Bakemonogatari, also known as the Monogatari Series, is a Japanese light novel series written by Japanese novelist Nisio Isin and illustrated by Taiwanese illustrator VOFAN; the series is published by Kodansha under the Kodansha Box imprint. For over a decade, the Monogatari franchise has continued to spawn many new editions, from prequels to sequels, with 9 anime adaptations and over 20 light novel volumes—and still counting! With the creative direction of animation studio Shaft and the self indulgent writing of Nisio Isin, the franchise continues to attract fans with its unorthodox story telling across novels, anime, and beyond.