What surprised me more than anything was the afterword on this collection of short stories. As this one inserted itself into the narrative just as this one inserted itself as a 10/10 reaches the heights of Bakemonogatari, Nekomonogatari (Shiro), and Koimonogatari which all hold that eclectic 10/10 in my scoring system but it doesn't get it for the same reasons as Tsubasa Tiger or Hitagi End. Bakemonogatari is the best introduction arcs/entries I've ever seen and both the anime and LN are the best ever. What makes Koyomimonogatari hold its weight into the same level as these other ones when I barely remembered it from my anime binge of Final Season at the beginning of this year? It's simple. It holds the core of Monogatari and lays it all on a road for us to reexperience or recapture the journey from a different perspective. And that's the important part because usual recaps are boring af.

Anyone who has been reading this little reviews knows my love for the Short Stories and this entire Koyomimonogatari is basically extended versions of those short stories with some plot behind them.The Short Stories are usually just banter and feel like the beginning of any tale where it's basically nonsense but those that want to dig a little deeper can connect the thematic elements from this playful conversation between characters. The main drive of the Short Stories is getting another angle from that same time period as these characters change so much it's refreshing to see them in their old light. Koyomimonogatari adds just a little bit of plot for the almost double/triple the page length and creates another format for this series to take on (Maybe the crossover style stories are about as long but I haven't read enough to notice them). So for those Monogatari fans that don't read the Short Stories (I know a surprising amount that haven't touched them or the audio commentaries at all which is a shame tbh), this tale gives a refined and boosted version of those.

For those who think that only the last 2, Koyomi Nothing and Koyomi Dead, are the important ones, you aren't wrong. But why have the other 10 in front of it? Should it be skipped? Of course I will say no. Will I give any real justification or will this just be another rambling of a review that really is simple nonsense? You can decide. I treat this tale as the final distraction that Araragi gives himself before the entrance exams which is ripped away from him anyways by Gaen. But prior to that the anxiety of a test and wanting to do anything and everything be delay the inevitable by finding anything as a distraction. These little trips with each of the characters is his distraction as well as reminiscing about the past. Whether it's Hitagi calling him suicidal in Koyomi Flower but that same type of interaction with the suicide line happens in Mayoi Snail in Bakemonogatari as well as a bouquet of flowers placed on the background in the anime which is used for the basis of this tale's short story. This is but one example and don't want to spend hours looking for these connections but they are there and evident throughout all 10 of the "filler" stories.

Whether the road is concrete, is a separation, is for walking, is a track, is a narrow path, is never stopping, is not on the ground, is always maintained, is unwavering, is not needed, is not the only option, or is a curse, it will be there one shape or another for someone to use.