Spotlight Anime: Monster MAL Series Information Page: Monster MAL Score - 8.87 (by 1865 users) Ranked - #6 Popularity #108 For the next week I would like to have a discussion about the series that focuses on the key elements that we here on MAL use to critically rate an anime: Animation, Sound, Characters, Story, and Enjoyment. I would like everyone to approach this thread as if you were going to write a review and structure your initial post like this: Animation - insert rating Sound - insert rating Characters - insert rating Story - insert rating Enjoyment - insert rating Animation - discuss any pros and cons of the animation styling used in the series, try to include some specifics. Sound - describe any of the things you liked or didn't care for in regards to the music and sound effects used in the series etc... If you are having trouble writing up a review or coming up with specific pro's and cons, please don't worry. Just do the best you can with it and if you can only write two or three sentences about any of the 5 elements then that's OK. Not everyone here is currently at a level which will allow them to articulate their thoughts and opinions. After your initial post is made you can feel free to civilly discuss issues of contention. I am sure there will be many opinions expressed here that some of us will disagree upon and criticize and it is for that reason that this entire club exists. So I hope everyone has fun and I am really looking forward to watching this discussion unfold. *Due to voting rule changes, this series is permanently inducted from its first poll data. RESULTS OF THE YOU DECIDE REVOTE Monster was PERMANENTLY inducted into the club Anime list: 32 Yes - 40.51% 01 No - 01.27% 46 I haven't seen this Anime - 58.23% of the total number polled |
LindleApr 11, 2018 10:27 AM
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| Haven't seen the series yet, and considering there are so many episodes (And I have a shortage of both HD space and DVD's), I think I will read the manga instead. I know I have it somewhere... |
| Same here, haven't seen the anime yet and I don't like the manga too, so I'll pass ... gomen ne |
| I've seen the anime and it is amazing and full of thrilling suspense. I'm kind of lazing so I'll just copy bits of my review. Animation - 9/10 Monster truly deserves credit for its animation because at the time it initially aired, it would be one of the best looking dramas. Superb environments with German aesthetics, plus everything has completely fluid movements and the characters even have Naoki Urasawa’s design. Sound - 9/10 The music also suits the eerily, dramatic, atmosphere of this series well and if it wasn’t for the numerous silent moments I would have thought the music was perfect. Characters - 10/10 The characters are what make this story. With numerous anime series out there revolving around kids and young adolescence; it is refreshing to see one that revolves around a variety of characters from adults to children. Dr. Tenma is very interesting himself as he is realistically portrayed, in the way that he acts and interacts and what’s more is that he goes through major developments throughout the story. Also a lot of the other characters are portrayed incredibly well, including the ones that only appear for 1 or 2 episodes. Story - 10/10 Set in Germany, the story revolves around a very promising surgeon Dr. Tenma. In the first couple episodes the series keeps on alternating from slowly developing its story to going into a time skip. However the story soon finds itself as it develops at a steady pace. At this point though you wouldn’t know where the story is heading or what to expect next, so you’re just forced sit tight and experience whatever the story gives. Enjoyment - 8/10 The way, in which the mood can quickly change, from slow paced character building to sheer horror, using various devices is an amazing feat in itself. The problem is that due to the nature of the series, some people who watch this may not be able to get into it, due to the lack of excitement. For those who are patient will certainly enjoy this anime for its dark theme and compelling story Overall - 9/10 ^_^ Overall Monster isn’t just an anime series; it is something to be experienced, for its intriguing and suspenseful premise. The way, in which the mood can quickly change, from slow paced character building to sheer horror, using various devices is an amazing feat in itself. . |
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| I've seen the whole Anime and read only a few volumes of the Manga. Both are listed #1 as my favorites. It's the best seris ever. Because of Monster I dropped a lot of seris from 10 to a 9 because this seris is in a world of it's own. Now please forgive, for I've never written a review before and my writing stinks. Animation - 9/10 It's different and I like different. It's ot your usual big-eyed, colorful haired characters that you normally see in Anime. It can't always be about bishies. I tried to promote this seris on another forum but there were to many bishy fangirls there. Meh. It's their loss. Annyways, please don't let it stop you from watching. You'll get used to it. Sound - 9/10 At first I didn't like the ending themes, but I got used to it. It fits well with the seris. And that opening theme fits well too. It always got me pumped and ready to watch with anticipation. The sound(eeirie and spooky) is perfect for this kind of seris. Characters - 10/10 One of