KIZUMONOGATARI: Wound Tale

It arrived very quickly it was shipped on the 16th and arrived the next day. The translation is great, any fan of the series is sure to enjoy it.
Vertical Inc please translate the entire Monogatari Series by Nishio Ishin!, We The Monogatari Fans would buy it in a heart beat.

Fantastic book, as expected from NISIOISIN. I'm a huge fan of the Zaregoto series, and although Kizu is quite different from the mytseries presented in Zaregoto, it still shines from NISIO's clever plot structures and interesting characters. Absolutely worth the read

It arrived insanely fast, It was shipped on the 15 and arrived the next day. I Love the book since I am a huge Monogatari Fan and hoping VERTICAL translates the entire series. However to my dismay and bad luck the first page of the book is damaged, Not too bad but like it was held onto something and someone pulled and whatever was holding into it left a mark and slight rips. I would replace it if i had the time to do so but I don't currently.

The book itself it's great quality, The translation it's quite good and the font is easy on the eyes. For those that read the online translation put up by Google Store it's slightly different but not too much. Though for literal people, You will be bothered as the translations are too alternate and tend to steal the novels gun powder from time to time.

Vertical Inc - Translate all that is penned by Nishio Ishin!, We The Monogatari Fans would buy it on a heart beat. I want a Owarimonogatari translation as well.

I absolutely love this book and I hope they continue translating the rest of the series. If you've seen the anime adaptions of the other books or this is your first experience with the Monogatari series, you won't be disappointed.

As a fanboy of the anime, this book completely absorbed me into it; the cover is awesome, the lecture is light and entertaining, the plot didn't stray to explain itself, the translation was good... I really enjoyed reading it

I've always been a fan of the series, but never got to read the book as it wasn't translated in a place easily found. Very happy with my choice, great pick if you're a fan, and an even better pick if you're just starting out.

I have enjoyed the monogatari series since it first came out (as an anime since I can't read japanese). When I saw this I was absolutely thrilled that there was an english adaptation of the light novels being released and ordered it immediately. I am not much of a reader, but I couldn't put this book down. I have really enjoyed the series and this helped fill in some gaps. Really enjoy how the story flows and seems like everything is put into place perfectly, as if every detail is used at one point or another.

Finally we get to experience the Monogatari series and Vert has wisely decided to tell the story in chronological order. This first book of the series covers how Araragi became a vampire during golden week, The first of three movies comes out in January 2016 as well. The book itself is beautiful for a softcover book. The cover has a great picture of Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade on it and the print is very bold type and easy to read.

Finally we get to experience the Monogatari series and Vert has wisely decided to tell the story in chronological order. This first book of the series covers how Araragi became a vampire during golden week, The first of three movies comes out in January 2016 as well. The book itself is beautiful for a softcover book. The cover has a great picture of Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade on it and the print is very bold type and easy to read.

There will probably be two types of people reading Kizumonogatari--one will be people who have not seen Bakemonogatari, the excellent anime adapation of Nisio Isin's series of light novels, which is a relatively entertaining pastiche of urban fantasy/supernatural/coming of age genres. The second type will be people who have seen Bakemonogatari (and all its successive seasons), and are emotionally invested in the series.

I'm part of the latter group--I consider Bakemonogatari and its other recent anime iterations as probably the hallmark of modern anime. Questionable ecchi content aside, Bakemonogatari is remarkably singular in its visual presentation, its focus on character development, its emphasis on dialogue/wordplay, and always entertains. Simply put, it's awesome.

So how does the novel fare with its anime counterpart? Answer. . .moderately well. Mostly.

It's the internet; if you're not familiar with the context of the story then I'm sure it's readily available--boy meets sexy vampire, vampire turns boy, boy has to turn back to being human--barring some plot difficulties of course. But absent Bakemonogatari's visual flare and fantastic music, Kizumonogatari seems. . .kind of jarring.

