Monster Review – Just how good is the popular anime?

The anime Monster is a horror and psychological thriller that is based on a manga of the same name. It has received widespread critical acclaim and overwhelming reception for its beautifully crafted story while magnifying the dilemmas of each character.

It has been the recipient of many awards and accolades including the highly coveted Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category in 2001.

It has also won the Grand Prize at the 3^rd Tezuka Osama Cultural Prize. While many critics have pointed out that the anime pales in comparison to the manga, it is still a great piece of art and in fact, does a slightly better job at highlighting the emotions of the characters.

1. Quick Review

The anime Monster is packed with a lot of twists and turns that are very unpredictable. All these help cement the uncertain and dreary atmosphere and mood of the anime.

While it does not progress at a fast pace and is quite long, it helps us get a glimpse into even the complexities of even the ‘minor’ characters. Monster is incredibly adept at making one ponder the human condition with its powerful depictions of horror and philosophical dilemmas.

2. Is it worth watching?

The anime Monster is definitely worth watching. It will make you crawl away in fear and horror while simultaneously leaving you speechless at the beauty of such a plot.

Monster Trailer

 It is not your typical detective anime but instead highlights many philosophical questions that are neglected often. It deals with the sort of question,

“Would you kill a baby Adolf Hitler?”

I. Plot

The plot of the anime revolves around the philosophical and intense adventures of the altruistic character of Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a brain doctor of Japanese origin working in West Germany. It is set during a time when tensions between East and West Germany were on the surge and the Cold War was at its peak.

He is renowned for being one of the the best brain surgeons around. Over time he grows disillusioned with the corruption and politics within the hospital for giving higher importance to the lives of political figures.

One such case where a Turk family man dies due to the director’s orders for him to operate on a famous opera singer even though the Turk came earlier, shakes up his consciousness. It leaves him questioning everything.

So, the next time he is told to operate on the Mayor instead of the little boy victim of a homicide, he refuses and saves the life of the boy while the Mayor dies. But the boy turns out to be a sociopath who has no sympathy for human life.

The plot of the anime moves at quite a slow pace, which may get tedious for some. However, personally, I found that aspect to breathe life and suspense into each episode while building up the intensity of the climactic ending.

Also, because of its slow pace, it accomplishes a thorough understanding of all the characters, leaving it with few plot holes.

The art direction may be a big turn off for many. But it does exude its own unique vintage anime vibe that actually has its own charm. It is hard to imagine for the plot to be accomplishing the same popularity with contemporary animation style.

II. Characters

Much has been already said about the importance and showtime given to the numerous characters that adorn the plot of Monster. The complexities and intricacies of each of the characters are highlighted and accentuated, which enrich the plot further.

Monster also achieves a noteworthy task of perfectly portraying the emotional distress and dilemmas of the characters. Often, in intense circumstances and events, their faces are zoomed into, highlighting feelings and emotion.

The character of Dr. Kenzo Tenma deals with giving birth (figuratively) to a sociopath even though he did what he thought was the right thing to do. The tragedy of his life lies in the inevitable truth that good action with good intentions sometimes gives rise to bad events indirectly.

His encounters with the director and his daughter, who’s also his girlfriend, deeply disturb him and lead him on a path of self-discovery and self-questioning. Their apathetic and condescending attitudes towards people of lower status trigger him as he believes in altruistic behavior.

3. Final Thoughts

The anime Monster is a deeply entertaining and philosophical anime that makes you question, ponder, ruminate and philosophize on many things. It does a brilliant job at that aspect, for which it deserves commendation and praise.

While the art is very basic, it is more than enough for an anime like this that puts central emphasis on the plot and its horror, psychological elements. It can also get very disturbing and morbid. Anyone who can’t deal with blood, violence and manipulation will find it overwhelming and triggering. NSFW Warning! Even then, I’d definitely recommend it.

4. Grade

5. Info Card