if you have enjoyed the “Monogatari” anime series thus far, “Owarimonogatari: Volume 3 Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set” is worth following if you are a dedicated fan of the series.  The truth about Ougi is finally revealed!
Image courtesy of © NISIOISIN/KODANSHA, ANIPLEX, SHAFT. All Rights Reserved.
TITLE: Owarimonogatari: Volume 3 Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set
YEAR: 2017
DURATION: Episodes 91-97 (170 Minutes)
BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, Japanese Linear PCM Stereo, Subtitles: English
COMPANY: Aniplex
RATED: 16+
Release Date: December 20, 2016
Chief Director: Akiyuki Shimbo
Directed by Tomoyuki Itamura
Series Composition by Akiyuki Shimbo, Fuyashi Tou
Music by Kei Haeneoka
Originally Created by NisiOisin
Original Character Design by VOfan
Character Design by Akio Watanabe
Art Director: Ken Naito
Anime Production: SHAFT
Featuring the following voice talent:
Hiroshi Kamiya as Koyomi Araragi
Kaori Mizuhashi as Ougi Oshino
Marina Inoue as Sodachi Oikura
Chiwa Saito as Hitagi SenjÅgahara
Kana Hanazawa as Nadeko Sengoku
Miyuki Sawashiro as Suruga Kanbaru
Saori Hayami as Yotsugi Ononoki
Satsuki Yukino as Izuko Gaen
Yui Horie as Tsubasa Hanekawa
“About how I, Koyomi Araragi, am going to end… and begin. That’s this story”
Koyomi wakes up to see Mayoi Hachikuji before him, the girl who supposedly had gone to the afterlife. She tells Koyomi that they are currently in Avichi, the lowest levels of hell. Koyomi is dubious of how Mayoi knew about the exact timing of his death and which hell he would drop into, when Mayoi tells him that she was there to pick him up by the request of a certain individual.
The popular “Owarimonogatari” series returns with a second season.
Featuring a total of seven episodes, all “Mayoi Hell”, “Hitagi Rendezvous” and Ougi Dark” episodes are included in the “Owarimonogatari: Volume 3” release courtesy of Aniplex!
What is the Monogatari series all about?
In 2005, a light novel titled “Bakemonogatari” was written by Nisio Isin and featured the illustrations by Vofan.
For Isin, he is known for his “Zaregoto” novel series (2002-2005) which led to series such as “Ningen” and “Sekai”published by Kodansha. By 2006, Isin would begin working on the “Bakemonogatari” series which is based on short stories published in “Mephisto Magazine”.
The first story featured a first volume with three stories “Hitagi Crab”, “Mayoi Snail”, “Suruguta Monkey” and a second volume with two “Nadeko Snake” and “Tsubasa Cat”.
“Bakemonogatari” focused on a third year high school student named Koyomi Araragi. A perverted teenager with a loli complex who doesn’t do well in school. One day, Koyomi was attacked by a vampire named Shinobu Oshino, a 500-year-old vampire who once was a vicious, beautiful vampire but now has the appearance of an eight-year old girl.
Koyomi turned into a vampire but thanks to Meme Oshino (an expert in the apparitions field), he was able to become human again but still has several side effects including seeing in the dark, his eyes turning red when incredibly angry, amazing healing power and strength.
While his parents are away, Koyomi helps raise his two young sisters, Karen (the middle child who is taller than Koyomi and likes to take part in martial arts and outdoor activities) and his little sister Tsukihi, who is the opposite of Karen and rather do indoor activities but also prefers wearing a yukata (Japanese traditional outfit).
With this new power of Koyomi, in “Bakemonogatari”, he had to help characters with apparitions.
Hitagi Senjogahara was a weak-girl who was possessed by a crab that stole her weight. Because of this, she has avoided all contact with people in order to hide her secret, so she developed a tsundere attitude and is often verbally abusive towards Koyomi. Because Koyomi sacrificed her life for her, she and Koyomi start dating, despite how badly she treats him.
Koyomi also had to help a ghost of a fifth-grade elementary student named Mayou Hachikuchi, a girl who has a habit of saying Koyomi’s name wrong but yet knows that he has a loli complex and knows that he is always trying to touch her.
Suruga Kanbaru, a popular female athlete who is a lesbian and masochist and prefers to be at home in the nude. She inherited the Monkey’s Paw and thus wears a bandage on her one arm to hide it. She began stalking Koyomi when he found out he was dating Hitagi.
