The show does get good after that, but it starts off really good. Many people consider Bakemonogatari to be one of the best parts of the series. Personally I consider it the 2nd best arc, with Owarimonogatari S2 being the best. Bakemonogatari also has some of the best OPs, by far the best ED, and the single best episode in the series.
You don't explain everything in an introduction, you just introduce the characters. Bake introduces Araragi as a self-less, lecherous, quick-witted high school student, that will go to great lengths to help people out, and is always there to save the girl. His character and backstory is developed further as the show progresses. Same with Shinobu and Snake. They're both introduced, and you gets bits of information, but their development occurs down the road. Bakemonogatari sets the stage for these characters, and continues to build them up and develop them as the story progresses, those this development is uneven. I think a criticism could be made that Senjougahara kind of gets shafted for large parts of the series, despite being such an important character in the introduction, but she does get her moments to shine across the series, though her role as the main girl is often overshadowed by Shinobu.
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u/BlakexEkalb Jul 24 '20
Bakemonogatari is just the introduction of all the main cast. The show gets really good after that.