Part of that is due to the translation. It isn't bad per se, but certainly there's almost a choppy quality to it that makes you wish Nisio Isin could have hired a better translator. Despite this though, Nisio Isin's quirky writing style shines through--Araragi's contemplative mental asides are in here in all their glory. You can practically see the screen breaks, (some of) the humor is intact. Araragi is Araragi, Hanekawa is Hanekawa, and Kiss-Shot is Kiss-Shot--which is to be expected, but is a delight all the same.

For those who are already invested in Bakemonogatari, it's almost a given that you'll enjoy Kizumonogatari. It's more of the same--just a written version of Araragi's mental state and all of his sometimes unintentionally hilarious hijinks. I certainly enjoyed it thoroughly, once I got used to the writing style.

For those who haven't seen Bakemonogatari, I think this book might be a harder sell. On its own merit, the book would probably be hard to get into immediately. Nisio Isin's writing style is very different from the typical American author, just because of the first person perspective, and because of the constant self-mental engagement that Araragi is involved in. And unfortunately, the translation isn't really helping matters.

But if you can stick through it, the book is rewarding. Araragi is a well-developed protagonist, the vampire elements are solid even today (despite the cultural fatigue involved with them), and the plot actually weaves and turns in relatively unexpected ways. Kizumonogatari may not be perfect, but it's a very good read--a unique slice of Japanese literary culture that probably should've reached American shores a long time ago.

It's definitely recommended.

We finally get the story about Koyomi Araragi's meeting the vampire, told in flashback mode. All four of Nisioisin's books in this series are really engaging and fun to read. Also, the stories are long enough to be satisfying. As always the dialog is the best part.

I have seen nearly all the other anime adaptions of this, and I was happy to see this come out. Once I got to reading it made the anime so much more vibrant, and full of detail I had never noticed before. If you have seen the anime, and was disappointed....read this book then try again.

(Please note that I have only read about 22 pages of the novel, so far)

This novel covers what most Monogatari series fans have only seen glimpses of. This novel (originally the third in the series, but being the first in America), covers the events that led up to Koyomi Araragi becoming a vampire, after meeting Kisshot Acerola-Orion Heartunderblade (later known/better known as Shinobu Oshino, the vampire loli who lives in Koyomi's shadow, literally).

Fans of LN art will be slightly disappointed, with the lack of illustrations. There are only two; one depicts the original Japanese cover art, and the other which depicts Kisshot (in her Shinobu form), sitting on a desk.

The packaging was neatly done, and I received it without any damage to the book (which is odd, considering every novel I order looks like it has been thrown against the wall, and thrown out of a moving car, by the time I get it).

All in all, there are no issues with the way this book is presented. The only issue I have, is the first chapter is merely Araragi rambling on about his story, and is merely filler, I'm guessing.

The first anime movie, based on this novel, is set to be released in 2016.

Having read a few light novels such as The Twelve Kingdoms, Welcome to the NHK, Chain Mail and others from Japan in their translated form. I find Kizumonogatari to be on the very "light" end of the light novel spectrum where something like The Twelve Kingdoms is closer to the "heavy" side of light novels.

Story (5/5 stars):
I think the story is great, unique twists on some old lore concepts. Vampires and and vampire hunters has a long history of stories so to make it refreshing (not necessarily new) takes some skill from a story boarding perspective so kudos to that.

Characters (4/5):
The characters are engaging and have each of their own attributes that make them different but not linear. However, development seems to be generally lacking, especially in characters that arent Koyomi Araragi.

Writing style (2/5):
Having watched the anime, I expect to have a more in-depth look at the characters through the lens of the author's ability to write descriptive narrative. This is overwhelmingly lacking on an astronomical proportion. I liken the writing style (not the contents) to a script for a TV show more so than a book. Descriptive narrative is nearly non-existent and inward monologue isnt descriptive narrative. The lack of the occasional "Koyomi said" or "said Oshino" makes long conversations confusing sometimes. While I do find that having too much descriptive narrative can really take away from the flow of a story, not having any at all makes it seem flat and really limits that ability to expand on characters, settings, themes, etc without doing it all through dialog.

