Nisemonogatari Limited Edition Blu-ray (2012)

"Nisemonogatari", the animated series sequel to Japanese novelist Nisio Isin's "Bakemonogatari" returns with Koyomi Araragi dealing with a new threat closer to home!

The series will be released in the United States from Aniplex courtesy of a Limited Edition Blu-ray box set which includes all eleven episodes on five Blu-ray discs, a slipcase and a 36-page deluxe booklet.

VIDEO:

"Ninesemonogatari" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:78:1) and this TV series is gorgeous. SHAFT really puts a lot of time into character design, shading but also carrying out changes in character design. From regular/series looking characters to goofy, cartoonish characters and many location scenes featured throughout this series. Colors are vibrant, black levels are nice and deep, animation gets creative in an artistic type of way, image is sharp and line detail is very good. I saw no edge enhancement or excessive banding.

I felt that production value is much improved in this sequel and for the most part I feel that fans of "Bakemonogatari" will feel that "Nisemonogatari" looks fantastic on Blu-ray.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Nisemonogatari" is presented in uncompressed Japanese LPCM 2.0 with English subtitles. Dialogue is crisp and clear and is front-channel driven. I detected no problems with audio and English subtitles were easy to read.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Nisemonogatari" comes with the following special features :

TEXTLESS OPENING & ENDING Featuring four different openings and three different endings.

TRAILERS (1:59) Japanese theatrical trailer for "Nisemonogatari".

TV Spots (2:37) Japanese TV spots for "Nisemonogatari".

BD & DVD ADS (1:50) The Japanese Blu-ray and DVD ads for "Nisemonogatari".

EXTRAS:

"Nisemonogatari Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set" comes with a slip case and a 36-page booklet with episode summaries and character profiles.

JUDGMENT CALL:

It's not an easy task to create a sequel that will better than its original. While it has been done, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" to George Lucas films like "Empire Strikes Back" and even the second "Indiana Jones" or "Transformers II" which was much better than the first film. The same goes for anime series. Many fans enjoyed "Dragon Ball Z" than the original, "Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood" fans preferred the second series over the first.

But do creators try to top their first series? Or just create something related but not be a copycat of the original?

For Nisio Isin, "Nisemonogatari" is an adaptation of a two-volume light novel that was created to be a continuing storyline. Not trying to better the first, but expand on its storyline featuring its perverted and crazy character Koyomi Araragi but also his relationship with his sisters and the characters that were introduced in "Bakemonogatari".

But part of the difficulty that "Nisemonogatari" has is trying to find its appeal to viewers who are interested in certain aspects of the series. There are those who love the harem anime series and fan service, there are those who like the darker more violent aspect and action scenes.

The first season was appealing to viewers as Koyomi had to help characters that had been possessed by apparitions. Not the case for "Nisemonogatari". This time, it's about a creepy guy that is tied to Hitagi's past and what happens when one hurts Koyomi's sister. But there are some strange and unusual things in store for viewers in this sequel.

For me, "Nisemonogatari" is odd, crazy but also a series that I enjoyed for its crazy antics and unexpected episodes with a storyline that just come out of nowhere. By saying that, there is humor in the series that will turn some viewers off.

While the character of Koyomi Araragi may have had his perversion toned down for the anime series there is no doubt that the writers explore the more sexual and fan service nature of the animated series by feeding off his perversion.

For example, the first episode when Koyomi sees Mayoi (a fifth-grade elementary school girl who is a ghost), Koyomi's loli complex is at its all time high. He can't help himself from hugging her or even wanting to see her panties. While humorous to anime fans who understand the whole loli complex, one may find that an older teenager getting all slobbery and perverted over a girl is wrong. One scene shows Koyomi seeing Mayoi's panties and then we see a cream pie exploding in Koyomi's face. What symbolism can that mean? Hmm...

After he's done with Mayoi, he then goes to Nadeko's home. Nadeko is the shy individual who starts trying to flirt with Koyomi by feeling hot and heavy, showing off her panties and wanting to play a game of Twister with Koyomi who is behaving like he is naive to what Nadeko is trying to accomplish. But perhaps he is that naive. Hmm....

