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Anime Review Anicord Winter 2025 Veteran Special

Katanagatari Review

May 8, 2025 · by Cylis

Review

I have to start by saying I really love this show, truly. I didn’t go in expecting anyhting, in fact I had heard nothing about Katanagatari before. But I did have it in my Plan to watch, mostly because I think I was in a phase where after watching Bakemonogatari I just added everything with gatari into my ptw. Dumb ik.

Anyways, as much as I did love this show there was really only 1 problem with it, which was Episode 4:

Episode 4 Spoiler

and how Sabi Hakuhei got done dirty, the man was hyped since Episode 1 but then he just gets off-screened

which was really disappointing and honestly I was debating holding off on the 10/10 because of it, however, Katanagatari ended up meeting my personal criteria for a 10 which is to make me cry. Which is seriously hard to do, the only anime that have ever achieved that are One Piece, Haikyu (Probably surprising to most), Kaguya, Hunter x Hunter and Assassination Classroom

This anime was truly a roller coaster of emotions, from wholesome moments between Shichika and Togame, to

Episode 11 Spoiler
the atrocity in Episode 11
. You can read my notes as I was going through the last 2 episodes and if you couldn’t tell, I was basically losing it.. There were times when I didn’t even want to stop to take a screenshot and talk about something and just wanted to let it play but then I knew I wouldn’t be able to give my exact feelings at the time if I left it for any later.

I don’t have any other words to describe what I watched, at first I thought I’d have plenty to talk about in this Summary review that I am writing at the end of the show but I can’t do Katanagatari justice like that. I advise just reading through my babbling down below if you have watched the show and watching the show yourself if you haven’t

One last thing though, this show will have lasting effects on me. “Cheerio” will now forever be words of encouragement from now on.

Score: 10/10

Yapping

  • Ok writing down the name of the swords:
    • Kanna - Plane, the Absolute
    • Namakura - Blunt, the Destroyer
    • Tsurugi - Blade, the Thousand (Why are there 3 swords shown)
    • Hari - Needle, the Light
    • Yoroi - Armor, the Grudge (A sword named armor, interested to see what it looks like)
    • Kanazuchi - Hammer, the Pair
    • Bita - Poor, the Evil
    • Kanzashi - Sai, the Tiny
    • Nokogiri - Saw, the King
    • Hakari - Scales, the True
    • Mekki - Gild, the Poison
    • Jyuu - Gun, the Flame (Surely it isn’t an actual gun, right)

Episode 1

  • Ok, I love the OST first minute in. I can already see myself enjoying this a lot.
  • So they say that every ninja who obtained the swords disappeared along with their entire village and that even the most honorable swordsman disappeared after getting a sword. Right now, they think and want us to think that they just betrayed the shogunate as the swords were too good of a treasure to pass on. However, what if it is more than that? I don’t have any clue what the reason could be right now but we’ll see. Also I could just be overthinking it. Who knows?
  • Bro is more of a clown than a ninja
  • Oh I just realized, 12 episodes for 12 swords. Alright
  • So the Kanna focuses on being unbreakable
  • Ok so yea her goal is for revenge but she wants to use the son of the man who killed her father for the revenge? So ig she does want revenge on the shogunate rather than the person who killed her father as realistically he was just following orders.
  • Amazing sword hilt though
  • Once again, in love with the OST. The one playing when he does the ultimate move is great. It is also unique, not like most OSTs I hear in other anime. Can’t really explain it as I am neither good with words nor at explaining music.
  • Buddy got absolutely destroyed
  • How tf did she get in that position?!?
  • Romance first episode? Approved (Though I question Shichika’s understanding of what he even said)
  • W big sister, just wants him to get out there and stop “wasting” his life
  • Though I am worried about her being left alone
  • Mystery woman hmm
  • Did she say “Cheerio” to end off the episode

