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Monogatari Watch Order Guide: Chronology & How To Watch!

Read on to know the best possible way to watch the Monogatari series.

Monogatari is a Light Novel series written by the Japanese author NisiOisiN and illustrated by the Taiwanese illustrator VOFAN. Since it’s inception in 2006, this series has quickly risen in popularity and received an anime adaptation.

Monogatari has evolved into a multi-season, multi-film mega-series and also got adapted into a manga by the amazing talented Japanese manga artist Oh! great.

This series is much beloved amongst it’s fans for the amazing narrative completely built upon layers and layers of dialogue – the most defining element of the Monogatari series which is quirky, witty, clever and profound in every degree.

But newcomers who are interested in this series are often dumbfounded at where to exactly start watching because of the sheer number of entries in this mega-series. And even the Veterans are sometimes confused on the actual chronological order of the anime and Light Novels since it is very complex.

This article aims to provide a thorough explanation of the entire timeline and help newbies understand the Monogatari Watch Order.

Major Story Arcs:

Before we get to talking about the watch order in depth, I would like to cover the names of all the major arcs throughout the story along with their seasons to simply things down a little bit.

First Season –

Bakemonogatari
15 Episodes
5 Arcs:

  • Hitagi Crab
  • Mayoi Snail
  • Suruga Monkey
  • Nadeko Snake
  • Tsubasa Cat

Kizumonogatari
3 Films

  • I Tekketsu-hen
  • II Nekketsu-hen
  • III Reiketsu-hen

Nisemonogatari
11 Episodes
2 Arcs:

  • Karen Bee
  • Tsukihi Phoenix

Nekomonogatari Kuro
4 Episodes
1 Arc:

  • Tsubasa Family

Second Season –

Monogatari Second Season
26 Episodes
5 Arcs:

  • Tsubasa Tiger
  • Mayoi Jiangshi
  • Nadeko Medusa
  • Shinobu Time
  • Hitagi End

Hanamonogatari
5 Episodes
1 Arc:

  • Suruga Devil

Final Season –

Tsukimonogatari
4 Episodes
1 Arc:

  • Yotsugi Doll

Owarimonogatari
12 Episodes
4 Arcs:

  • Ougi Formula
  • Sodachi Riddle
  • Sodachi Lost
  • Shinobu Mail

Koyomimonogatari
12 Episodes

  • In each episode, Koyorni Araragi is presented with a mystery posed by one of the female characters from the story, which he then investigates on his own or helps them solve.

Owarimonogatari Second Season
3 Episodes
3 Arcs:

  • Mayoi Hell
  • Hitagi Rendezvous
  • Ougi Dark

Zoku Owarimonogatari
6 Episodes
1 Arc:

  • Koyomi Reverse

That concludes all the arcs in the main storyline. Next let us start with the Timeline of the entire Monogatari series which can be termed as the Chronological Monogatari Watch Order.

Monogatari Chronological Watch Order:

This Order should only be used by the Battle Hardened Veteran Fans on Monogatari Series because it radiates chaos and confusion.

