Monogatari Second Season: 1x25 "Hitagi End, Part Five" // Reaction and Discussion
Added 2025-10-22 22:43:48 +0000 UTC
Comments
The Kaiki Ononoki conversation is a top 3 scene in the show for me. It's an ultimate subversion of character development that occurs layered over exposition. When faced with the truth of his own kindness, he deflects with sarcasm. Suddenly everything makes sense. He simultaneously has deep contempt for do-gooders, and an inclination to do good. Thus, he helps from the shadows where he can avoid self-contempt, expectations, and failure. For this person, nothing is more pathetic than an incompetent "hero". However, Ononoki sees right through him, pointing to his history of quiet heroism and quiet failure. At this moment, we see Kaiki's first expression of emotion yet: a brief moment of pure, unmitigated rage, aimed only at himself. This is purely intuition, but the first time I saw this scene it also convinced me beyond doubt that Kaiki is one of the most reliable narrators in the series. It just fits too perfectly. Subversion via reliable narration. What other series could pull such a thing off? Anybody that finishes the arc thinking he is lying about anything is unfortunately missing a truly sublime overtone.
Megatherium
2025-10-24 07:06:12 +0000 UTCImagine not watching next episode right after. I can't.
Oleksii Bunyk
2025-10-23 13:05:29 +0000 UTCI like Kaiki over Araragi !
mobata
2025-10-23 08:06:20 +0000 UTCThe conversation he has with Ononoki here is one of my favorites in the series, and my number 1 Kaiki interaction. For all he's hyped up as for being a fake, a liar, conman, etc., he's comedically AWFUL at lying to/about himself. Gaen and Ononoki both read him like a book and all he can do is act flippant and dismissive, as if his attitude nor his actions weren't contradicting his words.
elbigante
2025-10-23 01:46:33 +0000 UTCI agree, I think this arc is especially satisfying, story-wise, in the way all the pieces fit together. But also every time I think this I remember that this is a story that Kaiki is telling us, that heβs crafting very carefully, and that he promised to tell a good story with no guarantee of truthfulness. It makes watching this arc so layered because every time I rewatch I have to debate with myself about the truthfulness of so many different aspects
Alix
2025-10-23 01:13:26 +0000 UTCWait those videos of the blocks falling in the hole satisfyingly are FAKE?!
Priam
2025-10-23 00:55:02 +0000 UTCLove kaiki's voice acting when ononoki let's it drop that he actually broke up senjougaharas family as a last ditch effort to save her, and he just goes along with it in the same detached flippant tone he uses when he wants you to think he's lying. But we get the one shot of pain and anger on his face. Ugh. This arc is an all-timer. It so expertly ties up so much of what's been building character-wise for kaiki, senjougahara, nadeko, and even hanekawa
Paden Snell
2025-10-23 00:04:03 +0000 UTCGod what an insane cliffhanger
RomWasTaken
2025-10-22 22:44:30 +0000 UTC
