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"Did you know every time you sigh, a little bit of happiness escapes?" ~ Senjougahara Hitagi

I went into this anime with nothing but the expectations of an ecchi show that had a lot of dialogue, but I completely underestimated this show. Before watching this show, I heard it was a terrible show for newcomers, so I kept putting it off despite being interested in it. I'm not sure if that was necessarily a bad thing, but I do understand the reasoning for that warning. I'd also agree that if you are new to anime, or don't like subtitles, stay away from this show. Now, for ... those of you are who are still interested, let's get onto the review.


STORY~
Bakemonogatari is pretty straight forward. It's about a guy named Koyomi Araragi that helps various girls seek help for their mythological and fantastical problems from a Hawaiian Shirt wearing man named Oshino Meme. Some of these problems may include having a traditional Japanese mythological being trapped inside of them. The story is split up into 2-5 episode arcs, each dedicated to the particular girl. Going through the anime, it was similar to a harem, but at the same time it wasn't. Each arc was very interesting and engaging. Some of the mythology doesn't translate well, but there are brief explanations. If you wish to know more, you can always look that up but it isn't necessary to understand the story. Overall, the storytelling is actually really interesting despite the Japanese Cultural references. Each arc is well done and concludes satisfactory.


ART~
This anime was done by Studio Shaft, known for their unique animation style in the popular "Madoka Magica." If you've seen Madoka Magica, then you probably know to expect solid animation, and Bakemonogatari is no exception. It has a really unique style and includes flashing frames of dialogue (taken from the Light Novel of which it is based), a montage of quickly changing images of the setting and bright colors. All of these elements combined with fluid animation sequences makes the show very appealing to the eye (Of course, only when you aren't reading paragraphs of dialogue). It really shines with the few action scenes and the amazing backgrounds at night. I also like the inclusion of widescreen scenes (21:9 aspect ratio) that makes the show seem more like a modern film masterpiece. There were also times where i was able to take a screenshot and make it my wallpaper on my computer. It's very high quality and should be watched in 1080p or Blu-ray Quality to get the best experience. Overall, the art in the show is definitely amazing compared to other shows from this time. the only negative here is that it's hard to appreciate it when you're reading a lot of subtitles.


SOUND~
With a series with so much dialogue, the Voice actors in this series really brought their best. All of the roles were well casted and they did an excellent job conveying the characters emotions. As for the music, it was remarkable. This is the first time I have seen a show with an OST this good. All the songs were well placed and helped amplify the scene. The Openings for Bakemonogatari were equally good or better than the rest of the OST. Special mention to "Staple Staple" (Hitagi crab, OP1) and "Sugar Sweet Nightmare" (Tsubasa Cat, OP5) for being the standout openings in the series. Overall, the sound doesn't sacrifice any quality compared to the rest of the series and will not dissapoint.


CHARACTERS~
With a show centered around character interactions, Bakemonogatari really shines here. All the characters are well written and have unique and distinct personalities and traits. For example, Koyomi Araragi has a single strand of hair standing up on his hair that is used to convey his reactions to the situation, instead of his face. This was well done in order to show extreme emotions without directly stating it. Each of the characters introduced are given equal screen time are given ample amount of time for development. Overall, the characters in this series are excellent and are well to allow for the lengthy dialogue sequences to develop them further. Some of the most meaningless conversations in the series give the characters depth and make them to seem like real people.

ENJOYMENT~
Now for my bias to show. I really loved this anime, if it wasn't already apparent. I found Bakemonogatari to be really unique in what it was trying to do and I loved every second. Despite the lengthy conversations that would sometimes leave me bored, I found them realistic and well thought out. I also loved the exciting action sequences that provided an excellent change in pace for the show and always got me excited. This show provides a really interesting story about mythological creatures that cause issues for beautiful girls. As a fan of both, this was an enjoyable show to watch and provided a fresh look on anime as an art form.

OVERALL~
Bakemonogatari is a really unique show that excels in each of these categories. Because of this, it has become one of my favorite shows and left me immediately knowing that it is a masterpiece. Watching each episode was like watching a passionate writer pour his thoughts onto a page while an amazing soundtrack quietly played in the background. Bakemonogatari exceeded my expectations by quite a bit, and made me appreciate what the creators were doing. Bakemonogatari is a rare gem that should be appreciated by everyone at one point in their "anime viewing career."

"Right now, I'm afraid of losing you...

