Monster

Dr. Kenzou Tenma, an elite neurosurgeon recently engaged to his hospital director's daughter, is well on his way to ascending the hospital hierarchy. That is until one night, a seemingly small event changes Dr. Tenma's life forever. While preparing to perform surgery on someone, he gets a call from the hospital director telling him to switch patients and instead perform life-saving brain surgery on a famous performer. His fellow doctors, fiancée, and the hospital director applaud his accomplishment; but because of the switch, a poor immigrant worker is dead, causing Dr. Tenma to have a crisis of conscience.

So when a similar situation arises, Dr. Tenma stands his ground and chooses to perform surgery on the young boy Johan Liebert instead of the town's mayor. Unfortunately, this choice leads to serious ramifications for Dr. Tenma—losing his social standing being one of them. However, with the mysterious death of the director and two other doctors, Dr. Tenma's position is restored. With no evidence to convict him, he is released and goes on to attain the position of hospital director.

Nine years later when Dr. Tenma saves the life of a criminal, his past comes back to haunt him—once again, he comes face to face with the monster he operated on. He must now embark on a quest of pursuit to make amends for the havoc spread by the one he saved.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Liebert, Johan Main

Sasaki, Nozomu Japanese

Tenma, Kenzou Main

Kiuchi, Hidenobu Japanese

Liebert, Anna Main

Noto, Mamiko Japanese

Grimmer, Wolfgang Supporting

Tanaka, Hideyuki Japanese

Lunge, Heinrich Supporting

Isobe, Tsutomu Japanese

Heinemann, Eva Supporting

Koyama, Mami Japanese

Dieter Supporting

Takeuchi, Junko Japanese

Reest, Martin Supporting

Ikeda, Shuuichi Japanese

Reichwein, Julius Supporting

Nagai, Ichiro Japanese

Roberto Supporting

Katsube, Nobuyuki Japanese

Maruyama, Masao Producer

Tamura, Manabu Producer

Nakamoto, Kenji Producer

Kobayashi, Mikiko Assistant Producer

Reviews

Oct 16, 2024

clarkr

Recommended

You forget Monster was set in the 90s. Like Johan could've been bumping Radiohead for all we know.

If you're watching a show and it doesn't make you go back and re-read Nietzche, is it even worth watching? The main characters' (and even side characters') struggles with their own morality are brilliantly set up, tested, and manipulated until it all comes crashing down in the climax. Johan is one of the most menacingly and complexly written antagonists in fiction and makes a great contrast to Doctor Tenma. The plot is also insanely well put together, and every new piece of information revealed about the past, or ... even the present, completely changes your understanding of what's going on. Some characters appear in an episode or two and are never relevant again, but for the most part, no character is left behind. Every single one is essential to the plot in one way or another. Beautifully put together. It's a shame that the Guillermo Del Toro live-action adaptation never got anywhere. If done right, an American production of Monster could have the potential to be the next Breaking Bad or The Sopranos.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Oct 6, 2024

kn_nao

Mixed Feelings

Monster is something that will either be loved or hated.


PLOT- 8.8/10
It is something that isn't normally seen or read by people through anime/manga. It is dark and it leaves a thrill after each episodes. There are still episodes or scenes that might make someone laugh or smile. The characters introduced are written well with their respective roles in the story's progression. The ending was kinda lacking for me but I think it is better that way

PACING- 7/10
The pacing for me was kinda slow. There are parts that I felt the urge to skip forward. It felt the slowest ... during episodes 40-ish to 50-ish.

CHARACTER & CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT- 8/10
Overall speaking, I love how Tenma helped with others' development. Though not all changed, I just really loved how the ending went for the other characters.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Apr 11, 2024

JUBBB

Not Recommended

Funny

Never seen a show so highly regarded and begin with a solid premise only to waste at least 80% of its runtime on episodic BS, splitting up the characters for no reason, pointless external conflicts, red herrings and distractions that endlessly delay the actual plot. You had 74 episodes to weave a meaningful murder thriller story, and very few of these episodes are actually interested in anything of the sort.

If the plot isn't moving forward, are we developing the characters? No, like I said, arbitrary external conflicts or the characters just up and leaving instead of having conversations always leads the characters to being pawns ... of the plot. They never have clear motivations or goals in terms of how the story treats them--they just do things and react to Johan, Tenma's actions and movements. Emotions and feelings are never expressed that show deep character movement or progression. They just look sad, forlorn about 'oh no I have to kill Johan', humanity is bad, murder make me sadge, cri cri. The rest of the time is just filled with recap of prior events (that are also not meaningful).

Is it realistic? In some ways, yes, in many ways no--it has plenty of contrivances, conveniences or deus ex machinas that any story often has. It's realistic sometimes but actively obstructs its plot and mutes its character motivations when the writer hasn't decided what to do yet.

Mid at best, often worse than mediocre, waste of time.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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