Ougi Oshino Monogatari Series - Figures
The Monogatari Series is a collection of light novels that are authored by Nisio Isin and illustrated by Vofan. The first major part of the series, Bakemonogatari, was originally a collection of short stories published in a Kodansha magazine named Mephisto in 2005, though these stories were compiled into a light novel. Subsequent volumes followed this format as well and, as of early 2021, a total of 26 volumes have been released. An anime adaptation of the first section of the series was produced by studio Shaft in Summer 2009 and quickly became a cult hit among viewers.
Fans of the series often say that its unusually verbose method of storytelling and imaginative cinematography are strengths of the adaptation. With a decent amount of highly dedicated fans, manufacturers of merchandise found a sizable demand for collectible figures of the many characters that appear in the series. One such character is Ougi Oshino, an unusual character shrouded in ambiguity and mystery. Although there are not many different figures of Ougi, one particularly popular item that recreates their character is Kotobukiya’s “Ougi Oshino Figure.”
Ougi Oshino Figure
This scale figure of Ougi from Kotobukiya recreates their design with incredible detail accuracy and is sculpted in such a way that wonderfully emulates their mysterious nature. Ougi is shown wearing Naoetsu High School’s female uniform, despite Ougi identifying themself as being male. This uniform consists of a pair of brown shoes, black stockings and a skirt, and a pink shirt with comically long sleeves, something that is unique to Ougi. Particular attention was given to this outfit, as it contains details like minute creases and folds that give the figure a rather realistic look.
In terms of the figure’s pose, Ougi stands on one leg and has the other raised up to knee length. Both of their arms are raised outward as her long sleeves flutter in the wind. The expression on Ougi’s face is as ambiguous as their origin, as little can be made out aside from a faint smile. Both Ougi’s pupils and iris are jet black, which also adds an unsettling element to the figure. This figure’s base is sculpted to look like a ghostly hand rising out from the ground, further adding to Ougi’s mysterious nature.
- Product Name: Ougi Oshino Figure
- Series: Monogatari Series
- Manufacturer: Kotobukiya
- Sculptor: ko-nen
- Specifications: Painted, non-articulated 1/8 scale non-phthalate PVC and ABS figure with base
- Height (Approx.): 20 cm
About Ougi Oshino
Ougi Oshino is a strange being whose origin is largely surrounded by a mystery that is introduced in Kabukimonogatari. The following is a summary of their background.
Background
When introducing themself, Ougi claims to be a niece of Meme Oshino, though Meme is said to not have anyone in his family. In reality, Ougi is a supernatural oddity that was unintentionally and unknowingly created by the protagonist, Koyomi Araragi. Specifically, Ougi is a manifestation of Koyomi’s negative emotions about himself that has been growing ever since he met Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade. As a product of Koyomi’s repressed emotions, Ougi often interacts with Koyomi when he is alone and desires to help him accept himself for who he is rather than continue to wallow in self-loathing.
Unique Traits
Ougi is considered to be a “conventional monster”, essentially meaning that they are a walking contradiction. They constantly have to lie to others about their identity in order to continue existing and, if their true identity is revealed, will quickly vanish from the world. This is the reasoning behind their introduction as Meme Shinobu’s niece, among other claims. It is simply a means of keeping the fact that they are a part of Koyomi’s repressed identity a secret.
Other Important Monogatari Series Characters
Although Koyomi Araragi has the greatest effect on Ougi by far, other characters have some significance to their character, like Meme Oshino and Tsubasa Hanekawa.
Koyomi Araragi
Koyomi is the central point of view through which much of the Monogatari series is told. He is a high school student that comes into contact with a powerful vampire that takes his blood, turning him into a vampire as well. Through various struggles, Koyomi regains most of his humanity but is still considered part vampire. His unusual existence causes him to find himself attracted to many other oddities throughout the series, like the weightless girl, Hitagi Senjogahara, the lost ghost, Mayoi Hachikuji, and many more.
Meme Oshino
Meme Oshino is a strange, mysterious man that claims to be a specialist on oddities and is the one that helped Koyomi regain his humanity. Throughout the series, Koyomi relies on Meme’s experience to help him solve a variety of oddity-related phenomena. When Koyomi realizes Ougi’s true identity as a part of himself Ougi begins to fade away, as the lie that they were Meme’s niece was exposed. However, before completely disappearing, Meme accepts Ougi as his niece, saving them by turning the lie into the truth.
Tsubasa Hanekawa
Tsubasa is the class representative of Koyomi’s class and is one of the few students from his school that he speaks with on a regular basis. Although she is often seen as a model student at school, her home life is nearly devoid of love that, after being cursed by an oddity, resulted in the creation of “Black Hanekawa”, a kind of alternate personality that was created to relieve Tsubasa’s pent up stress by attacking people during the night.