the best things about this seris are the characters. They develope so well as the story progresses. Not too many really young characters. Usually in every seris the hero is a kid but this time it's a doctor. He's kind young at the beginning(but not like 15) but then theres a time skip to 9 years. Dietar is probably the youngest, and Johan and Anna before the time skip. I even enjoyed the characters that only appeared in a few episodes, like Wolfgang Grimmer. They really do grow on you. Makes you wish they appeared in more episodes. Story - 10/10 Dr. Tenma is a japanese doctor at Eisler Memorial Hospital in Düsseldorf, Germany in the 80's. He is their best brain surgeon who has not only the chance of a promotion but, the daughter of the director of the hospital, Eva Heinemann as his fiancée. All is going well until a turkish woman cries to him asking for her husband back, who died in another operation while Tenma worked on the Opera singer, even though the Turkish woman's husband came first. He finds out that money is more important to the hospital then saving lives. Then, 2 twins are brought in, the girl in shock and the boy with a gunshot would(both found at home with their parents dead). Tenma disobays the director and operates on the boy instead of the mayor who came later. The mayor died but Tenma's operation on the boy was a success. He was happy with his choice, even though that his world falls apart. Soon after the director and 2 of his followers end up mysteriously dead. 9 years later, Tenma, Chief of Surgery at Eisler Memorial Hospita, and finds out that he ressurrected a Monster. For the rest of the story, Tenma, who is suspected as the killer of all the murders, is going after the Monster(Johan), as well as other characters who are all somehow connected to the Johan and all the murders. Enjoyment - 10/10 I never enjoyed anything as much as I did with Monster. When I first saw it I couldn't stop. I saw like 15 episodes straight(I never did that before). I was always at the edge of my seat. It was full of suspense and plot twists. Everything and everyone is connected somehow. Everything was put together so well. There is some slow pacing, so you have to be patient but I still think you should give it a chance if you haven't because then your really missing out.. Like I said, it's in a world of it's own. Pure genius. Pure win. My Overall score for it is 10/10, no, 100/10. XD |
kirAth-shiAueMar 22, 2008 11:32 AM
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| kirAth-shiAue - Just felt like saying this, but in the "story" section you are supposed to just give your views on the story not actually explain what happens (>_<)! |
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| Animation - 8; it was good, I think. To be honest, while I remember the style, I don't remember my impressions that clearly. It would stick out more if it was very good or very bad, I think. Sound - 8; I vaguely remember the creepy music. I hate credits so I tend to skip them a lot whenever I can. I did think the voice actors did a good job of handling those intense situations without getting too hammy about things. Characters - 9; I think that they developed the characters just enough to make the story credible, which is fine. I feel like overly-developed characters would have started interfering with the story and the major conflicts and what was going on and the sort of... detailed cardboard cutout characters we got was just enough to keep the story entertaining and compelling. Story - 10; great. What happens when you try to do the right thing and stand up for your principles and it just turns out to have the most atrocious ramifications you could have ever imagined? What do you do when faced with incomprehensible evil? What makes people good or bad? A hero or a criminal? ...I love the fact that this series addresses, in its own way, all these facets of morality (and more! ;D). It has such a dramatic premise and it sucks you in because the first episode starts off like a plain old drama and then it turns into this creepy, slow thrill ride. Enjoyment - 9; I liked it a good amount. It was a compelling story that did a good job making you wonder what the hell was going to happen next. I respected the ground the story was covering and I appreciated that it was an adult drama that tackled a lot of potentially uncomfortable topics, including the consequences of "scientific research" done on unwilling or unsuspecting subjects, like the kind done during WWII by (at least) the Axis powers . I did think the pacing was a little erratic and the series was a longer than it needed to be. I also think that, because of the genre and the length, it is highly unlikely that I'll ever actually watch it again in it's entirety. Finally, as an anime I give it credit for the maturity level, the subject matter, etc, but I don't know if I think that it's something that was better done as an anime than a drama. And I also don't know if my opinion of it would be lower if it was a drama and compared to a wider field of similar dramas (Asian and U.S.). |
lowellMar 22, 2008 2:36 PM
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| As I haven't seen this yet and the 74 episode length is kind of daunting, I'll be looking forward to reading everyone's posts here. Maybe someone will convince me to pick it up. :) |
