"And now for the epilogue, or rather, the punchline of this episode."
- — Koyomi Araragi
Koyomi Araragi (
Personality[]
Araragi has a very strong sense of justice and, although he always denies it himself, he often gets called a "hero of justice" by others. This desire to help others seems to be shared by all members of the Araragi Family, although Koyomi often tries to undermine this aspect of his personality, even making fun of the Fire Sisters' behaviour as a simple game, failing to realize how similar his own actions are to theirs[4]. This sense of justice was instilled into him by his parents through their rather forceful means of education, which he admits might have been a little too extreme. As a result, he often felt the need to follow this moral code in all aspects of life and found a deep sense of shame whenever he was unable to do so[5].
Upon the deterioration of his grades, a sense of inferiority began growing in him, which was highly amplified by the incident in his 1st year of high school, in which he believes he lost sight of his sense of justice[5]. This incident served as the cause for his antisocial behaviour spanning the majority of his high school life, which would only conclude after his hellish spring break in which he was saved and "reformed" by Tsubasa Hanekawa[2]. However, that sense of inferiority still continued to manifest in his behaviour in the form of extreme recklessness and the tendency to sacrifice his own safety and well being for the sake of others. Even as he continued to gain friends and improve himself, he still harboured a feeling that he didn't deserve any of what he had. The negative feelings in his heart manifested in the form of the aberration Ougi Oshino, his alter ego, whom he would come to eventually accept, coming to terms with himself[6].
Araragi is a laid-back and calm individual most of the time. He has a casual manner of speaking and the tendency to make many puns and quips and is known for his proficiency at playing the straight man to his more outlandish friends. According to him, before meeting Mayoi Hachikuji, he was a lot more nihilistic and gloomy, as the girl in question always brightens his mood during their interactions, and he tends to show more of his goofy and embarrassing side around her. Mayoi is also one of the few people to whom he can talk freely about his stress, the other being Shinobu Oshino[4]. He is often accused of being a lolicon and siscon, although he always denies these claims[7].
He holds Tsubasa Hanekawa in high regard because of her vital role in saving him during his time in spring break, and often views her as some kind of saint[8], making her out to be some sort of superhuman, although he later regrets this behaviour after realizing how unhealthy it was for the girl's mental state[9]. He initially believed that he was in love with her, but he came to the conclusion that this was not the case[10], rejecting the girl's own love for him. Although their relationship seemed to manifest in unhealthy ways for both of them at certain times, they did improve each other's lives and, upon coming to terms with their respective issues, remained great friends.[6]
Although his relationship with Hitagi Senjougahara is often viewed by others as unlikely and strange, their personalities clash powerfully, creating an interesting dynamic that makes them a good couple. During their conversations, Senjougahara usually takes a dominant position, often dispensing creatively abusive remarks, to which Araragi responds emphatically. Even so, they understand each other well and, although their relationship isn't always in the greatest state, such as how they repeatedly broke up during college, they always end up gravitating toward each other, getting back together again[3]. At the beginning of their relationship, they swear to each other to not keep things to themselves and share their points of view with each other in order to come to an understanding[7], and, although they don't always manage to abide by this rule, they still have a positive effect on each other, dragging themselves toward the future.
In his relationships with his juniors, Suruga Kanbaru and Ougi Oshino, Araragi always tries to make himself into a role model that they can follow, and, in the case of Kanbaru, he believes that he's trying to become someone worthy of her respect dictated many aspects of his personality. However, in the end, Araragi thinks that one should follow their own beliefs, regardless of what anyone else may think, a perspective gained after coming to terms with his own issues[11].
Appearance[]
Araragi is a young man with long black hair, covering his left eye (his right eye in the movie), that he later grows out even more. He also has an ahoge in his hair, similarly to his sisters, which is often used for many visual gags. He has dark grey eyes and a muscular body, which is always in shape thanks to his left-over vampirism. He is often shown wearing his black gakuran school uniform, as well as various types of casual clothes, such as a green jacket over a white shirt with a peace symbol necklace and beige pants, a white short-sleeved sweatshirt and jeans, a dark blue jacket over a black turtleneck sweater and dark green pants or a green jacket over a blue shirt and black pants. After starting to attend college, he grows his hair to shoulder length and is shown wearing a white and red hoodie with dark blue jeans. As a child, he is shown with shorter hair and wearing the Nanahyakuichi Middle School uniform, consisting of a white shirt with a red tie and brown pants.