Episode 2

  • Bro’s wrist did a 180, LMAO
  • Interesting… way to learn to distinguish people…
  • He’s allowed to LICK?!?!? What am I watching?? She’s encouraging the licking
  • So Zantou is sharp, nice
  • The question of the immovable object vs the unstoppable force has been suggested, I do wonder if he will try it though
  • Who tf made yoda a ninja? I thought the subtitles were fucked. I legit have to pause each time to read the subtitles in reverse
  • Are all these ninjas from this Maniwa clan/village/unit clowns??
  • Respect to Ginkaku for killing that guy
  • The OST that plays while they are walking through the desert, more peak. I am definitely going to listen to a playlist of this show’s OST in my own time.
  • We choosing a catchphrase now?
  • Lol, the options were so bad even he started calling her dumb
  • Ok, why is “cheerio” her catchphrase
  • Lmao, the narrator foreshadowing the embarrassment for choosing “cheerio” for a catchphrase is just peak. I love when narrators are used like that
  • They are such a lovely couple, epic
  • Ok, who gives Ginkaku his food? How has he been surviving for who knows how long in this desert with no other human around him?
  • Interesting move, so he uses his blood to reduce friction between the blade and the sheath
  • Nice ending to the battle, as well as Shichika learning the importance of having someone to protect
  • Also, I didn’t mention this before but I wonder if her special eye is just for decoration or has some eye powers. Cause it occasionally changes from normal into diamond mode (pretty much a diamond)

Episode 3

  • Ok, this was one of the swords I was most interested in. Cause it showed 3 swords when going through all of them and now Togame is mentioning there are 1000 swords in one? What do you mean by that? Is this a man’s shampoo?
  • A lot of interesting eyes in this show
  • A 1000 shrine maidens huh who all had swords, so they have to be Tsurugi. All of them though or are they illusions?
  • The music that starts playing
  • Also seems that maybe her eye doesn’t have any powers? Cause a lot of people have seen it but haven’t really made a special remark except that one conversation between her and Shichika
  • This guy again, so he definitely has one of the swords. If I had to guess it’s the Hari? Considering it seemed pretty thin (I have forgotten what most swords looked like in that scene where they named all of them)
  • Wtf, did the shrine maidens go crazy? It has to be some spell related since that ninja guy in the beginning said that Shikizaki was into occult
  • Oh no, another Maniwa clown has entered. I’m going to have to deal with the other 9 too
  • Why are the shrine maidens running away from my boy?
  • Let’s gooo! They started accepting him! So ig it was just a matter of being shy and contacting strangers. Quite an overreaction, but understandable
  • I see, it was more than being shy. Makes more sense now, unfortunate
  • Ok ok, so that’s why one of them went feral when her sword was taken away from her makes sense. It is an interesting way to use the swords though that’s for sure.
  • Bro casually forgot he killed his own father, it was probably his dying wish like “I want to die as a warrior” or smth the usual
  • I swear these clowns, this man doesn’t stop yapping
  • Sentouryuu wasn’t as interesting as I had thought it will be
  • Sad to see her go, in retrospect she was a serial killer but it’s who she had become that was a pity to lose
  • Oh so the guy that we had seen before was Sabi Hakuhei after all (I would have mentioned that as the most probable possibility before had I remembered his name)

Episode 4

  • Yea, he did have the Hari. It seems we are just going in order in which the swords were introduced which makes sense. Meaning, next episode will be interesting as it will be Yoroi one of the swords I have been curious about from the beginning. We already had an unbreakable sword so I wonder what it’s gimmick will be.
  • Meanwhile, Hari seems like a fast sword?
  • Definitely one of the moments in this show
  • Oh no, 3 clowns at once. This will be… interesting
  • Fuck, they are going for the sister. Here’s to hoping the sister is a secret powerhouse who is just nerfed by her sickness/frail body. They did say that she trained him too… at least that’s what I remember. She was also the first and only one to react to the ninja’s kunai in the first episode
  • Red crystal? Intriguing…
  • Rip mantis guy, you shall not be missed
  • LMAO
  • Ok, sis was the real deal, no wonder she called shichika weak. She about to torture these 3 clowns. Perfect.
  • DISCIPLINE?? Madam, you traumatized the man. She is scary
  • I am scared of her… ain’t no way I was worrying about her safety at the end of Episode 1 for being left at the Island alone
  • Butterfly dude wants to get married, lmao. Rip bozo
  • So she is a genius who can basically learn most things she sees
  • Wow, what things to say to a child that even she started to say them. Though it is interesting how she has a weak body, but it also has a lot of regenerative capabilities?
  • NAHHH, they did not just off-screen the fight with Sabi Hakuhei
  • I don’t feel like you have won, where tf is my fight?? Bro was hyped since Episode 1 and then gets off-screened
  • Rip all our enemies

