An anime directed by Akiyuki Shinbo that features a (justified) tsundere, a perverted tomboy, and a cute nerdy bookworm catgirl? I’m set!
From left to right – Book nerd Felicia Hardy, Solid Snake, unoriginal harem male MC, annoying brat, weight disorder mentally ill girl, and confused lesbian possibly bi fan service girl.
Bakemonogatari (lit. Ghost Story) is studio Shaft 2009’s anime adaption of Japanese novelist Nisio Isin’s long running light novel series “Monogatari”. The series centers on high schooler Arargi who (after surviving an vampire attack) gets involved with a couple of girls to help deal with their supernatural problems.
One day, Araagi was chilling and at school doing whatever when his classmate, the withdrawal Hitagi, falls from the top of the stairs (after slipping on a banana peel). Being the good kid that he is, he catches her, only to discover that she’s near weightless. In order to keep him quiet about her disorder Hitagi threatens Araragi, stapling the inside of his cheek; warning him to stay far from her.
This is Hitagi. She has crabs.
Rather than ignoring her warning, Araragi chases after her, and shows off his healing factor (a power he gained from being bitten from the vampire). Hitagi is shocked; the wound she inflicted on him has completely healed! Araragi offers to help Hitagi with her weightlessne introducing him to his mentor and supernatural advisor, Meme.
Homeless bum Meme
Throughout the series, Hitagi and Arargi join forces; tackling series of supernatural cases with other girls and their oddities with as his classmates the athletic (and perverted) Suruga and the nerdy bookworm Tsubasa, the wandering ghost girl, Mayoi, and his sister’s friend, Nadeko. Each girl’s oddity has an unique symbolism tied to them such as Hitagi staple to represent the crab, Mayoi’s bookbage to represent the snail, and Suruga’s arm and brute strength to represent the monkey.
Best girl but she’s also a furry so some points docked.
The Monogatari series is great if you are looking for a story driven and artsy supernatural anime. There isn’t much action but Shinbo’s famous bold and outlandish directing style and the diverse cast of characters will make up for the lack of it.
Check it out on Crunchyroll or other forms of streaming websites.
Eh. I’m a man who doesn’t get himself in drama (although I sure love watching and knowing about it cause I’m nosy), so I don’t watch drama anime. I’m also not big on romantic anime; I find them to be boring. So instead, I’m going to focus on my favorite romantic episode: Hitagi and Araragi’s date (Bakemonogatari Ep. 12)
Despite my dislike for romantic scenes, Hitagi and Araragi’s romance feels real. They’ve grown as not only characters, but as close friends. Romantic partners even. This episode provides us with an insight on the more softer, delicate side of Hitagi. She learns to opening herself and trusting others – things that she has difficulty with due to her rape trauma and her mother’s betrayal. In this episode, we do not just see Hitagi as the harsh, blunt tsundere, but rather, a young girl, finally happy with her life.
Happy to fall in love with someone whom she can open her heart to.
The episode starts with Hitagi and Araragi joyfully having lunch. Hitagi declares that they’ll go on a date after, to the surprise of Araragi. Confused, Araragi doesn’t know how to process this unexpected event. Rather than to respond, he stuffs his face with food. Hitagi sees this as that she may have been forceful, so she rephrases her date request as a question.
She tries various methods of the question, but Araragi continues eating, ignoring her. Confused by the silence, Hitagi asks him if he doesn’t want to go on a date. He replies with that he wants to. Pleased, Hitagi crafts up the plan for their date. Araragi seems pleased too, as he was just “ignoring” her initial request to see how she would react.
Later that night, the two are picked up by Hitagi’s pops (who drives them to their date spot). During the ride, Araragi appears nervous (naturally, he’s in the same with his girlfriend’s father). Hitagi gets on his case, asking why he’s nervous, if he loves her and why. Mind you, she’s doing this in front of her dad, so She’s putting him on the spot – but it works. Her interrogation turns into a lovely, lively chat between herself and Arargi.