Background[]
Araragi was born to a pair of police officer parents, with a pair of little sisters being born four years later[4]. His parents raised him into an upstanding youth with a sense of justice, although their methods were a bit too extreme[5]. During elementary school, Nadeko Sengoku would often come to play with them[12], and, for a while, a young Sodachi Oikura would also live with them before returning to her abusive home. Araragi would then forget entirely about this encounter with Sodachi.[13]
During his time in middle school, he encountered Sodachi Oikura once more, although he didn't realize it was her. While depressed over his lacklustre math grades, he would receive a letter from her instructing him to go to a dilapidated house, which he would believe is abandoned, in an attempt to get him to tell his parents about the situation, hoping they would save her from her abusive household. She dressed up her true objective with math lessons, tutoring him and teaching him about how fun math and life could be, before eventually disappearing with the total collapse of her family.[5]
Later, during his first year in high school, he went through an incident where Sodachi Oikura, now in the same high school as him, was voted as the culprit in a case of cheating, which caused her to abandon school entirely for the next two years. Araragi, having forgotten his past meetings with Sodachi, assumed the girl's hatred of him was born out of this incident. He would then spend almost the entirety of his high school life in an antisocial state, refusing to make any friends.[14]
During the spring break before his third year of high school, Araragi had a run-in with the dying legendary vampire, Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade, and offered his life to save her, but she instead turned him into her vampire thrall. To turn back into a human, he had to bind her to him, turning her into the weak former vampire Shinobu Oshino.[2]
Abilities & Equipment[]
- Vampirism: Although Araragi was returned to a state which could be called human, some side-effects of his vampirism still remain, which often save him when he recklessly throws himself into dangerous situations for the sake of others. The most notable of these traits is his vampiric immortality, which, now weakened, acts as a sort of healing factor[1]. Its intensity grows when he feeds Shinobu blood, which he usually does before readying himself for a confrontation[15]. In a way, Araragi is similar to a half-vampire like Episode, who keeps the strengths of vampirism, like the healing and a long life-span, but doesn't possess the weaknesses to the Sun and to crosses[2]. However, as the series goes on, and Araragi starts relying on his vampirism more and more, his soul becomes more and more vampiric, preventing him from appearing in mirrors by the time of Tsukimonogatari.[16]
- Prime: In his prime, during spring break, Koyomi's full power towered over most other existing vampires, including Dramaturgy, due to being a thrall of the legendary vampire Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade. However, he didn't have the same amount of power as his master, and also seemed to possess the common weaknesses of a vampire that his master had managed to overcome. As a full-fleged vampire, he presumably possessed every special ability native to vampires, but he only ever manifested one of them: transforming his own body into a plant-like form in order to defeat Guillotinecutter[2].
- Aberration Creation: A power indirectly inherited from Tooe Gaen through a complicated chain of events: part Tooe's creation, the Rainy Devil, was eaten by Seishirou Shishirui during his recovery period. Once Shinobu eats Seishirou, she absorbs this part of the Rainy Devil, which thereby flows into Koyomi through their link. Koyomi thus becomes capable of creating entirely new aberrations, similarly to Tsubasa or members of the Gaen Family[6]. He only created two aberrations through this ability: Ougi Oshino and the Mirror World[17].
