Monogatari (Tsukimonogatari): Season 3/ Episode 4 “Yotsugi Doll, Part Four” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Spoiler Alert: This post may contain spoilers. Additionally, some images and text may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission or receive products if you make a purchase.

Overview

As the season comes to an anti-climactic end, you wonder why this wasn’t packaged as part of a regular season vs. made a standalone.

Topic 1: Tadatsuru’s Motive – Ononoki & Araragi

Topic 2: Face to Face – Araragi

Topic 3: An Anti-Climatic End – Araragi

Review (with Spoilers) – Below

Topic 1: Tadatsuru’s Motive/ The Plan – Ononoki & Araragi

With Araragi being a perv, as seen by him flipping Ononoki’s skirt for an extended period, but being generally a decent person, it does lead you to wonder why he is being targeted? Well, truth is that Tadatsuru isn’t even necessarily interested in Araragi. No, as per Ononoki, she is perhaps the bigger interest. For, you see, Ononoki was a project between all known specialist, Gaen, Kagenui, Kaiki, Oshino, and Tadatsuru, back in their college days [1]. However, being that Tadatsuru and Kagenui wanted Ononoki, this lead to them having beef. Especially when Ononoki decided to turn her back on Tadatsuru.

Leading to one of the many plans mentioned which include Araragi giving up Ononoki for his sisters and Kanbaru, giving up Shinobu, and even Ononoki just killing the man. All of which Araragi isn’t for. So, the plan seems to be Araragi distracting Tadatsuru and Ononoki finding the girls and using rulebook to get them out of there.

Commentary

Before heading up to North Shirhebi Shrine, Ononoki and Araragi meet Ougi and I swear to you I thought, if just for a moment, maybe she was Tadatsuru’s doll. Though with her not appearing in what is spoken of in topic 2, I guess that is another silly idea to throw to the waste side.

However, one thing I do find peculiar is how we weren’t given any sort of real background on Ononoki. For, as of now, she still is this random doll picked for reanimation with no past truly revealed. Which perhaps is just odd to me since the whole arc is about her and yet hardly about her at the same time. Making me feel that there should have perhaps been a 5th episode and the 4th one would have spoken on pre-death Ononoki.

Topic 2: Face to Face – Araragi

As Araragi and Tadatsuru face off, it slowly becomes clear as Tadatsuru questions his fate that there would be no battle. If anything, Tadatsuru is presented as a lonely man, one with a strangle glow, seemingly just following fate’s command. Something that seemingly bothers him, and he wonders if it bothers Araragi too? Making it when Ononoki kills him, you are left with a “That’s It?” type feeling.

Commentary

Recognizing most of those with –Monogatari are all very dialog heavy, and not much action, I must admit sometimes the show tries to be deep and just comes off so shallow. Tadatsuru’s dialog about fate and doing what is proper is a prime example of that. Leading you to understand why perhaps it was best for this arc to not be dragged out. For, at least in my opinion, there is only but so many philosophical ideas which can be explored in curious ways, before you are just trying to recapture a mood you had in which you wrote something good.

Topic 3: An Anti-Climatic End – Araragi

With Ononoki killing Tadatsuru with the Unlimited Rulebook, things come to an end without any sort of fanfare. The girls are all safe, and sleeping; Araragi sees Senjogahara for Valentine’s Day, and they may have done some hanky-panky, done off screen; and then we learn Araragi is stuck with Ononoki for a while, and Ononoki is pretending to be Tsukihi’s doll.

Commentary

While it was nice to see Senjogahara, I must admit that this arc seemed like filler that belonged in the middle of a regular season. That is, as opposed to a New Year’s Eve gift to the fans. For, and maybe it is just me, I don’t think anything interesting really came of this arc. Well, outside of us knowing Araragi no longer can use his vampire skills but, all things considered, that little anecdote could have been combined with any of the remaining stories left to do.

Things To Note

[1] From what we are told, the reason Tadatsuru hasn’t been mentioned till now is because Oshino was pretty much the only one he was close to, especially after the Ononoki fight didn’t go his way.