I finished watching the Arc
Nadeko Medusa in
Monogatari Series: Second Season.
To simply put, the way that this arc builds up so many things in a well-written and tragic fashion is outstanding.
The arc starts with a rather interesting flash forward. Where Sengoku is fighting both Koyomi and Shinobu. To add that she is wearing snake white hair. Even with the added remark I hate you to the man she loves.
This arc takes back to the Nadeko Snake arc back in Bakemonogatari. Essentially, when she was dealing with the Snake Apparition that she was cursed with, she was killing those snakes. If we recall that Koyomi did not end up finishing with that snake. Here is where we highlight one of the biggest issues for Sengoku. She is a good girl who can be guilted to do things for others. Much how she gets thrust as the School President at school, Kuchinawa thrusts the impossible on her.
But unlike with her being the school president, she gets put into an opportunity to be in a position that can help. For a very sincere individual like Sengoku, where the answer is there, she will take it. It's a sad reality that most of her life and here again she gets taken advantage of.
As we all know that Sengoku has been in love with Koyomi since she first met him when she was in 2nd grade. As Tsukihi talks to her and wants to make sure her friend is understanding of her actually feelings. She doesn't share a brotherly love for Koyomi like the two Araragi sisters have underneath their joking. Tsukihi also mentions that Koyomi has a girlfriend.
Most likely this is something that Sengoku kept in the back of her mind. She hid it beneath her cute personality. The fact blurring up straight in her face cause her to blow up in school. Now the question is, is this the true Sengoku? It's hard to say, but at the very least all the frustration comes out. She still decides to help Kuchinawa still because it does seem like she wants to end her life painful life at last. I guess enough is enough.
As Sengoku is looking for the source for Kuchinawa to regain his powers. She finds it in Koyomi's room. Kuchinawa mentions what is the wish that Sengoku has. Of course, in her heart the one wish and the only thing that she wants is for Koyomi to love. Koyomi finds her in response and says that will never happen. After all, he will love and only love Senjougahara. Which was firmly established in the Tsubasa Tiger arc earlier.
The issue is that Sengoku holds the talisman in front of Koyomi. Which has the power to resurrect a God. Through Sengoku's pain, she eats and she herself merges with Kuchinawa and becomes a God. Which brings us to the present where Sengoku has beaten both Koyomi and Shinobu. However, she hasn't killed them yet.
The ultimate sad irony here is that Sengoku felt the same jealously as the two friends who cursed her back in Bakemonogatari. Those two were jealous the boy jealous Sengoku rejected her and the girl that the boy asked Sengoku out. In this case, Sengoku was jealous that someone else was Koyomi's girlfriend. Her jealously is what started her on the same mistake that her friends made. A sad, but realistic fate that could happen to anyone.
The most interesting aspect of this is that Ougi Oshino who is Meme Oshino's niece, is the one that set Sengoku on that path. Once again we have someone pushing an agenda on Sengoku like it has happened her whole life. Of course, with the exception here that she mainly made it so she can hear Kuchinawa asking for her. But what is her goal? This is behavior unlike someone if Meme, so it makes things very hard to say at this point. You just hate to see Sengoku being manipulated.
Before Sengoku in her God form was able to kill Koyomi and Shinobu, Senjougahara gives her advice. Essentially, there is a specific order if Sengoku wishes to kill Senjougahara, Shinobu and Koyomi. We know that if Koyomi dies before Shinobu that Shinobu would regain all of her powers and, to put it quite simply, Sengoku would meet her end. Interesting enough, she doesn't ignore this. Does she perhaps wish to still be human? Most likely this is true because Senjougahara mentions that if she kills Koyomi before herself she will kill her and everyone. Essentially do what Shinobu did on route X.
This alone shows that Sengoku's resolve only goes so far. Senjougahara is able to convince Sengoku to give them 6 months until they graduate. The line that really hits the hardest is that Sengoku mentions to Senjougahara that under different circumstances they could have been friends. Senjougahara shoots her down in the coldest manner, saying she hates her old personality. Quite ironically, an honest character like Senjougahara is who could have saved Sengoku. Who, as we know, is the girlfriend of the man she loves.
Monogatari Series: Second Season truly shows how top tell storytelling can do. We see how a gentle character like Sengoku can fall in a dark path. For something as simple as jealously and her one-sided love for Koyomi could never be reciprocated. Also, this arc was unlike every arc we have seen. We have seen some form of positive spin on the events that happened. Here we just see the pain of Sengoku, Senjougahara and Koyomi. Very curious how this continues throughout the 2nd season. Furthermore, who truly is Ougi Oshino?
but my taste or preference has changed somewhat is what I will say
