Review of Monster

Slow, slow, slow, BOOM, slow, slow. There can't be any other way to describe the overall feel of this anime. This anime is said by so many to be one of the greatest of all time, a must watch, a necessary part of any fan's journey in the anime world. I, however, have trouble understanding how anyone, after sitting through all 74 episodes could consider this such a masterpiece or at least as high of a rating everyone seems to give it. I enjoy the plot and it is a nice story overall. The realism is felt throughout and the true darkness of people is extremelycaptivating. The chase between Tenma and Johan, Tenma trying to clear his name, Nina's following closely behind both of them. It's layered, complex and full of twists and turns. I do feel that the story was rather dragged out far too long. At 74 episodes, the number of location changes, additional subplots that were added to the story, the side stories that were just thrown in to add fuel to the plot. It felt like so much more was trying to be drawn out that didn't need to be there. I can' t even begin to speak on how lackluster the ending turned out to be. With a story that seemed like it was heading to end with a climax, I was let down and given instead an allusion of how the anime began, with a few scenes that crept along and faded into the dark.

The characters have immense depth as well. What motivates them, their pasts that they hold on to as emotional and mental baggage. They play off of each other well and add to the story. One of my few gripes with the anime, however, is the sheer number of them and how often they appear and leave as the show progresses. At times, the number of different characters makes the story confusing and leaves you wondering if any of the parts are even necessary.

The anime started out strong and felt like it was reaching for something bigger than itself, but then it changed direction and turned in on itself to focus on themes of love, loss, identity, and lost childhoods. The human psyche was a great theme and yet it was sort of a cop-out in the end. It never really went all the way "THERE".

The music and art direction definitely added to the anime. It was one of the creepiest and spookiest without being about a supernatural entity or even remotely close to a horror anime. The environment and mood carried well and lasted throughout, one of the few redeeming qualities in the anime.

I don't think Monster was bad overall, I just think it went on a little too long. If this were cut down a bit, refined a little, ended with a true bang, have the protagonists and antagonists really pushed to the edge of their humanity, we might have something different.
I can see how and why so many enjoy the anime the way they do, but I feel it was almost a chore and so strenuous to make it through all 74 episodes.