In an Edo-era Japan lush with a variety of sword-fighting styles, Shichika Yasuri practices the most unique one: Kyotouryuu, a technique in which the user's own body is wielded as a blade. The enigmatic seventh head of the Kyotouryuu school, Shichika lives quietly in exile with his sister Nanami until one day—the wildly ambitious strategist Togame barges into their lives.
Togame brazenly requests that Shichika help in her mission to collect twelve unique swords, known as the "Deviant Blades," for the shogunate. Shichika accepts, interested in the girl herself rather than petty politics, and thus sets out on a journey. Standing in their way are the fierce wielders of these legendary weapons as well as other power-hungry entities who seek to thwart Togame's objective. In order to prevail against their enemies, the duo must become an unbreakable team as they forge ahead on a path of uncertainty and peril.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Archaeon
Since 2006, light novel adaptations have gradually become a regular feature in anime as producers in the industry scrabble around in their attempts to find the biggest cash cow since the advent of Suzumiya Haruhi. The surprising thing is that the fallout from this has actually been a lot better for fans than one might expect, and while titles like Guin Saga, Kemono no Souja Erin, Ghost Hunt, Baccano!, Kure-nai, Rental Magica, Spice & Wolf, and NHK ni Youkoso! may not be as commercially successful as KyoAni's behemoth, they do represent a gradual shift in the industry towards creativity and originality. Which is where Katanagatari comesin to the picture.
Written by Nisio Isin (although he usually writes it as NisiOisiN since his name is a palindrome), the twelve volumes of the original light novel series were published as part of the Kodansha Box line. Strangely, all of the books were released at a rate of one per month from January to December 2007, with a spin off novel published in February 2008. Now while this is clearly a phenomenal feat, one does have to wonder if a few corners were cut for the sake of expediency and to meet deadlines, and also if the adaptation can stand up to scrutiny.
Katanagatari is basically what the title suggests - a story about swords. It begins with fire and death as a rebellion against the Owari shogunate meets a bloody end. Twenty years later, a small boat makes its way across the sea to a deserted island where the passenger, Togame, hopes to enlist the aid of Yasuri Mutsue, the 6th generation head of the Kyoutouryuu sword style and the hero of the rebellion.
Instead she finds Yasuri Shichika, who is more bumpkin than the term allows for, and is also as hard as nails.
One of the things that really stands out about the series (aside from the visuals, but we'll get to that in a bit), is the dialogue. The show is very well scripted with some very good conversations and witty repartee, and the explanations are usually clear and concise enough for the viewer to follow. There are also numerous verbal nods in the direction of modern popular culture, which makes a nice change of pace as one might normally expect lots of serious conversations about honour, loyalty, duty, revenge, or other concepts that are usually found in these types of story.
The problem though, is that the dialogue can also be off putting for viewers who want a little less conversation, a little more action (sing along if you know the words), especially as the fights are over in a very short space of time. In addition to this the story can sometimes err on the side of predictable, especially with the number of plot coupons that drive the whole show (in this case the "cursed" swords), and the series can sometimes become nothing more than a repetition of talk, talk, talk, fight, talk, end. The biggest criticism about Katanagatari though, is that it's nothing more than a very nice looking "fetch quest", and while the dialogue really does pull the whole show together, the storyline can sometimes feel derived or contrived.
What really makes the series stand out are the rather stylized visuals. The design principle attempts to merge several themes ranging from traditional Japanese art to modern fighting games, and while there are some flaws here and there, the overall effect is ... something else. The scenery is surprising to say the least, and almost every frame is literally filled with little details that will often go unnoticed by the viewer, from the grain and different tones found in wood, to the multiple hues and fractures of stone.
In contrast to this the characters are simplistic yet colourfully flamboyant. The costumes vary from the utilitarian to the nonsensical (especially those of the Maniwa ninja corps), while the characters themselves have exaggeratedly simple, almost cartoon-like, facial features. Oddly enough, whilst one might expect this sort of design to lack in terms of expression, the opposite is true for Katanagatari.
White Fox, who produced Tears to Tiara and are currently working on Stein's Gate, have done a tremendous job with the design and animation of this series. The characters have a certain grace about their movements that belies their simplistic appearance and sometimes clunky costumes, while actual combat scenes are extremely well choreographed and animated, so much so that the individual moves of Shichika Hachiretsu (Seven hits, Eight Pieces), are clearly defined.
That said, the art style may not be everybody's cup of tea, but if you can handle it then there's a pretty good story here.
One of the defining aspects of a good narrative is the strength of the scriptwriting, and because of the extremely strong dialogue in this anime, it's often easy to overlook how good the actors actually are. Hosoya Yoshimasa's role as the über country bumpkin Yasuri Shichika may have caused him some consternation as the character is effectively emotionless for a good portion of the series. That said, his deadpan delivery works very well, and can often make the viewer stop and try to work out if what he says is meant to be a joke. On the other hand, Tamura Yukari's not-quite-tsundere Togame is sometimes a joy to watch, with the character's many mood swings and emotional changes handled with aplomb. But then again, what else would one expect from an actress who's also played Takamichi Nanoha, Kawasumi Mai (Kanon), Furude Rika (Higurashi), and a horde of other lead and supporting roles.
To be honest, given that Hosoya only has a handful of shows under his belt it's amazing he managed to keep his head working alongside such an experienced seiyuu.
Katanagatari features quite a lot of music in the form of two opening themes, twelve ending themes, and a plethora of background tracks. The OPs and EDs are handled well, but given the number of songs on offer, deciding what works and what doesn't is very much a matter of personal taste. The incidental music is another matter, as while there are scenes where the music dominates proceedings, the majority of the series features either very subtle tunes that are almost unnoticeable, or no music whatsoever.
The nice thing about this approach is that the dialogue doesn't have to fight to lead a particular scene, and while the more subtle background music is pleasant enough, this is ultimately a "wordy" anime.
The biggest weakness of shows like Katanagatari is that they have too many characters for their own good. While Shichika and Togame are played confidently, have some well though out dialogue, and generally bounce off each other like peas on a drum, the same cannot be said of the supporting characters, in particular the Maniwa Corps who seem to be nothing more than a collective of whipping boys whose only role in life is to prove just how strong Shichika and his sister are.
That doesn't mean the characters are bad though. Both Shichika and Togame's emotional development is handled in a very competent manner, and as their relationship slowly becomes more defined, so too do their actions change towards each other and the world around them. Unfortunately, while a lot of attention is lavished on the two leads, there is very little left over for the supporting cast, which is a shame as there are some great performances in this anime.
Now while the series has a lot to recommend it there are some valid criticisms that can be levelled at it, the main one being that Katanagatari is far too "wordy". See, the problem is that since the dialogue is very good, someone has decided that the series should have more of it than it actually needs, and the upshot of this is that there are occasions when the characters just go on and on. Now it should be pointed out that a part of this is because the series parodies certain stereotypical behaviours found in shounen anime and manga (and James Bond stories I might add), which is nice, but ultimately unnecessary.
Katanagatari is a strange anime that's part "fetch quest", part wuxia tale, and strangely enough, part Seinfeld (i.e lots of people being dryly humourous, deadpan or witty), which isn't a normal combination by any measure. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this anime for its originality and innovation, as it would have been all too easy for White Fox to follow the tried and tested route for samurai anime, so the fact that they decided to stick with Isin's concept of how the characters should look is laudable.
Now if only the other studios would start broadening their horizons ...
8thSin
'Katanagatari' ('Tale of Swords') is about Togame, a self-claimed "General Director of Military and Offering Affairs serving under Yanari Shogun Family of Owari Shogunate", and Yasuri Shichika, the last inheritor of swordless swordsmanship "Kyotouryuu", and their adventure to collect 12 legendary swords. Original work written by the same author as 'Bakemonogatari', this is a dialogue-based series that I cannot recommend to Shounen and other viewers who seek mindless battle scenes, you can ignore my warnings... "but by that time, you'd be slashed into pieces." The story of 'Katanagatari' is driven by the characters who stand in the way of the sword gathering. New characters and weapon ofthe month are introduced in every episode. Through negotiation and battles with Togame and Shichika, we learn about their opponents' backgrounds and purpose to fight. It can be said that the story progresses by disposing expendable side characters. The story may be about the main couple gathering the 12 swords, but the show is really all about why people fight.
The humor in this series heavily relies on 「すべり芸」, the comedy through deliberately failed attempts to be funny, which in turn creates a humorous atmosphere for its sheer lameness. The frantic pace of conversation was the key to making this comedy style work, as well as the persistence (such as catchphrases, Togame missing the battle, sexual implication etc) in every episode.
The episodic nature of the series makes character development difficult, but it was made possible by dedicating each episode to a theme or lesson for Shichika, and sometimes Togame.
1: Intro
2: What to protect
3: Purpose
4: Friendship
5: Love/Resolve
6: Conscience/Loneliness
7: Death
8: Human Will
9: Discipline
10: Swordsmanship
11: Fate/Past
12: Freedom/Future
Shichika started out as an emotionless weapon that blindly follows Togame's orders, acting as her sword. By facing the variety of opponents in their journey and influence of Togame herself, Shichika gradually grow up as a human being, learning ways of the society and new emotions with each encounter. Character development was excellent. By end of the show, Shichika was no longer a brutal killing machine; he had his own purposes and opinions. Character design was fantastic in this series. Everyone was easily distinguishable. Even those who died quickly had very distinct personalities and features that left lasting impressions.
Character naming was pretty interesting in kanji, such as Shichika --> "Seven Flowers", Togame --> wordplay of 「十が目」(Eye is a Cross) and "Blame", Hitei-hime --> "Princess Denial". Every name basically describes the person.
My only complaint with the characters is that every adversary in this show had a sympathetic or honorable reason to fight. They were too lovable. I believe there should be at least one character for everyone to hate in this type of action/adventure series. There should've been an enemy who was simply a serial killer who loved taking life, or a corrupt leader oppressing the innocent civilians. I also felt sorry for Maniwani, for being defeated (often easily) in every single battle against Shichika or Sword-holders.
The final episode summarizes and concludes the series well, lots of cool action, and the funniest scene occurred in stage 10 of dojo-yaburi, with Hakari the Scale. I also liked how in the end, it showed that possession of powerful weapon is pointless unless the wielder has the skill and knowledge to make full use of it.
I still consider 'Bakemonogatari' voice acting to be the best ever, but 'Katanagatari' is a close second. Togame (Tamura Yukari)'s voice takes a while to get used to, but it grew on me in time. Shichika (Hosoya Yoshimasa)'s voice sounds like reading the script at first, but not really; quite humorous and emotional when needed to be. Other than that, everyone else's voice was an instant hit (this is important because some of the characters were dead within minutes of appearance), which is quite a feat because there are over 30 major characters in this series. This is another series that made me think "Seiyuu sure are amazing".
BGM, on the other hand, makes a strong case for a new benchmark. It should be noted that at least one new piece of BGM is played in every episode, but all pieces flows so well that it doesn't sound like deliberate theme music for each villain. Most pieces are fully orchestrated in Western or Japanese traditional instruments, charged with the grandeur of the adventure. Others are jovial Japanese rap that serves its purpose by being so bad that it's funny. However, it's not the quality of individual number that makes the background music of 'Katanagatari' remarkable, rather its application. Every number is used in exactly the right places. The most distinguishable characteristic of the implementation is that the music start well before each significant scene to build up the tension, harmonizing with the story to enhance the drama as they climax with absolute precision.
OP1 was very catchy with good balance of anime beats and traditional Japanese atmosphere, but OP2 was average. EDs are different for every episode. Ep4, 8, 12 were particularly strong songs, but all were shared by outstanding vocals.
Character in this series had extremely crude designs, with background detail of varying degree. However, the artwork has a very unique style that creates a Japanese fairytale, picturebook-like atmosphere that suits this series well. One can tell the animation director and staff went lengths to visually compliment the story with wonderful "camera work", composition, and fabulous fight scenes.
I want to believe that the character designs are simplified so that they (especially the protagonist) begin as blank canvases, and their impressions and details painted in viewer's minds as the show progress through words.
The art quality in this series is technically inferior compared to most shows airing this year, but in my opinion had one of the best presentation and style. Probably hit or miss depending on tastes.
Although there are limits to episodic storytelling, the show had great character development and interesting story. The story was full of surprises and unpredictable turn of events despite it being a simple tale of sword gathering. Quite innovative and bold in style with both artwork and plot development. There were many great episodes in this series, I hereby declare episode 2, 4, 10, 12 「神回」 (godly epic episodes). Episode 7 was one too, though it probably had been possessed by a demon than god in many ways.
Perhaps it's a result of loose deadline due to monthly episode, but you can tell the staff paid close attention to perfect everything, from animation to sound to story structure.
It was one hell of an adventure around Japan. In spite of all the flaws mentioned above, 'Katanagatari' is a series that I enjoyed tremendously. This series was filled with so many interesting quirks, and I will definitely remember it for a long time.