Nadeko Sengoku is a person who was cursed with invisible snakes (that were trying to strangle her). Thanks to Koyomi, he saved her life and while shy, likes to be close to Koyomi.
Tsubasa Hanekawa is Koyomi’s classmate and the class representative. She was possessed by a bakaneko and is danger of turning into Black Hanekawa. She often stresses about her family and her feelings for Koyomi.
The first series revolved around Koyomi trying to help these characters deal with their apparition.
A prequel to “Bakemonogatari” titled “Koyomi Vamp” which focused on Shinobu Oshino and her role as a vampire before attacking Koyomi and a separate volume known as “Kizumonogatari” was published in Pandora Magazine in 2008.
In 2009, “Bakemonogatari” was adapted into an anime series.
The sequel to “Bakemonogatari” titled “Nisemonogatari” which was released in 2008 and adapted to an anime series in 2012.
The story focuses more on a character, instead of a two-episode storyline, we get four-episode arcs. And with “Otorimonogatari: Nadeko Medusa”, episodes 12-15 focus on Nadeko starting to see a giant snake apparition and the arc beginning with her confronting Shinobu and Koyomi and Nadeko stabbing Koyomi in the heart.
The story then explains what has been happening to Nadeko leading up to the confrontation and what the giant snake apparition may be.
In 2014, a five episode arc was released titled “Hanamonogatari” which is about the character Suruga Kanbaru.
And in October through November 2015, the Owarimonogatari novels anime adaptation aired on Japanese television.
And now we have the release of the 13-episode anime series on Blu-ray courtesy of Aniplex, Inc. The first seven episodes were released in November 2016 and now the final half was released in December 2016.
In the last volume of “Owarimonogatari”, the anime series begins with Koyomi Aragi and Ougi Oshino being trapped in a classroom.
The story shows us how Suruga Kanbaru introduces Ougi to Koyomi for the first time. Ougi had introduced Koyomi to a mysterious room in the school and the two investigate. This leads to both of them being trapped inside and the room is a manifestation of a traumatic memory from Koyomi’s freshman year.
Apparently around that time, the class president, Sodachi Oikura was looking for those who cheated on a math test and no one can leave the class until the cheater was found. Ougi figures that the two are unable to leave until the mystery is revealed.
But as these two start to investigate, they start to learn more about Sodachi Oikura and why she despises Koyomi.
In volume 2 of “Owarimonogatari”, the series focuses on the Shinobu Mail Arc.
Koyomi goes to meet his athletic basketball playing friend, Suruga Kanbaru at an abandoned cram school. But they see a samurai in full armor and a fight breaks out and Suruga is fighting against the samurai. As the building catches fire, Yozuru’s shikigami, Yotsugi appears and stops the fire. And saves both Koyomi Araragi and Suruga Kanbaru.
Yotsugi wants Koyomi to meet with Izuko Gaen (as she appears to know everything) but when a mysterious apparition shows up, Koyomi, Suruga and Koyomi’s vampire friend, Shinobu take on the mysterious apparition. But why did Yotsugi want Koyomi to meet up with Izuko?
Owarimonogatari Season 2
Here we are with volume 3 of “Owarimonogatari”, which is a seven episode second season with three arcs.
The Mayoi Hell Arc (Episodes 91=92): After encountering the oddity specialist Izuko Green and getting killed by him, Koyomi Aragi finds himself waking up in a strange, deserted part of Hell. Fortunately, there along with him is Mayoi, who may have a way for him to revive.
Hitagi Rendezvous Arc (Episodes 93-94): As Koyomi chose to be fully human, Hitagi calls him out for a date. But while together with her, why does he have visions of Ougi?
Ougi Dark Arc (Episodes 95-97): Gaen brings together Koyomi, Shinobu, Mayoi and Yotsugi and reveals to them that Ougi is responsible for the challenges that they have faced.
VIDEO:
“Owarimonogatari: Volume 3 Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set” is presented in 1080p High Definition 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.
As this is a more modern of the “Monogatari” series, animation is crisp and 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.
“Owarimonogatari” looks fantastic on Blu-ray.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
“Owarimonogatari: Volume 3 Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set” 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.
