Black Hanekawa Nekomonogatari - Figures
The Monogatari franchise first began as a collection of short stories published in Kodansha’s Mephisto magazine in 2005 that were later compiled into a single light novel titled Bakemonogatari. The series is written by Nisio Isin and illustrated by Vofan and, as of early 2021, a total of 26 volumes of the light novel have been released. In mid-2009, the Bakemonogatari received an anime adaptation that was directed by Akiyuki Shinbo and produced by studio Shaft. The series quickly became a cult hit among the anime community for its use of incredibly dialogue-heavy scenes and unique use of cinematography. Since the series gained a sizable following of dedicated fans, there is a decent selection of merchandise one can collect of the various characters in the Monogatari series. One such character is Black Hanekawa, the oddity alter-ego of Tsubasa Hanekawa. One particularly notable piece of merchandise inspired by this character is Union Creative’s “Nekomonogatari Tsubasa Hanekawa & Black Hanekawa Non-Scale Figure Set”.
Nekomonogatari Tsubasa Hanekawa & Black Hanekawa Non-Scale Figure Set
This item features both Tsubasa and Black Hanekawa together in a single set of figures. Both Black and Tsubasa are posed kneeling on the ground with the palms of their hands touching. Tsubasa is wearing her standard school uniform: a pink blouse with red trim, a blue pleated skirt, and black knee-high socks. Tsubasa also has her black hair twisted into twin braids. On the other hand, Black Hanekawa is wearing a white nightgown that is tied with a red ribbon below her chest. Unlike her black haired counterpart, Black Hanekawa’s hair is considerably longer than Tsubasa’s and is snow-white. On top of Black’s head is a pair of cat ears, which alludes to her origin as a sawarineko.
- Product Name: Nekomonogatari Tsubasa Hanekawa & Black Hanekawa Non-Scale Figure Set
- Series: Nekomonogatari
- Manufacturer: Union Creative
- Sculptor: Design COCO
- Specifications: Set of 2 painted, non-articulated, non-scale ATBC-PVC, ABS, and polyester figures
- Height (Approx.): Black Hanekawa: 190 mm; Tsubasa Hanekawa: 180 mm
About Black Hanekawa
Black Hanekawa is an oddity in the Monogatari series that refers to the being inside of Tsubasa Hanekawa after she is cursed by a sawarineko. The following passages are a brief overview of her character.
Background
Black Hanekawa is the result of a sawarineko taking possession of Tsubasa’s body, creating a kind of “alternate identity” that lives inside of Tsubasa. Tsubasa was exposed to this sawarineko when she found what she believed to be a dead cat on the side of the road. After deciding to bury it, the oddity possessed Tsubasa, though only takes control under certain conditions. When Black Hanekawa does take over, it is generally during nights when Tsubasa is overly stressed. Unlike Tsubasa, who has black hair that she usually has braided, Black Hanekawa’s hair is completely white and worn down. Black taking over Tsubasa’s also causes her eyes to turn golden yellow and eliminates her need to use glasses.
Special Abilities
One of the main abilities of a sawarineko is its ability to possess a person’s body. Normally, this is done in an attempt to completely take over its victim’s body. Black Hanekawa, however, seems to be an exception, as Tsubasa seems to be the one that merges with the sawarineko instead of the sawarineko merging with Tsubasa. When Black Hanekawa is in possession, Black is capable of exerting superhuman levels of strength comparable to other oddities, despite being in a normal human’s body. One other notable ability of Black Hanekawa is her energy drain, which can be used against humans and other oddities alike.
Other Important Nekomonogatari Characters
Two characters that are particularly important to Black Hanekawa are Tsubasa Hanekawa and Koyomi Araragi.
Tsubasa Hanekawa
Tsubasa is the “master” of Black Hanekawa and one of the few friends of the protagonist, Koyomi Araragi, who often relies on her for her considerable smarts. Her kind-hearted, studious nature is greatly contrasted with Black Hanekawa’s playful, violent, and witty tendencies. Tsubasa also grew up in a very dysfunctional family, which causes her a great deal of stress and, in turn, leads to Black Hanekawa taking control after she is possessed by the sawarineko. Tsubasa also retains no memories while Black Hanekawa is in control of her body. As time goes on, the identities of both Tsubasa and Black Hanekawa begin to blend together, eventually resulting in Tsubasa admitting that the actions of Black Hanekawa were consciously made by her.
Koyomi Araragi
Koyomi Araragi is the central protagonist of the Monogatari series. He is part vampire and often finds himself coming into contact with many different oddities as the series progresses. Such oddities include the lost ghost, Mayoi Hachikuji, the mysterious Ougi Oshino, and, of course, Black Hanekawa. Since Black Hanekawa was a threat to both people living in the area and Tsubasa herself, Koyomi attempted to take care of the oddity possessing her. This attempt proved to be more difficult than he originally intended, however, and required the help of Shinobu to temporarily subdue the sawarineko.
Links
Nekomonogatari Tsubasa Hanekawa & Black Hanekawa Non-Scale Figure Set
Ougi Oshino Figures
Bakemonogatari Label
Tsubasa Hanekawa Label