Cheerio! Let's all hype up this word with the wrong meaning.
johnvswild
I simply cannot grasp why this anime receives so much praise. SPOILER-FREE White Fox adapted this from the light novel Katanagatari, and although they have the same author and a similar name, it has no connection to the Monogatari series in style, substance or story. The two main characters romp through a mythologized version of feudal Japan, neatly divided into formulaic episodes, collecting swords and killing fucking everyone they see. Katanagatari is by no means a terrible anime, but if you look at the way it is treated, you might think it’s an absolute masterpiece, or panders to the shounen crowd excessively. Neither is true. The world andaction are so ridiculous and clichéd that you might be forgiven for thinking it is simply a parody. If Katanagatari deserves any praise (which indeed it does), it is for managing a certain level of uniqueness. However, uniqueness alone is not enough to carry a series.
STORY 4/10
This is a twelve episode anime about collecting twelve swords. As such, you may begin to notice a pattern that the anime follows. In case you can’t I can spell it out for you: find the sword, find the wielder of the sword, get ready to kill sword wielder, fight scene, kill sword wielder, take sword. Fortunately, Katanagatari is not so obtuse as to staunchly follow this formula for every episode, but it can get pretty tedious at times; sometimes the biggest surprise an episode will shock you with is how few people die.
That’s right, none of the characters have any qualms about killing even friendly characters, resulting in one of the highest body counts per episode I’ve seen in anime. Not that it is necessarily a bad thing, but Katanagatari just makes it annoying; out of a cast of dozens of characters, you can count on one hand those alive at the end. There is even a set of twelve characters who exist for no purpose other than dying violent deaths as soon as they’ve received their quota of characterization.
This “quota of characterization” brings me to another annoying habit of this show: a naruto-esqe need to explain every technique and move of every character. Announcing attacks beforehand already makes the action scenes a little silly, and very few characters indeed do not at least once give a lecture on their fighting style, magical moves or weapons, usually in the middle of a fight. This highlights the more prevalent flaw of excessive dialogue. For an “action” show there is not nearly enough action. A lot of this does contribute to the story and characters, but some of it makes me wonder if it wasn’t just to fill up their 50 minute time slot.
I feel that the ending deserves special attention. Jarring would be an understatement, a better description would be “feels like it’s from a different show.” All of the characters in the final episode have their personalities nearly reversed, and events transpire that makes the rest of the series relatively meaningless. It feels terribly contrived and without spoiling too much, it is a massive disappointment.
ANIMATION 3/10
The art in this show is unique. Opinions on the character designs will be very subjective; they are certainly atypical of anime. Over the course of the series they will likely grow on the viewers. Backgrounds are colorful and charming. The art really does not fit the story and setting but some will love it.
The real weakness of this show’s art is the animation. It starts out passable, but as it goes on you can almost see a counter on the screen as White Fox’s budget for this show drops. Fight scenes are the only part that gets any special attention as the show goes on, and even their quality drops over time. It starts out fairly pretty but increases in still frames, simple designs and reused animation become more obvious. If I did not know they spent a month on each episode I would say it looks rushed. Overall this extreme inconsistency leads to some parts looking quite attractive and others looking really awful.
SOUND 6/10
The music in Katanagatari is pretty lackluster, but often fits very well with the show. The music definitely contributes to the mood of scenes. The voice actors complement the show far worse. Tamura Yukari does a brilliant job as Togame. Unfortunately other characters generally deliver their lines with all the emotion of reading a string of numbers with a director over their shoulder shouting “sound angry for this scene!” The sound effects really shine.
CHARACTER 5/10
The characters are the point of Katanagatari. Whether you like the show are not, everyone will agree that the action, story and everything else are secondary to the character development. Unfortunately, this means the show puts incredible effort into one area that ultimately falls flat on its face. The only good thing I can say about the characters is they are not stereotypes.
The side characters are particularly unimpressive. They are incredibly shallow and most are killed off as soon as they receive just enough development to elicit an emotional reaction from the lowest common denominator. I also can't count the number of "Japan's strongest" that come out of the woodwork.
Togame, Shichika and their relationship are the real focus of the show. Throughout the show they slowly develop from a largely superficial relationship into one of real trust between partners. Finally, at nobody’s surprise, romantic love blossoms between the two. Unfortunately, the circumstances surrounding this make it unsatisfactory. And it happens during the final episode, which I have mentioned involves everyone acting tremendously out of character.
Although their interactions are very strong, Togame and Shichika themselves are rather weak characters. Shichika especially is quite the Gary Stu, with a lot of forced development. “Why does he fall for Togame in minutes?” Because he does. “Why does he suddenly get way stronger?” Because he does. “Why is he unable to use a sword?” Because it makes a convenient plot device. This sort of thing is constant.
One last problem that bugs me particularly is that Katanagatari succumbs to temptation and commits one of the cardinal sins of anime character development: “cHAIRacter development.” This is changing hair style, especially cutting a female’s hair short, to demonstrate character development. It is usually done when the character is so weak that a superficial change is required to show growth. It was completely unnecessary and just annoying.
ENJOYMENT 6/10
It isn’t hard to get caught up in Katanagatari. If you can overlook some flaws then there isn’t any reason you can’t enjoy watching it. The ending is lousy, but the ride to get there can be pretty fun at times.
CONCLUSION
The art and focus on characters make this show unique, but uneven animation, disappointing characters and the ending cause this show to fail at being what it wanted so desperately to be: special.
Smartreviews
"I have just come to a realization! This scroll by Broken Sword contains no secrets of his swordsmanship. What this reveals is his highest ideal. In the first state, man and sword become one..." - King of Qin, Hero I originally stumbled upon this anime thinking it was a continuation of the Monogatari series. It's not. But it's a great show nonetheless. What wowed me about this show was its pacing. Katanagatari is easily one of the most well-paced animes I've ever seen, and the pacing reminds me a lot of BBC's Sherlock series. Each of the 45-minute episodes are like a mini-movie, leaving very littlein terms of cliff-hangers, yet keeps you wanting more, if and when you have time. For me, it made for a good series to relax and watch with my girlfriend on the weekends of my hectic whirlwind lifestyle.
So why did I choose to start with a quote from an obscure 2002 Jet Li movie? Well, the one thing that probably caused Katanagatari's score to drop a few points for a lot of people was its ending, which undoubtedly left 90~% of viewers confused and angry. So, I decided to take a metaphorical stab at an explanation (for which I will enlist the help of this obscure 2002 Jet Li movie) that will hopefully shed some light on the true meaning behind Katanagatari, and help you reach a more fulfilling understanding of what the heck you just watched. However, as my explanation contains light spoilers, I will leave it at the end of my review for you to read after you've already finished the series.
Now, for the review:
- Story (8/10) -
The story of Katanagatari is both very straightforward and somehow wildy unpredictable. It follows a rinse and repeat cycle where our heroes, Togame (a delicate strategist) and Shichika (an emotionless jungle boy), face off against an enemy with a powerful and unique weapon, find some way to defeat them, and subsequently take their weapon. It may sound dull and repetitive, but the show does a great job of keeping things fresh with cute/clever interactions between Togame and Shichika, who are superstar characters in their own rights, but I'll get to that in a bit. The only thing the story is lacking is depth behind each character's motivations. Togame is collecting swords for the Shogunate, which is the enemy of her loving deceased father, while Shichika is there because... I have no clue. He claims it's because he fell in love at first sight with Togame, but his attraction is rather platonic. I think the real reason was because he was bored. That's not to say their relationship seems fake. Katanagatari doesn't pull love out of thin air like some animes do (*cough* Angel Beats!). While the relationship between Togame and Shichika starts off a little suspicious, and the show doesn't try to hide the fact that Shichika comes off as this asexual weirdo, it develops into something that seems very real by the time we get to the closing credits. Throughout their travels, Shichika undergoes a very subtle transformation from emo-jungle-boy to fun-loving prankster that's shown in the way he interacts and teases Togame. It's all done in a Flowers for Algernon kind of way, meaning the narrator doesn't have to tell us that Shichika and Togame are changing, it's just obvious. It's really refreshing to see an anime that shows us things rather than tells us what to think, wouldn't you agree? (NOD YOUR HEAD) But still, the initial motivations behind each character's actions leaves a lot viewers scratching their heads. This, of course, is compounded by the problems people have with the ending. It's not just Shichika and Togame either. All of the characters have a tendency to act in unpredictable and senseless ways, from Hou-oh, a beloved clan leader randomly decapitating his dear disciple to Shichika's sister running around killing people for no reason. None of their motivations seem to make any sense. But motivations aside, it still gets an 8 out of 10 for it's combination of fun-filled subplots, clever battle sequences, and colorful cast of characters.
- Art (9/10) -
Have you ever watch an episode of an action anime and thought, why is there no fighting in this episode? Well, Katanagatari never has this problem. There's fighting in every episode. And while the fighting is not flashy (or forced for that matter), it is very well drawn and sensibly creative. The style is not detailed, except with some of the scenery, and the artist takes liberties with the shape of human bodies and faces, but it's all still very cool looking. It all reminds me a LOT of Gurren Laggan. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it fits well with the style of the anime as a whole. There are two weird things about the artwork that might annoy some people. First, like the artist for Gurren Lagann, this artist doesn't like to draw normal looking eyes. I don't mean having something like the Sharingan of Naruto canon, that's actually connected the story. I mean some characters will just randomly have pentagons for eyes, because why not? And second, the art style changes slightly after the first few episodes (the lines get noticeably thinner). I don't know if this is to show aging (older characters are typically given lighter lines in anime), but it's all made very obvious during flashbacks. But if you can disregard those two things, I'm sure you'll find the graphics as entertaining as I did.
- Sound (9/10) -
The opening/closing and the music in general fit well with the anime. That's really all I can say about that. The background music has a modern/Sengoku style to it that reminds me a bit of Samurai Champloo, but more Sengoku and less modern than Samurai Champloo (there's very little rap). And obviously, it's by a different composer (RIP Jun Seba). Actually, I think the opening is by the same band that did the Monogatari series. Anyways, it's all very good. The intros/outros are memorable, although neither of them really wowed me. The voice acting was underrated as well. However, I've only seen the sub.
- Characters (9/10) -
The characters are probably the best thing about this show. The main characters, Togame and Shichika are both very distinct and clever. Neither of them fall entirely within any anime cliche. The repertoire between them is great, and they both have some very memorable lines. The development of the characters is relatable as the pair try to find meaning behind why they fight, what it is they're searching for, and what they really want out of life. The side characters are also very interesting. All of the enemies are unique and interesting. In fact, even the guys who only get 10 seconds of screen time are interesting. I'm going to say "interesting" one more time for emphasis, just in case you didn't catch the first 30 times I said it. They all have fun quirks about them, and none of them really came off as annoying. One good example of this is the Maniwa Corps, a group of ninjas that are sort of like what Team Rocket is for Ash and Company on Pokemon, but way cooler. The difference is that while Team Rocket is made up almost entirely of storm troopers clones, every single of one of the 12 (14?) Maniwa members are unique. About 5 seconds ago (or 10-30 seconds depending on how fast you read), I mentioned that none of them come off as annoying. Well, that's not entirely true. The fact that their motivations often fail the logic test, as I mentioned earlier, can come off a bit annoying at times. But even this does little to make them full blown annoying characters. Even Hou-oh, who I mentioned briefly earlier as acting out of random uncharacteristic impulse, turned out to be one of my favorite anime side characters in a long time. Basically what I'm trying to say is that the characters have minor annoying tendencies, but the core that makes them who they are is solid, and will keep you invested in them.
- Enjoyment (10/10)
Memorable dialogue? Check. Fun scenarios? Check. Colorful characters? Check. Fulfilling story? Check. Top-notch pacing? Check. Meaningful fight scenes? Check. A spattering of fan service here and there? Ding Ding Ding. We have a winner.
Overall: 9/10
Its not the greatest show I've ever seen. But it's definitely worth the watch. I honestly believe it would be rated a lot higher if people weren't so upset with the ending. To cure that, I've decided to write an explanation. So if you haven't yet finished the show, PLEASE STOP READING HERE. If you have finished the 12 episode series, here's my take on what the ending was about...
(Warning: Light Spoilers)
Katanagatari (or Story of the Sword), taken as a whole, is about the falsification and course-correction of history. So it only makes sense that the first question we should ask is what part of history was corrected and what part was falsified?
Let's start with what was falsified. The subject matter behind this story is China, not Japan. And Shichika is an anime-parallel of Jing Ke. Name sound familiar? If so, either you're a history buff or you've watched too many Jet Li movies. Jing Ke, as some of you may know, is the main character of the 2002 Jet Li movie, "Hero" (although in the movie, he's known as "nameless"). And the history that is course-corrected is Jing Ke failed assassination of Ying Zheng, the King of Qin, and the man who would later become China's first Emperor. (the name Shichika in Japanese means "seven," which could refer to the seven warring nations of Han before they were united under Ying Zheng) He's also the one who ordered the eventual construction of the great wall of China to fend China off from foreign invaders, which the anime briefly mentions. The legend goes, Jing Ke earned an audience with Zheng upon presenting him with a present - the 12 broken swords of his greatest enemies. But in the end, Jing Ke failed because of two critical mistakes. First, he was paralyzed with fear for both himself and his loved ones at the sight of the King, and second, he was too slow in retrieving the poisoned dagger he hid in the scroll he presented to the King.
