Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Fairtale
First episode is good, the rest became a long drag of nothing ever happening and nothing leading anywhere.
On top of that, the storytelling is so weird, every episode it feels like parts of the story were just glossed over, add to that weird attempts at "start telling at the end" which often left me feeling like I missed an episode. The constand back-and-forth just felt weird and, at the end, unfulfulling.
The whole point of the anime was that there is no point, which left me askin "why did I watch this?"
- the story leads nowhere
- the misteries lead nowhere
- the romance leades nowhere
- the fights are boring and repetitive
- each and every character lacks depth, and changes their personalities or objectives on a whim.
Many good reviews about this, so maybe its a personal thing. But I…
Read at the sourcePoll1t0
Katanagatari's episodes, much like its dialogue, are unnecessarily drawn-out and tedious. Each one is 50 minutes long, but could easily be compressed to 25 or even 12 minutes without sacrificing much.
It introduces characters (or doesn't even bother introducing them) as quickly as it writes them off.
The soundtrack ranges from annoying to pretty good, though maybe you're more into rapanese than I am.
The fight scenes mostly consist of the same 4 frames repeated ad nauseam. There's more dynamic animation in literally every other part of the show.
Overall, Katanagatari felt like a chore to watch, and I don't recommend investing 10 hours of your time into watching it.
Read at the sourceNivo3041
Katanagatari is an anime that it came to surprise me, not to discredit, but the other animated works of Mr. Nisio Isin have seemed very mediocre, under this prejudiced thinking, I present myself before Katanagatari
Oh, and there will be spoilers
The story of Katanagatari is not surprising at all; A long time ago, a sword-maker called Shikizaki Kiki forged 1000 swords, of which 12 are said to be the swords that Shikizaki could perfect; the Shogun wants to recover those swords (after innumerable failures) and for that the Shogun sends the young Togame to speak with the current head of the Kyotoryuu clan, Yasuri Shichika.
The story, as I said, is simple, but the author knows how to captivate us with the stories of the 12 swords that Shikizaki Kiki forges, I say this because stories are tol…
Read at the sourceShoutyShout13
I'm actually astounded by the huge number of people lauding Katanagatari as a masterpiece, with high rating of 9's and 10's popping off everywhere in the reviews, claiming that it is perfect/flawless blah blah blah, listing everything positive about it then exaggerating it further. This makes it appear like it's 10/10 worthy solely from reviews when really, it's far from the truth. While Katanagatari isn't the worst out there which feels mentally violating or makes you want to smack your head against a brick wall or a sharp corner on your table, it is not on the same level as the masterpieces, which feels like you're having an animegasm or ascending into heaven whenever you watch it. No, Katanagatari is far, far from it.
I'll also mention some other things:
- This is my first review on t…
Read at the sourceYuni
Yo boys, you should totally watch this series!
However, by that point you'll have been torn to pieces.
Dear those who want to watch Katanagatari...
You may have witnessed a lot of disappointment from those who watched this show. The main reason (and sometimes the only reason) behind these instances of disappointment is the extreme lack of action. People start watching this show expecting high octane martial arts fight scenes filled with badassness, but really, that's not the focus of this show at all. Instead, what people get is talking. At least 90% of this show is just pure dialogue.
I was one who knew about this dialogue thing before I watched the series, and not because others told me about it beforehand, but because I noticed that this show is the pinnacle of the anime medium, a…
Read at the sourceanimeBee1ver
The lessons learned every after episodes, the promises were all rejected and the sweetness we were forced to believe as the series progresses was made bitter. 1 - 1 = 0. Zero lessons. though there is something that is gain from this, and that is hate, for the time wasted, for making fun of its viewers.
