NeNeo_Fascination
February 22, 2022
Recommended
The first review that I had to write because the subjectivity of this short piece of art has not been fully explained. I'll do my best to explain why this is bordering on perfect. The Story: 10/10 The enjoyment of this short story is tied directly to your enjoyment of the main series as a whole. The way this story is framed is almost as if Koyomi is dying, looking back on the people that mattered most in his life, He has not forgotten them, they are everything to him. If you don't feel like Koyomi does here, if you don'tfeel that same unbreakable attachment to these characters as he does. It just won't hit the same for you. Your score will follow suit to your level of attachment essentially1 to 1.
The Art: 8/10
For what it is, it's beautiful, every little movement of the characters feels like a little time capsule of what makes each character who they are, the lack of backgrounds also fits with the Monogatari style so well. What makes it lose a point is that it could have gone the extra mile to make the animation pop as much as the Kizu movies did, but for what it is, it concisely shows what matters to Koyomi, his friends.
The Sound: 8/10
I can see how the lack of any sound but voice acting could make someone feel someone feel off, but I think that just like the minimalist art, fits the feeling of how Koyomi sees his friends, they are everything, and nothing exists besides them. However, I still did dock a point for a lack of character movement sounds that could bring out the lack of other things and make it feel even more emotionally potent.
The Characters: 10/10
This is probably the least subjective score. As shown by all the previous scores, the entire focus of this short is to show what these characters mean to Koyomi. And everything we know of the characters up to this point, including about Koyomi, is short and to the point. Perfect for the concise run time.
My Enjoyment: 10/10
Obviously, this is subjective, however, I will try to explain why I enjoy it this much as best I can. It's been 3 years since the end of the main series of Monogatari. There has been no sign of any other seasons coming after the exodus of talent from Studio Shaft. Even the light novels have not been translated past ZokuOwarimonogatari. This has left me with no choice but to keep Monogatari as only a memory in my head. Then I watched this on 2/22/22 (The 22nd of February, 2022) and I instantly felt in the same headspace as Koyomi. I, too, am looking back on these characters in my memory. I Have not forgotten them, they still mean the world to me. Monogatari is my favourite series of all time and each character has impacted my development as a person immensely. Just like Koyomi. This leads me to feel this nostalgic but painful sense of loss towards the now finished series. Even if it somehow ends up getting more seasons. This dark age of Monogatari will still be encapsulated perfectly by these short 4 minutes.
Overall Score: 9.2/10 or rounded down to 9/10
It's not perfect, but the raw emotion and sense of loss this creates is something I can only dream of instilling in someone else through my creative works. Truly a masterclass of short stories. Maybe one day we will get more Monogatari, but until then, So Long Monogatari Series.
TL;DR: These 4 minutes cause a painful sense of nostalgia and loss. It's like I'm looking back on his life, reminiscing about how we were changed by the people we met, together. Hauntingly Beautiful. (My most subjective score)
