THE WAIFU WITHIN: TROPES IN MONOGATARI SERIES

Female characters in anime are more than just pretty faces. This study
sought to explore how anime characters with waifu tropes challenge the concept of womanhood. This was done through content analysis of the Monogatari Series, namely; Bakemonogatari (2009), Nisemonogatari (2012), Nekomonogatari Kuro (2012), Monogatari Series Second Season (2013), Tsukimonogatari (2014), and Owarimonogatari (2015). The waifu tropes of the main female leads were identified through characterization using formalistic approach and archetypal approach. Also, the concept of womanhood is found out to be something that is the end goal of a waifu's character development in the Monogatari Series. It is what they needed to understand in order for the growth of their character to be complete.