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| Ugh, I vote on all the Spotlights, but I have yet to put up some sort of review, so I'll give it a whirl for this one. OVERALL- 9/10 A must see, dramatic anime which sustains a gripping mystery and a weighty mature theme. Animation - 8/10 For the most part, the animation of the characters kept my interest piqued in the series. The artwork is compelling and flowed well with the story itself. The addition of the child's picture book used as a medium for the telling of the story added an element of subtle simplicity, yet aided in darkening the mood. This lost only a few points off of perfect for me mainly because the European setting for the majority of the story appeared flat and lifeless which infilterated the characters at times. Sound - 9/10 The sound fx and the musical orchestrations fit the mood of the plot, the events and genre. The first ED sequence is probably one of my most favourite in a slew of anime. The second season ED however made me cringe and I believe I only sat through the entire thing once or twice, or muted it. Characters - 10/10 With a strong storyline, it would have been difficult for this to have clunked out in regards to character representation. Dr. Tenma's character was thrust into a situation many a human being would have been shuffled off into a psycho ward or worse still, prision. But he was able to become of plausible stronghold throughout the entire series, keeping the viewer right along with him to the end. The arcs which followed other characters were also able to maintain a lot of the same viewer's desire to see the character through their hopes, wishes, or dreams -- to be fulfilled or not, which ever the case may be at the given moment. Story - 10/10 Hints of a slightly fictitious historical background, a mystery riddled with shock and disbelief, yet truly captivating and mesmerizing ... continually wondering where the characters and events will be taking the viewer -- all these factors play a huge role in the making of a superb creation. The story is what had me hooked from the get go. Enjoyment - 8/10 The overall theme and characters of the anime keeps all highly entertained and impending the next twist and turn with an hedonistic, wide-eyed expession. Considering the number of episodes the series utilized to complete it's course, it is obvious that there were lulls in the storyline that only solidified my rationale to watch with anime as a marathoner. I probably would have had a bit of difficulty waiting out a week for a new release or a month for the next DVD if I took this series over a long period of time. But taking it all in as one large conglomerate, the comprehension of the story and its massive moral connundrum was probably easier. |
| I would first like to start this off by writing, if there was anyway to show people the potential of anime, this is the first and last series I would recommend. Now you can pretty much guess where my thoughts on the series. Animation- 8 Surprised aren't you? This is probably the only category that Monster does not deliver perfection in, but this also could just be a personal bias. When I first began watching Monster, I noticed that the character designs were hideously ugly. Of course this did not phase me any further, but it did leave a bad taste in my mouth throughout, especially since the most attractive character design was Johan (anyone who has seen this series will see the irony in this). Other than that, the animation itself was adequate, no real faults but nothing that really stuck out. The greens are lush, the various hues of the cities are dull. It was almost too realistic in the colors department (made it look as dull as real life) and it was a relief when the story ventured out of the city. Sound- 8 Another 8, hardly the representative of amazing anime, right? Wrong in every way, but I will get to that later. When I finished the series and reflected on what I just witnessed, I realized that everything seemed to be as it should be. This is of course is in the sense that as far as the animation and sound go, they fit. The sound and animation completed what they set out to do, never diverting your attention away from the real focus. So, again the sound was merely adequate. Intense when it should and able to calm along side the characters during serene moments. I enjoyed the OP throughout, most of the time I would watch it through, but the two EDs were not as well done. They were kind of annoying, so I usually shut it off when they began playing. Characters- 10 And here is where the fun really begins. Someone mentioned that the characters received only enough development to push along the story, something I wholeheartedly disagree with. I respond with one name, Wolfgang Grimmer. A personal favorite of mine, I believe Mr. Grimmer is one of the most well developed characters in the series and in anime in general, and he is more or less a side character. Even in the characters that I disliked, there was a lot of developement and depth. For example, Eva Heinemann. A disgusting woman with a psychopathic obsession with Dr. Tenma (whom she hates though she seems to forget the fact that she betrayed him). I cringed every time she was shown in the anime, but by the time it was over she became a likable enough (maybe tolerable would be a better description) character, a change that was caused by her experiences throughout. Story- 10 Amazing would be an understatement. Great would be unjust. Yes people, it is that damn good. This is the meat of the this anime's perfection. From twists to overall curiosity, the story never