Now that the stage is set, let's move on to course-correction. While it's true that Emperor Zheng built the great wall, he was actually hated in China. The construction of the great wall cost the lives of millions, and Zheng was remembered as being a ruthless coward. And so peering into the future, Kiki Shikizaki (and his descendant Princess Hitei) attempted to course-correct Jing Ke's failed assassination by getting rid of his two weaknesses - his human heart, and his need of a weapon. And so he taught Ke's ancestor the Kyotouryuu and created the deviant blades as a condition precedent for Ke's meeting with Zheng. Lastly, by killing Togame, the love of his life (who's name in Japanese means "Blame" as in the one to blame for countless deaths), Princess Hitei fulfilled her ancestor's goal in getting rid of Jing Ke's second weakness, and turning him into a perfected weapon, without residual attachment to the world. This allowed him to overcome his fears, and even go as far as to wish for death. And so all the blood shed would not be in vain and millions of lives are saved from the clutches of China's first tyrant. Of course, this would mean that Zheng could no longer build the great wall to protect China from invaders, to which Shichika replies (and I'm paraphrasing) - we'll just have to trust the heroes of the future to tear them to pieces.
Ok, so that should explain what happened. I may be wrong, but at the very least, it gives you a basis for understanding the theme of this story. By focusing on what could have happened (history), rather than what did happen (anime), the ending should hold a bit more weight. The story doesn't do that, it really couldn't. That was something that had to be left to the viewer. Another thing that probably upset people is how Shichika ends up with Hitei. Well, that's something you have to look at in context of the overarching theme of the anime - the falsification of history. History is written by the victor. Now ask yourself who you think the narrator of the story is. It could only be one person. And once you've figured that out, things should become clearer. History is written by the victor, and in this case a victor with a penchant for falsifying history. Is it not possible that the ending was a lie too? Call it a narrator's wishful thinking, if you must. Hopefully, you were able to figure out what I meant. I can't solve all your riddles for you. It would take too long. And by then, I will have already torn you all to pieces. Cheerio!
Raptor1221
What do you fight for? That is a question with no simple answer. People say that they wish to accomplish some sort of dream or aspiration. To achieve fame, fortune, love, or maybe even revenge. Some are simple and others ambitious beyond belief. The real question is, do you have the will to fulfill that dream? Is it truly what you wish for? Are willing to struggle to the end for it? Many people try to fulfill their aspirations. Many people simply die in regret and are forgotten. Others fulfill a dream so large they are remembered for all time.To explore this question is the main purpose of the work “Katanagatari”. Now ask yourself “what will your dying words be?” Words to be remembered? Or words of regret?
Premise Synopsis** (review is after)
Katanagatari is about Yasuri Shichika, a young man in his twenties who has lived with his father and sister on a small island in exile. After the death of his father one year before the show began Shichika inherits the title of the family head. This comes with the secrets of the sword less sword style which is dubbed “Kyotouryuu”. This is an anti-sword martial art that uses the body to disarm and break the opponent’s weapons. To the Yasuri family their life and body is nothing but a sword. This is why they are dubbed the swordsmen without swords. Insert Togame, the self proclaim strategian of the Shogun. She comes to the island of the Yasuri hoping to enlist the help of Shichika’s father. She instead enlists him as he is the new family head. Then she states has a quest to find the 12 deviant blades of the legendary sword smith Shikizaki Kiki. These blades are so powerful and valuable that they can change the course of history itself. The Shogunate has tried for years to claim even one of these blades to no avail. Togame then asks for Shichika’s help. She personally has failed numerous times to get the blades. She has used those who fought for money and those who fought for honor. First she used those who fight for money. They simply stole the first blade and ran. Then she tried those who fought for honor. Yet, those who fought for honor could not resist the honor of owning such a prestigious sword. She then states she needs a warrior who will fight for love. She needs a person that is devoted to her and only her. Shichika thinking her a curious woman and wishing to be someone’s “sword” (as the family considers themselves swords) accepts the offer saying “Ive fallen for you”. What follows is a grand journey of introspection, love and human nature that will shake you to your core.
(Story)
Katangatri is written by Nisio Isin whose most notable work is Bakemonogatari. Katangatari is much like the former in the style of its dialog and use of symbolism/ stylized art. Katanagatari though is a much more focused story than Bakemonogatari. Katanagatari is told in 12; 50 minute episodes. Each episode of Katanagatari has Shickika and Togame going after one of the 12 deviant blades. These episodes aired once a month during 2010 from January to December. In the show the seasons changed in correlation with this. It also takes them 1 month to get each blade making it move in time with the real world. This creates a feeling of connection with the journey. Every episode Togame and Shichika meet a new person with one of the blades. Shichika having no knowledge of the world learns something new every episode and develops accordingly. You watch through the journey as the “sword” that is Shichika becomes human. He starts as something without his own will, who simply listens to Togame as her “sword”. He then develops into a human with a will and moral compass. By the end he has his reason to fight. It is a journey of twits and turns in a world that has change on the horizon. It’s a show that will keep you guessing to the eventual outcome of each episode. Showing you that things don’t always turn out the way we plan, no matter how much we wish it. Just as you think you have it down, it catches you once more. Better yet its twists are heavily foreshadowed and don’t feel like ass pulls. This journey then culminates into a final conclusion so epic and heart wrenching that it cannot be spoiled nor missed; it will “tear you to pieces”. One thing to say is this show is very dialog heavy. Its great dialog don’t get me wrong, it just can be a turn off for some. But its not to say is doesn’t have epic fights. The fights are great with fluid chorography and animation. It’s simply not the main focus. As far a story telling goes Katangatari is an episodic journey of the highest caliber. It is simply breathtaking in execution and conclusion. (10/10)
(Character)
The main characters of Katanagatari are the aforementioned Togame and Sichika. The main thing keeping this show interesting during its 50 min episodes is the dialog. The banter between Togame and Shichika is clever and charming. It also makes the developing romance feel much more real to the viewer. Each character including the 12 owners of the swords have a developed back story and a motivation to fight, some good some evil. The development for Shichika mostly comes when he kills the good and the evil owners without any remorse or caring, simply because it’s Togame’s will. Yet as he hears the dying words of each and the different motivations he realizes he has nothing he fights for himself. He gains his own moral code and also gains reasons for why he follows Togame. Now I shall talk about Togame. She has many names, “The stratigen”, “that unpleasant woman”, and others names that would be spoiler territory. She is an energetic, manipulative, and clever woman that seeks the blades for unknown reasons that latter become clearer. Togame , like Sichika learns to love, and her moral code changes as she learns from the owners and Sichika. The Dialog, development, and generally script writing in Katangatari is top noch. The only gripe I have is some of the more important villains (who shunt be named) had too little back-story to them. It was hard to understand the final motivation for the final owners (can’t get into detail… spoilers). Yet the dialog and characters are an overall crowing achievement.
(9/10)
(Art)
Katanagatari is a stylized symbolic adventure with art that looks like it comes from an old legend. The animations during the fights are one of the many high points in the series. They are well choreographed and fluid. The character designs and weapon designs are well handled and animated. Each owner has an interesting design. Animation was handled by Studio “White Fox” who are a subsidiary of OLM Inc. They are a very new studio whose first work was in 2009 and Katangatari (2010) being their second work ever. The most notable thing they have animated was the widely popular Steins;Gate anime. It’s symbolic, light art style that can instantly turn dark complements the show perfectly. It is not without flaws. The art does have a few glitches here and there. I did stop and notice some errors in animation during many of the dialog sequences. Yet the fluid motion and dynamic animation at most points make up for its occasional errors.
(9/10)
(Sound)
The sound of Katanagatari is very… interesting. It utilizes rap in a mix of Japanese and English under a back score of traditional Japanese music. It can sound epic as it wants to and does a very good job of doing so. What surprised me was that it could also sound beautiful. To be compared it shares a similar musical style to the Samurai Champloo sound track. The rap in Champloo was handled by Najubes, while Katangatari’s rap and vocals is handled by an artist called Lotus juice. The overall composition was handled by Taku Iwasaki who also handled Tegen Toppa Guerren Lagan and JoJo’s Bizzare adventure (part 2) sound tracks. The original Op’s and Ed’s are good, just not amazing. YET, Katanagatari received a new op for its 2013 rerun which is possibly on of the greatest anime openings I’ve ever heard. I say this because of how well it fits in with the show. The song itself and the visuals are amazing. The Ost choice is easily this opening. It is done by the band “Supercell” titled “Hakushi Kassai Utaawase”. This is for the aforementioned reasons. The sound track overall is good, some tracks stand out and others aren’t noticed much. Better than most and serves its overall purpose.
(8/10)
(Enjoyment)
To state I simply “enjoyed” this work would be a slight understatement. It has firmly entrenched itself into my favorites list and my soul. Katanagatari is a grand episodic journey of introspection and human nature. Throw in a good sound track, great dialog, and tons of great moments. You got yourself some great enjoyment. Truly this was an excellent use of 12 hours.
(10/10)
(Verdict)
Katanagatari is one of those diamonds in the rough. It starts as a simple journey, but turns out to be so much more. A quest for 12 swords over 12 months, the turning of a “sword” into a human being with thoughts and wants. It’s a show who’s art, sound, and setting work together to lead up to one of the grandest conclusions in anime history. It leaves you with a feeling of loss and the questions of, “what do you fight for?” Money? Power? Your own dream? Or the one you love? Do you have the will to do it? What will your dying words be? Will they be that of regret? Or words to be remembered? No matter which they all end in death. With that on this evening and month I polity close the curtain on this review.
Final Score Katanagatari:
(9.45)
-Raptor
Lawuser
Katanagatari is interesting because it's one of the better anime in recent time (that I have seen), one of the best anime from 2010 (that I have seen) and arguably the best work of NisiOisiN (that I have seen, even though this only includes two titles). Now, Katanagatari is great, it's absolutely wonderful, but depending on your ability to immerse yourself in a story so much that you forget time this may or may not be for you. If you are like me with the attention span of a goldfish, initially the 50-minute long episodes might scare you off. If you are able to put upwith it, however, you are in for a treat.
I will not summarise the series because frankly you can look at the anime description for that, that and I doubt I will make it that much more interesting. I will just go through why I like it.
First of all there are the characters, which I think are the main driving force behind this anime. They bounce off each other really well, providing good (but not ROFLOL hilarious) comedy and creating an overall likable character dynamic. The side characters are also fairly good, they do their thing, but for the most part you will not see them for more than one episode, so they do not matter too much. I will also give points to the incredibly forced romance. I like that Katanagatari doesn't even try to build it up naturally but instead approaches it like "Yeah, we're in love even though we've shared a whole of five miniutes of screen time. Deal with it."
The action scenes are short but very energetic and well directed. While they are very good, be warned if you are going into Katana thinking it wll be 90% action; it will not. In fact, much of the anime is spent on dialogue. Think Bakemonogatari, just not quite the same bullet pace.
The sound track is excellent, and while I do not think it stands out per se the music tracks are used very efficiently, creating just the right mood every single time.
The art can be descriped as fairly minimalistic - it certainly does not stand out in terms of production values - but it gets its job done and does it well.
Overall, Katanagatari is gud, you should definitely check it out if you like dialogue and good action scenes, but due to the length of the episodes you may or may not be able to marathon through it. Also: dat last episode.
ktulu007
Katanagatari started as a light novel series by Isin Nisio. Who's written nothing else that I'm familiar with. He wrote some novelizations for both Death Note and xxxHolic, but I'm only familiar with the originals for those two and novels based on established series tend to vary a lot in quality. The anime adaptation was handled by the relatively new White Fox studio. They were behind both the Jormungand and Steins;Gate anime, so that could be a good sign. Then again, every studio tends to do some good and some bad work so this could be the first anime they've done that I dislike. Onlyone way to find out.
The story follows a martial artist, who incorrectly refers to himself as a swordsman because this anime doesn't know what a sword is*, named Shichika. He lives with his sister in exile on an island. That ends when a woman named Togame shows up and asks Shichika to accompany her on a journey to collect twelve deviant blades. He agrees because he's fallen in love with her for no adequately explained reason. Did I mention he knows her for all of thirty minutes at that point? The story follows their journey to wade through a massive sea of exposition in order to collect the blades. This anime breaks the most important rule of story telling, show, don't tell. There's very little that happens with any bearing on the actual plot. The episodes are roughly fifty minutes long with most episodes using three minutes for the themes, eight minutes for action sequences, five minutes for plot relevant content and thirty four minutes for long stretches of exposition. I'm not even exaggerating when I say that one episode has a twenty minute stretch of dialogue that's nothing but the characters expositing over plot points. Because... showing the information in a natural way would've taken too long? One of the most inexcusable scenes happens in the middle of a fight scene. The characters just stop for more than five minutes so that one can exposit about her backstory. Then there's the narrator, whose only purpose is to waste time by telling you where they are, which they invariably mention in their exposition anyway, or to spoil what's going to happen in the next episode thereby killing any tension before it even has a chance to build. Smooth. The only real exception is the last episode, which spends most of its time with action sequences and a scene where someone, I won't spoil who, dies for fourteen and a half minutes. The worst part is that there's someone around who could've tied a tourniquet or something but prefers to spend the time crying because the first character is bleeding to death. Because.. death is more tragic if there's someone guilty of criminal negligence. The biggest issue that comes out of the whole thing is that it's boring. Stretches of dialogue can be interesting, but they barely have any actual dialogue. Most of it is incredibly stilted exposition, which isn't interesting. Then there's the romance, which never evolves beyond an attraction that comes out of nowhere. Nothing interesting is ever done with it, rather like the anime as a whole. The attempted comedy is so lacking in actual humour that it can be difficult to tell whether something is supposed to be a joke or it's just stupid. Then there's the ending, which features an anti-climax followed by abject stupidity.
