Review of Monster

The first half of Monster was awesome: a riveting detective story involving framed murders and shadowy factions, coupled with an interesting setting not often featured in Anime - Post-WWII Germany & Czechoslovakia. This stellar first half will have you at the edge of your seat yearning for more, only for that feeling to persist after the ending, which does nothing to tie up the numerous loose ends. Instead of gradually clarifying these unknowns, the second half of Monster continues in the tradition of the first by employing pseudo-philosophical posturing and vague allusions, to mask the lack of substance. These techniques are appropriate for the firsthalf alone, as they generate substance via a sense of mystery, the resolution of which one can look forward to. As you slog through the second half, you'll continue to be left in the dust, and come to realize that there is no resolution to look forward to. Once you finally reach the ending, you'll be met with the lamest ending ever conceived across any form of media, ever. You'll be left disappointed, writing a poor review on MAL, like I am right now.