It’s important to emphasize that there are no English dubs with this Blu-ray set.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Owarimonogatari: Volume 3 Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set” comes the following special features:
- Story That is Going Towards the End – (14:41)Â A recap episode on the Monogatari series
- Story of Koyomi Araragi – (35:51) A recap episode focused on Koyomi Araragi and Ougi Oshino.
- Textless Opening and Ending
- PV Collections
- CM Collections
EXTRAS:
“Owarimonogatari: Volume 3 Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set” comes with a slip case package illustrated by Akio Watanabe, a 28-page deluxe booklet and an six pinup postcard set.
For years, we have watched the “Monogatari” series blossom to something unusual, unexpected, complex, entertaining, audacious and for the most part, unpredictable.
It’s a sci-fi series in which storylines are connected but yet focus on certain characters.
As for 2015, the “Owarimonogatari” series was released and in some ways, for those who have watched previous “Monogatari” episodes or seasons will like the fact that characters are reunited and the mysterious apparition once again makes his appearance.
Here we are with the second season of “Owarimonogatari” which aired in Japan back in 2017.
The main storyline is to find out who is responsible for all the troubles that Koyomi, Shinobu, Mayoi and Yotsugi have faced.
While the first four episodes were good, part of the difficulty with this second season is that if you missed any episodes featuring Ougi, this episode may become a little bit of a challenge to follow.
Ougi first made her/his debut in “Otorimonogatari” back in 2013. Nadeko was the first to encounter Ougi, who was revealed to be Meme Oshino’s niece and is a first year student at Koyomi’s high school.  This would lead Nadeko starting to have visions of white snakes.
“Koimonogatari” from 2013 is when Tsubasa and Kaiki start to question Ougi Oshino’s existence. In 2014, after Koyomi has graduated from high school, they hear rumors that Ougi is now a male and that he is a “Devil”.
This leads to “Tsukimonogatari” where Koyomi and Yotsugi are going up a mountain to confront Teori, but on their way up, they encounter Ougi.
In 2015, the story leads us to “Owarimonogatari I” and Koyomi and Ougi are trapped in a classroom and the two had to work together to solve a mystery. “Owarimonogatari” also shows others starting to have concerns about Ougi, especially Hanekawa.
In 2016, Ougi works to help Koyomi once again in “Koyomimonogatari”. Which now leads us to this 2017 series, as Koyomi keeps having visions of Ougi. Why is he having these visions?
As the series tends to have a lot of questions, I can say for those loyal viewers of the series, we find out the truth of who Ougi really is.
While what I mentioned may seem confusing, the good news is that with this Blu-ray release, two recap featurettes are included.”Story of Koyomi Araragi” (which goes into the encounter between Koyomi and Ougi and the suspicions others had towards her) and “Story That is Going Towards The End” (which goes into the monogatari storyline) are both included on the “Owarimonogatari” vol. 3 Blu-ray.
As for the Blu-ray release,”Owarimonogatari: Volume 3 Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set” is presented in 1080p High Definition and picture quality is great. Colors are vibrant and I didn’t notice any artifacts or banding during my viewing of the film. As for lossless audio, only a Japanese soundtrack is included and it is presented in Linear PCM Stereo. While the Japanese voice acting for the series has always been fantastic, for those who prefer to watch the series in English, unfortunately there is no English dub soundtrack included.
As for special features outside of the two recap episodes, you get a the usual textless opening and ending themes. Plus the PV and CM (commercial) collections. As for extras, you get the Aniplex extras which the company is known for. The Limited Edition set includes a 28-page deluxe booklet, a six pinup postcard set and slipcase package illustrated by Akio Watanabe (character designer).
If anything, the “Monogatari” series is one that people love because it’s original, artistic and definitely a breath of fresh air for those wanting creativity and something totally different from the norm. But because of the different storylines, it does require one to really watch the series. Again, this second season of the “Owarimonogatari” series comes with two recap episodes, to help those catch up or remember what happened in previous episodes from 2013-2016.
With that being said, because the storyline is not one for people to jump in and start from anywhere, one will probably want to watch it from the beginning and work yourself up to “Owarimonogatari” for a better understanding of the impact that each character has made throughout the various series. But for those who find the Blu-ray’s hard to track down, the recap episodes will suffice in getting people up to speed in understanding what is taking place of one of the series dark and mysterious character.
Overall, if you have enjoyed the “Monogatari” anime series thus far, “Owarimonogatari: Volume 3 Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set” is worth following if you are a dedicated fan of the series.