After a few minutes, they arrive at a natural park – the location of their date. Hitagi gets out and walks towards an unseen spot, but not before suggesting Araragi to talk with her dad. Araargi gets nervous at the idea.
Her father decides to break the ice with gentle teasing; jokingly asking Araargi to take care of his daughter. After that, he states that it’s been so long since he saw Hitagi so happy and carefree. He expresses his regrets for not being there for Hitagi after her sexual assault (due to his workaholic nature). He reveals that Hitagi has been more active with him and his life stating that she requested his help for their date. He also states that Hitagi has started opening her once closed heart – all thanks to Araragi.
Arargi is surprised by this. He tells him that it was Hitagi who helped herself. The dad replies with rebuttal, telling the kid that he indeed had influenced her change, that he was with her when she needed somebody the most.
‘The most important thing is just being there when you’re needed.’
-Hitagi’s dad.
Time passes as the two continue to talk. Hitagi returns and tells Araragi that she’s ready. She escorts him through the woods (while forcing his head down). After the short trek, the duo stops at the middle of a field with a blanket on the ground. Hitagi asks Araaragi to close his eyes and lay down on the blanket. Next, she ask him to open his eyes. Upon opening his eyes he is greeted with an alluring sight – a boundless starry sky.
Following a series of questions and requests (such as her offering her body to him), Hitagi explains how she’s afraid that Araragi may do something similar to her rapist (possibly triggering a flashback we can assume). She’s afraid that an innocent physical action from him might result in her hating him.
She’s afraid of losing him. She fears losing a valued friend – a friend she grew to trust and love. A friend that she can open up to. Hitagi tells Araragi that she’s happy that she was able to meet him during her days of misfortune. How he never left her side despite her personal issues in life.
Then, she reveals that the section of the park is the same spot where her family spent many times with each other during the happier days of their lives. This spot, she holds close to her heart – a treasured spot. Finally, she asks Araragi to be her first kiss. The two stare at one another, happy to be in each one’s presence holding hands.
Hitagi has finally opened her heart. She has finally find happiness after years of a betrayal, misfortunes, physical sickness, and anger.
‘The sting in my words that shut you up
Ended up stabbing my heart
Before I knew it…it hurts
This is your fault.’
-From Staple Stable (Bakemonogatari OP 1)
TRIGGER WARNING: Rape, molestation, and child abuse mentioned. If you’re bothered by these things, please please please, for the sake of your mental health, do not read on. Thank you.
A traumatic incident can screw up one’s mind. It creates defense mechanisms, anxiety, and trust issues. Hitagi Senjougahara, main heroine of the anime and light novel series “Monogatari”, experienced such things. To repay a debt owed to a cult, Hitagai’s mother set her up to be molested and rape by a high ranking cultist. Hitagi resisted, hitting the cultist with a spiked shoe. Afterwards, her dad filed for divorce, and Hitagi haven’t spoke to her mom since.
Overtime, Hitagi grew distance, hostile, and untrusting of others.
‘And now you’re kinda cold to the people you met Cause of something that was done to you by some creep.’ –Whodini: Friends (1984 hip-hop single).
Throughout the “Hitagi Crab” arc , we learn of the condition and causality of Hitagi’s literal weightlessness, as well as her hostile nature. After Araragi (series’s main hero) saves her from an otherwise fatal fall, he discovers that she’s weightless. In fear that he might run his mouth about her state, Hitagi attacks him. She shoves a mini stapler inside his mouth, stapling his check.
After removing the lodged staple from his check, Araragi reveals his healing factor. Hitagi was shock that there was somebody like her (in terms of weirdness). Araragi offers to help her regain her weight, taken by a god crab spirit.
As Araragi and Hitagi bike to Oshino’s (friend of and occult advisor to Araragi) residence, the two engaged in an interesting conversation. Hitagi refers herself as a tsundere (otaku slang for a character who’s hostile and cold initially, but grows softer and warm towards close ones overtime). This fits her well. Hitagi is cold, distanced, and hostile due to her mental trauma and physical condition. With Araragi’s reveling his powers, understanding her situation, and knowing someone who could help her, Hitagi gradually warms up.