Then you have the characters. First you have Shichika himself, who calls himself a sword because he formed a club with Gundam 00's Setsuna for people who think they're inanimate objects. He has very little in terms of personality. He's pretty much defined by being stupid, hitting things and falling for random strangers. He's your typical big dumb hero character. Then you've got Togame, one of those characters who's supposed to be clever but never acts clever or demonstrates any intelligence whatsoever. She can be recognised by yelling a lot, falling over, blushing and hitting Shichika while yelling "cheerio." She's a pretty typical tsundere character, except with fewer dimensions. There aren't any interesting characters in this. They just fill their role, spout exposition and then stay stagnant or die. The worst part of it is that they try to have tragic moments, but they've never given you any reason to care about any of the characters so they just fail.
Now for the art. I actually have a few positive things to say about it. The first is that there are some really nicely drawn backgrounds. The second is that the weapons, whether they're actually swords or not, are nicely designed, mostly. Now back to giving discredit where discredit is due. The character designs in this are horrible. The eyes are just off and convey no emotion other than dull surprise, and they show up in spite of being covered by hair on several occasions. The noses appear when the characters are in profile and vanish entirely when they're shown head on. White Fox does know that noses have depth, right? The characters really do look like badly made plastic dolls. The sad thing is that they try to have fan-service by giving Togame the occasional bum shot. Yeah, this art style doesn't work for that. The animation in this is frequently lazy. There are several cases where they just hold on the same image for no reason. The fight scenes are exceptionally bad. The characters are drawn so they're almost never actually coming into contact with one another and there's one fight scene where they play the same animation three times in a row.
The music is another thing that I'm going to give some actual praise to. The music is well done. It could've made it in a decent anime. Then there's the voice acting. This is another anime where no one seems to be trying. I know that several of the major seiyu can act. Tamura Yukari, Tomatsu Haruka, Okiayu Ryotaro and several others are skilled at their craft but none of them seem to be putting any effort into their performances. Although, to be fair, there are very few people who could sound natural while delivering all of that exposition.
The yuri factor is a 1/10. This has no yuri.
The final rating for Katanagatari is a 2/10. There's a pretty clear lack of effort on the parts of everyone involved. The story is mostly told through tedious exposition. Character development is absent. The fight scenes, and most of the art in general, are just poorly done and none of the seiyu seem to be trying. In the end, Katanagatari is by far the most boring anime I've ever seen and the few scenes that kind of work aren't worth sitting through the exposition for.
* They refer to Kunai as shuriken and every weapon, from guns to an android, as swords. They even refer to some non-weapons, like a suit of armour, as swords.
PoeticJustice
What is it that you fight for? Money? Power? Honor? Love? Revenge? Out of all the millions of reasons , in the end does it really matter? These are some of the things you will ponder while watching Katanagatari. Nisio Isin, the mind behind the monogatari-series, which some might call a twist on the harem genre, has used his deft hand at creating unique characters and worlds, in what would traditionally be a shounen premise. The end result, is a masterfully crafted tale that blends Japanese folklore, romance, and martial arts with a very contemporary touch that makes Katanagatari feel both modern and old atthe same time. Simply put it, Katanagatari is a story of both the ages, and the here and now. It is a wonderfully crafted tale that I had the pleasure of watching.
Story(9/10)- Katanagatari's premise is essentially the typical shounen premise. Yasuri Shichika, master of the swordless sword style, Kyotouryuu, lives on an island with his older sister, Nanami. They know nothing of what life is like in the outside world, until one day an intruder interrupts the tranquility of their island. Togame, a self-proclaimed strategian, enlists the help of Shichikia to acquire the 12 deviant blades for the shogunate. In any one elses hands, Katanagatari would've been ridden with cliches and tropes found in many popular shounen anime/manga. However, Katanagatari is anything but typical.
In all of Nisio Isin's works, dialogue is always at the forefront. Katanagatari is no different, it is probably even more so since each episode is a whomping 50 minutes long. But that is exactly where the show succeeds, in it's dialogue. The dialogue is witty, clever, intelligent and insightful. All without being verbose and mundane. The conversations often provide background and motivations for characters and do a phenomenal job at world building, bringing the world and characters to life while giving it a touch of realism.That is not to say the plot itself isn't interesting either.
As the story progresses, there are a lot of unforeseen twists and turns that serve to deepen the plot without being convoluted or contrived. All the plot points are revealed at the right time to cause the greatest impact on the viewer. It is not this often that a story is able to hit all the right notes.
Art(9/10)- The art for Katanagatari is nothing short of beautiful. It has a very vibrant color scheme that your screen will be glowing the entire time. The character designs are a bit atypical because they seem more.....cartoonish. They aren't overly detailed but aren't so base that you can't remember what they look like. The backgrounds are detailed to that point where the world itself becomes a character.
Sound(9/10)- The soundtrack is nothing short of memorable. It is composed by Iwasaki Taku who is famous for his work on Rurouni Kenshin Trust and Betrayal, Now and Then Here and There. The soundtrack is a unique blend of jazz, Indian flutes, and traditional pieces that compliment the world adding to its character.
Character(9/10)- By far, the best thing about Katanagatari is the relationship between Shichika and Togame; how their relationship grows and how they mature throughout the story. Shichika starts out as a bland individual. He lacks any traits, besides his strength, that cause him to stand out. He is essentially a living weapon. Each encounter he has with an enemy, leaves a lasting impression on him, causing him to change little by little. Throughout the show, you see him make the transition from a mere weapon, to a human being. You feel as though you are changing with him.
The encounters not only change the characters themselves, but also serves to deepen their relationship. With each encounter Shichika has with an enemy, it adds another dimension to his relationship with Togame. He starts out as merely a tool for her to use, but slowly she grows to love Shichika. The same for Shichika as well. He follows Togame blindly without any reason but over time he finds a reason to fight.
The villains are not mere caricatures either. Due to the length of the episodes, the villains are fleshed out to the point where they are human. They each have their own reasons for pursuing the deviant blade, along with a distinct personality and world view. It is rare that a show gives development to almost every character in the cast, in a seemingly short time frame.
Conclusion(9/10)- Katanagatari is a tale both grand in ambition and in scope. It is one of the view anime that accomplishes what it wants to without compromises. A stong narrative, and strong lead characters put it head and shoulders above nearly every anime out there. If you have the patience to withstand the lengthy conversations, the pay off is well worth it. I give Katanagatari 9/10.
~Cheerio!
Link_of_Hyrule
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW** What’s more important: the destination, or the journey it takes to get there? If you put every ounce of your blood, sweat and tears towards achieving your goal, and still fail, was it all for nothing? Inversely, if you accomplish all of your goals without breaking a sweat, are you really accomplishing anything? Due to the fact that the outcome of nearly every shounen anime every made is never in any real question what so ever, this is not a theme we have ever seen explored in anime. At least, not until Katanagatari was released. This anime is perhaps the only show evermade that can justifiably be called a proper deconstruction of the modern shounen; it takes the aspects and clichés that you would ordinarily assume about a narrative and promptly beats you over the head with them. It examines the inner workings and conceptual concepts of the genre and makes you completely rethink the priorities of storytelling. As if that weren’t enough, it also proceeds to accomplish all of this without sacrificing an ounce of entertainment, comedy, action, wit, pacing, or essentially anything. This anim- …no… This MASTERPIECE deserves a hell of a lot more credit than it gets, even if it isn’t perfect. Presenting one of my all time favorites: Katanagatari.
Synopsis: Yasuri Shichika, the 7th successor of the Kyoto Ryu style sword art, lives on an isolated island with his older sister, Nanami; he has never had any other human contact. One day, the island is visited by a woman named Togame, who requests his aid in her quest to find and collect the twelve legendary swords forged by the master swordsmith Shikizaki Kiki. And thus, the “Sword Story” begins.
At first glance, Katanagatari’s storyline is nothing special. In fact, in may take you quite a few glances to realize that there is more to this simple “Sword Story” than you are made to initially think. Largely episodic in nature, each episode consists of Shichika and Togame locating and obtaining one of the 12 swords. Conveniently, there are 12 episodes in the show (each of them twice as long as a normal anime episode, doing wonders for the pacing of the anime). Now, that information alone might make you assume quite a few things. However, you’re going to want to take my advice: Don’t. Katanagatari teaches you relatively early on that you should not assume a single thing about it. It is NOT an average shounen. Episode 4, perhaps the most trolltastic anime episode ever aired, is more than enough to demonstrate this. This show doesn’t just avoid its genre’s traditional tropes, it laughs in the face of them. It completely dismantles what an average plot might consider to be important and demonstrates the things that are REALLY important when you are telling a story: Character development, motivations, pacing, engaging dialogue, and much more. It’s genius. Pure and utter genius. Katanagatari makes fun of or completely deconstructs an uncountable number of clichés, and yet it always does so with the most impeccable sense of execution and taste. Ah, but I’ll stop clumsily trying to discuss the show’s themes while attempting to avoid spoilers. Let’s get to the other aspects of the storyline:
Something you will initially notice about this anime is that is has a LOT of dialogue. Don’t get me wrong, there is certainly a very fair share of action, but the majority of the screen time is spent showing the characters having conversations with one another. The reason that this is a good thing is because it’s VERY well written dialogue; sometimes hilarious, sometimes deep, but always witty and/or thoughtful. One of the best scripts I’ve ever seen. The emotional highs are high, the emotional lows are low, the comedic timing is flawless when applicable, and the show always seems to know just what to say. Katanagatari covers the entire range of the emotional spectrum; it will make you feel EVERY emotion. I can’t say the same thing for any other anime I’ve ever watched, or at least not to the same extent. The one and only complaint I can make about the storyline is that it gets a bit lax when fleshing out its plot developments toward the end, but none of it really matters in the end. Did I mention that this series has, quite possibly, the greatest final episode in anime history? Enough said.
If you want to know how to write good characters, look no further than Katanagarari’s incredibly memorable, masterfully written and downright lovable cast. Y’know how Cowboy Bebop became wildly popular because of its ability to introduce new characters every episode and still end the episode arc with them feeling fully fleshed out (among other things)? Well, Katanagatari does it even better. From compelling backstories to unique personalities to complex motivations, the side characters in this show are among the greatest and most interesting in the entire medium considering the circumstances. However, even without them, the character cast would be totally unforgettable thanks to the duo of Shichika and Togame; both of whom are some of my favorite characters of all time. Shichika, besides being likable, is one of the finest examples of character development I’ve ever seen. His thoughts and actions carry unfathomable thematic weight and his personality is unique as well as perfect for the tone of show. Did I mention that he is also a badass? Shichika is quite possibly my favorite anime character of all time; he was written so goddamn well that it’s inspiring. Togame is just as complex as Shichika, but her motives are shrouded in mystery. Really, before anything else, Togame should be lauded for being one of the most likeable characters ever conceived. She is laugh out loud hilarious, full of energy, absurdly adorable, and STILL manages to command the respect of the viewer and be legitimately multi-facetted. Really, I struggle to find the words to do this pair justice. Easily the highlight to an already incredible show, and I haven’t even mentioned that the character designs are astonishingly awesome; easily my all time favorite. What a stupendous job by the writers in this department. The characters stand out as the best part of an already amazing anime.
Some people really like the art style of Katanagatari while others dislike it, but I never understood how anyone could possible not think this show looks good. The bold colors and lines are pure eye candy, and I’ve already mentioned that the character designs are the most beautiful, diverse, and creative examples in the industry. The action scenes are animated wonderfully and even the dialogue scenes never seem to lack energy. I LOVED the animation for this show, even though some people disagree for whatever reason. There is much less debate about the music and voice-acting, however, which are both nearly flawless in execution. Katanagatari has maybe the best and most varied original score I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to. From haunting and intense melodies with a traditional Japanese theme to the occasional hip-hop track that gives even the likes of Samurai Champloo a run for its money to everything in between, believe me when I say that this soundtrack has it all. The two OPs really aren’t anything special, but Katanagatari re-aired on television in 2013 with a brand new OP, and THAT one is fucking incredible. Probably the most underrated OP of all time, and one of my personal favorites. When it comes to presentation, I struggle to find a single thing to complain about.
I hate to end this review with a cliché (ironically), but I’m going to anyway: This anime will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will make you feel every emotion in between. It’s intelligent and has tons of depth while being simultaneously entertaining and filled to the brim with charm. If you don't watch Katanagatari, you are doing yourself a major disservice. I highly doubt that there will ever be another anime that manages to balance themes and entertainment as well as this series; it’s one of a kind. Not bad for a Sword Story.