Episode 5

  • Oh no this voice, Emiya!!! This man has followed me all the way here Let me guess, he is also a Maniwa clown.
  • Also yay we finally meet mysterious woman from end of Episode 1, she got overshadowed by Emiya for now.
  • Immovable force v Immovable force time!!!
  • Did this man escape from the hidden leaf village?
  • That armor in feudal japan
  • The armor is the sword… huh. Wait… if the armor is Yoroi then is Jyuu really a fucking gun???
  • Mixed hot spring episode!! Let’s Gooo
  • Is this a mainly recap episode? I don’t mind it
  • She wants him to make a move on her so bad lol
  • She made him stand up and then… I guess our boy is packing
  • Also it was mentioned before, but yea he really does not feel anything towards women… does he even feel anything? He does smile tho
  • That’s certainly one way to do it…
  • These plans are devious… but they will work
  • Ummm
  • SAFE!!
  • Ig she knows what she wants at least, good thing I watch this anime with my headphones on
  • Bro just came to confess lol, also I had a suspicion but it really does seem like her different eye is triggered when her emotions flare up. Similar to Sasuke’s sharingan at the start
  • Chicken clown time, and he is the main leader?
  • Damn he is determined. And a man of his words, not something I’d expect of a clown ninja
  • The foretold day has finally come, she finally knows about cheerio
  • He KNEW she was wrong lol, I do hope she continues using cheerio as her catchphrase though. It’s become too iconic at this point.
  • Look at Shichika, even he is using his catchphrase more often now.
  • The shockwave attack didn’t work, hmmm. Could the armor be dispersing the shocks? Shikizaki really put in some effort into these “swords” didn’t he.
  • The bigger they are the harder they fall type fight
  • Tell him king
  • YAY she decided to continue using cheerio.
  • Wow, now because of this detour will they have to travel with that heavy ass armor?

Episode 6

  • The hair, she even used it to smack him
  • Damn, called out
  • Shit, he got frostbite. Could’ve forced him to wear some more clothes and shoes especially in this area
  • The clowns are having a meeting, I truly doubt their ability to get the swords on their own even if Shichika isn’t there to stop them. Also ig Emiya isn’t a part of them then…
  • I do wonder the truth behind their village getting destroyed by a avalanche as they mentioned it was on top of the mountain.
  • Great alliance boys, honestly lasted longer than I thought it would.
  • Hmmm he pretended to fall asleep, I do think he has started to doubt her more. Especially since the guy who wore Yoroi confessed to Togame
  • That’s one heavy ass sword, and she was carrying it with such ease lmao. Kanazuchi is called “the Pair” so I would assume there is another one?
  • Holy, not only did he get defeated for the first time his arm got destroyed.
  • You know what? They should take her with them, she won’t be lonely anymore and they will get herculean strength on their side.
  • FUCK! The clown took over her body… hopefully her mind is strong enough to resist or something
  • Ok yea, it was someone who destroyed the entire clan and not an avalanche.
  • Hitting the tattoos was the solution, instincts ftw
  • As I mentioned before, he truly is determined and ruthless for his goals. The chicken clown first cut off his arm to get a chance to talk and now gave up one his best information gatherer’s life. I really wonder what his end goal is, would getting the swords really be worth it?
  • Is the guy who laid waste to Shireizan the same guy who annihilated the girl’s clan
  • Oh we are sending her to Sanzu shrine, that’s good too ig. I wouldn’t have minded having her along for the journey.
  • Love to see Shichika’s growth… though that just reminds me that Nanami must be on her way to meet up with them any time.
  • EMIYAA! Why is this clown on the ship?
  • HUH?!?!?! Excuse me narrator, WTF??

