Hanamonogatari: Regret and the Sweet Taste of Misfortune

There’s really something special about Monogatari when it can make two hours of material cover two characters just talking and baring their souls to each other and still make it very rich and compelling. Of course, quite a bit of it has to do with the characters involved in conversation. It’s interesting how Hanamonogatari – compared to the rest of the series – feels more “normal” just by changing its viewpoint character. Kanbaru, compared to the viewpoint characters thus far (Araragi, Hanekawa, Nadeko, Kaiki), is very normal. She’s just your typical, jealous girl who got involved with something that she shouldn’t have meddled with.

On the other side of the coin, there’s Numachi. Unlike Kanbaru – whose problems were caused by her taking action – Numachi’s problems were caused by her inaction. Kanbaru and Numachi are pretty much complete opposites – offense and defense, action and inaction, fortunate and unfortunate, God (神原) and the Devil. Quite fitting for a pair known as archenemies on the basketball court.

Which is perhaps what makes Hanamonogatari so fascinating: it’s two hours of Kanbaru and Numachi baring their souls to each other. Two completely different characters trying to come to an understanding is a timeless form of conflict. Hanamonogatari is the Monogatari Series‘ spin on the oldest form of conflict known to storytelling.