Refawul
Considering the amount of love this show has received, it feels risky giving a comparatively low score to Katanagatari, although I don't personally consider a 7 by any means low. Please don't label this review as "not helpful" just because you disagree with the scores or think they are too low. This is a difficult show to review because a) most of my complaints are directed to the plot and character development, both of which are difficult to describe without spoilers, and b) some of the complaints can also be considered reasons why this show is amazing or unique. Unique is indeed one of thebetter ways to describe Katanagatari, but let us get into the review.
*STORY -- 5 -- MEDIOCRE*
Again, it is difficult to explain the score without specifics, but the best way I can describe this show's plot is that it is both far too predictable, and far too unpredictable. The show's structure is essentially as follows: each episode takes place a month apart and features the two protagonists, Yasuri Shichika and Togame, locating one of the twelve legendary swords and obtaining it in one way or another. Having a show running on a formula such as this runs the risk of killing the show's unpredictability, since the plot is literally formulaic. You KNOW that the protagonists are going to succeed and take the sword that episode. This makes some of the more drawn-out segments that rely on suspense fall somewhat flat, since you already know the outcome.
Perhaps in an effort to counter this predictability, the show throws many moments that seemingly come completely out of nowhere, but rather than feeling excitingly unexpected, these moments often feel cheap or underdeveloped. There is often a lack of proper build-up to many of the show's twists or turns, making the viewer feel cheated or downright confused. There are the occasional moments where this unexpectedness works extremely well, particularly in episode 4, although that episode in particular highlights an issue regarding the anime's characters which I cannot explain without spoiling it (basically, it highlights how uninteresting the two protagonists are). Unfortunately, these better moments are few and far between. The last few episodes in particular, while praised as some of the best in anime by some, feel particularly prone to random new plot threads that the show expects its audience to accept. "AHA SURPRISE! THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE PLAN ALL ALONG!" is not a good plot device, nor is having one of the characters go around performing unexplainably overpowered deeds and him simply explaining it by saying "It is not necessary for you to understand what just happened."
The show is definitely inconsistent in its quality. Certain episodes are actually quite excellent and well-paced. Others are downright awful and are entirely exposition where the protagonist goes on some mind-bending LSD adventure in an effort to get him to understand something of great importance -- a common trope in anime. The quality of the episode seems very much related to the characters featured, so I will touch on that later.
The anime's focus seems to be on its dialogue, which is mostly a good call, since the interactions between characters are the show's strongest moments. However, it often feels that the show's writers know that the dialogue is good, and decide to take it too far. As a result, many of the dialogue scenes drag horribly with seemingly no reason but to fill time or show off. The pacing definitely could have used a bit of work.
Although the dialogue is generally excellently written, the actual writing of the show is surprisingly poor. If that's confusing, let me try to explain by saying that the show has a tendency to tell rather than show, which is not a good writing strategy. Sometimes a character may be telling something rather well, but that doesn't negate the fact that they shouldn't be telling it in the first place.
Of course, the show's unpredictability and copious amounts of dialogue can be used as examples of why Katanagatari is unique and therefore deserves praise. Although aspects are certainly unique, it still feels very much like a typical anime at most times. Even when the show manages to be unique, a show needs to be more than just that -- it actually has to be well executed. I simply cannot call Katanagatari's story well executed despite its attempts to be different.
*CHARACTER -- 6 -- FAIR*
The characters are what manage to save the show's content from disaster, although they are very far from being excellent. The protagonists in particular are a great target of criticism. Togame's character is overall extremely static. She hardly changes, aside from her feelings and attitude towards Shichika. This wouldn't be a huge issue on its own were her character not so stock and boring. She is the stereotypical high-tempered, jealous, easily embarrassed, pouty female trying to make a name for herself but unable to alone because she is essentially incompetent. She definitely improves in the competency department later on, making some successful strategies, but she is a far cry from being interesting or unique. Some of her backstory is better than her actual character, but suffers from the plot's problem of throwing sudden, unexpected globs of information at the audience and expecting you to care.
Shichika is the other protagonist and his "development" in particular bothers me. He displays the guise of having tremendous character development, changing from being a completely blank person -- literally a tool (sword, in this case) -- to a caring human being. He can best be described as a robot learning he has feelings. Unfortunately, it is not impressive character development to go from nothing to a human being. What IS impressive character development is to go from a human being to an INTERESTING human being, which Shichika never becomes. He essentially manages to become a normal stock character, which almost makes him less interesting than how he starts out as. At least when he is nothing but a tool, he has that unique aspect of having no idea about human emotions or the outside world, which is played off for humour decently well. He does display the odd quirky moment, and you can only wish there were more of such glimmers of personality.
What, then, manages to save this show? That would be some of its secondary characters -- namely, those who wield the swords the protagonists must obtain. These characters are certainly not all great (one character in an episode in Ezo in particular was simply terribly developed, or rather, wasn't at all), but a few of them bring you into their world and make you care about their fates. This is extremely effective and is one of the ways the show's predictability is somewhat mitigated. By knowing that these swordsmen are going to lose, the episode becomes something of a tragedy, as you realize this world they have developed and rely on the sword to maintain are going to be destroyed by the two protagonists. As such, episodes that feature the most interesting swordsmen are also the best episodes. Unfortunately, only a few of these swordsmen end up being this interesting, so the praise can only really apply to a few episodes.
The Maniwa Corps, a ninja corps that appears throughout the entire show, is a particularly strange presence. Without spoiling too much, their appearance in each episode eventually becomes something of a running gag that I personally found quite humorous. This could probably be a criticism, and in a way it is, because these characters are woefully underdeveloped, but in this case, that actually feels intentional and in a way that doesn't feel contrived or cheap. Still, they certainly could have done without them entirely for the most part, which probably isn't the best sort of characters to have.
Nanami, Shichika's sister, is probably the worst-written character in the entire show in my opinion, which is an incredible shame because she starts off as potentially one of the most interesting. She makes an appearance early on that completely steals the episode in a surprising way, which is one of the show's best moments, but the next time she is featured, her character is so poorly and suddenly developed and the episode's contents are so messily executed that I would probably consider said episode the worst in the series. They eventually explain what happens at the end of the episode, but by that point, the damage has already been done.
There are a massive host of other characters, namely a couple that appear in the latter stages of the journey, many of which are also underdeveloped. There are simply too many characters for this show to handle in its time frame, which is a shame, because all of the voice performances are generally excellent.
*ART -- 9 -- GREAT*
This show's art is by far its strongest aspect. The production in general is fantastic, with a unique art style that, while not personally my favourite, has moments of startling beauty and a sort of painting-like quality that makes many frames feel like classic Japanese art. Some of the character designs are a bit questionable, but overall, the art is superb. Unfortunately, there is one episode in the middle of the series where the art style completely changes, and while I can't comment on any possible artistic reasoning, all I can say is that the episode feels like it was produced on a budget. Whether this is true or not, I have no idea, but there is noticeably less movement and quality in the art, which is a shame, since this episode is particularly important plot-wise.
I don't want to give the best aspect of the show such a short piece of the review, but aside from that one episode mentioned, there isn't much to say aside from the art being excellent.
*SOUND -- 8 -- VERY GOOD*
The sound is not as stand-out as the art but still good. There is some good music, although nothing in particular really stands out. The sound effects are also fine, but again, nothing outstanding. As mentioned, the voice performances are fantastic, which gives a great boost to the sound's score. Because the rest of the sound is otherwise rather average, I can't give it higher than an 8, but it is still quite good nonetheless. I do have one huge nitpick regarding the sound design: there are on occasion songs placed into the background, and the lyrics often clash with the atmosphere of the scene or appear underneath dialogue. This gives this weird feeling where you hear voices but don't understand where they are coming from until you realize they are in the background music. A mostly minor complaint, but it practically ruined one or two scenes.
*ENJOYMENT -- 7 -- GOOD*
This was one of those shows that rarely gripped me, but also never got bad enough to make me stop watching. It was mildly entertaining throughout, with some fantastic moments sprinkled in with some maddeningly poor ones, but even those poor moments helped keep me watching if only out of outrage, so perhaps they were doing something right. This wasn't a show I ever felt like dropping, nor was it a show I couldn't wait to watch the next episode of.
*OVERALL -- 7 -- GOOD*
Considering how badly I bashed the story and many of the characters, even a 7 may sound surprisingly high, but the production values really go a long way in elevating the show's quality. Even the story and characters, while highly flawed, are serviceable enough to be enjoyable. Perhaps the best way to describe Katanagatari is as an aspiring epic crammed into far too short a time span. The anime simply tries to tackle far more than it can handle, from too much dialogue to too many characters to too many new subplots to too many unexpected twists. The show definitely could have benefitted from either being longer or trimming its excess fat. Being longer would perhaps give those poorly-developed, unexpected moments a great chance to become legitimately believable or well-built-up.
Despite these plentiful criticisms, Katanagatari is an above-average show. It is beautiful, has some excellent moments, and is generally entertaining. You could certainly do better, and it isn't the masterpiece some herald it to be, but you could also certainly do much worse.
ShoutyShout13
I'm actually astounded by the huge number of people lauding Katanagatari as a masterpiece, with high rating of 9's and 10's popping off everywhere in the reviews, claiming that it is perfect/flawless blah blah blah, listing everything positive about it then exaggerating it further. This makes it appear like it's 10/10 worthy solely from reviews when really, it's far from the truth. While Katanagatari isn't the worst out there which feels mentally violating or makes you want to smack your head against a brick wall or a sharp corner on your table, it is not on the same level as the masterpieces, which feelslike you're having an animegasm or ascending into heaven whenever you watch it. No, Katanagatari is far, far from it.
I'll also mention some other things:
- This is my first review on the site. Normally, I don't bother writing reviews because a lot of what I want to say about a particular anime has been already said in another. Thus, I see no reason to repeat what other people have said. It's also due to the fact that I'm lazy and it's hard to motivate myself to write one. :P
- Characters and plot are heavily weighted.
- Minor spoilers
Art and Sound - Both 7/10
I don't have much opinion on sound, other the opening being interesting and generally working well with the anime overall, which provides atmosphere.
The art I is quite unique. It's quite similar to the one you would find when you're looking at legends on screen, and indeed, Katanagatari is set during the Edo period, the reign of the Shoguns, so it's definitely good that they've used this style. The scenery is nice, though could have a bit more detail. Colours makes it look more vivid and lively most of the time, yet often dips into the darker shades as well, adding to the atmosphere already present . Characters are generally well drawn.
The one problem in this area though is that there has been a few cases where the art quality 'drops'. More specifically, there were cases where I've seen still frames and recycled animation used throughout the latter half of the series (often gives a shounen-esque feeling).
Other than that, the art is generally consistent throughout the show. It's good to see something new used here that's atypical of anime you see nowadays.
Characters - 12/30
One of my first major gripe with this show, and despite it being heavily emphasised through the anime, it hasn't been executed well, regardless of the widespread acclamation that this is the show's strong point.
The very first failure in this case is the HUGE abundance of characters in the entire show. This isn't bad on its own. In fact, as Monster has proved, such a diversity of characters allow for fresh and interesting situation to rise, while also giving us a new perspective for the story to be told. Given that Monster also had PLENTY of time for development, it felt like each character had a purpose in the anime (Johann being somewhat of an exception, despite him being portrayed really well). Katanagatari did not have that luxury. By trying to shove such a huge cast into 12 45-minute episodes, it has inevitably shot itself on the foot, as the said character(s) don't get enough development, and as a result, are forced into 2 situations:
1. Character feels underdeveloped, akin to one saying something like 'What's the point of this character?'
2. Character's development feels rushed and sudden, not gradually over time
The former can be said for ~95% of the entire roster. The development on the side characters, particularly the antagonists, are a joke - they barely had any time to develop before they get killed (granted, for some characters, we do see a slip of their past and how that has changed their outlook, particularly Meisai Tsuruga, who deserves some credit, but that's about it). The Maniwa Corps is the main target of the criticism here - every single character has been killed without been given a chance. A whole episode dedicated to them is not enough to be considered developemtn. I had hope for the penguin guy, seeing that he had the most potential, but nope. He dies. What a surprise. Every member of said corporation, and also a lot of the side characters, can be merely cast off with the question mentioned before, 'What's the point of this character? How is this character significant in the anime'? This is what's lacking in a lot of them. Apart from Yasuri's sister, who also received poor development and Meisai Tsuruga, I see barely any point in them. They're just a running gag in the anime.
And now, we get to the protagonists, Yasuri Shichiki and Togame, hailed by many for having excellent character development. Like... what? If anything, only Yasuri gets credit for 'proper' development, though it was one that could be labelled as 'expected' - a machine is expected to transform into a normal human being, in terms of developing empathy and emotion. It's nothing new here. It's uninteresting at best.
Togame didn't really change much, considering how much screen time she had. Essentially, she was emotionally scarred due to a past trauma that left her walking down a path of veangence and looking to carry out her father's wish. As a result, to hide this fact, she puts on a 'mask', a show where she's rather expressive and reluctantly collects the 12 swords for the 'Shogun'. During her travels, she falls in love with Yasuri. However, at the end just before she died, she openly admits WITHOUT hesitation that everything she worked for was for revenge and that she planned to kill Yasuri after collecting the 12 swords (12th is a gun by the way...). Really, all she had done was that she held onto her past trauma, put on a mask and embark onto a journey to collect swords. While all this time, she did not change her mindset... Nice development... It's static.