Appellations[]
Appellation | Japanese | By |
---|---|---|
I (Boku) | 僕 | Self |
Araragi-kun | 阿良々木くん | Hitagi Senjougahara Tsubasa Hanekawa Meme Oshino |
Araragi-senpai | 阿良々木先輩 | Suruga Kanbaru Ougi Oshino |
Araragi-san | 阿良々木さん | Mayoi Hachikuji |
Araragi | 阿良々木 | Deishuu Kaiki Sodachi Oikura |
Koyomi | 暦 | Hitagi Senjougahara |
Koyomi-onii-chan | 暦お兄ちゃん | Nadeko Sengoku |
Big Brother (Nii-chan) | 兄ちゃん | Karen Araragi |
Big Brother (Onii-chan) | お兄ちゃん | Tsukihi Araragi |
Demon Big Brother | 鬼いちゃん 鬼のお兄ちゃん |
Yotsugi Ononoki |
Devilish Boy | 鬼畜なお兄やん | Yozuru Kagenui |
Thrall of Heartunderblade | ハートアンダーブレードの眷属 | Dramaturgy Episode Guillotinecutter |
Omae-sama | お前様 | Shinobu Oshino |
Master | 吾主様 | Shinobu Oshino |
Servant | 下僕 | Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade |
Araragi-dono | 阿良々木殿 | Seishirou Shishirui |
Koyomin | コヨミン | Izuko Gaen |
Koyokoyo | コヨコヨ | Hitagi Senjougahara |
Appellation | Japanese | For |
---|---|---|
I (Boku) | 僕 | Self |
Senjougahara Hitagi |
戦場ヶ原 ひたぎ |
Hitagi Senjougahara |
Hanekawa | 羽川 | Tsubasa Hanekawa |
Hachikuji | 八九寺 | Mayoi Hachikuji |
Kanbaru | 神原 | Suruga Kanbaru |
Sengoku | 千石 | Nadeko Sengoku |
Oshino | 忍野 | Meme Oshino |
Shinobu | 忍 | Shinobu Oshino |
Kissshot | キスショット | Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade |
Karen-chan | 火憐ちゃん | Karen Araragi |
Tsukihi-chan | 月火ちゃん | Tsukihi Araragi |
Ougi-chan | 扇ちゃん | Ougi Oshino |
Ononoki-chan | 斧乃木ちゃん | Yotsugi Ononoki |
Kagenui-san | 影縫さん | Yozuru Kagenui |
Oikura | 老倉 | Sodachi Oikura |
Kaiki | 貝木 | Deishuu Kaiki |
Quotes[]
- (Araragi's catchphrase at the end of every story) "And now for the epilogue, or rather, the punchline of this episode."[1]
- (Araragi's catchphrase after becoming a police officer) "And now for the epilogue, or rather, the punchline of this case."[3]
- (Araragi's catchphrase before spring break) "Making friends would lower my strength as a human."[2]
- (His gag with Mayoi Hachikuji) "No, you did it deliberately. (...) It wasn't on purpose!?"[7]
- (Araragi's monologue after his confrontation with Ougi) "And thus, the adolescence of me, Koyomi Araragi, came to an end. I had believed that not taking care of myself was the act of loving others. The days of kind deception, filled with thin, weak euphoria, have now come to an end."[6]
Trivia[]
- Araragi's last name is made up of the kanji for "pandering", which is also a part of the word for "fool", the kanji for "good", repeated twice, and the kanji for "tree".
- Araragi's first name, Koyomi, means "calendar", a motif used in the Koyomimonogatari illustrations, as well as in his sisters' names, which correspond to the first two days of the week.
- While Koyomi is not depicted in the light novels' illustrations, he was still designed by VOFAN. It was previously believed that Akio Watanabe, who supervises the character designs for the anime series, was responsible for his design, but VOFAN later corrected this on Twitter by showing his illustration that predated the anime series.
