Bakemonogatari 15 (Final)

Stand Alone Complex no more

Summary:

Somebody called for an exterminator?

Tsubasa Cat reveals to Koyomi how Tsubasa fell for him when she witnessing his vampire holiday, how her stress has built up tremendously while she struggled not to reveal any of her feelings to him and to support his relationship with Hitagi. When Koyomi refuses to break up with Hitagi and pair up with Tsubasa, Tsubasa Cat attacks him and says that she is going to make sure that she removes the source of Tsubasa's stress once and for all; she's going to killing him. Koyomi initially feels is a fair exchange as Tsubasa had previously saved his life but comes to his senses when he realizes that Hitagi will seek revenge. He calls out to Shinobu for help and she emerges from his shadow, rescues him and drains Tsubasa Cat, just stopping short of seriously harming Tsubasa due to Koyomi's plea and disappears back into his shadow.

Tsubasa doesn't seem to remember what happened and he is determined to ask her about it - but only after some time has passed. Hitagi welcomes him back and tells him to plan the next date; this time he will show her his treasure. Back at the ruined cram school with Hitagi, Tsubasa and Suruga, Koyomi finds that Meme has acted on his hint and has decamped; he also realizes that Meme had released Tsubasa Cat and had not intervened as he was confident that Koyomi could deal with the Shinobu and Tsubasa Cat situations on his own. Back in school, Koyomi's class opens its stall for the cultural festival: a haunted house.

Life imitates Art

Reaction:

Needs salt

A wonderful conclusion to one of my favourite series of 2009. I especially liked how things came full circle with Shinobu, the first character Koyomi saved, returning the favour at last and saving him and thus saving her own meaning to continue existing. And how she was hidden in his shadow and how she continues to live there - I couldn't help but think of one of my favourite Koshisms: "I have always been here."

One of the main reasons why Bakemonogatari stands out as a classy sexy harem series is how much I enjoy Koyomi's screentime and dialogue. He's got his weaknesses, like his martyr complex and his sometimes wilful blindness to his haremettes' feelings, but the way he learns and grows while struggling with those weaknesses add to his attractiveness and interest as a lead character. This episode had one of the most frank exchanges between harem lead and haremette; Koyomi expresses his dissatisfaction about how everything that Tsubasa Cat told him, Tsubasa could and should have told him directly; in his compassion, the cat spirit is a victim of sorts too. And also what's left unspoken but so vividly realized, like his sudden awareness of Tsubasa Cat's tough love and compassion for him, despite proclamations to the contrary, when he saw the look in her eyes and recalled her request for him to stand under the light so that his shadow would be solid, solid enough for Shinobu to appear when she finally forces him to call upon her.

Yet so near, yet so far - that timorous gap closed at last

And, having come full circle, I also liked how the lessons of the past was consolidated, the mentor figure has given his blessing and exited stage right. No longer children, no longer naive but with their beliefs in life, love and each other rediscovered, rekindled, reaffirmed, they savour the past, get on with the present and look forward to the future.

Queen of All She Surveys, Staples and Slices

These Reads I Enjoyed

• Ghostlightning's contrast between the authenticity of Hitagi and the inauthenticity of Tsubasa and thus how the latter is the only one to suffer a relapse. And to be explicitly rejected by Koyomi.
• Feel Kyokai's Bakemonogatari love. Fufufuu~

Related posts:

1. Bakemonogatari 05
2. Bakemonogatari 14
3. Bakemonogatari 12