fails to intrigue the viewer. It is indeed an epic (it would make for a good novel, has to be written by the right person though), Tenma's journey for redemption is such a ride. There is a large focus in the story on the connection between the characters, their past and present. It is wonderful to see how all of them tie together. Sometimes characters can be seen as throwaways, unimportant to the story as whole, then a farther down the line a revelation is made that puts them into the center of attention. Enjoyment- 10 As you can tell from my review, I thoroughly enjoyed this anime. Overall- 10 This is one of those anime's that won't be for everyone. If you are impatient, you won't enjoy it. If you do not like depth, you will not enjoy it. If you can't stand having questions raised in your anime, you will not enjoy it. But, you have to respect it. It is like how Socrates and Plato that truth is one, there is no subjectivity to the quality of this anime (though that in itself is an opinion, I have contradicted myself and now I fail at life). This is the type of anime that not everyone will be into, but deep down inside, if experienced, they will appreciate what it has done. |
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| Animation - 9.8 Sound - 9.7 Characters - 10 Story - 10 Enjoyment - 10 Animation - The animation well suited the show, it was not 'fantastic', but it was appropriate Sound - The music is pretty much in the same situation as the animation. Appropriate, good, but not fantastic. (and it really really didn't have to be) Characters- Best Cast ever in existence.... So fantastic... so well developed.. Just amazing. Story- I am not sure what I love more... the characters or the story. The story was so well woven together it was... just amazing Enjoyment- It kept me interested the entire time, and it was really really a good watch. overall- Can't say much, since I am not even at my own computer atm. But it is my favourite anime of all time. |
| 1st review so bear with it =/ Animation: 9/10 For an anime that started airing back in early 2004 and ended late 2005 it's visuals and animations are absolutely superb in detail and fluidity as it also maintains an very consistent high quality during the entire series (now it you are to compare it with animes like that of which are airing of current the visuals won't really seem too eye catching...but are nonetheless good even today) Sound: 8/10 Aside from the meh ED songs the audio overall is pretty good from the OP, BGM *but not really any tunes you’d want to put on your mp3 player though*, VA's *despite everyone speaking Japanese only even if they claim to be speaking some other language =b*, to the various SE’s which all that keeps you even more drawn into the plot Characters: 10/10 Definitely one of the stronger points of the series is the amount of depth placed in its large cast of characters you’re are bound to get attached to at least one *which is probably one of the most crucial aspects of getting into the story…or any for that matter* and since they vary diversely from that you are used to seeing in animes they offer an interesting alternative in character depth and complexity Story: 10/10 By far it’s the strongest point of the series is its story with deep historical fiction roots which scatters through many places in early 80s Germany and even the characters themselves *the only flaw lies not in the story itself but how it is often times it is dragged out….not cause of the fillers cause there isn’t an single one but how long it takes to make a further progress in it due to little things like pointless dialogue and nonsensical chatter which is often used to falter the plot’s progress* Enjoyment: 8/10 As much as I would like to give it an 10 *or even a 9* the series as I stated earlier suffers often times from some really slow pacing...but if you can handle a whole whopping 74 eps *well technically 75 with the extra that is an recap * with some dragged out eps you’ll be fine and in for quite an treat Overall: 9/10 An highly reccomended watch for it's great characters, visuals and plotline which has ought to be “one” of the best in anime history (Anyone care to differ?) .....whats not to like? ^^ |
| I haven't seen the anime but I read the manga and it was AWESOME!!!! okay, I have a george orwellian fetish when it comes to plots sometimes.....but it really is a really good series to read, I dunno about the anime version tho. |
| avatar credit goes to Tifa@MAL ::tnx!:: |
| I would be surprised by the lack of members that have seen this series but it's to be expected for a series of this length. Everyone seems daunted to start watching a long series, just because it will take a while to finish but I think Monster is worth it. ^_^ |
