A simple but compelling story

Written by Mooneh on March 2, 2012 at 3:19 PM

"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.