Overall:
It is a fast and enjoyable read, being able to read a chapter in like 15-25min means you can come and go to the book really at anytime. Which is no surprise because light novels are designed to be read on trains commutes, etc. It can be fun if you dont try to take it too seriously. To be honest, I rather have a too little descriptive narrative and let my imagination do its job than have too much and the story moves like a turtle that is riding a slightly slower turtle.

The translation to English is bit round-about in some situations, probably stemming from Nisio's tendency for language-related jokes. Wish there were more illustrations of Shinobu, but I liked what was there.

This is a fantastic translation of a pretty good novel. I'm a fan of the anime so I decided to purchase this book, which is a prequel to everything that happens in the anime series.

I always found the writing in the anime series to be borderline pretentious, and that definitely stems from the original writing - the entire first chapter is a first person narration of the main character droning on about why he thinks he needs to tell this story, without telling a single sentence of it.

I think the translation is fantastic - from what I can tell it captures the vibe of the writing from the anime perfectly. I'm not sure I would call this fantastic writing, but the story is mysterious and interesting and really out there compared to other fiction in the same genre. Definitely pick this one up, if you're a fan of the anime or just looking for a solid read about vampires.

If you're already a fan of the Monogatari series, you'll enjoy this book. It's a fun and quick read. If you've seen the anime, it reads very similarly to the monologues in the show.

The translation is solid. This is a very tough book to translate as Nisioisin loves to play with the Japanese language. For the most part the jokes are carried over well, but there are a few exceptions along with a couple of straight up typos. Nothing horribly bad though. I wouldn't have minded some endnotes attempting to explain what the jokes were trying to do. In addition words like yokai aren't defined at all, although I'd guess that's no problem for most fans.

I would recommend watching the anime as your entry into the series, but that's just me.

Overall existing fans will definitely enjoy this light novel. Hoping that the other volumes will also be translated!

