This is a story, a "ghostory" of sorts, about scars that bond, monsters that haunt, and fakes that deceive.

The story of Koyomi Araragi begins through a fateful encounter with the all-powerful, blonde-haired, "hot-blooded, iron-blooded, and cold-blooded" vampire, later introduced as Shinobu Oshino. Their tragic rendezvous results in the end of Araragi's life as a human and his subsequent rebirth as a vampire—a monster. However, this encounter is only the start of his meddlings with the supernatural. Koyomi's noble personality ultimately sees him getting further involved in the lives of others with supernatural afflictions. This is his desperate attempt at returning to a normal human life, in a paranormal world filled with nothing but tragedy, suffering, and inhumanity.

This entry includes the first season of the Monogatari Series.

Monogatari Series: First Season was published in English by Vertical Inc: first with Kizumonogatari as Kizumonogatari: Wound Tale on December 15, 2015; Bakemonogatari as Bakemonogatari: Monster Tale in three volumes from December 20, 2016, to April 25, 2017; Nisemonogatari as Nisemonogatari: Fake Tale in two volumes from June 27, 2017, to August 29, 2017; and Nekomonogatari: Kuro as Nekomonogatari (Black): Cat Tale on November 28, 2017. Vertical also released the series in a box set. The light novels have also been published in Italian by Dokusho Edizioni beginning with Bakemonogatari since March 14, 2025.