Bakemonogatari (2019)

[化物語]

Volume 4

Author: NisiOisiN
Artist: Oh!great
Publisher: Shounen Magazine Comics

Synopsis:
Araragi finds himself hunted by an raincoat-clad attacker with the arm of an ape.

Story/Characters:
We now enter the Suruga Monkey arc, which means it's time for Kanbaru. Her perverted side hasn't really come out yet, so the first impressions she gives is of an extremely friendly, sunny young lady, which comes in sharp contrast to her alter ego. (And, no, it's not a spoiler. It's right there in the title.) Because of Kanbaru's link to Senjougahara, her introduction allows us to dig a little deeper into our main heroine's past. We're not at the solution stage yet, so it's mostly questions being raised amid some brutal encounters between Araragi and the Rainy Devil.

Art:
Given the nature of this arc's oddity, there is a stronger action focus and because of Araragi's pseudo-vampiric healing ability, he can be put through the wringer something awful. There is some creative use of framing, angles and shading to play down the fact that all the Rainy Devil is wearing is that rain slicker and boots. We get more scary Senjougahara and perhaps the most gratuitously absurd upskirt shot I've ever been subjected to (in a scene that was only implied in the TV series).

Conclusion:
While there is impressive action to be had, I didn't find the story quite as compelling, at least in this first stage. I like Kanbaru well enough as a character, but she has yet to really shine. It's still well worth reading at the very least.

Rating:
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