Reviewing "The Monogatari Series" (Before I Even Finish It) with a Side Dish of a Challenge to the Ecchi Genre

PREFACE
You can skip down a ways to get to the review.

I can't think of the last time that I watched a film or series that really challenged its genre labels, and that's [probably] for good reason. Genres exists as a tool for potential consumers to get an idea of what a show (or song, even) has to offer. However, I've come to realize that in my mind, genres seem to be more restricting than that. I often think things like "Yeah, but it's a comedy, it can't be that serious," but still, I don't think this is inherently a bad thing.

To put it another way, genres tend to give us an idea of what we can expect from a show. A supernatural show is more than likely going to break some laws of physics here and there -- the science won't always check out, but that's not a bad thing necessarily, is it? I like to think not. I think even without examples like this, you understand how genres have a way of putting a spin on something all the while taking something away from it.

I'm saying a lot without getting to the point. The Monogatari Series is an anime series produced by SHaFT that caught my eye the moment I reemerged myself into the anime scene. However, I was always weary of the show for one reason: its ecchi tag. Anyone who delves in anime understands what that genre label entails, but for those who don't, I have a couple of bits of information.

1. This show is probably not for you (yet).
2. Ecchi is a genre tag that implies eroticism. Sexual overtones and compromising situations a-plenty. 

When I was first made aware of this show, ecchi was probably the sole genre I swore away from (though I also tend to stray away from Shounen for different reasons). Unlike the supernatural genre which gives as much of what I wanted as it takes, I wanted nothing that ecchi has to offer. Sexual themes in media were/are, awkward, especially in anime. However, The Monogatari Series is drowning in praise, and I couldn't ignore that. So, after putting it off for a very long time, I caved and gave Bakemonogatari (the first in the series) a fair chance.

THE REVIEW STARTS HERE
Bakemonogatari (Bake-) is a supernatural, ecchi, dialogue-heavy anime series. 

From the get-go, substance was brought to every single "fair warning" I got for the show. We get a timed panty-shot from [one of] the series' bustiest girls, but that was not the most alarming thing about our opening sequence.

You see, there are certain "rules of cinematography," as I like to call them, that cameramen and directors are taught to obey to avoid discomfort for the viewer. As foreign as that may sound, you're most likely familiar with the terms that make up these "rules" -- Things like head room and leading room. People tend to feel a strange discomfort when these two things aren't there; claustrophobia comes to mind. Another thing you should avoid are frequent "cuts." The word I use to describe the feeling you get when these rules aren't followed is "jarring."

I know, I'm saying a lot again. To put it bluntly, SHaFT Studios does NOT follow these rules. This isn't accidental, though. They set out to break these rules almost for the sake of it. Much like the ecchi tag, I figured this was something one like me would learn to live with, not find "enjoyable."

The whole run of the series is filled with this. Girl characters are very open with their sexuality, and the guys don't shy away from being interested. Mind you, there are no sex scenes -- this isn't hentai, just ecchi -- but this is still a show you do not want unsuspecting or unexpected people to walk in on you watching. Lots of text also flashes on and off the screen, and you're not expected to be able to catch it all. What's more is when we cut away from this sensory overload, we're often zoomed way too close to a character, typically to show something off (like an eyeball reflecting something). It's very easy to constantly feel on edge and like you're not getting the whole picture. Still, I continued to watch, and after around 5 episodes I had made my verdict: I was probably going to drop this show from lack of interest. I wasn't enjoying it as much as I was hoping I would, but it's not as if I was not enjoying it altogether.

Bake- was doing some things really well. Conversations between established characters were colorful, for example. Though the story's subject was oftentimes less-than-consuming, it wasn't bad. In fact, I thought some of the curses that plagued the characters were very interesting, and the symbolic weight that they shared were definitely nice food for (perhaps shallow) thought.

The show is also split into 5 stories, each with its own deuteragonist to bring about some sort of conflict for a single protagonist. I personally found that many of them during Bake- aren't particularly fascinating, but a couple of them did get me hooked, and I was sad when it got time to move on from them to the next story. As I moved along in the show, I also began to notice a trend: action was playing an increasingly important role all the while staying as a background element to the dialogue-heavy plot. Also, save for a couple of moments, this show wasn't all that perverse. At least, not by anime standards.