This is deus ex machina. I searched the meaning for double checking and it is definitely this. If writers like rising up emotions to their books, stating them poetic or artistic, then sure. But if terribly done? Then surely, it can turn the sudden twist from a good review. I will not judge the book but the anime. The deus ex machina in it showed something unintelligible, I assume to garner action to its duel, for the kids I think, believing them better. less is more. They shouldn't have do…
Read at the sourceSmartreviews
"I have just come to a realization! This scroll by Broken Sword contains no secrets of his swordsmanship. What this reveals is his highest ideal. In the first state, man and sword become one..." - King of Qin, Hero
I originally stumbled upon this anime thinking it was a continuation of the Monogatari series. It's not. But it's a great show nonetheless. What wowed me about this show was its pacing. Katanagatari is easily one of the most well-paced animes I've ever seen, and the pacing reminds me a lot of BBC's Sherlock series. Each of the 45-minute episodes are like a mini-movie, leaving very little in terms of cliff-hangers, yet keeps you wanting more, if and when you have time. For me, it made for a good series to relax and watch with my girlfriend on the weekends of my hectic whirlwind…
Read at the sourceLink_of_Hyrule
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
What’s more important: the destination, or the journey it takes to get there? If you put every ounce of your blood, sweat and tears towards achieving your goal, and still fail, was it all for nothing? Inversely, if you accomplish all of your goals without breaking a sweat, are you really accomplishing anything? Due to the fact that the outcome of nearly every shounen anime every made is never in any real question what so ever, this is not a theme we have ever seen explored in anime. At least, not until Katanagatari was released. This anime is perhaps the only show ever made that can justifiably be called a proper deconstruction of the modern shounen; it takes the aspects and clichés that you would ordinarily assume about a narrative and promptly beats you over the…
Read at the sourceRefawul
Considering the amount of love this show has received, it feels risky giving a comparatively low score to Katanagatari, although I don't personally consider a 7 by any means low. Please don't label this review as "not helpful" just because you disagree with the scores or think they are too low. This is a difficult show to review because a) most of my complaints are directed to the plot and character development, both of which are difficult to describe without spoilers, and b) some of the complaints can also be considered reasons why this show is amazing or unique. Unique is indeed one of the better ways to describe Katanagatari, but let us get into the review.
*STORY -- 5 -- MEDIOCRE*
Again, it is difficult to explain the score without specifics, but the best way I can describe this show'…
Read at the sourceRaptor1221
What do you fight for? That is a question with no simple answer. People say that they wish to accomplish some sort of dream or aspiration. To achieve fame, fortune, love, or maybe even revenge. Some are simple and others ambitious beyond belief. The real question is, do you have the will to fulfill that dream? Is it truly what you wish for? Are willing to struggle to the end for it? Many people try to fulfill their aspirations. Many people simply die in regret and are forgotten. Others fulfill a dream so large they are remembered for all time. To explore this question is the main purpose of the work “Katanagatari”. Now ask yourself “what will your dying words be?” Words to be remembered? Or words of regret?
Premise Synopsis** (review is after)
Katanagatari is about Yasuri Shichika, a you…
Read at the sourcePoeticJustice
What is it that you fight for? Money? Power? Honor? Love? Revenge? Out of all the millions of reasons , in the end does it really matter? These are some of the things you will ponder while watching Katanagatari. Nisio Isin, the mind behind the monogatari-series, which some might call a twist on the harem genre, has used his deft hand at creating unique characters and worlds, in what would traditionally be a shounen premise. The end result, is a masterfully crafted tale that blends Japanese folklore, romance, and martial arts with a very contemporary touch that makes Katanagatari feel both modern and old at the same time. Simply put it, Katanagatari is a story of both the ages, and the here and now. It is a wonderfully crafted tale that I had the pleasure of watching.
Story(9/10)- Katanaga…
Read at the sourceTheBiggestBlack
You could pretty much summarize the whole plot of Katanagatari (sword story in English) by it's title. Because, it really is story about two people traveling around japan, collecting twelve magical swords. However, when you actually sit down and watch it, you will probably get more out of it than you had expected.
Story: As I said before, it has a pretty simplistic story. The story follows the 2 main characters as they set out on a journey all around Japan to collect twelve swords. the main focus of each episode is a new sword for the two to collect. When they are not fighting to collect another sword, the characters are probably spending their time talking to each other. This might sound boring, but the dialogue is well written and even really funny at times. Depending on your taste, th…
Read at the sourceXiaraith
Katanagatari: a tale of twelve twisted swords,
which keenly point their sharpened blades towards
just anyone who's thirsting for their mighty power
and therefore causing uproars and a troubled hour.
Harrying this ward -
++Zettou Kanna++
the first sword
To wield a sword, you need courage and a certain reason
to use such a deathly tool for committing life treason. Explore your innermost nature and understand the way!
"What do you fight for?"... it's not just a simple play.
Another slain lord -
++Zantou Namakura++
the second sword
Now to find these swords and also their own true self,
our two heroes set sail in search for these twelve
relics of Shikizaki Kiki's most famous smithery,
which became an unfathomably perilous reality.
Limits ignored -
++Sentou Tsurugi++
the third sword
So who ar…
Read at the sourcejohnvswild
I simply cannot grasp why this anime receives so much praise.
SPOILER-FREE
White Fox adapted this from the light novel Katanagatari, and although they have the same author and a similar name, it has no connection to the Monogatari series in style, substance or story. The two main characters romp through a mythologized version of feudal Japan, neatly divided into formulaic episodes, collecting swords and killing fucking everyone they see.
