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I AM NOT TO BE SURPRISED AGAIN
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After watching Bakemonogatari and Kizumonogatari, I now knew what I was getting myself into. Much like the previous two shows in the series, Nisemonogatari as well didn’t lack any of its unique and strange way of approaching general plot, storytelling and of course their amazing characters. In these 11 episodes we follow mainly firesisters and Koyomi who present common human obstacles in their weird way. I feel like that the very start of the anime was a bit uneventuful compared to the rest of the show which felt on the move all the time. That was something I really appreciated and made me enjoy the whole show even more than I normally would. Enough of the introductory talk, let’s get to the specific parts of the story which are totally worth mentioning.
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TRYING TO KEEP THEM OUT OF THE TROUBLE AT ALL COSTS
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If I start off with Karen Araragi, she was a character who at first felt like an energized version of Koyomi Araragi. She also much like Koyomi wanted to help people in need and do whatever it takes to save them, even if it meant certain defeat with consequences. This leads me to Karen and her conflict between her and Koyomis opinion on her fight for justice. Karen Araragi was looking up to Koyomi in one or more ways, which was the reason for her determination in trying to stop evil. Koyomi Araragi on the other hand tried to deceive his sister that despite her efforts, it means nothing and that she is a „fake”, with that statement I felt like Koyomi was really trying to keep Karen out of the world she didn’t know. But because of the way he phrased it, it became clear that indeed something like that existed and that she should step back and try not to get involved.
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DECISION & CONSENQUENCES
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Koyomi was someone who already knew supernatural and was involved in it. But Karen Araragi wasnt, at least until she got stung. Koyomi till that point tried to keep his sisters out of this danger, as he himself knew from the previous iterations that she possibly wouldn’t be able to get out of trouble like previous characters did. He himself knew that even if she did, Karen would end up with an after-effect, which would disappear at a certain point if she was lucky enough. He knew that maybe then she would lose the option to come back to the previous way of living like Koyomi did.
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WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A BROTHER
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Despite all of what happened in the Karens arc here, at the point where we start crossing into the Tsukihis one, we can start seeing the slow development and change in Karens character. This can be best seen at the ending stages of the last episode where Koyomi asks her if she would be able to die for her siblings. The response she gives ultimately delivered to me and Koyomi a feeling, that she is now taking full accountability of being hero of justice despite all its ramifications. Here we can see all that effort of a brother put into pushing her sister come together.
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THE ILLUSION OF A FAKE
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My absolutely favourite character from the series. Kaiki Deishuu and the sole vibe he gives off from the moment he first appears on the screen joined with his OST called IMITATION, it instantly bringed out that feeling of seeing something mysterious. Like I mentioned above, I feel like Kaikis character really came to flourish and expand to us viewers in a scene with Karen Araragi. I really loved how Kaiki dealt with Karens determination to stop him. It was interesting to follow how he presented his idea of a fake being more than the real thing, an original which appears to be less than a counterfeit. I do not have much else to say about his character, but I think that’s exactly why I liked it so much. I loved the illusion he as a something false created to look on surface as something more than you can imagine.
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SHOWS SETUP FOR A CONCLUSION
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Lastly, I should at least mention second firesister. Here I honestly don’t have much to say anymore, as she felt like she served as the root for a clash Koyomi and other character had at the ending stages of the show. Like I mentioned above, I really appreciated how here there was the idea of a family being challenged, I personally feel like that the show tried to use Tsukihikis backstory as a way to show that even if she wasnt biologically a sibling to Karen and Koyomi, she can still be taken like that because of the time they have spent together.
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CONCLUSION
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I can only suggest to you to watch this piece if you have watched the previous shows of the series, and if you didn’t go catchup, it’s worth it. The unique and weird way monogatari series present itself to the audience is great. I’m talking about plot, characters, the scenery, visuals, the places, and music that themselves give you an odd feeling. I personally fell in love with it all.
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Thank you for reading
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