Review of Monster

Monster is essentially a multi-layered anime that thrives on its nuanced characters and intricate plot-line. It has a diverse cast linked through one of the greatest psychological stories told to date. Combine this with a masterful handling of themes like the nature of identity, the pervasiveness of evil and human nature, and you get a masterpiece in every sense of the word. Disclaimer: Monster is a slow burn of a show. 74 episodes is pretty long already, and for the most part the show paces itself rather slow with small bouts of intensity sporadically appearing. To go into more detail, implicit tensions are established throughout agood chunk of episodes, and you can slowly but surely feel the pressure rising through character interactions and the overall development of the narrative. Then, in one fell swoop, a climax hits, only for things to settle back to normal and the process to repeat again later.

This pacing might turn you off if you like faster shows that get to the point quickly and maintain a high level of intensity throughout. I won't deny these shows have their merit, Psycho-Pass Season 1 being the prime example of a similar show that handles it quite well. But what you do get with a longer, slower-paced show is a chance to explore the characters in incredible depth, which is what Monster does fantastically. And the characters in Monster are indeed interesting in their own ways.

There are obviously characters like Johan who just blow everyone else out of the water in terms of intrigue and characterization, but that's not to say the rest of the cast is compelling in their own way. What's more, the show does well to have the characters function as individuals with their own goals as well as pieces in a broader thematic perspective. As an example, Johan and Tenma are each individuals with tangible goals that they pursue throughout the story, but upon deeper introspection you can see how they complement each other as embodiments of 'justice' vs 'chaos, 'good' vs 'evil, etc. Really masterful writing in this regard, and something that can give the show incredible rewatch value as you pick up on things you might have missed at first glance.

As for other stuff, the art has a sense of realism to it that works very well, especially considering how old this show is. The soundtrack is good too, but nothing really stood out for me. Also I might be in the minority but the ending songs were really bad, I skipped them every time. Not that it matters that much in the long run.

Safe to say, Monster is something I won't be forgetting in a long time and will be something I will probably rewatch several times. Definitely should be something you watch if you're into mysteries, serial killers, themes like good vs evil or the nature of justice, or are just looking for a good watch with a strong story and interesting cast.