Katanagatari is by no means a terrible anime, but if you look at the way it is treated, you might think it’s an absolute masterpiece, or panders to the shounen crowd excessively. Neither is true. The world and action are so ridiculous and clichéd that you might be forgiven for thinking it is simply a parody. If Katanagatari deserves any praise (which in…
Read at the sourceLawuser
Katanagatari is interesting because it's one of the better anime in recent time (that I have seen), one of the best anime from 2010 (that I have seen) and arguably the best work of NisiOisiN (that I have seen, even though this only includes two titles).
Now, Katanagatari is great, it's absolutely wonderful, but depending on your ability to immerse yourself in a story so much that you forget time this may or may not be for you. If you are like me with the attention span of a goldfish, initially the 50-minute long episodes might scare you off. If you are able to put up with it, however, you are in for a treat.
I will not summarise the series because frankly you can look at the anime description for that, that and I doubt I will make it that much more interesting. I will just go through why…
Read at the sourcektulu007
Katanagatari started as a light novel series by Isin Nisio. Who's written nothing else that I'm familiar with. He wrote some novelizations for both Death Note and xxxHolic, but I'm only familiar with the originals for those two and novels based on established series tend to vary a lot in quality. The anime adaptation was handled by the relatively new White Fox studio. They were behind both the Jormungand and Steins;Gate anime, so that could be a good sign. Then again, every studio tends to do some good and some bad work so this could be the first anime they've done that I dislike. Only one way to find out.
The story follows a martial artist, who incorrectly refers to himself as a swordsman because this anime doesn't know what a sword is*, named Shichika. He lives with his sister in exile…
Read at the sourceLyzl
Monster of the week, unconventional love story, or a sequence of intriguing but longwinded dialogues, Katanagatari is certainly all that, but also much more. Superficially, it is a series about a simple-minded, albeit unconventional, ‘swordsman’ who battles for the twelve swords under the enlistment of an even more eccentric ‘strategist’. Underneath the seemingly cliché premise however, the series has buried within it all manner of artistic treasure: cleverly designed, high-tension action scenes; a subtle love story, nearly imperceptible during its incredibly moving, gradual evolution; and perhaps most infamously, eloquent subtext conveyed within the lovable idiosyncrasies of the characters’ quite expansive conversations. Rarely has a show had such lengthy yet engrossing dialogue sequences…
Read at the sourceinfinity
==[ Katanagatari - Overall: 9.5/10 | 12 episodes]==
One-liner: If you want an anime with amazing art, great character development, good romance and an ending which you cannot predict from episode 1, Katanagatari is for you.
[ Introduction ]
Katanagatari, or Sword Story, is about the Strategian Togame and her "sword", Yasuri Shichika. The story is about their journey to collect 12 legendary deviant swords made by master swordsmith Shikizaki Kiki.
[ Story = 9 ] When I see animes about a journey to collect swords, I generally think: "Sword fights to be expected. Blood and gore. Severed limbs. Magical sword. Ooooh... Duh!". Katanagatari is about swords, of course, but not your run-of-the-mill sword anime.
So what will you find: sword fights! Duh no. Not many sword fights! But... but! It'…
Read at the sourceArchaeon
Since 2006, light novel adaptations have gradually become a regular feature in anime as producers in the industry scrabble around in their attempts to find the biggest cash cow since the advent of Suzumiya Haruhi. The surprising thing is that the fallout from this has actually been a lot better for fans than one might expect, and while titles like Guin Saga, Kemono no Souja Erin, Ghost Hunt, Baccano!, Kure-nai, Rental Magica, Spice & Wolf, and NHK ni Youkoso! may not be as commercially successful as KyoAni's behemoth, they do represent a gradual shift in the industry towards creativity and originality.
Which is where Katanagatari comes in to the picture.
Written by Nisio Isin (although he usually writes it as NisiOisiN since his name is a palindrome), the twelve volumes of the original l…
Read at the source8thSin
'Katanagatari' ('Tale of Swords') is about Togame, a self-claimed "General Director of Military and Offering Affairs serving under Yanari Shogun Family of Owari Shogunate", and Yasuri Shichika, the last inheritor of swordless swordsmanship "Kyotouryuu", and their adventure to collect 12 legendary swords.
Original work written by the same author as 'Bakemonogatari', this is a dialogue-based series that I cannot recommend to Shounen and other viewers who seek mindless battle scenes, you can ignore my warnings... "but by that time, you'd be slashed into pieces."
The story of 'Katanagatari' is driven by the characters who stand in the way of the sword gathering. New characters and weapon of the month are introduced in every episode. Through negotiation and battles with Togame and Shichika,…
Read at the source