Episode 7

  • Oh wait… the one who annhilated the snow mountain clan and Shireizan… that’s Nanami probably
  • Yep… I think the Kyotouryuu clan got exiled because of Nanami alone
  • The show became a side scroller beat em up
  • I still don’t know why the artstyle changed so suddenly?
  • I was not expecting the Bita in the chest, and I was not expecting Nanami to be packing anything.
  • This isn’t a fight, it’s a one-sided massacre
  • I like how this entire episode is just a game
  • My boy so depressed he looking like a stick figure
  • Ok yea, she is doing all of this just so she can actually die. She can’t die naturally and no one strong enough to kill her. And with the Bita in her chest she is even more absurdly strong. Like why did the author have to undo his nerf on her.
  • Not the hair!!!!
  • Hell Yea!!

Episode 8

  • That is certainly… an interesting house. I think Shichika phrased it best
  • Also new OP, yay (This anime went on for so long they actually changed the OP). I’ll be honest I didn’t really find the previous OP and ED special. I think the ending of the last episode was changed but I have been skipping it so who knows
  • God Emiya is back
  • I see why Togame hates her, I hate her too now.
  • She has Jyuu!!! Omg it’s an actual gun and ofc she pretends it’s nothing special. Shichika did notice something strange about it, probably thought it felt like Shikizaki’s swords
  • So that’s why Emiya smirked when she mentioned he couldn’t gather the “swords”. It’s so fucking ambitious to call these swords. Wel Jyuu is the last one on the list so we won’t be facing off against her till then
  • Let me take a guess… with the current trend, the puppet is Kanzashi… there is nothing tiny about this
  • Wow who could’ve guessed
  • Oooh this clown uses a rapier
  • Honestly feel bad for the Maniwa clowns, they are down to 3 lol
  • Hmmm, I do wonder why the puppet stops and stares at the sun
  • Wish that was me frfr
  • Interesting OST for this fight, I don’t think we have heard this one before
  • The humanity development moments are probably one of my favorite moments in this show, Shichika’s growth is just so fun and wholesome to witness (forget the fact he had to kill his sister as part of that)
  • It became a full blown helicopter, amazing
  • The rain making it seem like the puppet is crying for not being able to fulfill it’s orders, just peak
  • IT WAS SOLAR POWERED?? I mean at this point I shouldn’t be surprised considering we have guns and a puppet who had been following one order for a couple centuries
  • I haven’t really noted on any fight scenese before, mainly because most ended rather quick with very few clashes or trading blows, but this one was probably the one that was most fun at least so far (maybe if we had that Sabi Hakuhei fight…)
  • GOLD! Omg, ain’t no way they missed out on gold cause Shichika probably doesn’t know what gold is or what it looks like and Togame just ignored it. Some lucky guy is just randomly going to get rich.

Episode 9

  • Why her hair colored as if it’s a sword
  • Wtf? did he just lose just like that?
  • I do like this OP more, ED is once again meh
  • Ok now this sword is pure aura
  • The jealousy arc has begun lol
  • Oh so the woman uses whips, I now know what the bee clown meant that she would be the dominating one in the relationship with Chouchou (they have mentioned him so much that I remembered his name)
  • Emiya and Houou are acquainted but not quite sworn enemies huh, hmm maybe brothers? former friends that were in the Aioi clan but Houou decided to join the Maniwa
  • Bro pulled the gun on her Ain’t no way anyone surviving the gun surprise attack in feudal japan
  • FIRST KISS!!! LET’S FUCKING GOOOO!!! bumping this shit up to a 9.5 in score
  • It is weird yea, that the owner of Nokogiri was able to fend for himself during the sword hunt
  • One last sword left and then the remaining are in the hands of the princess and Maniwa

