Review of the light novel Nekomonogatari (Black) by Nisioisin
The events of Golden Week are finally revealed!
LIGHT NOVEL INFORMATION
TITLE: Nekomonogatari Black
AKA: Monogagatari, 偽物語 上
AUTHOR: Nisionisin
ILLUSTRATOR: VOFAN
PUBLISHER (English): Vertical
RELEASE DATE (English): December 8, 2017
PURCHASE (Amazon.com): http://amzn.to/2hVtJsX
PURCHASE (Book Depository): http://bit.ly/2DuBjnL
PUBLISHER (Japan): Kodansha
RELEASE DATE (Japan): July 29, 2010
VOLUMES RELEASED (Japan to Date): 23 (most recent released July 20, 2017)
ANIME SERIES: 94 episodes + 3 movies (14 volumes adapted to date)
From the back cover:
Following up on the high note of family ties on which the previous installment concluded, but preceding it chronologically, we find Araragi and his little sister Tsukihi, the heroine of the last volume, in full sibling rivalry mode as they bicker about love. The conversation that cannot end unfolds in its unabashed original glory herein.
Like KIZUMONOGATARI, which delved into our narrator’s disastrous spring break, Cat Tale (Black) is a prequel about another catastrophe, mentioned often yet never recounted even in a foregoing chapter dedicated to Miss H.: namely, the model student’s rampage over Golden Week, a string of holidays starting at the end of April.
Closing out what has come to be known as the “First Season” of the series, this episode of ’GATARI, as rich as ever in silly banter and poignant profundities, richer than usual in snide meta comments about the anime, will make you laugh and cry, or just put a grownup smile on your face, maybe, but is guaranteed to stay with you forever.