Review of Monster

"I was born in a town that was straight out of a fairytale. Many people died there. And when I walked away, I held hands with my other self. To me, it seemed like we were the only two people in the whole world. Neither one of us possessed a real name." -Johan Liebert Okay, so here we go. This is my favorite anime, for so many reasons. This anime is infamous for its villain, who is considered to be the greatest villain in any anime. But it isn't just Johan Liebert who is a great villain, but this anime is riddled with monsters. Some ofwhich will deeply unnerve you. But nothing compared to Johan. Johan will make your skin crawl with fear.

Story: 10

If I were to describe Monster, I would say that it is deeper and more psychological than Death Note, has an element that reminds me of The Babadook (a horror film), but doesn't have any supernatural elements in it whatsoever. And it only has one small example of science fiction. But the show follows the pursuits of Dr. Kenzo Tenma, and his struggle to do what he believes is right. "How can the right thing be so wrong?"

The main criticism of the show is its pacing, which I really enjoy. Some think that it's slow, but I feel like that's the whole point. And even in the slow points of the show, it's NEVER boring because of how interesting and intricate everything is. The villain doesn't reveal himself for a long time, so expect a bunch of character development for Tenma without seeing Johan for a while.

The setting of the show takes place in Germany around 1989, so that is also very unique. It really just goes to show how far Naoki Urasawa was willing to go with his extensive research in both medicine and history. I can't even imagine how long this took him. Also, there aren't any plot-holes, continuity errors, and it shies away from any and all clichés that one might expect.

Art: 8

The art has a very serious and melancholy feel, which is perfect for this anime. The anime is also really old, so the animation style is pretty simplistic. It's surely not the BEST or PRETTIEST to look at, but it's perfect for the show, and it's nice to look at. Also, it has a 4:3 aspect ratio, but that personally doesn't really bother me.

Sound: 10

Dub: I personally prefer dubs, and this has such an incredible dub. All the characters sound great; even the minor ones. In addition, there is an awesome echo effect in a very important moment that is left out in the sub. Even if you don't like dubs, I'd give it a shot. Worst case scenario, you can always switch over and watch the sub.

Sub: I have seen people react to Monster subbed on YouTube, and the sub sounds nice. There is only one moment that I prefer in the sub than in the dub, and it's when one of the main characters is panicking (and the noises that they make sounds awesome and filled with emotion).

Intro and Outros: Let's first talk about the intro. It's one of my favorite anime intros. I get chills every time the Monster logo pops up, and I love how the intro has a lot of syncopated rhythms. The intro is called Grain, and that's the perfect title for it. The first outro is called "For the Love of Life," and it is instrumental in the dub, and plays on every single episode. In addition, the instrumental version has an added haunting sound in it that makes me prefer it more. The full version of the song is on YouTube, and it is beautiful, and it easily makes my favorite outro in anime, especially since the scenes in the outro are from "The Nameless Monster." It gives me chills. The other outro in the sub plays during episode 33 and is called "Make It Home." It is also very pretty, but doesn't have the same effect as the other one in my opinion.

OST: The rest of the music in the anime is also gorgeous. The music that plays during scenes with Johan are horrifying. There is one in particular, however, called "Angel Hand" that is graceful, and not scary. It fits Johan so perfectly. It has the same melody as "For the Love of Life." Everything about the soundtrack is great.

Character: 10

For spoiler sake, I'm not going to discuss the characters that much. Just know that they are absolutely realistic. That's part of what makes the villain so terrifying. There are actually people like that out there! And Johan's story in general is just... Sad. I actually feel bad for one of the most evil characters in anime. He's my favorite anime character, too. And all the other characters, including minor ones, are EXTREMELY deep. Expect lots of beautiful and sad backstories that may even drive you to tears. This is possibly the strongest part in the show. It is how lovable and amazing the characters are.

Enjoyment: 10

I've only said good things about this anime in this review, so no surprises here. Every twist, turn, and emotion that this show throws at you will make you FEEL something. It's bizarre for me to think about how a fictional story can be so moving, and actually affect REAL people who view it! That's just the kind of show that this is. Very thought-provoking, especially since there is a moral gray for our main character throughout the show. Because although Tenma is a hero, there are events that make him question what really IS the right thing to do.

Overall: 10

An absolute masterpiece. Watch it. It's worth spending time to watch 74 episodes. It really doesn't feel that long, considering how amazing it is. I actually didn't even want it to end. But the ending is just as beautiful and perfect as everything else in this show. This anime is so strange, because it feels so real. It's like I'm actually living through what Tenma is going through. Also, the more and more I think about this anime, the more and more I like it. This anime truly never gets old. The witches in the outro of the show remind me a LOT of Halloween, which is my favorite holiday, and also, it reminds me of Scooby Doo, which is something else I love. This anime really is timeless. I highly doubt I will ever encounter an anime that I like more than Monster. Which is sad in a way, but also relieving. Thanks to everybody for praising this anime as it deserves to be, or else I would have never known about it...

Conclusion: Humans can become whatever they want to be.