This book was really bad, and I'm going to explain exactly why it's grossly overrated.
Let me preface this by saying I read a lot of novels, both traditional and graphic, with a few light novels and visual novels tossed in there. I like my novels to get to the point, I value memorable, lovable characters and unconventional plots, and despite the blatant lies by some reviewers, this story is about as conventional as it gets.
This book is your generic shonen manga. It's about a high schooler battling super natural forces. Off the top of my head you have Bleach, Yu yu Hakusho, souleater, blue exorcist, tokyo ghoul, platinum angel, inuyasha (in the beginning) with all roughly the same premise. Right off the bat you should know that this is going to be boring when the writer can't even conceive of anything different than a high schooler battling super natural forces. I mean if any single trope in japanese literature has been done to death, it's that one.
But the reviews were sparkling and I thought maybe the writer put some amazing twist on the done to death genre. I could not have been more wrong. The whole premise of the story is so convoluted and stupid. Spoilers abound. This kid, Araragi, finds a dying vampire and sacrifices his life to save her. Keep in mind that the entire premise of this book you find out was that Kisshot the vampire was trying to commit suicide which she could have done in the first chapter but cops out by saying she got scared at the end, even though weeks go by and she suddenly has the courage to die again. So at the end you find out the entire plot of the book is a trick by Kisshot to get Araragi to kill her.
Which makes no sense. You learn that Oshino, a character with no explanation whatsoever of his presence, previous relationships, or connections to the vampire hunters, was complicit in this trick. Kisshot wants to die. Oshino is perpetuating the ruse to help her die, and you find out that hes able to arrange the solo fights with the vampire hunters because he tells them this is Kisshot's suicide plan. And so, my huge problem with this convoluted plot is, the vampire hunters trust Oshino and this plan enough to agree to the fights, but not enough to just return the limbs so Kisshot can kill herself. THAT MAKES NO SENSE. They either trust Oshino, or they don't. This premise makes absolutely no sense. They agree to return the limbs if they lose, though no one can really compel them outside a verbal agreement, so instead of just handing the limbs over, they risk their lives fighting Araragi who has all the strength and speed of Kisshot, but no understanding of the extent of his abilities. IT'S SO DUMB!!! It makes no logical sense.
Basically this story is a very convoluted set of rules and traditions masquerading as plot, exactly like platinum angel. We learn all these very non-intuitive rules about vampires which manga writers think rules are the same as intrigue. The very nature of Oshino's existence is never explained but he effectively drives the entire plot and is borderline a deus ex machina. Every problem in the plot is solved by Oshino. Araragi has to recover Kisshot's limbs, but there is no conceivable way he could hunt down the vampire hunters for 1 on 1 battles. There is no way that Kisshot can ever be killed by vampire hunters because of her extreme regenerative powers, so Oshino steals her heart at the exact moment she's in combat and expedites the entire senseless plot. And then at the end, when Araragi can't kill Kisshot because she's suicidal (what a stupid conflict. You have to kill her because shes eaten thousands of people and will eat thousands more. But because she actually wants to die now you can't kill her moments after you were in combat to kill her?) all Araragi has to do is ask Oshino to solve all their problems, and the book makes it out like everyone loses when in fact everyone wins, and Oshino resolves the plot.
So looking at the book critically, Oshino essentially starts the narrative arc, if he hadn't stolen Kisshot's heart, then she wouldn't have been injured, there would be no plot. Araragi involves himself in Kisshot's absurdly elaborate suicide plot, and only because Oshino facilitates illogical negotiations with the vampire hunters can there be a plot. And finally at the end, the only way for everyone to be happy is Oshino divulges a secret for 5 million yen. He is the embodiment of deus ex machina. Anything this plot needs, a beginning, middle and end, is facilitated in whole by Oshino and his mysteriousness.
This book sucks, and if the main series is anything like the prequel, I'm done with light novels. Also, Hanekawa only exists to be consumed and put in danger by Araragi so he can undertake emotional growth. Her death and constant self sacrifice are the only thing that make Araragi grow emotionally. And that is a lame trope that needs to leave fiction forever. Her and Oshino have no motivation outside of facilitating a plot. They have no personal goals or interests outside of helping Araragi. It's just novice writing. Like something a high schooler would write. Maybe the book was just hyped up too much, but regardless, it is deeply flawed, often nonsensical, and the entire plot is started, continued, and solved by a character with no discernible motivations or relationships outside of the word "balance".
But if you like anime about high schoolers fighting demons or monsters, you'll like this. That doesn't mean it's good.

I love Nisio Isin. Over the last few years, his writing along with Studio Shaft's animation have made the Monogatari series my favorite anime. Kizumonogatair has only just become available in anime form, but now we even get a book for those who can't afford Blu-rays!

Kizumonogatari is the prequel to Bakemonogatari. During the spring break between his junior and senior years of high school, protagonist Koyomi Araragi has two chance encounters. The first is with fellow student Tsubasa Hanekawa, a top-of-the-class student who tries to break him out of his loner streak. The second is with Kissshot Heartunderblade, a vampire visiting Japan. Araragi is lead on a twisted, tragic tale involving this vampire and the men hunting her.

I'll admit, I was slightly worried that Nisio Isin's writing wouldn't be as appealing with the high-budget animation. But I was wrong. Isin's prose shines in this translation. He excels at three things as an author. The first si building three-dimensional, entertaining characters. This is on full display with Araragi and Heartunderblade, who get plenty of moments of humor and horror. While there are some hints dropped about Hanekawa, she doesn't quite get enough backstory here. You'll just have to wait for the next bunch of books. His other skills are metahumor (used to hilarious effect here) and his use of wordplay. Some of his puns lead to awkward, confusing jokes in this novel, but a surprising number made it through and still made sense. Enough to make me reject the idea the anime shouldn't have an English Dub.