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| I haven't written a review for a long time, so I'm a little rusty but here goes.. Animation - 8/10 It's not the typical anime style that you see in other series. I think that the animation and character designs, like the story, is meant for more mature audiences, because younger anime fans (regardless of gender) usually prefer the bishoujo style or the cutesy character designs that are common these days. The colors are a subdued, and are very pale, which I guess matches the feel of the story. Sound - 7/10 The OP was not bad, but I was never a fan of pure instumental music. The first ED was a bit haunting, especially the lyrics, but I think it didn't have enough structure to it, so I don't remember it too well and I'm sure it's the same for many others. I like the second ED much better, Make it home. As for the voice acting, I'm a huge fan of Noto Mamiko (Ana Liebert) and that alone is enough to make me happy. Characters - 9/10 I thought it was so amazing that there were so many characters, but they were all connected. Each character was memorable, and I really liked how each one of them reacted to their circumstances. To be honest, I was so irritated by Inspector Runge, but at the same time I was so fascinated by this thought process. He was wrong about Tenma (he was wrong but he was so confident about it), but somehow at the end he was able to figure it out. I also thought that Tenma was a really charismatic character. I really felt for him. And of course, Johann. I still think that he's a genius. His idea of a perfect suicide, although morally wrong, was something I could never come up with in years. Story - 9/10 The main thing I liked about the story was that it connected all the characters, and how the actions and decisions of one lead to the current situation of another. Like for example, because Tenma decided to save Johann instead of the mayor, his life took a turn for the worst and it greatly affected the lives and safety of many others. Enjoyment - 8/10 I thought it was an intelligent story that requires the audiences to think, unlike many other series that are popular these days, and it was also quite educational. I also thought it was exciting to watch at times (90% of the time watching it, I was also trying to solve the mystery behind Johann's motives XD), but 74 episodes is just too long for me. Overall - 8/10 |
| ^_^ |
Master_M2K said: I would be surprised by the lack of members that have seen this series but it's to be expected for a series of this length. Everyone seems daunted to start watching a long series, just because it will take a while to finish but I think Monster is worth it. ^_^ Agreed, some people can tough out Naruto (even the fillers) but are unwilling to enter into a great series like this. I mean, lets put the actual quality aside, why are so many people interested in Shounen (where stories never seem to end) but complain about the length of a series such as Monster, which has a concrete ending. Is "thinking" that detrimental to one's health? |
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| *shrug* Who knows what people are looking for when they decide what to watch next? Monster sat on my ptw list for a long time before I got around to watching it -- but it had more to do with my mood/interests/rl than anything else. The length of the series didn't delay my watching it as much as the synopsis did. And, imo, it is longer than it really needs to be. I don't mind long series when the circumstances call for it and quality can keep up with it... but if I had been watching Monster real time, I would have probably found it frustrating the same way I saw Lost for much of last season (for those of you who watch Lost). |
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| Animation - 9 This is one of the best looking LONG series I have ever watched and the animation quality was consistent. I can't remember any point at which I saw a dip in the overall quality or distorted character designs. Also, the character designs were extremely refreshing. All of the colors were natural, the facial features and bodies were all realistic, and Johan gives off this aura that you could only imagine coming from a candidate worthy of being the anti-christ. Sound - 8 There are only a few musical scores that I could immediately identify as belonging to Monster. However the OST, which i recently got my hands on, is still very enjoyable and appropriate for the series in both mood and setting. Characters - 10 All of the main characters in the series are exceptionally well developed and even the supporting cast receives a healthy dose of attention. I often found myself at the end of episodes saying "You go docta Tenma!" which is certainly strange, but it shows how excited about and attached I was to his character. Johan is one of the best antagonists in the history of anime. He is evil personified, but somehow he still is able to maintain a high level of ambiguity that never gives a clear reasoning behind his madness or if his actions are indeed the act of a madman. Story - 9 I could go on and on about the story, but I don't think there is any way I could ever really do it justice. It is simply something that every anime fan should EXPERIENCE. If you are a fan of the anime or manga version of Death Note, then watching Monster is an absolute MUST. All of the cleaver twists and turns that made you fall in love with Death Note will be put in their proper place after watching what Monster has to offer. I originally thought that Death Note was absolutely amazing, but after watching Monster I dropped it by 2 ranks because I had realized how inferior it really was to Monster's near perfection. Enjoyment - 9 The only gripe I have with the story and series as a whole is that it's pacing just feels a bit sluggish in spots. And while it's never boring, by the time you finish all 74 episodes you just feel really drained of all your energy. Perhaps Monster is the anime equivalent too a full course thanksgiving day meal, you feel so mentally full and your brain just needs some sleep to help you digest it all. Overall - 9 |
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