

In episode 3 of Tsukimonogatari, Araragi said " _It's not that uncommon for
the collection of unpaid tabs to all come at once lately._ " I checked another
set of subtitles, and found that those gave " _Lately, it isn't so strange
that a bunch of unpaid tabs come knocking all at once though._ "

Honestly, I'm confused and not sure "unpaid tabs" means. Is it a joke of some
kind or what? I'd like some help and explanation, thanks.


CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-23T08:46:16.117
21748
2017-01-01T12:01:49.607
2015-06-19T16:51:03.947
2604
14610
question
monogatari-series
What's the meaning of "collection of unpaid tabs" in Tsukimonogatari episode 3?


At a bar, you can put something 'on your tab', which is a way of saying you'll
pay it later (usually next time you come to the bar) which when you do pay
later, can be known as 'collecting a tab'

What Araragi is saying is that all the things he has been putting off have
come back looking for resolution at the same time.


CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-23T09:16:42.610
21750
2015-05-23T10:51:17.630
2015-05-23T10:51:17.630
1530
1530
21748
answer


A big plot point of Tsukimonogatari revolves around the fact that Araragi has
been dipping into his vampire abilities ever since the events of
Kizumonogatari that turned him into this half-vampire, half-human... although
more human than vampire.

You've seen him using his vampire abilities throughout the series so far, such
as when Hitagi staples the inside of his cheek or he fights the monkey spirit
possessing Suruga in Bakemonogatari, and when he fights against Kagenui in
Nisemonogatari. These are just a few examples.

Every single one of these times, this human was drawing from these inhuman
abilities to perform inhuman things. In the time of this story that
Tsukimonogatari takes place, it became apparent to Kagenui and Ononoki that
this was a problem. If he continued to draw upon these vampire powers like
that, it's likely that he could turn into something no longer human.

This is the basis of his "unpaid tabs" line. As Toshinou Kyouko says in their
answer, a "tab" refers to a running bill at a bar. At a bar, you can choose to
not pay for your drinks, and instead leave a "tab" that you will pay at a
later point. Here, the "unpaid tabs" are all the times he used vampire powers.
However, at some point, these tabs do need to be paid - namely, with his
humanity.

Basically said, it's Araragi (and Nisioisin, the original novel's author)
using a metaphor.


CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-01T12:01:49.607
38202
2017-01-01T12:01:49.607
16539
21748
answer