This is, in my opinion, one of the best series to come out of Japan. Do yourself a favor and get in now, you won't regret it.

A phenomenally good book, but maybe not one for everyone.

I didn't and don't know anything about this series, but this book at least seems to have stolen my list of everything I want in a book. Humor, psychological, a protagonist that I scarily resonate with, a superb ending that makes you think, and the list goes on. What it boils down to is a book with a very unique writing style and no way to categorize the genre (humorous psychological horror slice of life?). It's just something new that will have you laughing out loud one page, then three pages later cringing, and four after that thinking about a moral quandary.

There are what I can only assume are cultural difference with two or three brief parts that might put off some people, but they are so few and handled with tongue in cheek. So, I don't think they are too bad to completely put off people, but it is worth noting.

I recommend this book to anyone who just wants something new and different. And anyone who wants to laugh as they take a crack at what amounts to thought experiments. Definitely a good book.

I'm your typical lazy bastard who doesn't like to read. I usually lose interest fast and never pick the book up again. I wanted to get into this series because I bought the first part of the anime and even that couldn't keep my interest, until I read this. I heard good things about this book and bought it. Its the first "light novel" I've ever read.....and it was great. Sure there's something about japanese wordplay and translation but that didnt stop me from enjoying this book. I'm already waiting for the next volume. This "reading" thing may not be ao bad after all....

Great book, even better Audio Book! The Dramatization is perfect. The voices are just fantastic and fit the characters so well. I genuinely hope they extend the audiobooks to the other entries in the series, as this one was really great.

Wow. I was blown away by this light novel. As soon as I finished it, I wanted more and immediately ordered the follow-up Bakemonogatari series. So far, none of them capture the magic I felt when I read this prequel to the events of those original books. This book has a healthy mix of dark humor and fantasy.

Usually I don't like vampire stories, but this one was done so creatively that I couldn't resist but to read more. Definitely put this one in your shopping cart!

Reading this was an absolute delight. NISIOISIN's writing style is a really unique one and really brings the words to life. It's quirky and it's silly, yet at the right moments, quite serious and very moving. Kizumonogatari is a fantastic story from beginning to end and it was a joy to finally be able to read it. It's fantastic to finally see the Monogatari series officially translated!

Such an amazing novel to start the series off with. If you love the Monogatari series, then you'll love this book. Just looking at the character development and seeing who Araragi was before he became the character he is now is amazing.
I wholeheartedly recommend buying this!

Great light novel. After like the first couple chapters, you really do get into it. This was my first light novel, and it was great. I really hope they release the other books part of the Monogatari series. Also, those who judge a book by their cover, this one is beautiful and has a nice feel.

The first part of the Monogatari series, chronologically. The translation quality is about as good as it could've been considering the source material, and the whole package is a very nice and classy affair. Highly recommended for fans of the series, and anyone looking for a good story.

Great story, can't wait for the other books. This story is told in first person of our main protagonist Koyomi Araragi whose world is change after an unlucky encounter with a vampire name Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade who has four missing limbs asking for help.

I used to be sure this series would never see official English release, but sometimes it's good to be wrong. This reads just about as well as it can with the language barrier, and is leagues better than the old fan translations.

Great quality book, well-made and a must-buy for any Monogatari fan. I don't read Japanese, but the translation appears to be really well done. Language flows nicely.
Let's hope for more translations in the future!

Definitely a great start to the series. Nisioisin has a way with words, and using them to set great scenes for the narrative that is Kizumonogatari. He says it ends in a tragedy, but that's dependent on what you think of the ending. Maybe the ending is what you wanted to happen, maybe it's the exact opposite. Maybe "misery loves company," and his novels are a path of showing how two miserable people can come together. And although they may not be happy, they still have each other. If you're looking for a book that has vampires, and not the dumbed down American depiction of some angsty emotionless teenagers, but actual death-dealing immortal vampires, pick up this book. For those that know the series, I hope the rest of his novels get translated.