- During the midterms in his first year, his overall placement was 27th. His scores were:[14]
- Japanese: 42
- Math: 100
- Science: 58
- Society: 72
- English: 51
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bakemonogatari (Part One), Episode One: Hitagi Crab
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Kizumonogatari, Episode Zero: Koyomi Vamp
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Musubimonogatari, Episode One: Zenka Mermaid
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Nisemonogatari (Part One), Episode Six: Karen Bee
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Owarimonogatari (Part One), Episode Two: Sodachi Riddle
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Owarimonogatari (Part Three), Episode Seven: Ougi Dark
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Bakemonogatari (Part One), Episode Two: Mayoi Snail
- ↑ Bakemonogatari (Part Two), Episode Five: Tsubasa Cat
- ↑ Nekomonogatari (White), Episode Kindness: Tsubasa Tiger
- ↑ Nekomonogatari (Black), Episode Taboo: Tsubasa Family
- ↑ Hanamonogatari, Episode Strange: Suruga Devil
- ↑ Bakemonogatari (Part Two), Episode Four: Nadeko Snake
- ↑ Owarimonogatari (Part One), Episode Three: Sodachi Lost
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Owarimonogatari (Part One), Episode One: Ougi Formula
- ↑ Bakemonogatari (Part One), Episode Three: Suruga Monkey
- ↑ Tsukimonogatari, Episode Body: Yotsugi Doll
- ↑ Zoku Owarimonogatari, Final Episode: Koyomi Reverse
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Monogatari Navigation
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Works
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First Season | 1. Bakemonogatari (Part One) • 2. Bakemonogatari (Part Two) • 3. Kizumonogatari • 4. Nisemonogatari (Part One) • 5. Nisemonogatari (Part Two) • 6. Nekomonogatari (Black) | |
Second Season | 7. Nekomonogatari (White) • 8. Kabukimonogatari • 9. Hanamonogatari • 10. Otorimonogatari • 11. Onimonogatari • 12. Koimonogatari | |
Final Season | 13. Tsukimonogatari • 14. Koyomimonogatari • 15. Owarimonogatari (Part One) • 16. Owarimonogatari (Part Two) • 17. Owarimonogatari (Part Three) • 18. Zoku Owarimonogatari | |
Off Season | 19. Orokamonogatari • 20. Wazamonogatari • 21. Nademonogatari • 22. Musubimonogatari | |
Monster Season | 23. Shinobumonogatari • 24. Yoimonogatari • 25. Amarimonogatari • 26. Ougimonogatari • 27. Shinomonogatari (Part One) • 28. Shinomonogatari (Part Two) | |
Manga | Volume 1: Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 3 Volume 2: Chapter 4 • Chapter 5 • Chapter 6 • Chapter 7 • Chapter 8 • Chapter 9 • Chapter 10 • Chapter 11 • Chapter 12 Volume 3: Chapter 13 • Chapter 14 • Chapter 15 • Chapter 16 • Chapter 17 • Chapter 18 • Chapter 19 • Chapter 20 • Chapter 21 Volume 4: Chapter 22 • Chapter 23 • Chapter 24 • Chapter 25 • Chapter 26 • Chapter 27 • Chapter 28 • Chapter 29 • Chapter 30 Volume 5: Chapter 31 • Chapter 32 • Chapter 33 • Chapter 34 • Chapter 35 • Chapter 36 • Chapter 37 • Chapter 38 • Chapter 39 • Chapter 40 Volume 6: Chapter 41 • Chapter 42 • Chapter 43 • Chapter 44 • Chapter 45 • Chapter 46 • Chapter 47 • Chapter 