Nisemonogatari - Review

An imposter is one who is skilled at the arts of deception, often using their gifts to swindle unsuspecting victims. While its predecessor, Bakemonogatari, focused on the supernatural forms of five everyday animals and how the heroines of the story had to deal with them, Nisemonogatari shifts the focal point to the effect that imposters can have on the lives of those around them, specifically the two Araragi sisters. The sequel brings back the heavy dialogue to a lesser extent, adding in a touch of fanservice to fill in the gaps. While liking one does not necessarily mean it'll be same for the other, there is no doubt that both the Monogataris are NisiOisiN's more famous and successful pieces of work.

Art (8/10)
Anyone who has watched anime for a reasonably long period of time must have come across SHAFT's animation on at least one occasion. Known for their "unique" artwork, SHAFT's approach is often times a risky "hit or miss". For Nisemonogatari, I felt the artwork matched the overall atmosphere of the series. The often comical expressions of the characters fit in well with the less serious aspects of the series. The usage of rapid scene changes and abstract visuals in the other parts were also able to set the mood with relative effectiveness. While it may take getting used to, the overall animation style is much more than decent.

Characters (9/10)
Firstly, Araragi Koyomi continues showing why he is one of the most interesting and respectable male protagonists in anime. Given the opportunity and situation, the words that come out of his mouth are unbelievably moving, even encouraging and true. One can easily empathize with his beliefs and ideals, which he strongly holds onto even in the toughest of times. Unfortunately, such a solid character is a rarity these days. While Bakemonogatari dealt with five of his female friends, Nisemonogatari expands on the two characters that are even closer to him: his younger sisters. The combination of Karen and Tsukihi make for an interesting pair; the two are literally the opposites of each other in terms of personality. Nonetheless, after having their fair share of screentime this time around, both sisters were developed quite well (more so Karen than Tsukihi, in my opinion). This can be mostly credited to the exceptional use of development-driving dialogue.

Sound (8/10)
Although there were fewer OPs used in Nisemonogatari than in Bakemonogatari, I felt they were all quite catchy and a pleasure to listen to. As for the ED, even though I really liked it too, my expectations for it (given that it was written by ryo from supercell and performed by ClariS) weren't exactly met. With that being said, topping "Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari" was hard enough already so I'm not going to be too critical. The BGM was at most times overshadowed by the dialogue. But when it was noticeable, it greatly enhanced each scene. Voice acting was once again top notch, with the cast from Bakemonogatari returning, including some new voices.

Story (9/10)
Compared to a "Ghostory" or "Monstory", an "Impostory" is slightly more believable. Dealing with and confronting an imposter is no easy task. The main protagonist, Araragi Koyomi, was taught this lesson twice in the span of eleven episodes. With the story taking place over a time period of a few days, the amount of content involved is astounding. The fact that there were only a few episodes that were devoid of plot-development, proves how concentrated and detailed it is. Like in Bakemonogatari, the plot is mostly dialogue-driven. While this may bore those who are used to action-packed stories, I personally found the large number of long conversations, especially their contents, to be really interesting - especially the way they develop characters that, in turn, end up contributing towards the development of the plot. Although I'm certain that I missed many of the implicit meanings behind certain scenes, the fact that the story is still enjoyable is what matters, even if the bare minimum of what was intended is absorbed.

Overall (9/10)
The increased use of fanservice in Nisemonogatari may be a turn off for fans of the prequel. However, I felt it lightened up the series quite a bit, while at the same time reaching out to those who didn't really enjoy Bakemonogatari because of its complex storyline and total dependence on dialogue to drive the plot forward. Personally, I enjoyed Nisemonogatari more than Bakemonogatari. The balance between gags and seriousness made virtually all 11 episodes enjoyable and interesting. Boredom was hardly an issue throughout and it helped that each of the sisters got four arcs for development instead of the two or three that the other characters got back in Bakemonogatari. So even if you watched Bakemono and didn't enjoy it, I recommend you give Nisemono a try. They're more or less the same but the differences do make a noticeable impact. As for me, I'll be looking forward to a sequel seeing as how there was a "To Be Continued" sign at the conclusion of the last episode.