Anime Review: Owarimonogatari Part 1 (Lights, Camera, Action!)

Owarimonogatari Part 1 (UK Rating: 15)

This latest supernatural story serves as Araragi's introduction to Ougi Oshino. Ougi has discovered a strange discrepancy within the walls of the school - a room that exists on no plans - and she enlists Araragi to investigate. What follows is a glimpse into Araragi's past beyond the year that the Monogatari story has so far covered, showing Araragi's first year in school. The first arc is all about mathematics, and an exam Araragi sat, with particular interest in the most beautiful and the ugliest mathematical theories in human history, Euler's Identity and Majority Rule. Don't worry, though - the series opens with an exposition on both for those who aren't familiar with them, or had forgotten the details. Obviously, this story isn't going to be as simple as a pleasant reminiscing about old times. The answers to the exam were stolen and a corrupt class trial unfolded and the appointed culprit left the school in shame, yet to return. Now, if Araragi wants to see the light of day again, he needs to solve the mystery of who stole the papers.

This first mystery introduces Sodachi Oikura, the girl blamed for the theft - a young lady who hates Araragi, for some reason, and the subsequent arcs delve into the reason for that hatred and some dark truths from the past of both her and Araragi. The real heart of the story, though, is the relationship between Araragi and the mysterious Ougi. Since her introduction, Ougi has been an enigma, with her pitch black eyes, haunting stare, and strange speech patterns, able to switch genders freely and comment on things that she should have no knowledge of. This season gives a further look into her and hints that she may be more than an occasional cameo in the series - she may have hand in everything that has been happening to Araragi. It's an interesting new dynamic on the relationships of the show to see how she toys with and intimidates Araragi with complete ease.

Those with some understanding of the Japanese language may recognise the unique part of the title here - Owari - used for "End," "Finish," or "Conclude." It may have originally been planned to be the final part of the Monogatari story but, fortunately, creator Nisio Isin has been continuing the story in its light novel form and there is still more anime, too, with a trilogy of animated movies based on Kizumonogatari hopefully reaching UK shores after Owarimonogatari Part 2. Despite being the "final" anime series, it's not the conclusion to the series, as Monogatari has always abided by its own rules when it comes to where each release falls chronologically, with each story landing somewhere within Araragi Koyomi's final year in high school. This latest is set in October, around six months after Araragi becomes a vampire, but set before before Otorimonogatari, Koimonogatari, Tsukimonogatari, and Hanamonogatari. It's worth checking out some of the series' timeline guides for a more thorough understanding of the entries and the series is made for re-watching in different viewing orders.

8/10

Great - Silver Award

Owarimonogatari Part 1 again shows why the Monogatari series was such a fantastic coup for MVM. The series is absolutely amazing and completely unique. This latest instalment continues the quality, filled with deep, rich, and thought-provoking storytelling, with the same adventurous and ground-breaking presentation. Best of all, it gives a deeper look into Araragi himself, which when seen, casts a whole new light on everything that has come before.