Episode 10

  • Is she digging for her father?
  • Ah yes, they met the owner of Hakari before the episode started. I don’t get this structuring(? if that’s what you call it) like just show it from there from the start
  • Could this Higaki Rinne be a yokai? We haven’t come across any monsters yet. And he did appear as I am assuming Togame’s father infront of her and asked her to be the one to dig up the swords
  • Also that is a One Piece laugh if I have ever heard one
  • And I wonder who the little girl is as that’s from Shichika’s “True” memories. Oh or is the girl just a mixture of all 4: Nanami, the little girl, Meisai, and Kiguchi
  • Why is the holy man giving me a lecture on snow white? and in a philosophical way at that
  • “A sword can’t use a sword” well duh
  • Ah so it’s because the Higaki took Togame’s father’s personality that he is forcing her to work out, sounds like a father thing to do
  • I see so the princess is the descendent of Shikizaki and has kept a track of all 12 swords all this time and has always stayed one step ahead of Togame to collect them all.
  • It is impressive that Togame was able to dig a hole that big and that deep alone
  • Legendary line
  • A sword without a blade, someone check on Shikizaki and his imagination this man has lost it. I like the meaning though, it’s a sword that tests and harms oneself… cause it doesn’t have a fucking blade to protect you
  • Yep, everything makes sense now
  • I am worried that Emiya listened to the first part of the conversation, of course Togame didn’t explicitly say the name of her father he might piece it together
  • He dodged the kiss lol
  • Rip, Pengin became another Emiya victim

Episode 11

  • Could these people at the start be Emiya and Houou? Maybe, wild guess that I have no basis for
  • He is a swordsmith? Shikizaki and the founder of Kyotouryuu then? It is also war period aka sengoku era so that makes perfect sense. Especially since this founder of Kyotouryuu also seems horrible with the sword
  • Yasuri Kazune. Yep.
  • Still mad we didn’t get this fight
  • “No specialized weapons”, Sir Houou I assure you Emiya will pull out the glock. Emiya not using a firearm? Yea right
  • Yep, Houou was part of Aioi clan
  • Ok Pengin, I see where this is going. First of all you gave him the sword, meaning Emiya has legal right to shoot his glock. Second, Houou has been overtaken by the poison so ig that’s where Pengin’s cut comes from
  • Yep, also I like I have just started calling them by their names instead of “Chicken clown” and “Penguin clown”. Truly a character growth on my part
  • Narrator I fucking hate you, I swear if one of the two dies I won’t be able to complete my contracts
  • Holy shit… FUCK YOU EMIYA, Pengin didn’t deserve to die like that
  • Bro fucking looked into the future and saw a gun and was like “Yea I can make that” Nahh, that’s why his fucking puppet is solar powered. AHGH everything makes sense
  • Shikizaki took over Houou, nice. Also “Ichimonji Slash”, only thing that came to mind (iykyk)
  • That truly is an ultimate move, you literally can not live if you get hit by it (unless your name is Nanami)
  • I am fulfilled… just don’t kill one of them
  • FUCK YOU FUCK YOU EMIYAAAA!!!!

Episode 12

  • Why are we still here… just to suffer… I honestly went to sleep after that last one, lost all motivation to continue…
  • sigh Ig I’ll give my final thoughts on the OP and ED, I have definitely grown to like this OP more and I will definitely listen to it after this but the ED is just mediocre at best
  • Don’t give me hope
  • As soon as she died he reverted to saying “What a hassle”… This is a hard episode to take notes on
  • sigh we have to go through 11 clowns before getting to Emiya…
  • I didn’t think I was going to have anything to say for these fights but god damn, I have to mention this burn
  • “Just because you don’t die if I kill you, it doesn’t mean you can’t die if I keep killing you.” is truly one of the lines of all times. and he used the same line Nanami used against him at the end of their first fight
  • I like how the 10th kid wasn’t killed, just bonked on the head
  • I was somewhat holding it together since the last episode… but Shichika saying “Cheerio” while killing the shogun was the final blow. I am now officially crying while writing this
  • Glad to see the itezora girl doing good. Same with Kiguchi, good she finally got disciples
  • I don’t know how I feel about Shichika travelling with the princess, but I don’t mind it. I don’t hate her after all
  • And Shichika went back to using the catchphrase he decided on, he has beaten depression. I am satisfied