Monogatari Series Second Season

Monogatari Series Second Season is a 2013 anime from Studio Shaft. It continues the Monogatari story, based on light novels by the writer Nisio Isin with art by Vofan, published by Kodansha. Akiyuki Shinbo was the chief director, with Tomoyuki Itamura as director. The season aired from July 7 to December 29, 2013. Instead of one long story, it is made of five separate arcs, each from a different novel. The TV version also had three recap episodes that were left out of the Blu-ray release.

The whole series follows Koyomi Araragi, a third-year high school student. After a strange event, he became part vampire. Since then, he keeps meeting girls whose personal problems have taken the form of apparitions. An apparition is a supernatural spirit or creature, often from Japanese folk tales. Koyomi tries to help each girl, but things rarely go as planned. This season is set after summer vacation, when a new school term begins and new troubles appear.

One thing that makes this season stand out is that Koyomi often does not tell the story. Different characters take turns as the main voice. The first arc, Tsubasa Tiger (from Nekomonogatari White), is told by Tsubasa Hanekawa, Koyomi's smart and polite classmate. She spots a giant white tiger, and soon after, her house burns down, leaving her with nowhere to sleep. The second arc, Mayoi Jiangshi (from Kabukimonogatari), follows Koyomi and the little vampire Shinobu Oshino. While trying to return a backpack to his young friend Mayoi Hachikuji, they accidentally travel eleven years back in time.

The third arc, Nadeko Medusa (from Otorimonogatari), is told by Nadeko Sengoku, a shy middle school girl. She begins to see white snakes and meets a large snake spirit named Kuchinawa, who asks her for a favor. The fourth arc, Shinobu Time (from Onimonogatari), deals with a mysterious darkness that chases Koyomi and Mayoi. Shinobu warns it could destroy the whole town, and the arc also explores her own long past. The last arc, Hitagi End (from Koimonogatari), is told by Deishu Kaiki, a con man who once caused trouble for Koyomi's girlfriend, Hitagi Senjogahara. Facing a serious danger, Hitagi asks this unlikely man for help, and the story becomes a game of lies.

The series is known for its unusual style. Shaft uses bold colors, odd camera angles, flashes of text on screen, and strange, empty backgrounds. Characters talk a lot, with fast and clever word play. The arcs are not always shown in time order, so viewers must put the pieces together. Under the jokes, the stories deal with loneliness, love, growing up, and the feelings people hide.

The season is often called one of the high points of the franchise. Fans praise it for giving more depth to the girls around Koyomi and for letting each one speak in her own voice.