Story/Plot - 10/30
My second gripe with the series. Before I get into a rant, let me say that I consider Katanagatari to have 2 plots at work here that goes hand in hand: Togame collecting swords for the shogun and the other is Yasuri developing empathy, turning from a machine into a normal human being.
Now, for the people who say that the plot is 'so complex', or so 'simple that it's so good' and give a whopping 9 or 10. Like..... No... Just no... No matter how many times I rack my brain, I can NOT understand how the plot is 'complex' as people say (and I do have an eye for subtlety if I focus). Perhaps it was the excessive dialogue that switched me off (more into this later), or perhaps my expectations quickly died out after 3 episodes feeling like a grindfest trying to finish... Only God knows.
On the other hand however, the plot being simple does not mean the plot is good. A plot being simple has to compensate in other areas, such as subtlety in thematics or in this case, characterisation. Otherwise, the whole anime suffers as a result. Due to characterisation, its saving grace, being quite lackluster, the plot was forced to suffer.
First, the sword collecting. While it does sound plain, lame, simple and boring, again, this isn't bad on its own. It had potential to change the direction of the narrative when needed. It had potential to add in twists and turns to keep the plot fresh. What is bad about it however, is seeing CONSTANT repetition of the following formula for 11 episodes STRAIGHT:
Arrive at new place -> meet new antagonist -> talk -> fight (?) -> win sword
It got so predictable to the point where I wasn't expecting anything new to show up. Turns out, from episode 3 onwards, up to 11, I was right. There were no twists, none of that unexpected event that puts you into a state of shock, none of that 'gamechanger'.
Second, Yasuri's development. This one is more important than the sword collecting part, and where people get the idea that the plot is quite 'complex'.
Let me say that having dialogue is fine. In fact, it's quite important, as it fills in the gaps when there's no action in the anime. It gives you an idea of what a particular character is thinking about another. It gives you an idea of their personality based on how they speak and interact with others verbally. However, there is a point where the amount of dialogue can become excessive. This has the effect of making the plot feeling like it's dragging on forever and stagnating in progress.
That's Katanagatari in a nutshell. There is a plethora of dialogue that shows the interaction between the 2 protagonists. Of course, with characterisation as it's focus, this was bound to happen. They needed to show how Yasuri and Tagome develop as protagonists. This, they did relatively well. You can see, through their interactions, how they change (?) throughout the course of the show. But they went over the top and added more dialogue that contributes to almost nothing. For 45 minutes. There's even dialogue in the action scenes for some reason...
Additional thoughts - 10/20
This section covers any additional thoughts I might have about the anime. This includes enjoyment and other comments I might make if it doesn't fit under the other major sub-topics. It also makes up the final 20 points available to bring up the total possible marks to 100.
For the first 3 episodes, I was drawn into the anime. But the interest was lost quickly due to how repetitive the plot was and how stale it became due to the excess amount of dialogue in 45 minutes.
For an anime listed under action, there's barely any actions and those actions aren't really well done.
I would've expected them to choreograph the scenes in a way that looks realistic, rather than being shounen-esque in looks or slinging multiple arms around while the torso remains in 1 spot... Something like the fight scene between Lancer and Archer in ufotable's work Fate/Stay Night - Unlimited Blade Works.
TOTAL - 46/100 = 46% = 5/10 on MAL
Xiaraith
Katanagatari: a tale of twelve twisted swords, which keenly point their sharpened blades towards just anyone who's thirsting for their mighty power and therefore causing uproars and a troubled hour. Harrying this ward - ++Zettou Kanna++ the first sword To wield a sword, you need courage and a certain reason to use such a deathly tool for committing life treason.Explore your innermost nature and understand the way!
"What do you fight for?"... it's not just a simple play.
Another slain lord -
++Zantou Namakura++
the second sword
Now to find these swords and also their own true self,
our two heroes set sail in search for these twelve
relics of Shikizaki Kiki's most famous smithery,
which became an unfathomably perilous reality.
Limits ignored -
++Sentou Tsurugi++
the third sword
So who are these guys who try to fulfil this task...
since this turns out to be a crucial question to ask!
In short: they are a pair like moon and sun,
and always questing for a way to get their fated journey done.
A wicked reward -
++Hakutou Hari++
the fourth sword
On the one hand, we have the lovable and initially almost naive
swordless swordsman Shichika, who's always ready to receive
new inspirations to improve his Kyotouryuu style,
while learning who in this world is actually hostile.
Honour restored -
++Zokutou Yoroi++
the fifth sword
But despite his godlike and agile physical condition,
his inability to deal with other people is obstructing the mission.
So what do you need?... that's right, some feminine support;
more so when she calls herself out of the strategic sort.
Lost in the ford -
++Soutou Kanazuchi++
the sixth sword
Her name is Togame, an ever so excitable mastermind,
directing Shichika out on their struggles to find
a clever solution to combine their strength and wits
and to make the best use out of their given skill kits.
By demons adored -
++Akutou Bita++
the seventh sword
Between the fights, some great character development is shown;
their interpersonal relations won't let them feel alone.
And even the romance part is not suffering in any sorts
during the time between "Cheerio!" and writing strange reports.
Never explored -
++Bitou Kanzashi++
the eighth sword
Along the road they will encounter lots of mysterious guys,
adding an amount of serious dynamics and refreshing surprise.
Everything is held together by a fantastic animation flow;
this and an effective drawing style are defining the show.
Harder than steelboard -
++Outou Nokogiri++
the ninth sword
This tale takes place in much older Japanese times,
when it wasn't abnormal to suffer more from intrigues or crimes.
So although the music is decent, it's scarcely used, if yet at all.
Just focus on the perfect voices and how they will enthral.
Lunacy's accord -
++Seitou Hakari++
the tenth sword
Do not be frightened off by the unusual episode length,
but instead try to find your cause to fight, your inner strength.
If you are fond of shows like "Bakemonogatari" or "Spice and Wolf"
it's a mostly guaranteed journey into your favourite gulf.
Containing a horde -
++Dokutou Mekki++
the eleventh sword
Finally, stanza number twelve... what have we learned so far?...
The so called "Deviant Blades" will always stay special and bizarre!
Now join Shichika and Togame's travel until the bloody end
and you will surely get into a yearning for all to comprehend!
You'll never get bored -
++Entou Jyuu++
the twelfth sword
Nivo3041
Katanagatari is an anime that it came to surprise me, not to discredit, but the other animated works of Mr. Nisio Isin have seemed very mediocre, under this prejudiced thinking, I present myself before Katanagatari Oh, and there will be spoilers The story of Katanagatari is not surprising at all; A long time ago, a sword-maker called Shikizaki Kiki forged 1000 swords, of which 12 are said to be the swords that Shikizaki could perfect; the Shogun wants to recover those swords (after innumerable failures) and for that the Shogun sends the young Togame to speak with the current head of the Kyotoryuu clan, Yasuri Shichika. The story,as I said, is simple, but the author knows how to captivate us with the stories of the 12 swords that Shikizaki Kiki forges, I say this because stories are told at the beginning of the story and epics; that a person possessing one of the swords can defeat only 100 soldiers (or more), that the swords are worth more than a country or that many times the government has been betrayed because of the value of the swords. Everything is exaggeration makes you have immersion, it assumes that Katanagatari is not a realistic series, since that would take away the essence to the way it narrates the majesty of the swords, with this point I would like to make clear that all the stories that are told on the swords they help immersion (many will say that I am exaggerating, but later I'll go deeper into that).
In spite of what I told before, about how the main focus of the story develops (which is the story that the swords and their users keep), now it's the introduction, being honest, the introduction seemed mediocre; the introduction of Togame and Nanami's meddling in situations was pretty bland. Togame explained almost the entire synopsis in about 10 minutes to the protagonist of a very poor narrative, as if they wanted to vomit the whole plot from one moment to another without pauses to reconsider everything heard, not even Shichika came to wonder why Togame told him all, it is true that the introduction gives way to ironic comments by Togame (ironic and cynical comments abound in the work), the reasons that Togame gives Shichika to fight at first are ridiculous, but also try to parody one of the most used topics in stories of adventure or action, shoveling for love.
The rest of the first chapter (which would be the introduction) after the 18th minute or so, achieves its purpose, you can appreciate the good animation, the oriental soundtrack that is wonderful in several scenes (special focus to the soundtrack that it sounds when Shichika uses his "special technique" to Koumori), he introduces himself to the first enemy dynamically, creating a formidable design for Koumori, besides having many extravagant scenes, like when he takes the sword out of his stomach, if we put all this together we make an introduction that can be very pleasant, the explanations were mediocre, but this is compensated by some ironic comments, the intrusion of an enemy that is not boring, fluid animation and pleasing to the eye and even more pleasant soundtrack.
The characters of this anime are in my opinion a strong point along with the battles, I would like to clarify since each character feels unique due to the characteristic design that each character has besides the exaggeration that they put on many scenes.
With that clarified I would like to talk about the chemistry and dynamics generated by our leading duo; Shichika has an evolution throughout history with Togame, not only can you get to understand a little more about her romance (we must take into account that at the beginning Shichika said that he loved her in a very empty way, but in the end Togame's death caused a great mental shock in Shichika). but is the Shichika evolution well achieved? I would say yes, after Shichika has faced death so many times with Togame it is normal to assume that evolution is credible, this sounds superficial, but let me dig a little deeper.
Shichika knows practically nothing of the outside world, he has not even experienced love as such (it is true that he obviously loves his sister, but it is not the same kind of love, logically), the impact of knowing that Togame is the descendant of the person who was killed by Shichika's father causes him to generate a strange sense of duty with Togame, normal taking into account the values that his father taught him, precisely from there arises the seed of a love that at first is superficial and very soso, but through actions and dialogue you can see that their relationship progresses well (take for example chapter 2, Shichika says that a plan to make Kinkaku leave your room is causing the death of Togame, obviously this happens, but then in combat Shichika jumps in Togame's face to defeat Kinkaku, Shichika says that this is necessary, but then does not use Togame in the same way, not even when Shichika is in great danger (in chapter 8, when they face the doll, Shichika never approaches Togame despite that it would do him good to buy time, or in the chapter where he faces Nanami, he gets mad when Nanami cuts his hair). Outside of that Togame at times talks about how he wants to defend Shichika or prevent him from dying at all costs (as in chapter 2, where Togame says that Shichika is not allowed to say his "last words" or chapter 9, where many misunderstandings and Togame realizes that he has to act quickly to continue with Shichika). At the end the relationship progresses through the 2 protagonists are knowing more about each other, which is clearly seen in chapter 10, the last cusp would be the last chapter, where Togame speaks to Shichika without fear, without pretense or masks, telling him unpleasant things that would normally be annoying, just to end up saying, can I fall in love with you Shichika? So showing all the feelings of Togame, this is not a deconstruction of their relationship, is what makes it so real, Togamr says absolutely everything to Shichika, but even with that, she could not help telling Shichika that she wanted it, The last thing he wanted to say to Shichika was a demonstration of love, that's in my opinion one of the best-achieved scenes of the anime.
Beyond that the protagonists evolve in a good way, Shichika goes from being a sword to being a true man and Togame becomes a woman who knew how to obtain her goal in life and knew to know the true meaning of love, achieving that the evolution of the characters complement very well with their relationship, in this section I like the series very much.
Relevant secondary characters there are not many; Emonzaemon seems to me the most wasted, having a decent personality and a potential promising past is only relegated as the princess Hitei's doll, which would be acceptable for the plot, but this fact totally oats the personality of Emonzaemon and makes him a disappointing character , it is not explained why he wants Princess Hitei so much or what happened to his clan a long time ago or because he knows Houou, it is true, Emonzaemon does several tasks to move the plot, but otherwise it turned out to be one of the things disappointing anime, a character with potential and a design that I think is great, at least his death and combat is one of the best in Anime, causing him to die in a successful way.
Now let's talk about the characters that added points to the anime; the first to be Houou, the Maniwa within the story is simply a joke, at first the esñectativas are high because the first member of the Maniwa had a sword, but in the second and third chapter a member of the Maniwa is shown only to be killed by the person who has one of the 12 swords, but this is unnecessary because you already know in advance the power of those who own swords, so this does not have much use to the plot (although it must be said that these 2 Maniwa were assassinated quickly had good design accompanied of an abnormal charisma, taking into account that they appear very little), although it sounds like a negative point, in reality the Maniwa are something good that has the anime, it is true that the first seem a waste, but they all have such unique designs, such unique movements and they make them so extravagant approaches that, although they die fast, they manage to be a visual delight, but not only that, I liked the Maniwa, as well I like the jump they have to chapter 4, where Maniwas are shown more human without becoming boring, 3 members are killed by Nanami (the protagonist's sister) and the way he cheered on stage was accurate, beyond being good it was precise, it was played with the unpredictable and they made the 3 most human Maniwas so far are killed in a brutal way, in order to feel sorry for them, the Maniwa won a certain recognition in that chapter, presnetado very well and in a way He needs 3 characters (I love how they used the approaches well to not show the ability of the Maniwa Chouchou and thus hit) that at first glance would seem pathetic, because the Maniwa had only been a punching bag, an excellent demonstration of the Maniwa; similar cases occur later with the Maniwa in chapter 6, 9 and 11 (I think those chapters are) where Maniwas are shown again that if they serve for something and manage to keep the audience entertained.