Somewhere during the fifth and final story, Tsubasa Cat, I got hooked. I find this ironic because this story focuses on one of my least favorite characters (Tsubasa Hanekawa). This story arc brought a lot of things together, all of the characters were working toward a unified goal, and minor characters started to show their worth. The main character(s) also began to make some serious character progress. Possibly my favorite realization about the series was made during this arc: This show is going to save a lot of the action for one late moment, and it's going to be intense when it's released.

I cannot stress this enough: I am not a huge fan of action-oriented shows. I respect the ability to capture/animate these scenes, but I always feel like it's showy and shallow. The Monogatari Series does action right by me, and there's a good chance some of you reading this will wildly disagree with me. Action moments are intense, to the point, and serve a purpose in the Monogatari Series. I have yet to come across a confrontation that carries across episodes, and that's something I hope a lot of shows mimic. Something important always happens in these action scenes, as well. A lot of shows, for example, will simple have a character be in a confrontation with another simply as a means to show off the characters and where they're at (strength- or maturity-wise). Monogatari doesn't initiate such confrontation without something major coming from it. That could be anything from demonstrating lack of trust, or absolutely concluding a story. Whats more, these sequences are brilliant from an artistic standpoint.

The bizarre cinematography shines in the action sequences. There's really nothing I can say that can really capture the intensity. Sometimes flashing words are more stressful than the severed limbs and impaled bodies, but we're not short on that, either. Even so, we do see conflicts where one punch thrown and the showdown is concluded -- Nothing overly-gory has to happen every time. The music also always fits extremely well, too. Not a lot to say past that. Where most shows leave me wishing the action was trimmed, Monogatari left me wanting more of the same.

Eventually, I finished Bakemonogatari. I had mixed feelings for sure. I loved a couple of the openings, I was entranced by some of the story elements, and the intense ending left me hyped, but I wasn't sure that was enough to carry me through another dialoug-heavy, erotic cour. Regardless I gave #2 a shot: Intro Nisemonogatari

Good lord have mercy, Nisemonogatari was a beast. Like Bake-, Nise- was heavy in sexual situations; you could even go as far as to say that was dialed up in Nisemonogatari. Unlike Bake-, Nise- started off with an intense grab for my attention, and it worked. We're also introduced with a couple of new characters that teased, yet eluded us from Bake-. Character relationships are further developed and we get a LOT more into the meat of what Monogatari is (and it's more than the infamous Toothbrush Scene (Which, by the way I found HILARIOUS)).

There's something wrong with me



So what is Monogatari? We're not there yet. We got caught in some dialog that is witty, nonsensical and thought-provoking, all while keeping a great amount of humor and strangely satisfying awkwardness in it. Our hero is put into some compromising situations, and girls continue to be objectified, but something has changed about that aspect. Though it's still awkward eroticism, it's got charm. 

Now we're there. I didn't realize it until Nisemonogatari, but as awkward as I found every compromising situation is the series, there was always something unique about it. Sometimes, it was rolling-on-the-floor hilarity. Other times, it begged the question of "how is this going to affect the story going forward?" Sometimes it wasn't even anything past "That was shameless, what was I expecting,"  but the scene would retain some immense charm.

Okay, Not every time. But now I have your great reveal: The Monogatari Series is a series that challenges what it is to be an ecchi show, and what those shows are limited to. I went into Bakemonogatari hoping that the series would put a damper on the sexual nature it advertised and now, as deep as I am in it, I hope it never compromises what it is. It will have it's sexual scenes. Sometimes it will serve a great purpose, sometimes it'll just be something we find funny that we probably shouldn't...

And on top of that, The Monogatari Series is so much more than a fanservice-filled adventure. It has philosophical questions, brilliant characters, witty dialogue, dumb dialogue, high-intensity action, catchy as all hell openings ----- It's a dang good time. Yeah, you'll have to wade through Araragi Koyomi being an extreme pervert a lot more often than I wish you had to, but I promise if you look, there's something to take away from it every time; even if it's just a cheap laugh. If you're not someone who can laugh at the worst of sexual desires, maybe this show isn't for you... but maybe it is. Monogatari does a great job of looking you in the eye and asking you the hard questions. Things like "is there anything we can have a character do that is utterly unforgivable?... Will you let us try and see if we can take anything away from it?"

Is ecchi inherently bad? I used to think so without a question, but I'm not so sure anymore.

As much as I hate it, I love The Monogatari Series. I want to say "despite" but that's would invalidate this entire review ----. Ecchi genre tag and all, The Monogatari Series one of my new favorites and my opinion of it is only getting better. I could still go without the timed panty-shot, though.