Bakemonogatari (2018)

[化物語]

Volume 3

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

Synopsis:
Araragi seeks Hanekawa's help in solving Hachikuji's problem.

Story/Characters:
One theme I like about this series is how Araragi's do-gooderism is frequently shot down for being rooted in arrogance. It's not that he doesn't have good intentions but rather that he thinks he can solve any problem that comes his way. There's a lot more that goes into unraveling Hachikuji's case than there was with Senjougahara and it's fairly rewarding to see all the pieces come together. I often feel that Araragi and Senjougahara were forced together rather than naturally linking up, but that's partially lampshaded in the story itself and I guess that adds a layer of interest. The emotional payoff for the end of this arc is rather satisfying, even if Araragi is still a major creepo.

Art:
The art maintains its quality, but there are fewer stand-out scenes than the previous two volumes. The emotional payoffs are delivered well and Senjougahara's confession to Araragi is portrayed lavishly.

Conclusion:
Even with a disturbingly long amount of time devoted to when Araragi felt up Hachikuji, the creep factor is down from the last volume and with the big payoff of this arc, I can more comfortably recommend adding this one to the collection.

Rating:
Own It