Talk about the Maniwa, but what about Houou? It is assumed that he was going to speak, Houou is the typical character who does not go for a fixed side and has no clear objective, his actions throughout the history show great determination and the moments in which he seems the plot of he moves in an exact way, his personality is not overshadowed, his struggles are not either, the ironic and intelligent dialogue (for in most of his dialogues he talks about strategies with the other Maniwa) that are used to promote events in a natural way, especially end of the anime, where he gets the 11th sword and causes the complete destruction of the village of the Maniwa (although his combat is not the big deal), Houou seemed to have a past with Emonzaemon, but on Houou's part it is known that he destroyed Much of the village of Emonzaemon, but not much more, on Houou's part this is forgivable, since Houou's motivations are very distant from having to do with his past with Emonzaemon; In short, Houou is a very curious, extravagant character, the character that for me has the best design, one of the characters with the best dialogue and one of those who moves the plot, a character that undoubtedly fulfills its objective in the anime.
Another character that caught my attention was the Princess Hitei, it may be that some consider her as the antagonist or something like that because practically his fault died Togame (I take to say that the construction to get to the scene of his death is impeccable), but his role would say that it goes beyond simply being that, the presentation of the character as such is for me a nod, Togame had talked about Hitei a few chapters ago, but had not been seen (also served to get an idea of what kind of life Togame had before and thus generate more immersion, because not all people can talk to a princess), I would say that Hitei's dialogue is one of the best, his ironic dialogue reveals important parts of the plot in a way in which the spectator is going to take him by surprise (however they are not badly executed or abused situations), a clear example of this is chapter 9 (I think) where Hitei reveals that he is descendant of Shikiza Kiki Kiki ironically and engages in a conversation with Emonzaemon where the interactions are so peculiar that they left me a bit dislocated, but then I immediately realized what was happening, which is quite intelligent on the author's part; also it is worth noting that Hitei is like Houou in the sense of boosting the plot, one of the positive things about this anime is how the vast majority of characters serve to drive the plot, but with Hitei she felt as if she had planned the majority of the events from the beginning, it was very interesting how they explained all this in the anime, even in the end she seems a new person, because she does not have to be tied to the government's mandates and it shows that she pays homage to Emonzaemon (you just have to note that he wears his mask), so I feel that Hitei was a very well-carried character.
Speaking of technical issues this is for me a wonder, the scenarios, the changes of planes (special focus in chapter 4), the animation, the color palette and the soundtrack is simply amazing and all this together is even more incredible , everything combines and highlights the right parts.
The comedy had me a bit doubtful at first, it is true that the dialogue contains comical and ironic moments, but some jokes that are not funny as the joke of the cherio, who never graces grace and when Togame discovers wrong stat the joke is lengthened about 5 minutes, in chapter 9 the sudden approaches in Shichika can cause a bit of grace, since he does not know how to use a sword well and take advantage of that to make jokes about him in chapter; What made me "funny" (the quotes go because it was a very special moment) was chapter 4, with the battle against Sabi Hakuei, Sabi is probably the character that has the most baddas design, scenes were dedicated to him in the chapter 2 and 3 where it showed a little of their personalities and skills, all this combined with the fact that it was known in advance that he was the strongest swordsman in all Japan caused me a hype (especially seeing the progress of the chapter 3, yes, here is the special that looks at the advances), to finish off it is said that he can cut the moon, all very epic and if, the battle does not happen, all the stage prepared to make that joke, many got angry, but when I went to capitile 5 the only thing I did when I remembered chapter 4 was to laugh and say "what trolling took place there", the joke was planned in a spectacular way, everything prepared just to do that, the best thing is that throughout chapter 4 There is little talk about the protagonist's sister and they are in charge of showing us how powerful she is, in this way they make such a brutal and surprising turn that makes you easily forget the epic combat between Shichika and Sabi. The second best chapter for me without a doubt.
And finally I would like to talk about some issues, from the beginning it seemed that history would repeat the formula of a chapter we get a sword and ready, without much depth, but having such incredible designs, scenarios so colorful and varied (besides that most of the swords are different, that is, by God, a sword is a doll and the other an armor), but what I loved was how the different people were different: Past, Personality or simply the way the combat; all that makes the fighting seam unique and fresh (especially the capitilo 2, 3 and 9, which leave a great lesson in Shichika and will serve to mature), so the anime knows how to handle his formula in an ingenious way, it would be stupid resume the series in "a chapter a sword", because it ignores all the rest that makes the fighting great.
I would like to leave a short dedicated space talking near the end, it sounds weird, but Shichika in the final chapter reminded me a lot of Gon from HXH in the chimera ant saga, Shichika is someone if I evolve, but it took away something precious, that I caused a shock so big that it clouded the mind, I lost my mind, so I say that is equal to Gon, both lost something precious and then reconsidered and returned to act normal, but with very remarkable psychological sequels, Shichika was angry and showed everything that he learned in his trip with Togame, is even poetic, Shichika ended up in the Shogunate (I think that's what it's called) to lose his life, being that Togame left in that place, who gave him life and to finish in that place he uses all the techniques that he learned with her, I am glad that Shichika has not died and the end is left with that feeling of melancholy for the trip of "vagabond" Shichika that (and returning with the comparisons) reminds me a lot of Ken shin by Rurouni Kenshin; the
The narrator's words at the end are beautiful, I have to say that they moved me (especially when Togame is seen next to a tree).
In conclusion it seems to me that this anime is spectacular, it was a great surprise; he fulfilled expectations that he did not even have (that in itself only makes some sense), he has a few mistakes, but they are compensated in a phenomenal way, an anime I would recommend to friends and remember, not only for all the positive points I mentioned, but Because I will remember the laziness that gave me to see the 50 minutes of the chapter and in the end I always wanted more, that's all
Lyzl
Monster of the week, unconventional love story, or a sequence of intriguing but longwinded dialogues, Katanagatari is certainly all that, but also much more. Superficially, it is a series about a simple-minded, albeit unconventional, ‘swordsman’ who battles for the twelve swords under the enlistment of an even more eccentric ‘strategist’. Underneath the seemingly cliché premise however, the series has buried within it all manner of artistic treasure: cleverly designed, high-tension action scenes; a subtle love story, nearly imperceptible during its incredibly moving, gradual evolution; and perhaps most infamously, eloquent subtext conveyed within the lovable idiosyncrasies of the characters’ quite expansive conversations. Rarely has a showhad such lengthy yet engrossing dialogue sequences, especially ones so utterly diffuse in their emotional and intellectual potency as these.
Katanagatari has a simple structure. Each episode we are invited to watch our lovely couple trod to the next blade wielder, devise a strategy, and invariably defeat them before they grab the goods. If this encompassed all there was to the show though, it would be certainly not be worthy of the praise and admiration I am so aptly about to shower it with.
The simple minded Shichika begins the series as a… dull character. He replies blatantly to questions, and due to his ignorance of the world outside his island, these answers are often unexpectedly lacking in social understanding and convention. Ominously pointing towards a highly grating and redundant protagonist, these first impressions are dissipated rapidly as experience of the world refines Shichika’s internal ideology, without washing away his accustomed roots. His grasp of the world, while naïve, is nonetheless insightful and grounded in a sound logic that turns out quite wholesome and compassionate in its essence. A refreshing change from the often one-dimensional, “I’ll be the very best!” attitude the standard shonen lead possesses.
Without a doubt, the reason for Shichika’s remarkably enticing character stems directly from our oh so terribly clever female lead, Togame. Always prepared with meticulous counterarguments to all possible holes in her complex machinations, these become hilariously misplaced when used on our completely oblivious male lead; It’s a definite high point of the series. Togame’s labyrinthine thinking plays well off of Shichika’s simplistic personality, creating a combination far greater than the sum of its parts. As the unlikely duo encounter each blade wielder, it is consistently the coupling of Togame’s quick ingenuity with Shichika’s fighting prowess that makes the battles so enthralling. Neither alone has the capability to win each of the fights, quite a contrast to shows where one of the leads is delegated to the background, the mere caricature of an equal teammate. In Katanagatari, neither character jumps above the other, the radical equality a wholly satisfying change from the usual paradigm. As the show progresses, their chemistry shifts unnoticibly from a faint background atmosphere to a highly palpable ardor, each battle entangling them ever further into an altogether quite intensely gratifying relationship.
Using a simple animation style that mixes bold colors, bold calligraphic lines, and whimsical design, the animators created a one of a kind setting for the series, a creative blur between childish and mature, historic and fantastic. Add to that a grandmotherly narrator who introduces us into each week’s episode, her wise yet light hearted tone endearing us to watch the young couple more attentively, almost as if to say that we are becoming their hopelessly overbearing parents. Vibrant modern interpretations of Japanese folk music ties the whole package together, with a wide selection of tracks unobtrusively creating the well balanced ‘old meets new’, ‘simple meets complicated’ atmosphere of the series.
As a whole, Katanagatari comes together effortlessly. The viewer left feebly unable to explain its appeal precisely because it is so finely woven as to have its individual strengths rendered indiscernible. The backdrops of history, simplicity, and tradition interweave seamlessly with creative battles, intricate plots, well developed characters, and a myriad of fresh ideas. All this happening in progressively more and more captivating episodes, and then culminating in an exceptionally visceral, emotional ending that may leave you, as it did me, completely breathless. Highlights include scenes from the shocking and highly entertaining episode four, the tragic and tense episode seven, the mystically profound episode ten, and the entire final episode, which had me absolutely absorbed from the first scene to the wretchedly bittersweet finale. It is unlikely you’ll find a more unassumingly brilliant series than this one in any given year of watching anime, and I couldn’t recommend it more.
Conclusion:
For such an inconspicuous series, it’s unlikely you could do much better. Katanagatari gets my highest recommendations due to its exceptional quality from start to end, perhaps even tantalizingly heightened with moments of true masterpiece.
TheBiggestBlack
You could pretty much summarize the whole plot of Katanagatari (sword story in English) by it's title. Because, it really is story about two people traveling around japan, collecting twelve magical swords. However, when you actually sit down and watch it, you will probably get more out of it than you had expected. Story: As I said before, it has a pretty simplistic story. The story follows the 2 main characters as they set out on a journey all around Japan to collect twelve swords. the main focus of each episode is a new sword for the two to collect. When they are not fightingto collect another sword, the characters are probably spending their time talking to each other. This might sound boring, but the dialogue is well written and even really funny at times. Depending on your taste, the fact that the episodes are 45 minutes long, and that a lot of that time is spent on conversations between the characters might be a turn off.
Art: The art of Katanagatari is well... interesting to say the least. Its very colorful and eye catchy, this is mainly in part to keep the viewers attention while the characters talk themselves to death. However, corners are not cut when it comes to things like attention to detail and backgrounds. Some of the backgrounds in the show were even pretty darn beautiful. The fight scenes were also done very well, and the animation was fluid during them.
Sound: While I don't specifically remember any "standout songs" in the OST, the music does fit the shows theme and era very well. It sets the mood of the show and does it's job when needed. The OP's and ED's were also very good. the voice acting was pretty average.
Characters: Because the show has a big focus on dialogue, the characters that are talking have to be interesting, or else the show would just be boring. Luckily, the characters in Katanagatari are pretty darn interesting to say the least. The two main leads of the show are really neat characters. At 1st they seem like generic anime archetypes, however, they definitely have their own personalities quirks that set them apart from the crowd. Also, they go through quite a lot of character development throughout the show ( Sad that this is a bit of a rarity these days). Most of the side characters are not given enough screen time to fully flesh them out, however they each have their own unique personalities and motives.
Enjoyment: My own personal enjoyment of this show is really high, between the witty dialogue and interesting characters, I found that there are almost never a boring moment in the show. However, I can definitely understand why some people would not enjoy this show as much as I did. If you are going into this just wanting a dumb action show (absolutely nothing wrong with that),you are probably going to be disappointed. Also, the sheer amount of time spend on talking, witty dialogue or not, could turn you away. However, if you are looking for something just a little bit different from the norm, then I think that this show has a lot to offer.
animeBee1ver
The lessons learned every after episodes, the promises were all rejected and the sweetness we were forced to believe as the series progresses was made bitter. 1 - 1 = 0. Zero lessons. though there is something that is gain from this, and that is hate, for the time wasted, for making fun of its viewers. This is deus ex machina. I searched the meaning for double checking and it is definitely this. If writers like rising up emotions to their books, stating them poetic or artistic, then sure. But if terribly done? Then surely, it can turn the sudden twist from a good review.I will not judge the book but the anime. The deus ex machina in it showed something unintelligible, I assume to garner action to its duel, for the kids I think, believing them better. less is more. They shouldn't have done that.
But what I'm so riled up about, again, refer to the first statement of the review.