Right!
There are two points I want to explore here:
Prior to meeting Oshino, Araragi asks Hitagi if he could hold on to her school supplies (which double as her weaponry). She responds “You set me up, right?”, pauses, and surrender her goods. At the second point, upom meeting Oshino, Hitagi asks if he could save her. Oshino responds with that only she could save herself. Hitagi snaps on him, stating that five people prior told her the same thing, only to try to scam her. She then asks Oshino if he was a scammer himself, which he only laughs off her (somewhat baseless) fears.
This made me wonder: are her worries defense mechanisms? If so, you can’t blame her. Victims of traumatic experiences tend to be more defensive and aggressive towards others. Traumatic experiences can changed one’s point of view, as Oshino pointed out to Hitagi about hers.
‘If I trust a person so easily, I don’t know how many times I would’ve been tricked.” -Hitagi Senjouhara
Fasting forward to episode 2’s ritual scene, Oshino asks Hitagi a series of questions. The first few are basic: school life, date of birth, and favorite author. All to each she answered unhesitating. When asked about her most painful memory of her life however, Hitagi freezes up, taking a sharp breath. Regaining herself, Hitagi painfully recalls the attempted sexual assault. She brings up that her mother was punished because she fought back against the cultist.
Her parents divorced soon after. Hitagi felt guilt for her resistance, blaming herself for breaking the family apart (of course, it wasn’t her fault). She felt anger towards her mom; she did not save her. Oshino tells her that these were her feelings, feelings that she can’t transfer to others.
Feelings that she must carry the burden on her shoulders.
In their conversation, Oshino uses the word “omoi”, which can either mean “Feelings” or Weight” (depending on the kanji). What I like about the word usage is the symbolism of the meaning. The feelings caused by horrific, traumatic experiences are a heavy weight to carry. You go through life blaming yourself when you should not, closing yourself off from others and being on edge; unsure if people will hurt you physically, or emotionally.
A weight that you can never get rid of; just only overcome it with proper help and support.
At the end of the ritual, Hitagi confronts the crab god whom stripped her weight. Hitagi freaks out. Her breathing is heavy, eyes widen. Her body is frozen in fear , muscles tensed. Hitagi asks if anyone else can see the crab, which the others reply with that they cannot.
Hitagi shuts down right as the crab attacks. Oshino rescues Hitagi and destroy the spirit. He explains the crab is the result of her mental state. Finally, after thanking him, she breaks down and starts to cry uncontrollably.
Hitagi’s freezing, fears, tense body language, breathing heavily, avoidance of the crab, and crying made me think: was she having a PTSD flashback of the attempted rape? Yeah I mean, the crab is a supernatural force for storytellin, but her response to not confront it, in addition to her being asked about her most painful life experience, can be debated in favor of this theory.
When triggered, victims of traumatic events experienced symptoms such as heavy breathing, feelings of tightness, emotional break downs, and avoidance of anything that reminds them of the incident to name a few examples.
After Hitagi regain her composure, Oshino tells her that despite how much she longs for her family to return, and her desires to remove the pain, those things will never happen. She must learn how to overcome it and grow stronger. At the end, she gained a new friend (and eventually boyfriend) in Araragi and gain her “weight” back as well.
‘Ohhh…tired of the strain and the pain’
‘There’s so much pain…’ -2pac: Pain (1994 rap single)
Special thanks and shout out to my homeboy Mr. Y giving me advice and tips and checking if my info on mental health was correct. Check out his blog here:
![[Coalgirls]_Bakemonogatari_12_(1920x1080_Blu-Ray_FLAC)_[95BB247A].mkv_snapshot_18.12_[2014.07.08_01.11.35]](https://yukithesnowman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/coalgirls_bakemonogatari_12_1920x1080_blu-ray_flac_95bb247a-mkv_snapshot_18-12_2014-07-08_01-11-35.jpg?w=760)
Yuki The Snowman 