48 • Chapter 49 Volume 7: Chapter 50 • Chapter 51 • Chapter 52 • Chapter 53 • Chapter 54 • Chapter 55 • Chapter 56 • Chapter 57 • Chapter 58 Volume 8: Chapter 59 • Chapter 60 • Chapter 61 • Chapter 62 • Chapter 63 • Chapter 64 • Chapter 65 • Chapter 66 • Chapter 67 Volume 9: Chapter 68 • Chapter 69 • Chapter 70 • Chapter 71 • Chapter 72 • Chapter 73 • Chapter 74 • Chapter 74 • Chapter 75 • Chapter 76 Volume 10: Chapter 77 • Chapter 78 • Chapter 79 • Chapter 80 • Chapter 81 • Chapter 82 • Chapter 83 • Chapter 84 • Chapter 85 Volume 11: Chapter 86 • Chapter 87 • Chapter 88 • Chapter 89 • Chapter 90 • Chapter 91 • Chapter 92 • Chapter 93 • Chapter 94 Volume 12: Chapter 95 • Chapter 96 • Chapter 97 • Chapter 98 • Chapter 99 • Chapter 100 • Chapter 101 • Chapter 102 • Chapter 103 | |
Anime | Bakemonogatari: Episode 1 • Episode 2 • Episode 3 • Episode 4 • Episode 5 • Episode 6 • Episode 7 • Episode 8 • Episode 9 • Episode 10 • Episode 11 • Episode 12 • Episode 13 • Episode 14 • Episode 15 Nisemonogatari: Episode 1 • Episode 2 • Episode 3 • Episode 4 • Episode 5 • Episode 6 • Episode 7 • Episode 8 • Episode 9 • Episode 10 • Episode 11 Nekomonogatari Black: Episode 1 • Episode 2 • Episode 3 • Episode 4 Monogatari Series Second Season: Episode 1 • Episode 2 • Episode 3 • Episode 4 • Episode 5 • Episode 6 • Episode 7 • Episode 8 • Episode 9 • Episode 10 • Episode 11 • Episode 12 • Episode 13 • Episode 14 • Episode 15 • Episode 16 • Episode 17 • Episode 18 • Episode 19 • Episode 20 • Episode 21 • Episode 22 • Episode 23 • Episode 24 • Episode 25 • Episode 26 Hanamonogatari: Episode 1 • Episode 2 • Episode 3 • Episode 4 • Episode 5 Tsukimonogatari: Episode 1 • Episode 2 • Episode 3 • Episode 4 Owarimonogatari: Episode 1 • Episode 2 • Episode 3 • Episode 4 • Episode 5 • Episode 6 • Episode 7 • Episode 8 • Episode 9 • Episode 10 • Episode 11 • Episode 12 Koyomimonogatari: Episode 1 • Episode 2 • Episode 3 • Episode 4 • Episode 5 • Episode 6 • Episode 7 • Episode 8 • Episode 9 • Episode 10 • Episode 11 • Episode 12 Kizumonogatari: Iron-Blooded Chapter • Hot-Blooded Chapter • Cold-Blooded Chapter Owarimonogatari Season Two: Episode 1 • Episode 2 • Episode 3 • Episode 4 • Episode 5 • Episode 6 • Episode 7 Zoku Owarimonogatari: Episode 1 • Episode 2 • Episode 3 • Episode 4 • Episode 5 • Episode 6 | |
Other | Heroine Books: Heroine Book #1 • Heroine Book #2 • Heroine Book #3 • Heroine Book #4 • Heroine Book #5 • Heroine Book #6 • Heroine Book #7 • Heroine Book #8 Guidebooks: Bakemonogatari Anime Complete Guidebook • Nisemonogatari Anime Complete Guidebook Others: Mazemonogatari • Monogatari Series Puc Puc | |
Characters & World
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Araragi Family | Koyomi Araragi • Karen Araragi • Tsukihi Araragi • Mother Araragi | |
