Kizumonogatari: Wound Tale

Gr 7 Up—As spring break begins, 17-year-old loner Araragi makes his only friend—and loses his humanity. Araragi is befuddled by class president Hanekawa's sudden attention, and his conversation with her about a vampire sighting doesn't sink in until he helps a dying limbless woman, only to wake up from the gruesome ordeal as a vampire himself. His sole chance at salvation is to retrieve her missing appendages and put Kiss-Shot-Acerola-Orion-Heart-Under-Blade back together again. Guided by the unreliable, not-quite-human Oshino—together with Hanekawa's inexplicable devotion—Araragi's spring break is literally out of this world. The prequel to the immensely popular Bakemonogatari, part of NisiOisiN's best-selling Monogatari "light" novels/anime series, this is one of three inaugural audio titles from Vertical, which hopes to entice new audiences with productions that combine music, sound effects, and recognizable anime voiceover actors. Erik Kimerer, Keith Silverstein, and Cristina Vee don't disappoint here.