Ka Ka!

It’s been around a month [Written a month after the original review, but got delayed to now], so it’s a great time as any to finally review the next volume in the Off Season! Spring break is also coming, so I’ll also get the chance to review the movies and light novels. Look forward to all that is coming!

Note: Spoilers for Kizumonogatari, Owarimonogatari (both seasons), and Zoku Owarimonogatari
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Princess Beatuy and Acerola Bon Appétit:

Shinbou’s backstory has always been something that has been hinted at and explored time and time again. In Kizumonogatari, we learn that she was once a human and the second season/of Owarimonogatari shows the tale of her first servant.

However, it’s never been stated how this loveable, blond loli turned into a vampire.
You could only assume the details through rewatches and reading through the Japanese text to piece together your own headcanon.

Until, of course, you read this.

It starts off with a well-written fairy tale about this beautiful princess. Everyone who saw her fell in love instantly and would give her everything she deserved or even hinted at wanting. It became so much that she wanted to get rid of her beauty, and at least show the world what makes her beautiful inside. So, after a witch casts that spell on her, the inside of her is even more beautiful than people start to kill themselves, feeling unworthy to live on the same planet as her, and then the country precedes to be annihilated because this one woman was too beautiful for them. You think the witch would have messed up the spell or done this on purpose, but she was actually the first victim as she is seen dead before this princess’ eyes. And this tale begins to spread around, warning countries of their doom if she ever wanders to them.

Though, what’s so strange about the rest of the chapters is we still don’t get Shinbou’s thoughts (because, if you’ve seen Zoku Owarimonogatari, you know the princess is Shinbou).

Instead, a new character is introduced: The Death-prepared, Death-inevitable, Death-certain vampire, Deathtopia Virtuoso Suicide-Master.
What’s pretty ironic is, that we are first introduced to her after she died of starvation.
However, it is with her introduction you noticed where Shibou gained her habits and personality. The laugh, the ideals, the stubbornness, and everything else came from her. It is also learned that, usually, when you turn a person into your servant/vampire, they transfer certain traits over such as the iconic blond hair Shinbou has. We learn this through…fuck, his name is really weird, but Tropicalesque Home-A-Wave Dog-Strings. …I’m not joking, that’s his name. It’s because of his extremely loyalty that he is essentially a dog.

However, that loyalty is tested by the main plot of this story.

The princess wants to die and Suicide-Master wants to eat her.
Problem?
She’s so beautiful that Suicide-Master kills herself before she can attempt to eat her.

Although, I won’t reveal how the rest of the story continues onward. So far in this off-season, this is by far the best story with the reveal of Shinbou’s inner personality and shows why she behaves in the way she does in Kizumonogatari and the rest of the stories.

But I will say that if you’re debating on reading off season or not, you should definitely read this at least.

Princess Beatuy and Acerola Bon Appétit: 95/100

Karen Orge:

This part of the novel was a drag to read at times if I can be upfront.

I like Karen as a character, but she’s the type of character that only works as a side character. Once they’re given the spotlight, it ruins the brilliance of their character. I.e. the fact she’s a hollow puppet of justice.

The whole story is based on the fact Karen is on a journey of self-discovery. She’s moving up in life and is about to enter high school. With that, she graduates from her training for material arts and her sensei tells her to climb three mountains while discovering her true self. Thing is, Karen isn’t all too excited about graduating nor the idea of climbing mountains. But it’s her sensei, so she belts up and travels onward.

Though, and I can’t express this enough, Karen’s a fucking dumbass.

Pardon my language, but Koyomi ain’t kidding when he says she’s dumb. Not only does she not plan out her trip, but also forgets necessary supplies, AND is a complete novice to mountain climbing, she almost dies many times. That’s why Koyomi, with all the brain cells Karen is missing, uses Shinbou to ensure she doesn’t die. This happens quite often and Shinbou makes the dumbest lie of all time saying each version of her is just her cousin and not the same person.

Karen believes this even though Shinbou messes up the lie tons of times, and contradicts herself in the process.

It creates a very frustrating tale of a girl’s journey to find herself while trying not to die. Even in the end, she doesn’t really discover herself or more that it didn’t feel as if she learned something. If this was Araragi, Senjougahara, Oshino, or any other character, their journey through a mountain would make us understand her. But Karen isn’t that kind of interesting character.

In the end, I rather not climb the mountain with her.

Karen Orge: 50/100

Tsubasa Sleeping:

Three words: Hanekawa finds Dramaturgy.

…

“Holy shit,” you may be saying, “This is going to be incredible!” Unbeknownst to you, Nisioisin has no idea how to make this interesting at all. Well, to be fair to the lad, it’s not like he has no idea, but he most likely went in with the same thought.

However, let me set the scene. This story takes place when Hanekawa finally finds Oshino, so right around the Owarimonogatari anime and novels. In order to convince Oshino to help Araragi, she tells him the story of how one of her journeys to him went. The event was helping Dramaturgy capture two rogue vampires.

The set-up is intriguing in itself, but the unfortunate mistake lies in Dramaturgy’s character.

He’s dull.

Dramaturgy’s the kind of guy who if given the task to buy some milk, would come back with milk and have nothing else to say or do. He has the mission of capturing the vampires, so he does that. Nothing more, nothing less. The statement is proven true when - throughout the strangely short story - Oshino starts to speak out side comments during his dialogue with Hanekawa begging to no avail for Oshino to shut up.

It turns into the Oshino and Hanekawa show rather than the original tale. Honestly get the impression that Nisioisin got bored of the original idea and decided to turn it into this. Thankfully, he did since I enjoyed that a lot more. Even the ending is merely glanced at as the last chapters are filled with that dialogue.

The story I was most excited about turned into a disappointing, but fun read.

Tsubasa Sleeping: 65/100

In conclusion:

This novel was a lacklustre sequel to Orokamonogatari. The first story is the only real reason anyone would want to read this. After that, it’s an enjoyable read that you can do without.

If there was a problem that connected everything, it would be the push of Shinbou away as the novel went on. The first tale was so good that it seems as if Niso thought to include traits of Kizumonogatari in each chapter, but fill it in ideas that aren’t exactly worth 10 chapters or 1 chapter.

Although I enjoyed it, it is the weakest novel in the off season by far. I look forward to the next one!

Have a good day and keep trying to enjoy life
-Kishbokai

P.S. Please Shaft, make more Monogatari