Naoetsu Private Academy | Faculty: Komichi Tetsujou • Yoshiki • Shima • Irinaka • Hoshina • Harukami Year One Seniors: Koyomi Araragi • Hitagi Senjougahara • Tsubasa Hanekawa • Sodachi Oikura Year One Juniors: Suruga Kanbaru • Seiu Higasa Year One Freshmen: Ougi Oshino Year Two Seniors: Suruga Kanbaru • Seiu Higasa Year Two Juniors: Ougi Oshino • Aburi Honnou • Misago Kanguu • Souwa Kiseki Year Two Freshmen: Kie Harimaze • Kyoumi Kuchimoto Year Two Alumni: Koyomi Araragi • Mitono Shounou • Reika Mayoko • Nikawa Umikawa • Sylvia Civia • Seika Ooki • Hibari Beniguchi Former Class 1-3 Students: 1. Keiri Ashine • 2. Koyomi Araragi • 3. Biwa Arikure • 4. Michisada Igami • 5. Kyuusu Ukitobi • 6. Sodachi Oikura • 7. Enji Kikigoe • 8. Hoka Kijikiri • 9. Aizu Kube • 10. Nageki Gekizaka • 11. Sousho Koudou • 12. Okitada Kouma • 13. Ayazute Shinaniwa • 14. Tsuuma Shuui • 15. Juudo Shuzawa • 16. Kokushi Suuchi • 17. Ruise Sunahama • 18. Hitagi Senjougahara • 19. Kiichigo Daino • 20. Jiku Toune • 21. Suisen Toishima • 22. Chouka Nagagutsu • 23. Roka Haga • 24. Seiko Hayamachi • 25. Sekirou Higuma • 26. Jouro Hishigata • 27. Shimono Fukadoo • 28. Tenko Fukuishi • 29. Shijima Fudou • 30. Sakaatsu Fuyunami • 31. Kabe Madomura • 32. Hyoui Marizumi • 33. Meibi Mizaki • 34. Miawa Mebe • 35. Shokunori Yuba • 36. Shoukei Yoki • 37. Shitsue Waritori | |
Nanahyakuichi Middle School | Faculty: Sasayabu Students: Nadeko Sengoku • Koyomi Araragi • Sodachi Oikura • Sunshi Sajou • Nakuna | |
Gaen Family | Suruga Gaen • Izuko Gaen • Tooe Gaen • Uroko Gaen | |
Specialists | Gaen Network Members: Izuko Gaen • Meme Oshino • Deishuu Kaiki • Yozuru Kagenui • Yotsugi Ononoki Other Specialists: Tadatsuru Teori • Seishirou Shishirui • Episode • Dramaturgy • Guillotinecutter | |
Hearsay Police Department | Koyomi Araragi • Zenka Suou • Nozomi Kizashima • Mitome Saizaki • Tsuzura Kouga Other Police Officers: Karen Araragi | |
Manase National University | Koyomi Araragi • Meniko Hamukai • Hitagi Senjougahara • Sodachi Oikura • Hagoromo Iezumi | |
Beniguchi Family | Kujaku Beniguchi • Hibari Beniguchi • Mikiyoshi Beniguchi • Toyoko Beniguchi | |
Abberations | Vampires: Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade • Deathtopia Virtuoso Suicidemaster • Tropicalesque Homeawave Dogstrings • Highwaist • Lowrise • Dramaturgy • Episode • Seishirou Shishirui • Kie Harimaze Shikigami: Yotsugi Ononoki • Noise Nadeko • Flirty Nadeko • Reverse Nadeko • God Nadeko Other Oddity Characters: Mayoi Hachikuji • Ougi Oshino • Black Hanekawa • Tsukihi Araragi • Tadatsuru Teori • Rouka Numachi • Zenka Suou • Nozomi Kizashima • Mitome Saizaki Other Oddities: Weight Crab • Lost Cow • Rainy Devil • Jagirinawa • Meddlecat • Cinderswarm Bee • Dying Bird • Hysteria Tiger • Jiangshi • Kuchinawa | |
Shishikurasaki High School | Sodachi Oikura • Amiko Yurugase • Lily Suzubayashi • Norika Kyakufuji • Yuuhei Hashimura • Ayakari Hatamoto • Eritari Kiriki • Bouto Odorima | |
Others | Father Senjougahara • Father Hachikuji • Hakobe Couple • Rouka Hanadori • The Old Witch • Corpse King • Dojo Master • Iie Iezumi • Ochiba Jouraku • Ran Hokkyokusei • Jouka • Sui | |
Locations | In Naoetsu Town: Naoetsu Private Academy • Nanahyakuichi Middle School • Eikou Cram School • Tsuganoki 2nd Middle School • Namishiro Park • North Shirahebi Shrine • Haruya Bookstore • Mister Donut • Araragi Residence • Tsunade Residence • Oikura Residence • Hanekawa Residence • Sengoku Residence • Hachikuji Residence • Tamikura Apartments Other Locations: Corpse Castle • Hell • Route X |