Bakemonogatari

You don't have to be a member of the anime community for long to know that the Monogatari series is very, very highly praised. Inevitably, I gave into the hype and tried it out for myself. The result? Well... I walked away entertained, but FAR from impressed. Yes the characters are amusing, yes the dialogue is witty, and yes the visuals are beautiful, but make no mistake: Bakemonogatari is just a harem. It exists only for comedic gags and fanservice. The characters are shallow and have little to offer beyond their archetypes and their dialogue, not to mention that the "plot" is loose and unimpressive to say the least. I guess I have very mixed feelings about this anime; I'm happy I watched it, but the people hailing it as a masterpiece need to check themselves.