Although my life hasn't been very fortunate until now, I'm glad if I caught your eye because of that misfortune.
Because of that, I was able to fall for you.
So we'll definitely do something, but I want to wait just a bit.
So, right now, the last thing I can offer you...
Is this starry sky."
~Senjougahara Hitagi

"A friend is someone who knows all about and still loves you" ~Elbert Hubbard

Story: 8/10

The story in this show is pretty good. I'm not calling it special, but it gets the job done and provides a stage for the characters. There are a few plot holes and some things that are unexplained but is not dull of boring. Overall, the story is above par compared to other school drama, slice of life and supernatural anime.

Art/Sound:7/10

The art in this show is consistent through the show and is enjoyable to see. That being said, the animations not perfect. However, for 2010 this shows art style was ... good for a TV aired show. For the sound, It was ok. The first OP was catchy and captured the lighthearted aspects of school drama of this show. On another note about the music, the tracks in the OST did their job but were forgettable making the sound the weakest part of the show.

Character: 10/10

In a show revolving around friendship and character development, this show delivers strong and provides strong characters and well thought out backstories. The development for each and every one of the main characters was unbelievable. I found myself caring for the characters and felt as though I knew them personally. Towards the end of the series, I felt as though they were my friends and when the series ended, I felt as though I had just moved away. The backstories of each character was touching in their respect. Without spoiling this, I would just like to say that the character who's story touched me the most was that of Iori Nagase. I did like Inaba's backstory the best because I was able to relate it to my own life the most. Overall, my only gripe on the characters was Taichi's development. As a viewer, he was the character I learned the least about in the show that was of importance. However, that does not take away from the great character development.

Enjoyment: 10/10

I have always been a sucker for school drama's in anime. This being said, I enjoyed this show quite a bit. There is a supernatural element in the show giving it it's unique story that I did not mind one bit. I loved the characters, OP's and story very much making it one of my top 10 favorite anime and easily one of the best school anime I have ever seen. The pacing was great for a 13 episode series making it easy to watch in one sitting.

Conclusion: 9/10

This is a great supernatural anime revolving around a tightly knit group of friends. However, Kokoro Connect is still a school drama at heart (no pun intended) so it may not appeal to everybody. That bring said, if you like shows about high school or want to see a show about great characters, this is the show for you. Though not perfect, Kokoro Connect will always hold a spot near the top of my anime list as well as a spot in my heart.

Every once in a while, an show just blows your expectations away.

Story: 8/10

Gurren Lagann's story can be described in one word: "Crazy". The story revolves around Simon and his adventures on the surface of Earth in his mecha Lagann. As the show progresses, Simon grows as a character and the story takes darker turns. There is a time jump after episode 16 which was added to progress the story faster and was necessary to set up the amazing ending. Overall, the story is good and enjoyable.

Art: 8/10

The art in this show is very unique compared to other art styles in anime. This particular style is ... similar to that of a manga and may seem strange at first, but soon begins to grown on you.

Sound: 10/10

The OST for this show is one of the few soundtracks that I have listened to in full after watching the show. The songs are very atmospheric and provide an excellent stage for the numerous battles and action scenes. The opening was used before all the episode through the series and was very catchy. The OP was also used in various important battles in the series. One song that must be mentioned is "Libera Me From Hell." This is a hip hop song with a few epic opera parts that is a very catchy song. I'm not a fan on hip hop/rap song to begin with, but I still find myself listening to this song quite a bit. I really love how this song was utilized in the series and really enhances the show, espechially in the final episodes.

Characters: 10/10

The characters in this show are very well developed, which surprised me the most. This show initially comes across as a dumb, over the top action show, which it is, but has great characters that hold the story together without being too "deep."

Enjoyment: 10/10

There are few times that I can say that I enjoyed an anime from start to finish. The shows progression is very well done and kept me engaged. The action in this show is animated great, especially in the last few episodes. As I have touched on a few times before, the last few episodes of this series. These last 4 episodes are some of the best episodes I have seen in anime. Period. That may come across as a bold statement, but I believe it to be true. These 4 episodes showcased the show's best animation, sound, and character development. This is how a climax is done.

Conclusion

If you have never heard of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, never seen a mecha anime before, are postponing this show or just want a good action show to watch, start this show now. There are few shows that I can claim that a show has changed my view of anime, and this show has. It has given me a new perspective on action shows and mecha shows in general. Overall, this show was an incredibly enjoyable show that I highly recommend.