Monogatari: How to watch the hit anime series in release or chronological order
The world of Monogatari is full of weird happenings. Both the original light novel series and the anime version feature vampires, weight-stealing crabs, and time travel in every arc. Though the show doesn’t have hundreds of episodes, it does have a confusing, sprawling timeline that can put new viewers off picking it up.
A lot of the confusion comes from how the show is organized, with not one, not two, but 15 different stories mixed together, each with its own overlapping timeline. But fret not, fellow anime fan, for we have the best possible watch orders for you, whether you want to watch Monogatari in chronological or release order.
How to watch Monogatari in chronological order
Each series within the winding Monogatari timeline has its own title with -monogatari (Japanese for 'story') as the suffix, such as Bakemonogatari (monster story), Nekomonogatari (cat story), or Onimonogatari (demon story). There are 12 of these series plus three films, often with episodes that coincide with each other, making the actual chronological order for Monogatari incredibly convoluted. If you get confused, don’t worry; this is easily the most complicated way to watch this anime series and is only recommended for viewers who have already seen the show at least once. Otherwise, you’ll lose a lot of the dramatic tension and mystery that is the big appeal of Nisio Isin’s series of light novels.
Here is every episode and film of Monogatari in chronological order:
- Kizumonogatari I: Tekketsu (Note that this is the first of three prequel films in the Monogatari series)
- Kizumonogatari II: Nekketsu (Note that this is the second of three prequel films in the Monogatari series)
- Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu (Note that this is the third of three prequel films in the Monogatari series)
- Koyomimonogatari Episode 1
- Nekomonogatari (Black) Episodes 1-4
- Bakemonogatari Episodes 1-2
- Koyomimonogatari Episode 2
- Bakemonogatari Episodes 3-15
- Koyomimonogatari Episodes 3-4
- Nisemonogatari Episodes 1-7
- Koyomimonogatari Episode 5
- Nisemonogatari Episodes 8-11
- Kabukimonogatari Episodes 1-4
- Onimonogatari Episodes 1-4
- Owarimonogatari I Episodes 8-13
- Nekomonogatari (White) Episodes 1-5
- Koyomimonogatari Episodes 6-7
- Owarimonogatari I Episodes 1-7
- Otorimonogatari Episodes 1-2
- Koyomimonogatari Episode 8
- Otorimonogatari Episodes 3-4
- Koyomimonogatari Episode 9
- Koimonogatari Episodes 1-4
- Koyomimonogatari Episode 10
- Koimonogatari Episodes 5-6
- Tsukimonogatri Episodes 1-4
- Koyomimonogatari Episodes 11-12
- Owarimonogatari II Episodes 1-7
- Zoku Owarimonogatari Episodes 1-6
- Hanamonogatari Episodes 1-5
How to watch Monogatari in release order
Time travel sure complicates things, doesn’t it? Watching the entire Monogatari story in chronological order is an ordeal and actually removes a lot of the fun of the series, so it is generally better to watch it in the order it was released. That’s still more difficult than it sounds, as the anime aired in a different order than the original light novels were published, so this is often a point of contention among fans. Still, the anime release order is the best way to watch Monogatari.
Here is the complete watch order for Monogatari in release order:
- Bakemonogatari
- Nisemonogatari
- Nekomonogatari (Black)
- Nekomonogatari (White)
- Kabukimonogatari
- Otorimonogatari
- Onimonogatari
- Koimonogatari
- Hanamonogatari
- Tsukimonogatari
- Owarimonogatari I
- Kizumonogatari I: Tekketsu (Note that this is the first of three prequel films in the Monogatari series)
- Koyomimonogatari
- Kizumonogatari II: Nekketsu (Note that this is the second of three prequel films in the Monogatari series)
- Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu (Note that this is the third of three prequel films in the Monogatari series)
- Owarimonogatari II
- Zuko Owarimonogatari
Where you can watch Monogatari
Fortunately, watching Monogatari is much easier than working out the order things happen. At least, it is if you live in the US. Most of the show is on Crunchyroll, though you will need to have Amazon Prime to watch the last three episodes of Bakemonogatari, which originally aired on the show’s website as a supplement to the televised material.
What’s next for Monogatari?
The main story of Monogatari has been adapted into anime, but there are still several volumes of the light novels that haven’t been animated. These include some supplemental stories that expand the lore of the world and stories that expand on the lives of the supporting cast. Does this mean that we might get more Monogatari anime in the future?
While anything is possible, that doesn’t seem likely at the moment. The production studio behind the anime, Shaft, hasn’t made any announcement that they will be picking up the supplemental material, nor is there a strong demand among anime fans for them to do so. The story is largely completed; fans who are desperate for more will have to track down the light novels.
What to watch if you enjoyed Monogatari
Because Monogatari is so unique, there are very few anime out there like it. Shows like Noragami, which follows an up-and-coming god, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, the story of a group of high school supernatural investigators, will capture some of that energy, but they’re both very different from Monogatari. It really is a one-of-a-kind experience.
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