Monogatari Series: Second Season Episode 15 Discussion

FlashFumo said:
^ To answer one of your questions, we unfortunately have one more arc, Shinobu Time/Onimonogatari, until we can see the conclusion of this one.

Always-Hungry said:
Well, I've never even imagined that things are going to be this way. Nadeko is not Nadeko anymore :(
Anyway the trailer for the next episode looks amazing :D

Ntaig said:
So next week is gonna be a damn recap again?

pikeman1 said:


Actually, it's not trailer for next episode. It's just a delusional trailer in Nadeko's imagination

yukaru00 said:

Should be.

Belmont012 said:
Sorry for this question. So what will happen next after episode 15? Will they die or something, of course not? I don't know because episode 16 is a recap and episode 17 will be Shinobu arc. So is that the end?? Please enlighten me.

ssjokg said:
If you pay attention to what Nadeko says it is clear that the trailer is her imagination(like most of what happened in her arc) or at least what she wishes for.The conclusion of this arc will be at the arc after Shinobu's.

traed said:
I dont see a reason to hate Nadeko just because of this episode. Shes naive not evil. She is acting crazy because shes acting out of emotions of frustration over love and acting out on the things shinobu said that hurt her and she has just become a god so it obviously would have altered her perspective being high on power and because things did not go to plan she doesnt know what she is doing well thought out its just on the spot action. Heck after what Sejogahara said to her I almost see her more likely at killing herself than everyone else.

twonline said:
Fuck.... The sweetest girl of the series became the most hated bitch...... Fucking Nisioisin Plot Twists.....

5/5

Eudaimonia said:
Things have turned out very nicely. The Monogatari franchise has always been about teenager's problems wrapped in supernatural disguise but Nadeko's case has topped everything shown so far.

▶ A socially awkward teenage girl, overwhelmed by her new-found sexual feelings and social pressure, trying to cope with new responsibilites she's obviously not cut out for. Conflicting emotions and attempts at keeping up appearances while feeling tired of hiding what she's really thinking coupled with severly low self-esteem have caused the situation to escelate. The twist with her conversations with the Snake god having been part of her delusions all along ("Delusion Express", anyone?) is telling for her state of mind. Unwilling to accept the negative parts of her personality and change them accordingly she deludes herself into thinking everything as an act forced upon her by a third party, once again freeing herself from the respnsibility of facing the consequences of her actions. Her victim act has been ingrained into her way too long to control it consciously anymore.

▶ She "victimizes" others by manipulating them into granting her previleges using her cute looks but loathes herself for doing so, at least unconsciously, coming from a tiny portion of bad conscience.
However, much of that is swept away by her self-centered, spoilt personality.
Not being able to make her old formula work anymore, after one character after another reprimands her on her behaviour and last but not least, getting bereaved of her space to retreat to by losing her bangs, goes on the offensive, lashing out frantically as her carefully built up image of herself crumbles to pieces.

▶ Metaphorically speaking she shed off her old skin and transformed into a new person, fully aware of her feelings and character traits, no longer trying to deny them. As such you could say she has found enlightment and as a result ascended to a deity-like status, immune to the verbal attacks she has been subjected to since the beginning of this arc.

However, she is not a god of the benevolent but rather destructive kind, which is being reflected in her twisted mindstate and delusions. For the first time she has taken control of her life wittingly but she's unstable and has detached herself from the real proportions of her problems.
I guess, she just needs to outgrow her pubescent phase (as cynical that might sound), so the time period Senjougahara gained through her negotiations mght just prove to be pivotal for a successful outcome. After all, each haremette's arc has been (at least partly) resolved by the respective girl gaining self-awareness.

▶ I will confess that I chuckled a bit at the first part with Koyomi treating Sengoku like a sucide bomber trying to convince her to put her weapon down before she blows everyone up, though with no success since he and Shinobu end up as collateral damage anyway.

▶ Ougi Oshino, you sly fox... Of course, Sengoku already had psychopathic tendencies even before she came into picture but there is no doubt that it was her who gave Sengoku the last push to act on those mentioned tendencies by implanting the needed knowledge to form her plans.
Ougi continues being a meta-character who proved to be especially interesting with her comments about Sengoku's part only being a side-story, which fittingly describes her arc in Bakemonogatari, and look how things eventually turned out: From just another haremette Nadeko has transformed into the final boss, at least for this season., which probably shouldn't be a surprise under Ougi's guidance.
After all we're speaking of the person who turned a lecture revolving around trivial facts about traffic lights to one about impoverished children in war zones living in constant alert.

Speaking of narratives, overall the whole arc plays out like a Greek tragedy. The end is already given away at the start when Sengoku stresses the inevitability of the turn of events, making it sound like a predetermined path, a prophecy in reverse, basically.

Sengoku as the tragic hero starts off as the lovable and pure-hearted girl whose hidden secrets gets exposed one after another accompanying her inevitable downfall as result of her hybris: Several times she gets the chance to turn back, to call for help but each time she turns it down for selfish and underhanded reasons such as keeping up her image as a good girl.

Last but not least, the greek mythos of the gorgon Medusa her final supernatural form is modeled after: A beautiful girl who gets cursed out of superficial ill-will and turns into a deadly, hideous creature. Koyomi will have to play the role of Perseus and maybe something resembling the winged horse Pegasus will jump out from Nadeko's lifeless decapitated head in the end. That would certainly be a sight to behold.

▶ As for immersing moments, Studio Shaft delivered an incredibly impressive audiovisual feast in this arc (which naturally applies to the rest of the season). The stark contrast in color palette and lighting depending on the mood of the characters are striking to watch, highlighting every scene in the best way possible, which especially worked with the physical and mental changes Sengoku underwent in these episodes. Senjougahara's call iterally translates into a beacon of light, a break from the moody and desolate scenery usually present at the shrine. Using a orchestral version of the opening song "Delusion Express" for the "trailer" was pretty neat and got me completely pumped up for the final showdown.

Personally, Otorimonogatari will go down as one of my favorite arcs front this franchise. It took a severely under-developed character and gave her such a thorough characterization that used her existing traits as a foil for her true nature, making it an incredibly compelling and thrilling ride.

saxophone15 said:
It's the same reason I don't like Yuno Gasai from Mirai Nikki.

Icarut said:
Yuno is better than her. Before I watched this episode, I have never verbally threatened to kill an anime character (Nadeko) before.

thaumx said:
he seemed very weak in this arc, shinobu too. :/