220https://i.ur.com/sFtD5u6.png Nekomonogatari Black is the 4th entry in the Monogatari series serving as the final one of the novels comprising the First Season. The story involves Araragi narrating the events of Golden Week set after Kizumonogatari and just before Bakemonogatari. The plot of Nekomonogatari Black is made up of Araragi learning about Hanekawas family situation and afterwards trying to get rid of the Afflicting Cat aberration affecting her. While up to this point of the series assuming you arent reading it chronologically which you better not be Hanekawa has been portrayed as the smartest or the most perfect character at least from Araragis perspective Nekomonogatari Black is the novel which reveals that she is perhaps the one with the worst situation out of all the characters. While some of this information is mentioned in Bakemonogatari this novel reveals additional info like the fact that Hanekawa doesnt have her own room has to sleep in the hallway etc. Revealing the information in this order just makes the eventual reveals even more surprising which works in the storys favor. The only thing Id say is an issue although not a big one it that it takes a while until the plot actually gets going as the first 100 pages or so is just Araragi talking to his sisters about stuff not really related to the plot. But again the dialogue is still good and the novel is selfaware of the fact that the plot needs to get going adding a sort of comic relief to the moment. Id say that the main theme of Nekomonogatari Black is the fact that every person has their own problems that not everyone is aware of. Even someone as seemingly perfect as Hanekawa at least to Araragi has a hidden side to them a part of their lives that theyre hiding a darker side of them you could say. But the story shows that leaving those problems completely hidden and thinking you can handle them all on your own is not the best way of going about it. Regardless of who you are in your own eyes or in everyone elses holding it all in and trying to act like nothing is wrong is just going to make things worse. As Oshino says Theres no such thing as someone whos entirely virtuous whos always fair. In fact trying to act like that all the time only makes you more stressed out. In conclusion Nekomonogatari Black ends with Hanekawas problem solved for the time being and Araragi climbing up the stairs of his school directly leading into Bakemonogatari. Thus concludes the second of the two flashbacks mentioned in Bakemonogatari mostly tying up the loose ends of the First Season. But of course the series is far from over as the Second Season starts with Nekomonogatari White 220https://i.ur.com/iEecqxE.png