Thread by @Carter___G, I've always seen a lot of people ask during their Monogatari watch [...]

I've always seen a lot of people ask during their Monogatari watch through when they should watch Kizu. I've heard people say to do so after Bake since that's how the novels work, however I think that's a horrible idea

Below is a small thread on why you should wait to watch Kizu

I think the easiest place to start with this argument is the technical reasons

The Kizu films and the Monogatari anime, despite being directed and made by the same people, are COMPLETELY different experiences. Aesthetically speaking and animation wise it's obvious, since...

the films are very expressive and fluid while the anime utilized limited animation to the fullest

However that is only part of it. The main reason I say it's a completely different experience is because of how Kizumonogatari is told as a story compared to the rest of the series.

Kizu is a story about two incredibly wounded people who need each other in the worst of ways to grow past their wounds. It's incredibly depressing when you really examine it, to the point where the usual quirkiness of Monogatari is not present in these films whatsoever

Of course that expressiveness is there, but in my opinion Kizu is the most non-Monogatari story in the franchise in terms of identity, which speaks more to the messages and core of the story that's shown through the pain of all the characters, from Kiss-Shot to Araragi and so on

It's because of this that I feel as though watching Kizu too early will give you the wrong impression of the series. Of course Monogatari tackles some HEAVY themes all throughout, but never handles it in the way that Kizu does. Between the atmosphere being different and...

the animation itself, to me I feel as though it's easy to set yourself up for disappointment with the rest of the series. Kizu sets an incredibly high bar, and it might be impossible to top if you watch it too soon. Remember, these films ended up being seven years in the making!

This actually brings me to my next point

Technically speaking, Kizu was set to be adapted after Bake but was delayed to hell. Novel-wise, Kizu does come next after it and can be considered the intended way to view the series

However, remember that these movies are not...

the novels and are an adaptation as such

An adaptation made in mind with the fact that it would be airing later than the intended spot when the story was supposed to be viewed

By the time the movies were being released, Final Season was in full swing and you had so much...

character development for the ones involved that it changes the context of certain scenes and moments

I won't say much but I think if you watch Kizu early Araragi and Hanekawa's interactions can come off as romantic in a weird, perverted Monogatari sense. However, with the...

knowledge of things like Neko Kuro and Tsubasa Tiger you get a much better understanding of the importance of Kizu Hanekawa and why she means so much to Araragi

With only Bake under your belt, the relationship doesn't hit the same way, and you'll lose valuable subtext to it

Hanekawa ofc is not the focus of Kizu. The real meat and potatoes of why you should wait is Kiss-Shot and Araragi.

Throughout the entire series, their relationship and the "Spring Break Incident" is alluded to constantly and shrouded in mystery while still feeding you crumbs...

of info on why Shinobu and Araragi are the way they are

It's a relationship that is not emphasized in Bake overtly but rather much more subtly. As you go through the series, you slowly pull back the layers on why Shinobu means so much to Araragi and vice versa, leading to...

the culmination of it all when you watch Kizu and finally understand why Shinobu makes and completes Araragi as a person

Watching it early takes away the mystery of their relationship, which isn't inherently bad, but I think the payoff for it is MUCH better if you wait

It also ties back to how I said the films were made in mind with it being shown much later than the intended experience

When you watch Kizu in watch order, it comes up at either Tsukimongatari or Owarimonogatari, both of which are arcs that deal heavily with answering why...

Araragi is the way he is. The Spring Break Incident is VITAL to understanding that, and watching it alongside the other moments where it gets revealed adds to the overall experience that the directors of the anime want you to feel rather than giving you the novel experience

No better is this shown than in the opening scene. The Kizu novel starts out with a brief monologue of Araragi reflecting back on the incident and calling himself a fool. However, the film begins with him erupting into flames, driving home his feelings on his own self worth...

and psyche in subtle ways that make more sense as you watch it alongside Tsuki and Owari. I don't wanna say too much since you should try and interpret it yourself, but these things start to become more apparent the later you watch Kizu

A lot of this can be boiled down to...

"Good things come to those who wait" and that's really how I feel

I know the prospect of watching Kizu as soon as possible is enticing. It is, in my opinion, the best arc of Monogatari. It's an artistic masterpiece that utilizes the medium of animation to its full extent...

and will make you fall deeper in love with the series once you witness the pure emotion and thought that went into developing both Kiss-Shot and Araragi

However, watching the films too early will only do a disservice to that experience. Your first time watching Kizu is...

(at risk of sounding like a total dweeb) a very special watch. You get to experience it blind, and doing so is such a fun trip

The best way to maximize your enjoyment out of Kizu is to wait. You'll get to see the series more clearly once you do, and it'll be a grand reward...

for piecing together the information you have on The Spring Break Incident as well as the relationships between the characters involved

Trust me, the wait will be worth it. Experience Kizu raw and armed with info. It'll be magical, and you'll understand the intent behind...

why they made Kizu the way they did if you witness it later on

My suggestion is to watch it after Tsukimonogatari, but after Owari S1 and before Koyomimonogatari is just as good! I hoped this thread helped, and if any further clarification is needed I will do what I can!

Thank you for reading, and please watch Monogatari!

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