested, I frowned.

This wasn't what I was waiting ... for.

Evangelion 3.0 (technically I watched 3.33, but that's irrelevant) takes place a whole fourteen years after the events of 2.22. Shinji finds himself a prisoner of the anti-NERV organization Wille, led by his old friend Misato and countless other acquaintances. What was expected to be a happy, warm welcome turns out to be a cold rejection, as the entire crew seems to hold a grudge against Shinji for doing something terrible that he doesn't remember doing. From here on is a roller-coaster ride that will play with your mind and crush your preconceptions.

Not in a good way, mind you, but it will.

Every single character has changed, as to be expected after fourteen years. But the fact is that why they have changed ironically remains a mystery to Shinji until nearly half-way through the film. People frequently refuse to offer him an explanation for no good reason, seemingly only to make him (and the viewer) more and more confused. There is also no explanation of what happened within those fourteen years to bring the characters to where they currently are, and some very important characters (such as Gendo) are given such incredibly short roles that it's positively stupefying. A few terms are tossed around so liberally and then never used again (Key of Nebudchanezzar? L barrier?) and the climax of the movie was a haphazard (from my perspective) mess, nearly impossible to follow and increasingly difficult to care about. I watched and understood EOE, but ironically, this is what stumps me.

It's a good thing there are redeeming factors.

The art and animation are fantastic; not as good as the previous movies, of course, but still most definitely exceptional. The liberal use of CG distracts from it, but what is here is eye-catching, jaw-dropping, and simply brilliant. The sound is of similar caliber, but it's relegated to the side in the movie; I would not listen to a single song on this OST without visual accompaniment, which is truly a shame, as many songs on 2.22's OST were fantastic while standalone. The only exception to this is the ending theme, Sakura Nagashi, which captures the feel of the movie incredibly well, and shows why Utada Hikaru is very deserving of her widespread acclaim. Voice acting continues to set a high standard, particularly Megumi Ogata's performance as Shinji, which I thought was very well done and brought me farther into an otherwise broken movie.

The characters, on the other hand, do not deserve the same amount of praise, in my opinion. The interactions between Shinji and Kaworu were well executed and definitely entertaining to watch, but that's as far as I can go. Mari is a completely unnecessary character, and doesn't contribute anything of value to the overall story. Misato's new character isn't explored nearly enough, and is frequently very off-putting. Ritsuko has no role other than to deliver exposition, and Gendo's has about five lines in the entire movie and shares Misato's problem. Rei has been reset to, well, rei (I'm sorry), and has lost all of her characterization from the second film. And Asuka, well, I'm not sure what to say about her. That's the problem, really. Her character wasn't really developed or explored, but what was there wasn't taken away, and I at least appreciate that. Other than that, there isn't much to say.

Out of all the Rebuild movies, I believe that 3.0 is the closest to the original's psychological themes, even going so far as to say that it's trying to emulate them. But if that's the case, then it's failing spectacularly. There is no real psychology to see here, and the original series wasn't known just for being confusing. There was a message, an overarching story-line, characterization. This movie has none of these things. It is simply confusing, and just being confusing does not Neon Genesis Evangelion make.

There is much more that needs to be added.

For many months now, Madoka Magica has been brooding over me. It was the last big anime of 2011 that I failed to watch, and now, looking back on how I selfishly pushed it to the side time and time again, I lament how stupid I was. That's why, this weekend, I decided to sit down and marathon it, just let it all wash over me and see what feelings bubbled to the surface. What came to the surface was pure horror, unabated enthrallment, and unparalleled enjoyment. Not since Steins;Gate have I been so enraptured by one single story, so much so that I would ... gladly spend days writing about thoughts towards it. Not since Gurren Lagann has one single art style captivated and amazed me so. Not since Toradora have the characters of one anime been so real and so alive. The kicker? Madoka does all this in 12 episodes.

I have to admit, one of the main reasons I put off this anime for so long is its genre. I'm not one for magical girls, and the flashy transformations of Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura were the main things that turned me away at an early age. But Madoka Magica is different, the third episode onward really shows its dual nature. Under the surface, Madoka Magica is a cold, thrilling experience that (I won't lie) sort of scared me at first. The story twists the job of a magical girl into something to be feared, and frequently makes you question the decisions of the characters. It makes you think, "Would I give up living for a wish?", and pulls you into the plights of the characters and the story as a whole.

Speaking of characters, they're the thing that brings this whole production together. The emotion and feeling that they bring to the table is insane, and is so raw and intense that it'll make you cringe at some parts and laugh at others. One of the reasons the characters can do this is because each and everyone of them is flawed in one way or another, and some carry interesting back stories you'll learn of as you get to know them. No one character is two dimensional or flat, and each one can convey an emotion through a simple glance, a facial expression, or their eyes. That's hard to do, especially in anime, but SHAFT succeeds. We are rarely ever told what a character is feeling, and instead, we are shown it. A small twinge in their voice, or a subtle fidgeting can give away their entire mind set, and the series is better for it. Of course, the mood can also be put across by shading, or rain, which is also good.

The main reason the characters can do this is because of the ingenious art style put in place by SHAFT, which is sort of the one touted in Bakemonogatari only toned down, with less abstract things in the backgrounds. These abstract things are replaced by flamboyant works of art, making fences, schools, and views all spectacular. And then there are the witches. Every time a witch is fought, the backgrounds morph into different things, and the witch itself always has a different design. This is where SHAFTs unique sense comes into the picture. The witches are often abstract, as are the environments they're fought in. Weirdly enough, these sudden changes in surrounding are frightening to the viewer, and sets an immediate sense of tension that prevails throughout the fight, never failing to remind you that the characters are in great danger every time they enter these worlds. You won't forget it. (These comments apply to the BDs)

The sound in Madoka Magica is nothing short of terrific, and the two songs (Connect and Magia) set the tone of the anime quite nicely (soft and fun on the outside, thrilling and intense on the inside). Magia, for me, is especially captivating, and the lyrics fit the story quite nicely. The soundtrack is spectacular, and has the rare ability to set the mood of a scene as soon as it comes on, only adding to how spectacular this anime is.

Overall, Madoka Magica just furthers my claim that 2011 was the best year for anime. Everything it sets out to do is done marvelously, through stunning animation, a beautiful story, and real, fleshed out characters. It succeeds in bringing more people to the genre in a way that's definitely not convention, but is better for it. This is a masterpiece, only the second ten I've ever given (Steins;Gate), and I think it deserves some of your time.

Don't you?