By TheBigN
There is always a hope of being wow’ed by something that comes up while watching anime. Something intriguing enough for me to actually post for the first time in months, I guess. 
What caught my interest this time was the (I guess 1st, knowing how SHAFT does things) opening to Nekomonogatari covering the “Tsubasa Family” arc, one prequel to the story introduced in Bakemonogatari. By itself, the story of how Araragi gets to know my favorite character in the show, Tsubasa Hanekawa, as well as the anomaly that comes to inhabit her is intriguing enough as is for me. There wasn’t much necessary to pump me up for watching it (can’t wait for Kizumonogatari later on as well), but I was blown away by the opening to this adaptation: To preface though, I still have not watched the full episodes yet, so there will be plenty of randomness and likely BS to follow the video. 😛
The song itself grabs me, reminding me a little bit of the Chobits 2nd ED “Ningyo Hime”, but here, “Perfect Slumbers” goes on its own path, striking a hopeful tone despite Tsubasa’s thoughts of an unrequited love. The cinematography coupled with the motifs used in the video such as the bookmarks (so many forms!) , the guitar/headphones/record, the sun becoming the moon, and the train lend help me further define her character, of which we already know a “fair” bit about. “Isolation” comes to mind here, and it helps that right until the end, she’s the only person in this OP world. And then when the guitar dissolves, and turns into a bed of flowers setting the backdrop of Koyomi prostrating himself in front of Tsubasa, as it looks like he can seemingly do nothing before the anomaly comes out is “the shot” for me. Of course, I’ll see how powerless our main hero really is in the actual work, but the shot of Tsubasa right at the end seems resigned to whatever comes regardless of any attempted interventions.
The marriage of the music and visuals together created a dazzling experience for me, and I too quickly compare it to the live action and animated (both links not safe for work) OPs that were done during the “Tsubasa Cat” arc of Bakemonogatari, which isn’t fair. Since while those do a decent job at showing the Tsubasa’s duality, despite the intensity and shock value (especially of the animated version), I doubt they will have the staying power in my mind that this opening will.
SHAFT x Shinbo already had me at Hello in animating more Hanekawa, but this is icing on a cake I haven’t even begun to have yet. It’s not a bad deal.
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Both visually and musically, that’s a praiseworthy opening animation. The explosive transition between some of the shots is beautiful; in fact, this might be the first time Shaft is as creative tying the shots with one another. Although I will fault Shaft for the flimsy colour choice and light animation at 0:24.
As you pointed out, it conveys isolation fairly well, placing the emphasis on the emptiness of the surroundings. It might sound par for the course with character-centric opening songs, yet if we look at Bakemonogatari’s previous opening animations; Kanbaru was accompanied, Mayoi was alongside other Mayois, Nadeko is with another character, and Senjougahara barely made an appearance in hers either way.
The use of symbols is interesting in this one, especially the half-relevant reference to the summer triangle at 1:00. Having said that, I am more lukewarm towards the guitar (and headphones/record). One guitar at 0:06, another at 0:41 and a few others at the end, that does make the animation very cohesive and hints at Hanekawa’s background. But when is this relevant to the content of the anime? Three episodes in, and that still is a non-existent theme. Probably a very clumsy red herring, on my end.
(My apologies for posting twice. You may keep the second post.)
“I will fault Shaft for the flimsy colour choice and light animation at 0:24.”
I actually don’t mind that transition, though it seems a little abrupt, I guess. Going suddenly to a train tunnel that then opens up into the title drop.
And halfway in, I get the feeling that the OP isn’t necessarily a red herring, but it gives us a perspective of Hanekawa that likely won’t actually be introduced into the show proper.
Depending on whether they ever got Kizumonogatari movie finish, the next sets of adoptation all are chronologically after Nisenonogatari. They are Nekomonogatari (white) which covers Tsubasa Tiger, Mayoi Jiang Shi (they did a time travel story), Suruga Devil, Nadeko Medusa (the light novel is told from Nadeko’s POV for a change), Shinobu Time, Hitagi End.
Shaft said they want to adopt the rest of it into 26 episode 2 kur anime. Not sure if they can actually squeeze all of it. And this is NOT counting the THIRD part of this story (the way light novels are organized, part 1 is Bakemonogatari, Kizumonogatari, Nisemonogatari and Nekomonogatari (Black). Part 2 is Nekomonogatari (White) and everything up to Koimonogatari (which contains Hitagi End). The final 3 parts are not completely released yet.
And part one has already been covered by two cours, this short series, and a movie that should be coming out. Conclusion: NISIOSIN writes too much. 😛
Sony already took it down.
Don’t know what you’re talking about. HA-HA!Not to worry. Reposted. Don’t know how long this will last though.