Review of Monster

One of the only underrated anime on MAL. Monster is a faithful adaptation Urasawa's masterpiece. It is mature, thought-provoking, and intense as hell! Story: 10 Story is Monster's strongest component. Monster masterfully crafts an intriguing psychological murder mystery. The themes are not handled in a cliche manner and instead are presented in a raw and sometimes disturbing manner. There is no sugar-coating in this anime, which accurately presents humanity at its best and at its worst. The first few episodes are somewhat slow as they lay the groundwork for later events, but if you can sit those out you will rewarded with one of if not thebest written anime.

Art: 9
The art style is different from most other anime. Urasawa's characters look far more realistic, lacking large eyes and unnaturally skinny waists. This art style is perfect for "Monster" which excludes the supernatural in favor of a mundane yet mature and thought-provoking thriller. There are no epic fight scenes, but the animation is more than solid throughout the series.

Sound: 9
The sound serves to heighten the intensity of each episode, allowing "Monster" to constantly keep the viewer on the edge of his seat. The opening theme is neither catchy nor exciting, but its dark and mysterious tones fit perfectly with the mood of the anime.

Character: 10
Almost all characters are well fleshed out and complex. Even those that we hate (Eva) receive a proper and interesting character arc. Of course, Tenma and Johan are the two standouts. Although they are hardly together throughout the anime, their relationship is unlike anything those between most "heroes" and "villains." While Tenma's character is evident from the beginning, the viewer pieces together Johan gradually, making the villain all the more intriguing and appealing. Moreover, both Tenma and Johan have perfectly done character arcs that parellel eachother nicely. The standout supporting characters are Grimmer and Anna, both of whom receive depth and development worthy of main protagonists.

Enjoyment: 10
One of the best psychological thrillers I have seen!

Overall: 10