  • March 25, 2006 – April 8, 2006 KIZUMONOGATARI Koyomi vamp Films 1-3
  • April 11, 2006 KOYOMI STONE Koyomimonogatari Episode 1 •
  • April 29, 2006 – May 8, 2006 TSUBASA FAMILY Nekomonogatari Kuro Episodes 1-4
  • May 8, 2006 – May 9, 2006 HITAGI CRAB Bakemonogatari Episodes 1-2
  • May 9, 2006 – May 10, 2006 KOYOMI FLOWER Koyomimonogatari Episode 2 •
  • May 14, 2006 – May 15, 2006 MAYOI SNAIL Bakemonogatari Episodes 3-5
  • May 22, 2006 – May 24, 2006 SURUGA MONKEY Bakemonogatari Episodes 6-8
  • June 11, 2006 – June 12, 2006 NADEKO SNAKE Bakemonogatari Episodes 9-10
  • June 13, 2006 – June 16, 2006 TSUBASA CAT Bakemonogatari Episodes 11-15
  • “Middle of June” KOYOMI SAND Koyomimonogatari Episode 3 •
  • “A Certain Day in July” KOYOMI WATER Koyomimonogatari Episode 4 •
  • July 29, 2006 – July 31, 2006 KAREN BEE Nisemonogatari Episodes 1-7
  • “Early August” KOYOMI WIND Koyomimonogatari Episode 5 •
  • August 14, 2006 TSUKIHI PHOENIX Nisemonogatari Episodes 8-11
  • August 20, 2006 – August 21, 2006 MAYOI JIANGSHI Second Season (Kabukimonogatari) Episodes 7-10
  • August 21, 2006 – August 23, 2006 SHINOBU TIME Second Season (Onimonogatari) Episodes 17-20
  • August 21, 2006 – August 25, 2006 TSUBASA TIGER Second Season (Nekomonogatari Shiro) Episodes 1-5
  • August 23, 2006 – August 25, 2006 SHINOBU MAIL Owarimonogatari Episodes 8-12
  • “Late September” KOYOMI TREE Koyomimonogatari Episode 6
  • “A Certain Day in October” KOYOMI TEA Koyomimonogatari Episode 7
  • October 24, 2006 – October 25, 2006 OUGI FORMULA Owarimonogatari Episodes 1-2
  • October 25, 2006 – October 26, 2006 SODACHI RIDDLE Owarimonogatari Episodes 3-4
  • October 28, 2006 SODACHI LOST Owarimonogatari Episodes 5-7
  • November 1, 2006 KOYOMI MOUNTAIN Koyomimonogatari Episode 8
  • October 31 , 2006 – November 2, 2006 NADEKO MEDUSA Second Season (Otorimonogatari) Episodes 12-15 •
  • “It Was December” KOYOMI TORUS Koyomimonogatari Episode 9
  • January 1, 2007 – February 1, 2007 HITAGI END Second Season (Koimonogatari) Episodes 21-26 •
  • “The Middle of January” KOYOMI SEED Koyomimonogatari Episode 10
  • February 13, 2007 – February 14, 2007 YOTSUGI DOLL Tsukimonogatari Episodes 1-4
  • “Late February” KOYOMI NOTHING Koyomimonogatari Episode 11
  • March 13, 2007 KOYOMI DEAD Koyomimonogatari Episode 12
  • March 13, 2007 MAYOI HELL Owarimonogatari Second Season Episode 1
  • March 13, 2007 – March 14, 2007 HITAGI RENDEZVOUS Owarimonogatari Second Season Episode 2
  • March 14, 2007 OUGI DARK Owarimonogatari Second Season Episode 3
  • March 16, 2007 – March 18, 2007 KOYOMI REVERSE Zoku Owarimonogatari Episodes 1-6
  • April 9, 2007 – April 21, 2007 SURUGA DEVIL Hanamonogatari Episodes 1-5 •
    out of season arcs are labelled with a on both sides

This sums up the exact Chronological Order of the Monogatari Series. Next up let us talk about the Production/Release watch order of Monogatari series which is the most recommended order.

  • Bakemonogatari
  • Nisemonogatari
  • Nekomonogatari Kuro
  • Monogatari Second Season
  • Hanamonogatari
  • Tsukimonogatari
  • Owarimonogatari
  • Koyomimonogatari
  • Kizumonogatari
  • Owarimonogatari Second Season
  • Zoku Owarimonogatari

The Kizumonogatari Debate –

  • Between Owari and Koyomi
    This is the closest to the airing order of the series. Personally, I recommend this order because Shaft improvised heavily on the Kizu movies and it is best consumed after getting familiar with the series and most of the cast.
  • Between Bake and Nise
    This is the Original order of the light novels and how the author intended for these arcs to be consumed.
  • Before Bake
    The author has mentioned that the novel is a viable entry point to the series. Just know that the style of the movies is quite different from the series.

The Light Novel Order is exactly similar to the Release/Production Order except that you need to watch Kizumonogatari directly after finishing Bakemonogatari and before starting Nisemonogatari.

Semi-Chronological Order:

This watch order is only meant for veteran fans who are intimately familiar with all the events throughout the course of Monogatari. If you want to experience how it feels to watch it timeline-wise without facing the headache of having to navigate through the actual episodes, then this is for you.

  • Kizumonogatari
  • Nekomonogatari Kuro
  • Bakemonogatari
  • Nisemonogatari
  • Monogatari Second Season
  • Hanamonogatari
  • Tsukimonogatari
  • Owarimonogatari
  • Koyomimonogatari
  • Owarimonogatari Second Season
  • Zoku Owarimonogatari

If you still have any doubts regarding the Monogatari watch order, do let me know in the comments below!

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