Nekomonogatari Kuro (Black) is a good addition to the Monogatari series, serving as a solid prequel to Bakemonogatari and the story of Tsubasa Hanekawa.

Despite being a prequel, the narrative will keep you engaged, even though you are already familiar with the outcome. The prequel provides a deeper understanding of Hanekawa's character, making her more of a integral character within the broader series. That being said as much as i do like this anime and am amused it exists, i find it wasn't at all necessary. I feel it's a very nice cherry on top of an already great cake of which being Hanakawa's story in Bakemonogatari.

The anime's pacing being only four episodes does not have the luxury of lingering on unnecessary filler content. This concise storytelling contrasts sharply with Nisemonogatari, which i found to be overly extended and padded at times. This is to the benefit of Nekomonogatari Kuro that it ensures every scene serves a purpose. This prequel was handled very well pace wise and gives me more belief in director Tomoyuki Itamura.

As with other entries in the Monogatari series (up until this point), the monologues are prevalent. The monologues here are well done and feel a lot more interesting than the vast majority in Nisemonogatari. That being said a lot of this feeling may be down to either: 1. Me being in a better frame of mind watching the anime 2. The specific arc being shorter than Nisemonogatari or possibly a mixture of both. Although Bakemonogatari was fifteen episodes and was better than both so i feel it's more the former point than the latter. But i did prefer the character's chat's more in this than in Nisemonogatari.

Another positive i believe director Tomoyuki Itamura made was the not as egregious Fan Service. Now it is still in this anime that is a given, however it seemed to be toned down to far more acceptable standards. Fan service isn't always a negative, but i find Nisemonogatari went overboard with this and here it is used far better. That being said it is far shorter than the eleven episodes of Nisemonogatari thus maybe that is a reason for this seeming change.

The action scenes (though limited) are executed with the same creativity seen in previous instalments. The fight sequences are visually nice to look at not only because of good animation but well done choreography. It is interesting in these instalments that one of the seemingly least important aspects of the Monogatari series is one of the most impressive as action is not what the anime is known for.

The unique visual style of the series is known for is showcased here rather well. There wasn't a single time i gazed upon a scene and was negatively impacted by what i saw. Just as good as anything found in Nisemonogatari if not better than.

While the opening sequences of Bakemonogatari set high expectations, the opening of Nekomonogatari Kuro i find didn't quite hit those heights. Although it may not reach the brilliance of earlier openings, it is still fitting for the tone of the arc and complements the story’s focus on Hanekawa well enough. I also find it more visually pleasing than any Nisemonogatari opening sequence.

Overall, Nekomonogatari Kuro is a well made prequel that not only complements the existing story of Hanekawa but also the overall narrative. For fans of the series it offers valuable insights into Hanekawa’s character, while it's well paced storytelling ensures that it remains engaging from start to finish. Although not necessary, i am happy knowing it exists.

Final Score - 7/10