Review of Monster

Story: 8 Although Monster is primarily a character focused piece, its story is still very good. The plot is original, often unpredictable, and has many twists and turns. Even though the story can be somewhat distracted at times and confusing to put events chronologically, I would say that the plot feels fresh. Art: 10 Madhouse, the animation studios responsible for Monster, are great at animation. Monster has great animation and visually detailed characters. Sound: 10 Although I prefer the voice acting in the dub version, the sub version is also great as well. Furthermore, I really loved the music themes. In particular, I love the opening theme of Monsteras its opening theme differentiates from other animes which typically have Japanese lyrics. Monster's opening however has the sounds of a chorus and it really details the mood of the anime.

Character: 10
In essence, Monster is an anime that deals with human nature and psychology. It questions whether human nature is inherently good or evil and whether good and evil traits are learned or natural. Although many criticize the story of Monster to be a standard good vs. evil with Tenma being a moral paragon and Johan being true evil, it is still original and fresh in terms of characters. Furthermore, this anime also has great focus on its side characters instead of just the protagonist and the antagonist. The anime portrays characters that act realistically unlike other animes where characters act unconventionally cheesy.

Enjoyment: 8
Monster is high brow entertainment. I would say that its good to watch if you want to feel emotions and appreciate the characters, but it is definitely not a "theme park" to watch. There are a few elements in the plot where the story is slow paced and sometimes even boring. Although the action sequences are outstanding, the anime is not filled to the brim with it.

Overall: 10
Monster is a 10/10 anime for me. I love crime thriller animes that delve deep into the human condition. Not only is the writing great, but the art and sound come together to make a quality anime.