Getting into a new franchise can be daunting, especially when it’s as long-running and vast as Monogatari. In my opinion, the Monogatari Series is second only to the Fate Series in complexity. With this in mind, it’s easy to see why newcomers might get lost in this beautifully abstract and complex web of stories.
I’ve been there before, wondering not only where to start but where to turn next. With multiple seasons, each packed with interconnected storylines, I recommend watching the series in a specific order to get the full picture and experience it in a way that’s most accurate to its source material, the light novels written by NISIOISIN.
As it currently stands, Monogatari is split into three main seasons: Season 1, Season 2, and the Final Season. While this may seem straightforward at first, the complexity of Monogatari arises when you dive into the various titles comprised within each season. I’ll break down the series into its three main seasons. Then, within each ‘season bucket’, I’ll list the specific series you need to watch and the order I recommend watching them.
That said, here is my recommended Monogatari watch order.
How to Watch Monogatari in Order
- Monogatari Season 1 consists of:
- Bakemonogatari (15 episodes)
- Kizumonogatari (3 films)
- Nisemonogatari (11 episodes)
- Nekomonogatari Black (4 episodes)
- Monogatari Season 2 consists of:
- Monogatari Second Season Episodes 1-11 (Consists of Nekomonogatari White and Kabukimonogatari)
- Hanamonogatari (5 episodes)
- Monogatari Second Season Episodes 12-26 (Consists of Otorimonogatari, Onimonogatari, and Koimonogatari)
- Monogatari Final Season consists of:
- Tsukimonogatari (4 episodes)
- Koyomimonogatari (12 mini-episodes)
- Owarimonogatari (2 seasons totaling 15 episodes)
- Zoku Owarimonogatari (6 episodes)
- Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season (Coming in 2024)
To find out more about the Monogatari series and where you can watch it, you can learn more below!
Monogatari Season 1 Watch Order
The first season of Monogatari consists of Bakemonogatari, Kizumonogatari, Nisemonogatari, and Nekomonogatari Black.
- Bakemonogatari (15 episodes)
- Kizumonogatari (3 films)
- Nisemonogatari (11 episodes)
- Nekomonogatari Black (4 episodes)
Where to Watch
At the time of this post, only Bakemonogatari, Nisemonogatari, and Nekomonogatari Black are available to watch on Crunchyroll. You can also shop the Blu-ray box sets released by Aniplex of America. I own the box sets and they are beautiful releases. I highly recommend them if you prefer to own physical copies of anime series.
Bakemonogatari
Episodes: 15
The first anime you’ll want to watch in Monogatari is Bakemonogatari, adapted from the first part of the novels. Bakemonogatari‘s story begins with high-school student Koyomi Araragi catching a girl named Hitagi Senjougahara when she trips. But much to his surprise, she doesn’t weigh anything at all. She says an encounter with a so-called “crab” took away all her weight.
Throughout the series, we’re hit with one strange event after another, revealing a world where monsters aren’t just real—they’re everywhere. But these aren’t your typical monsters. Instead, they represent the complex, abstract concepts of psychology and deeply reflect our characters’ psyches.
Bakemonogatari is one of the best anime you can watch on Crunchyroll. Oddly enough, though, they only have 12 of 15 episodes on their platform. Aniplex of America also released a Blu-ray box set of Bakemonogatari that collects all 15 episodes but it is currently out of stock. You can shop it now on aftermarket sites, but it’s listed for high prices. Here’s hoping we get a new release or a restock on Crunchyroll soon.
Where to Watch Bakemonogatari
Kizumonogatari
Even though Kizumonogatari is a prequel to Bakemonogatari, you’ll want to watch it after you watch Bakemonogatari. Kizumonogatari consists of three movies and you watch them in the order they were released. Kizumonogatari Part 1 Tekketsu aired in January 2016, Kizumonogatari Part 2 Nekketsu aired in August 2016, and Kizumonogatari Part 3 Reiketsu aired in January 2017.
- Kizumonogatari Part 1 Tekketsu (1 hr 4 min)
- Kizumonogatari Part 2 Nekketsu (1 hr 4 min)
- Kizumonogatari Part 3 Reiketsu (1 hr 23 min)
In January 2024, Kizumonogatari -Koyomi Vamp-, which is a compilation of all three films, was released in Japan. It is set to arrive in North American theaters sometime in 2024, so this is something to look forward to.
Where to Watch Kizumonogatari
Right now, the Kizumonogatari movies aren’t streaming on any platforms. You can, however, collect the films via the Blu-rays released from Aniplex of America. They are selling exclusively in the US on Crunchyroll.
Monogatari Season 2
The 2nd season of Monogatari consists of Monogatari Second Season and Hanamonogatari. It has a unique watch order because the second season collects Nekomonogatari White, Kabukimonogatari, Otorimonogatari, Onimonogatari, and Koimonogatari.
On top of that, the special Hanamonogatari and its 5 episodes should be watched in the middle of the 2nd season’s 26 episodes. This is because it adapts the third volume of the Monogatari Series: Second Season.
That said, here is Monogatari Season 2’s watch order.
- Monogatari Second Season Episodes 1-11 (Consists of Nekomonogatari White and Kabukimonogatari)
- Hanamonogatari (5 episodes)
- Monogatari Second Season Episodes 12-26 (Consists of Otorimonogatari, Onimonogatari, and Koimonogatari)
Where to Watch
Right now, you can stream Monogatari Season 2 on Crunchyroll. You can also shop the Monogatari Season 2 Complete Box Set released by Aniplex of America on the Crunchyroll Store.
Monogatari Final Season
The final season of Monogatari consists of Tsukimonogatari, Koyomimonogatari, Owarimonogatari, and Zoku Owarimonogatari. Here is the final season’s watch order:
- Tsukimonogatari (4 episodes)
- Koyomimonogatari (12 mini-episodes)
- Owarimonogatari (2 seasons totaling 15 episodes)
- Zoku Owarimonogatari (6 episodes)
Where to Watch
At the time of this post, only Tsukimonogatari and Owarimonogatari are available to watch on Crunchyroll.
If you are interested in picking up a complete set of the Monogatari Final Season, though, Crunchyroll and Aniplex of America recently put up a Monogatari Final Season Complete Box Set for sale that collects all 42 episodes of Tsukimonogatari, Koyomimonogatari, Owarimonogatari, and Zoku Owarimonogatari.
A lot of the Monogatari Series is streaming now on Crunchyroll. You can also check out the anime box sets released by Aniplex of America that are exclusive to Crunchyroll in the US if you prefer to own physical copies.
I’ll update this post when new compilations, films, or anime series are added to the Monogatari lineup. For now, though, this is the watch order I stand by. As a massive fan of Monogatari, I hope this guide helps you get into the series. Enjoy, and happy watching!
