EPISODE 1
Shaft continues with their clever way of hiding how low their budget was by having 10 seconds of real life monkeys on the screen.
But what we also get is more Snail bantering, oh frisky Snail you. I miss the times when Second Season spoilers One of them also being a lesbian introduced in Monogatari-like fashion.
But do you know what Shaft definitely doesn't lack? Top tier music and voice acting. I skip like 60% of OPs and Shaft managed to create OPs that I didn't skip once. Also Sawashiro. Always Sawashiro. Yes.
Oh yes, With Kanbaru's introductory scenes and Snail confirming it even further, the show made you believe Monkey is definitely gonna increase Araragi's harem. Pretty clever considering you can't mention the name of the series without someone losing their shit shouting "HAREM"(with an insulting adjective or two) at your face. There's no way you'd ever see the twist coming, right? Nisio Isin is literally the new Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla of writing.
Jokes aside, we get more best couple dialog and Senjougahara not mincing her words. Once again, Senjougahara's way to dere. No seriously, if you didn't realize it already, her every teasing moment needs to have a heartwarming positivity, the conversation about killing Araragi further proves it(in a way).
And do you know what Senjougahara has that other girls acting "dangerous" don't? Threats that actually sounds threatening. With that flawless logic and her very introduction, you just don't know with that woman.
Well you thought Senjougahara was scary? Hanekawa's lens glare and voice amplifier are not screwing around while she stands in the middle of a goddamn road, she jelly as hell.
Funfact: Lens glare was also in play in Snail arc when she said something even more downhearted related to her suffering. It's nothing new in the medium, but still worth mentioning in this case.
EPISODE 2
After Araragi getting BTFO at the end of the last episode, we get a conversation that felt just surreal. From Senjougahara behaving like it's nothing to Araragi's "humble" lie. Of course, it's Araragi's point of view so it's most likely greatly exaggerated in all fields, but it doesn't make this situation any less ridiculous. Also Senjougahara service, craaazy.
Books. Lots of books. Instead of a messy room, it's just books. Seriously, absurd locations like these really enhance the show, you never what you'll see next.
And this, this is the best Monogatari reaction face ever, hands down.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? Yeah, slight foreshadowing, but her involvement was spoiled since the OP first played so that's quite irrelevant.
You can't listen to Kanbaru's story and not feel bad. Alright, Nisio Isin executed her struggles very well, but you have to applaud the music, Sawashiro and dramatic/weird shots which improve it so much more. Bake is dense with atmosphere.
I know I praised Senjougahara for her sexual innuendos, but Kanbaru's teases on the way to Meme are on a whole new level, telling us how it is
By the way, uke and seme is about who is on bottom and who on top. I always thought it's dude exclusive though(and maybe it is?).
That being said, what the fuck started happening after that? Seems like wordplay crack with so many random real life shots and with astroboy Aroragi, I still have no idea what any of that meant. I guess translating something like that was suffering.
EPISODE 3
Loli Kanbaru, deredere Senjougahara, normal school skirts. Rare stuff indeed
Seriously though, the commotion around a monkeyman beating up middle school girls when they were sleeping in their beds was kinda too mild, don't you think?
The show was obviously trying to make Meme seem suspicious and unsettling before the fight. And they definitely succeeded making his assistance really satisfying. What a bro, makes you feel bad for doubting him.
And there goes the entire budget on the fighting scene, to be fair it was hype as fuck, but mostly thanks to "Rainy Devil" track. The OST is just 10/10.
And then Comfygahara™(mhm that hoodie) knocks. More Senjougahara-dere. Knowing her verbal pattern makes her kinda predicrable, but I'd say even more charming.
Anyway, she saves the day and everyone's happy.
You know what rubs me the wrong way? The entire cause of this arc itself, Kanbaru loving Senjougahara.
This is only really apparent after you finished the entire series and you rewatch Bake, but her feelings are completely forgotten after this. I know, I know, Kanbaru pretty much got over her, but it still leaves a sour taste because it wasn't mentioned or hinted at once. It was just...forgotten. I mean it's only said once or twice how they spent time together in the next episode or so.
In addition, the curse plot itself is less unique(at least I never heard Hachikuji's curse anywhere else) making most plot reveals and twists obvious that weren't already.
Whatever, the bantering, romance and some supernatural mysteries to keep stuff happening with great visuals and OST is everything Bakemonogatari is about and this arc does it almost perfectly which is why it's in my top 5. To be honest every Bake arc besides Snake arc is.
Which is exactly what's next. Uuugh
