Unlike with Shangri-la, I've been delaying this on purpose because . . . I've decided to cover this by arc.Bakemonogatari introduces to us yet another chick in this arc. First we got a self-claimed tsundere, then a loli, then now a lesbian. Ah well, at least there's a variety of babes that aren't 100% stereotypical (My eyes will bleed if there'll be someone like a moe megane big boobed girl in the cast).And finally, we get to see some gore . . . and what a mindf*ck and creative way of showing it. I love it~ Haha!THE OPBut since the main character of the arc is a sporty girl, I expected it to be . . .errr . . funkier or something. But it juse seemed too similar to Hitagi's OP theme. Well, even if it wasn't as cool as I expected it to be, the opening theme sure had a nice song. The scenes seem light but there's actually some twistedness in it, especially the ending! Haha! Hooray for Hitagi + gigantic scissor!!!THE GIRLThis arc introduces to us Suruga Kanbaru, an underclassman of the main couple, and an ace in the basketball team. We see her first as Koyomi's stalker. She is not good in pretending. She doesn't seem to be a bad person though, but her supernatural problem awakens her subconscious twisted desires.THE CRUSHThis girl says she's a lesbian (she's also a lolicon, and into BL), and totally has a crush on Hitagi since junior high. It wasn't love at first sight, but after a few days of interacting with the used-to-be-nice Hitagi, she fell in love, and had an unrequited love. They used to be really close that people have started calling them "Valhalla" (BaruHara), a nickname Kanbaru made up herself. I find the nickname really awesome . . . it's Norse Mythology! Hell yeah!When Hitagi changed, she had also found out about Hitagi's secret, but when threatened, she didn't do anything anymore even if she wants to, since she was thinking that she should just follow what Hitagi wants Koyomi had been different from her, for he didn't stop in trying to help Hitagi even when threatened.So when she found out that Koyomi and Hitagi are going out . . . she was absolutely jealous. Not only was he able to be by Hitagi's side, but he was able to make her smile . . . .things that Kanbaru wants to do very badly.THE ARMThe oddity on this victim looked like a monkey's paw. There's actually a story about it that it fulfills the owners wishes in a twisted way.Kanbaru inherited some hand of a mummy from her mother. She first used it when she was in elementary, wishing to be faster than the others. Her wish got fulfilled, by the oddity using her body in beating up her classmates.I honestly don't get what's with the raincoat thought. She still used it in present times.She had also be tempted to use it at other times, and recently it was used once again in killing Koyomi. Luckily, our main character's immortal, so he's not dead. He was able to figure her out at once, but he still wanted to know her reason.I actually find it weird that Kanbaru wasn't surprised of Koyomi being alive after the monstrous things she did . . . since she's actually semi-aware of what she did. I know this series is weird, but that's just a bit . . . . to unnatural . . . .THE TRUTHI like the twist about the supernatural phenomenon in this arc. It turns out that the oddity isn't exactly a Monkey's Paw, but actually a Rainy Devil. The victim got herself involved with the devil. If her three wishes are fulfilled, her soul will be taken. It follows the usual devil contracts thingy, but that's what having a deal with the devil is like~ Really . . .really dangerous~And since it's a devil, it's not fulfilling Kanbaru's wishes in a twisted manner, but actually fulfilling the true evil wishes that she has in her subconscious mind. Not a surprise, for a human mind can be that evil.Even though she had supernatural abilities, she still wouldn't have been able to help Hitagi because a wish of curing her is something good.THE REJECTIONHaha! Even with the shoujo-ai/yuri fanservice that this arc had provided, Hitagi told Kanbaru straightforwardly that she doesn't like her in that degree. And even if she actually likes the girl (not in a romantic way), she would actually kill her if ever she kills Koyomi.THE LOVEI really really love it that Koyomi x Hitagi isn't a mushy couple~ They're somewhat in a twisted relationship, because Hitagi is as mean and as brutal as ever! Haha! But surprisingly she says incredibly romantic things . . . . she even thought of living with him. Whoaaa~ Oh Koyomi's blushes were so cute~Still, Hitagi's so brutal that it didn't seem to pain her seeing Koyomi almost dead. Maybe she's relaxed that she knows he's immortal . . . or she is angry enough at him to want to beat him to death. She did say that she wanted to be the one to kill him. What twisted love this girl has . . . haha!I find it cute that Hanekawa is a Koyomi x Hitagi shipper. Hehe~ She says that Koyomi's interested in knowing about his lover's past, but she advises him not to dig in too deep. She had also noticed that Koyomi and Hitagi had similarities when it comes to social life. Ah well, it's not always true that only opposites attract. They had similarities somehow, and not all are obvious~Anyway, though Koyomi is actually . . . a pervert . . . (fortunately not the extremely disgusting type like in many ecchi manga), he does love Hitagi and no one can replace her~ He has already caught the toughest character after all, haha!THE SAINTI don't like martyr characters, at least most of them, because they seem like fakes or hypocrites. But I love SANTLY characters, and Koyomi's one of them. He helps even the one who had tried to kill him . . . and it's really a very little reason. He forgives too easily. Whoaaaa~Oshino also says that he has been too kind and soft-hearted. He totally is! He's such a nice guy . . . that an evil babe like Hitagi had fallen for him. Even if she doesn't really agree to what he does, but since it's him, she thinks it can't be too bad.He's also freakin' forgiving that no matter how many times you bully or torture him, he may become annoyed or pissed, but he won't ever hate you, nor will he ever back down if you'll need help.I love characters like him~And ah, he let himself get bitten by a vampire to power-up . . . he's not as strong as when he was a vampire even with that level-up . . . but still . . .I wish he had combat abilities. He was just beaten up like a loser against Kanbaru. Pathetic honestly . . . . but it was gore fanservice. Haha! I'm used to immortals being beaten up brutally and mercilessly thanks to Baccano, but Bakemonogatari sure had a colorful way to present it . . . and there's even the intestine swinging!! Whoaaaa . . .hahaha . .THE GODDESSEven if more girls had showed up, Hitagi is still my goddess in this series~ She is still the beautiful yet brutal goddess~ No staplers this time, but the classic weapon pen was held by her divine hand. Haha!THE BADASSAs for Oshino, Koyomi had a perfect description of him: "You...even compared to a devil, you're such a magnificent bastard."THE LOLThere are hilarious stuff in this series of course~ The greatest entertainment for me will ALWAYS be the ahoge~ Hahahaha!!!! I keep on giggling everytime the camera focuses on it~The fanservice was WTF though (seriously, Hitagi, a favor for him while dying in the train tracks, is showing him fanservice?! Weirdoes! Hahahaha!). Even Kanbaru was offering fanservice to him. Even Hachikuji had perverted thoughts. But unlike Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, this series isn't really harem. Thank goodness.Anyway, it was a bloody awesome arc~ I look forward to the next one! Yay!
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