The conclusion to the First Season of NISIOISIN’s Monogatari begins with NEKOMONOGATARI (BLACK). In this two volume collection NISIOISIN turns his focus onto Araragi’s close friend Tsubasa Hanekawa, revealing a new side to her that is more in tune with the world of MONOGATARI. A prequel to BAKEMONOGATARI here we see just what Hanekawa has become.

Following up on the high noteof family ties on which the previous installment concluded, but preceding it chronologically, we find Araragi and his littlesister Tsukihi, the heroine ofthe last volume, in full siblingrivalry mode as they bicker about love. The conversation thatcannot end unfolds in its unabashed original glory herein.

Like KIZUMONOGATARI, which delved into our narrator'sdisastrous spring break, Cat Tale (Black) is a prequel about another catastrophe, mentioned often yet never recounted even in a foregoing chapter dedicatedto Miss H.- namely, the model student’s rampage over GoldenWeek, 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.