"Katanagatari" does the creator of "Bakemonogatari" proud. It's about a straight forward quest to obtain twelve swords but filled with human emotions, intelligent conversations and unique art.

This anime's plot isn't its strongest point. It's actually pretty predictable, though the characters' backgrounds are shrouded in mystery that even the ending of the series couldn't lift.

During the impressive action scenes, some explanations are sometimes needed. Combined with some philosophical dialogue, "Katanagatari" isn't the best show to just relax. This doesn't mean everything is serious business. Comical interactions and touching moments which show the characters true emotions provide the viewer with plenty of rest from the more deep issues.

The art style is quite unique but not as different as "Bakemonogatari". I noticed it could even vary a bit from episode to episode. I especially liked the character design. It was simple and childish and made the whole thing more like some kind of fairy tale instead of something to be taken as a historical fact. Despite the friendly looking characters, this series was filled with plenty of death, blood and even some nudity.

I finished "Katanagatari" rather quickly. The last episode was over before I knew it, even if I had trouble finding enough free time to watch the episodes of 40 minutes. I'd usually only notice the doubled duration when checking the clock after having watched an episode.

what I liked:
- Excellent music and art style.
- The ending was magnificent and a great conclusion.
- Character development

what I didn't like:
- The second intro
- The episodes were 40min long
- Some parts of the backgrounds weren't completely explained though that can be seen as part of its charm. (show less)

You gotta hand it to Nisio Isin he's really skilled in making up stories. This series got me hooked as much as bakemonogatari did but I still prefer bakemonogatari over this but nonetheless this is still very awesome although the genre written in the description lacks something, they should've added comedy coz there are some good puns in the anime. But I'm not yet in the position to say that bakemonogatari is better since I've only watched 2 episodes and im still going to download the rest so you prolly know why I made this review xD. If your planning on "marathoning" this anime i doubt you can finish it a day since its 50 mins per episode but that depends on how big of an otaku you are :P.

Oh btw if your download limit exceeds and can't download the rest try getting some of em at www.cyber12.com (show less)

The first thing that I noticed with this anime is the animation...The characters seem so simple but then there come the fight scenes that totally shame alot of popular anime. YES they are THAT good.

The story is alittle hard to understand for me at first but then again when the anime is this entertaining and awsome you don't realy sweat the small stuff.

Dialogue is comical and serious depending on what's happening in the story, but I will admit it isn't one of those lame animes where they try to be funny when it isn't really called for.

Rate wise? An anime that shouldn't be overlooked, definately not. (show less)

A friend of mine recommended this anime to me and its a great piece of work. Each episode is about 50 minutes long so it can be a rather lengthy watch if you plan on marathoning it ha. My review is only 4 episodes in so there can be a chance that it can change after I complete this series.

Story: Just like the synopsis says, they are gathering 12 different swords. So far there hasn't been any plot twists or anything like that. I assume those will be saved for later episodes as the story further develops.

Dialogue: This anime is very dialogue heavy. I would say about 30 minutes of each episode is dialogue, however the dialogue is very very excellent. Each character feels real and is very believable. Also I'm not sure if this show was a manga or anything before but it seems like they throw some jokes in there about characters appearing later and stuff like that.

Animation: The animation can be a little off putting at first, mainly with the character animation. As far as the character animation goes, the characters are not as detailed as other anime that came out last year. Although despite the lack in character animation, it's made up for in the background and scenery. It is simply gorgeous!!! The amount of detail in some of the backgrounds is simply stunning.

Entertainment: With all the funny dialogue, the in-depth character development, and the fight scenes Katanagatari is easily entertaining. (show less)

this anime has a lot of interesting aspect one of which is its artistic Japanese animation, interesting storytelling and one heck of ending! i have to admit the first few episodes are a bit dragging but if you manage reach the 2nd half it gets more interesting. i especially like the 12 maniwa ninjas as well as the unique 12 deviant blades that they are collecting! the idea of a "swordless" swordsman is also something you should look forward to. the characters are also quite unique and a bit weird which makes them more interesting to watch. However, there are also some things you might fight irritating about this anime, for one the dialogue is longer than the fight and some fights aren't very interesting although there are certain fights you should really look forward too. If you are looking for a great story with an interesting plot twist and unique characters this is anime you will greatly enjoy! (show less)

over the last year one episode of katanagatari came out every month and i eagerly waited for every episode.

the story is awesome: it bases somewhat of the japan history and the plot evolves around 12 magical swords. the characters develop more with each episode and the side characters all act for their own deeper goal which is revealed step by step.

the dialogues are excellent and have an all around philosophcal touch. they are somewhat complicated and if your just looking for some action - the dialogues take up most of the time of this series. the action is but fun to watch because of its strategical point which differs in every episode.

animation is new, refreshing and the illustrations have their unique style which is simplistic but very artfull

overall its awesome. the end fits the none-cliche-ness of this anime.

give it a chance. (show less)