== Story ==
It is episodic. One by one gathering swords. It was interesting and made me to continue. The lessons were real. But was spoiled, deceived, and wasted. I will spend a minute cursing the producers. The promises, sweetness.. gone. The dialogues are long, though quite intrigued by them most of the time, and for some, there were scenes where it should be appropriate to just say a word or two or none at all. If you aren't patient, this isn't for you. (I should have read some reviews, tsk, and maybe I could have been hinted and perhaps, I could have unmasked this terrible of a series.) The ending coalesce with the whole series, but the execution was rotten. There were more when there should be less. Action, promise, dialogue. and the lessons, was all undone.
== Art ==
realistic? unique? fitting? fluid? background? designs? character similar?
It doesn't possess the ordinary art that is usually portrayed in anime of today, and so I have to say it is unique. But I think it was most appropriate to the genre/story. The actions cannot be belittle. It was mind numbing. Fast and real-time.
== Sound ==
Musics enter in appropriate situations, though in my taste, too much. It is like frequent enough that you can guess when it's going to enter, and it is always bad when it comes to predictability. The voices was appropriate to the characters, the heroine for its perkiness, and the hero for its calmness and dependability. The opening and ending was golden. I couldn't say it was catching but it readies the viewers for the eventuality that is expectant of series, and the closing of curtain at the end of the episode.
== Character ==
I liked both the lead characters, the hero and the heroine but was ruined in the near unexpected... . Lessons learned, supposedly, promise stated, broken eventually. There is a narrator, an old woman I think, which is appropriate. the voice depicts a fragile sense, just like the fragility of life easily put out. Both are great at what they do. Ninjas are like clowns in their costumes and contrasts the seriousness of their scripts.
== Enjoyment ==
Overall, let down by the series. It felt lessons, all of it, were undone. Made me think it was no point. It's like letting a girl go to die in another place, or choosing between the life of your girlfriend and mother. I did not enjoy the series.
ps. If by chance of another me from an altered dimension visiting, and happens to read this review, do not, I repeat, do not watch this series.
burp!
infinity
==[ Katanagatari - Overall: 9.5/10 | 12 episodes]== One-liner: If you want an anime with amazing art, great character development, good romance and an ending which you cannot predict from episode 1, Katanagatari is for you. [ Introduction ] Katanagatari, or Sword Story, is about the Strategian Togame and her "sword", Yasuri Shichika. The story is about their journey to collect 12 legendary deviant swords made by master swordsmith Shikizaki Kiki. [ Story = 9 ]When I see animes about a journey to collect swords, I generally think: "Sword fights to be expected. Blood and gore. Severed limbs. Magical sword. Ooooh... Duh!". Katanagatari is about swords, of course, but not your run-of-the-mill sword anime.
So what will you find: sword fights! Duh no. Not many sword fights! But... but! It's a sword anime! Yes, but not so many sword fights. Interesting huh? Romance. Was kind of expected. Lots of lovey-dovey kissing? Nope. It's more of a... weird kind of... love. Comedy. Yes, fair share of good laughs. Plot twist. On the menu too. Main character gets beaten, levels up, gets beaten, levels up. NO! NO! No level up! AT ALL! So awesome.
I found the pacing a bit slow sometimes, with a bit too much dialogue between the characters. A few particular scenes were stretched the limits of my patience. However, one can argue that the slow-ish pace is used to build character. One would be right. Still feels a tad slow at the start.
Otherwise, the story is unpredictable. There are no cliff hangers! No cliff hangers! In a modern anime, can you imagine? All episodes are basically stand-alone except the last two. I really liked the story. It's simple, really. But it's so well narrated that it doesn't feel simple at all.
The story is unpredictable, but each episode follows a certain pattern. Tip: There are 12 Deviant Blades. There are 12 episodes. See a pattern?
[ Art = 9 ]
9.5 really. The art is not your classic anime art. It's hard to describe... Don't expect big anime eyes. Don't expect anime expressions. Ok maybe a few. Don't expect anime faded colors.
What you should expect are vibrant colors that look like pastel, well-designed character models and excellent backgrounds. It's one of the animes you can watch just for the characters and art. Definitely worth checking out.
The animation is smooth, well detailed - even fight scenes. Costume design is especially great. I liked how Katanagatari shifted from "known and tried" art to something interesting and beautiful.
For some people, the art and animation can feel slow and simplistic. Almost un-moving. For me, that's what makes the beauty of Katanagatari. Remember, it's a sword anime. It's supposed to have fast animation! Explosions! Clash! Not a relaxed animation!
[ Sound = 9 ]
Uhh.. if you read my reviews, you'd know am not really good at rating sound. For Katanagatari, I'd say the music really fits the situation, and the episode intro music (very Samurai-ish) was really nice and mood-setting. Haha... Sorry. Not very satisfying huh?
The anime is a bit wordy. I didn't mind. The background music helped with that.
[ Character = 9 ]
Ahhh the major attraction in Katanagatari: characters. It's one of the animes I've watched where I truly liked the character development. It's slow, methodical and done in great timing. Nothing is revealed too early. Some things are not revealed at all. No plot holes, I think.
Katanagatari is only 12 episodes, but it has a ton of characters. Thankfully, the two main characters: Togame and Shichika are explored in depth, their relationship getting major screen-time. Their journey together and interaction gets much attention.
The side characters are all unique, and I can't say I've found their similars in other animes. Like, Katanagatari features ninjas. You'd think, yeah, black-outfitted ladies and dudes with masks. HAH! Think colorful animal-themed clothes instead! Also, they all have their own stories and it's not just insignificant stories; sometimes their stories do play a major role in the episodes. They're all likable, even the bad guys.
The most interesting part? There are no bad guys! None of the characters are portrayed as "bad" or evil. There is no arch-enemy. Even the character you think are bad guys are only trying to get their share of the action. They have their own reasons and their own troubles. As another reviewer mentions, you may even come to like the "bad" guys...
Sadly, there is not enough character development. Some of the characters' stories are not explained at great length. The episodes are 50 minutes each but you'd still feel like the side characters are not explored in enough depth. Example? The Maniwa Corps. The background story of their members are hardly explored. Same for Shichika's sister. Shichika's mother is not mentioned at all. Togame's background story is breezed on, and I still don't completely get it.
Overall, good main character development, interesting character relationships, good character background-stories, likable and memorable characters but unfortunately, not enough in-depth exploration of each character's story.
[ Enjoyment = 9.5 ]
I really liked Katanagatari. It even made it to my Favourite Animes! So what did I enjoy?
- The art. I really liked the pastel-like colors, the feeling like everything is drawn on paper. Really changes from the "normal" animes out there with big sparkly eyes etc.
- The story is not what I'd expected. There are a few plot twists and "wtf" moments which spice up the plot. Good pacing. It never feels too rushed. Except maybe last episode which I think should have been a bit longer, say 20-25 minutes more than the other episodes to completely wrap up the story.
- The characters: A very nice, likable set of characters. I also enjoyed how each had an elaborate background-story.
- The relationship between the main characters. Not what I'd expect in an anime like that. It's just fun! I.e. the non-fighting parts of the anime didn't bore me. Also, I did say there are not that many extended fight scenes overall.
What I DIDN'T enjoy:
- Not much I should say. Am quite satisfied.
- I wanted some characters to be developed in greater depth. E.g. Shichika's sister who is just... unimaginable!
- The anime is a bit wordy. LOTS of talking. I didn't mind that, but you may so am listing it here since people complain about it.
[ Overall = 9.5 ]
Good anime. Very, very easy to overlook. One hell of a lost opportunity if you do miss it. If you are on the lookout for an anime with distinctive art, good character development, an interesting story, a good bit of romance and an ending which, in my opinion, fits the anime, then check Katanagatari.
Oh and... CHEERIO!
Yuni
Yo boys, you should totally watch this series! However, by that point you'll have been torn to pieces. Dear those who want to watch Katanagatari... You may have witnessed a lot of disappointment from those who watched this show. The main reason (and sometimes the only reason) behind these instances of disappointment is the extreme lack of action. People start watching this show expecting high octane martial arts fight scenes filled with badassness, but really, that's not the focus of this show at all. Instead, what people get is talking. At least 90% of this show is just pure dialogue. I was one who knew about this dialoguething before I watched the series, and not because others told me about it beforehand, but because I noticed that this show is the pinnacle of the anime medium, a LIGHT NOVEL ADAPTATION! And who is light novel by? By none other than Nisio Isin, who is well known for the Monogatari franchise. If you keep in mind this fact, starting this show expecting anything other than talking is stupid in its own way.
So why do I love Talking: The Animation so much? It's simple. Katanagatari may be the least boring anime that I've ever seen.
The Monogatari series makes dialogue fun to watch in its own unique way, and that is SHAFT VISUALS. Through the constant transitions of scenes, imagery, weird poses and head tilts, the dialogue becomes bearable due to the weirdness happening around it. Katanagatari doesn't do this. When people talk, it just shows their lips moving real fast, with a couple of facial expressions here and there to spice things up. What makes Katanagatari's constant dialogue not boring is the sheer quality of the dialogue. Full of wit and borderline Gintama levels of self-awareness, the interactions and conversations that the characters have are just simply... entertaining.
There have been moments in almost every anime that I've watched where I had to check to see how much time was left in an episode, even in thrill rides like Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Even despite the 50 minute episode length, this has never happened once during my watch of Katanagatari. 50 minutes just pass by in a flash, to the point where I watched 6 episodes in one day and had to force myself to take it slower.
Of course, I can't mention Katanagatari without mentioning the incredibly unique artstyle. Katanagatari is drawn like a Japanese painting, and while some may think that this classifies Katanagatari as an artsy show, it really isn't. It's just a simple adventure filled with wonderful character interactions. It doesn't have the incredibly deep themes, mysteries, and other philosophical ideas like other artsy shows, such as the Tatami Galaxy and others.
So what is the story of Katanagatari? It's basically a fetch quest. Well, I actually like to call it the epitome of "It's about the journey, not the destination." These are words that I've always lived my life by, and Katanagatari expresses it very well. The fact that the show focuses more on the character interactions, no matter how insignificant, rather than making a complex story, is basically telling you to enjoy all the things in between, not the beginning or the end. The relationship between Togame and Shichika is also a great example of living the present, while putting aside the past and future. I would go into more details, but that's spoiler territory.
And what else about our dynamic duo? Well, they are dynamic. In fact, they are probably the most dynamic pair of anime protagonists that I've ever seen. Togame and Shichika have incredibly contrasting personalities, to the point that they are almost polar opposites. This makes their interactions, both little and important, very refreshing and enjoyable. Shichika is emotionless, but not like the Kuudere type of emotionless, but like the innocent child who knows absolutely nothing type of emotionless. He also delivers a lot of punch lines, albeit unintentionally. Togame sets up all the comedy between them with her self centered and confident attitude, only to have her confidence shattered in the most hilarious of ways. Did I mention that this show is self aware? It really is. Togame almost breaks the 4th wall so many times, which I absolutely love. I really can't go into detail about their development together, so all I will say is...
I love the way they loved each other.
Oh, and that noitaminA opening? Absolutely EPIC!!!!!
TL;DR: Cheerio!
anonypc
This anime is beautiful, I don't really know how else to describe it. Even after watching the entire series the second time through, It's difficult to articulate my thoughts about watching this. The quality put into each show is amazing, as I believe it was released monthly, with each episode spanning around 45 minutes. Katanagatari does a good job telling a folktale-like story which is compelling and intriguing. It takes place in a post-Sengoku era, aka the post-"warring states period" in Japan,according to wiki. It's a story about the journey of two people, who were perhaps destined by fate, to travel together andcollect 12 unique swords which each contain mysterious power, be it benign or supernatural. It focuses on their adventure traveling together throughout Japan and the mysterious encounters they undergo among the people who either foster or are hunting these swords simultaneously. Underneath the surface of their journey, there is an underlying love story and a gradual development of character between the pair. It is progressed with each successive encounter throughout the show, which is done is a very stylish and majestic manner.
This show is extremely charming. The style is unparalleled, and is befitting to the mini-culture portrayed throughout the show. I can understand the art being a hit or miss with some, but personally it was like looking at beautiful art.
It is not an action packed show filled with meticulously animated fight scenes, although there are plenty of badass moments. It is just a simple story that is filled with memorable moments via a well written script. I remember vaguely reading somewhere that this was based on a light novel. Either way, while watching the show I definitely felt like I was reading a good book rather than watching a generic show. There are strong but subtle emphases of destiny, history, geography, and japanese culture in this anime. Furthermore, the show is paced well as each sword is generally obtained per episode, in various ways which all lead to finding to resolve to fight.
In conclusion, this anime is amazing, and is definitely in my own personal top 10, maybe even top 5 I've ever watched so far.
Three things I love about this anime:
1) The music. There were probably only 1 or 2 times where I felt the music did not suffice, or was apropos. Other than that, the music is top notch. It gives you the feels. It's unique, I would bet some are made with some pretty old-school instruments specific to Japan. Violins, are also a welcome in any show.
2) The love. This is a great love story. It's the type of love where it develops & changes the character's perspectives within the show gradually. It's done tastefully and with class.
3) This show is very memorable. It is a stand alone story with a conclusive end. There will be moments where you will get immense feels, accompanied with amazing music feels at the same time. If by the end of the show you don't get any feels, you are most definitely a robot.
