Nisemonogatari - Episode 2

Koyomi, I hope you enjoy a taste of your own medicine

Surprisingly, I actually liked this episode. It was easier to understand than the first one and had more of a lighthearted feel to it. This episode continued with the introductions, with Nadeko, Suruga and Karen getting their turns this time around. Unfortunately, most of the references still flew over my head but, nonetheless, it was still an enjoyable episode, indeed.

A big reason why I liked this episode was because of Nadeko. I felt she didn't get enough screentime in Bakemonogatari so I was overjoyed when I saw Koyomi stand in front of Nadeko's house at the start of this episode. The scenes which follow can only be described as an overload of moe. Although I do like Nadeko's old hairstyle better (same for Hitagi), I was too captivated by her actions to care about her hair. My heart melted while I watched her try to get Koyomi's attention. It's unfortunate that he's too dense and doesn't realize a thing (in a comedic way, unlike other stupidly dense male leads). Adding on to Nadeko's physical cuteness is Hanazawa Kana's amazing ability to voice moe characters and bring them to life. After this episode, I can safely say that Nadeko is my favorite character of the series alongside Hitagi.

Suruga's part of the episode wasn't as great as Nadeko's, but it was slightly amusing. I wasn't a big fan of the ecchi fanservice but I felt like it worked as a reminder of Suruga's perverted nature. The most interesting scene in this part of the episode was how similar the relationship between Koyomi and Mayoi is with the relationship between Suruga and Koyomi (order of names matter). Basically, I found it funny when Koyomi got a taste of his own medicine (Suruga sexually harassing him the way he sexually harasses Mayoi). The "Mayoi face" (see screenshot) further emphasized the similarities and I couldn't help but burst out laughing when I saw that.

Rounding out the introductions for this episode is none other than the supposed focus of this arc: Araragi Karen. She is literally the complete opposite of Tsukihi which makes them a lethal combination; one's weaknesses are made up for by the other's strengths. The symbol of the sun/light for Karen and the moon/darkness for Tsukihi further adds to their differences. Right now, I can't really decide which of the two sisters I like since I find they're both a bit too extreme in terms of personality. However, I do find both of them likeable.

And with this episode came the long-awaited ED. To be honest, I found ナイショの話 to not be as impressive as I expected. It definitely doesn't reach the levels of irony and Connect but it's still quite decent. The OP impressed me, though. I really liked the melody and the vocals by Kitamura Eri were solid. I'll be patiently waiting for the singles of both these songs.