10 Second Anime - Owarimonogatari S2 - Episode 1

Araragi wakes up in Hell and finds Mayoi as his guide. Season Premiere.

Episode 1 - "Mayoi Hell - Part One"

Hmm.

Before we jump into the review, we need to do a little meta housekeeping. Over the Summer, the second season of Owarimonogatari was aired, but instead of a whole season, it was only 7 episodes and they were all aired back to back in a marathon session. I'm only now getting around to watching them. The format doesn't lend itself to exactly weekly coverage type stuff, but the Monogatari adaptations never really have anyway. Thankfully, there are designated half-hour chapters, so I'll be reviewing those individually.

The "season" is actually three chapters in this "concluding story." The first two episodes is Mayoi's chapter. The next two belong to Senjougahara's chapter. And finally (heh), the last three episodes belong to the enigmatic Ougi.

Mayoi's story begins right at the end of the first season of Owarimonogatari where Gaen unexpectedly sliced Araragi into pieces using the sword that Kiss-Shot's first familiar left at the stadium. This actually killed Araragi and he is now in the after-life. Mayoi is the first person Araragi sees. As with all things dealing with Gaen, she has a plan and she knows everything.

Heh.

Mayoi! Going to Heaven! I last saw her four years ago!

This chapter is called Mayoi Hell. Hell? What is she doing in Hell?

The OP scenes pretty much show everything that Mayoi does and explains in this first episode.

Araragi wakes up and is holding back on jumping on Mayoi. How long is that going to last?

Not long!

And we have the first Mayoi mispronunciation of Araragi's name! On purpose! I missed this banter.

Mayoi explains that Araragi is in Avichi Hell - the lowest level of Buddhist Hell - for saving a demon. According to online sources, there's only five sins that can land you here: 1) Intentionally killing your father, 2) intentionally killing your mother, 3) killing an enlightened one, 4) shedding the blood of a Buddha, and 5) causing a schism within a Buddhist community. Maybe saving a demon caused number 3 or 4 to happen, since intentionality doesn't appear to be a factor with those sins. Anyway, Araragi is in deep doo doo, er Hell.

Okay, Araragi gets that, but why is Mayoi in Hell? Especially after all he went through to get that little ghost to pass on? Well, Buddhism also posits that children killed before their parents die end up collecting stones on the river bank at the entrance to Hell before their souls are reincarnated. Mayoi's soul seems to have been waiting six months or so for Araragi to come to Hell so she can be his guide.

Oh, how did she know Araragi would be coming to Hell? She said someone who "knew everything" told her. We know who that is.

So now Mayoi is Virgil to Araragi's Dante.

Ha! This is the first time I've seen the art style of the ending themes used inside an episode.

Gaen needed Araragi to die, but maybe not stay dead, since Mayoi is leading him to a trial for his resurrection.

Mayoi showed Araragi three of his consequential scenes. Saving Kiss-Shot was one. Leering after Hanekawa was another one. He finally admitted that lusting after her was why he went to get a porno mag and ended up becoming a vampire. And catching Senjougahara from falling was another one.

Araragi said he doesn't regret meeting and saving any of those three women, he just wishes he could have done things a little better. Mayoi appears happy about this for some reason.

Nadeko is running around Hell too. But is that the real Nadeko and not just a remembrance of Araragi's?

Mayoi proclaims that Yotsugi is her sanctioned successor. It's official! Yotsugi is the loli tease in Araragi's life now that Mayoi is gone.

"Balance" is going to be a theme of whatever trial is going to happen.

Araragi notes that doing the right thing is not the same as correcting mistakes. That is a big contrast between his approach to life and what Ougi has been doing.

Cliffhanger! Araragi's opponent in the trial is the specialist he and Yotsugi killed in events of Tsukimonogatari.