Then he heads off to Suruga's house to help clean her bedroom and as always with Suruga, she is not wearing anything and just teases by showing her rear backside to him. But despite all the perversion, is he really too modest to stand their and pretend he shouldn't be taking a peek despite his perverted nature?

But the antics, don't stop there, it also extends to Koyomi's household as he starts to realize his sister's are getting older and their bodies are now much more developed that even he's having a hard time containing himself.

In one episode alone, he challenges his sister that if he is to introduce her to Suruga, she must not try to stop him from brushing her teeth. And of course, the words coming out of Koyomi is his ability to use the toothbrush inside her mouth, we see Karen enjoying it to the point where she begins moaning and submitting herself to her brother who desperately wants to grope her breast.

From loli complex to sister complex, the antics continue with his younger Tsukihi. He wants to see if the scars on her body and strips off his sister's clothes and grabs her breasts because he felt like doing it.

So, I have no doubt that there are people who will see these actions as wrong and those who don't like seeing this, will probably not want to watch this animated series.

The whole loli and sister complex maybe too crazy for viewers but this series was never created to be politically correct. In fact, this is a perverted anime series plays upon taboo situations with humor. Yes, they may be offensive but the point of these actions is that it's so wrong, that's why they are doing it and it's been a major point of "Nisemonogatari" and the series before it.

But also the allure of the series is its changing animation and not following banal anime tradition by being like any other series. There is no doubt that the object was to be more perverted and crazy but to also pull off the series with cool style. From its use of colors, use of location, use of differing animated character designs. I enjoyed the series for being different and being crazy!

While the series is only eleven episodes long, there is still a lot going for the series. The antagonist Kaiki Deishu for the "Karen Bee" storyline is quite fascinating. A con man that is heartless and an absolute liar, his sort of logic and why he does what he does, is rather cold and calculating. While the majority of the episodes are dedicated to the "Karen Bee" arc, it works because it leads to more character development for Koyomi's sister Karen, Hitagi but also the vampire Shinobu Oshino.

While "Tsukihi Phoenix" deals with more perversion but also a deep storyline of one brother willing to fight and die for his family. The action sequences between Koyomi is quite entertaining and while the series goes from Koyomi being a pervert towards his sisters, the storyline begins to be much more serious when Koyomi and Shinobu confront two characters who are set out in killing Tsukihi.

But overall writing is very good as it tries to go from one perverted extreme to being something much more complex and even smart at times. It makes "Nisemonogatari" so hard to describe because I don't think I have watched an anime series with so much fan service, so many crazy antics but yet manages to get deep when the episode calls for it. These are characters that one is unlikely to see in another anime series, it's what makes up Nisemonogatari's charm.

As for the Blu-ray set for "Nisemonogatari Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set", picture quality is fantastic and vibrant, while its uncompressed LPCM 2.0 soundtrack is crisp and clear with English subtitles that are easy to read. You get a slipcase and a 36-page booklet. But if there are any negatives that anime fans may feel towards this Blu-ray release is its price at nearly $150.

With a third final storyline left to be made to an anime series, for this Blu-ray release of the sequel "Nisemonogatari", one shouldn't really compare to the original. Sure, "Bakemonogatari" had much more to offer in terms of action and story, while "Nisemonogatari" tends to be more driven by perversion, fan service and making comedy over modern society's taboos. When the series wants to go crazy, it goes all out in trying to be far out there and this helps with the appeal to the series. It's quite a crazy storyline that not everyone will be pleased with, but for those familiar with the first series, can leave their political correctness out the door because this series is crazy but yet so much fun.

Overall, a worthy sequel in the Monogatari series... "Nisemonogatari Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set" is probably one of the craziest, most audacious anime series to be released on Blu-ray in 2013. Featuring wonderful animation and a fresh, unique storyline with crazy characters, "Nisemonogatari" is an anime series that I recommend!