Monster

"Look at me! Look at me! The monster inside of me has grown this big!"

Is the righteous path always the right one? Can you regret doing the right thing and standing for justice? Is a morally correct choice with negative consequences still a good choice? How far should anyone go to fix something that wasn't wrong in the first place? These questions form the core premise of Monster.

Monster is an exceptional work. A thriller with a narrative so cohesive, steady, complex, and free of plot holes that it easily outshines 99% of other thrillers—whether they be books, movies, or TV shows. It's meticulously crafted by its creator and manages to hold your interest even during its most serene moments. I must admit, I haven't watched the anime, so I won't make any comparisons or suggest which version you should watch. I decided to review this manga after noticing it had few reviews, which surprised me given its high ranking of fourth place.

[Story] - 10 - In my opinion, this is the best aspect of the manga. Let's talk about Naoki Urasawa's unique storytelling style, which is nothing short of amazing. He unfolds the story at his own pace, gradually introducing more characters and plot points that answer some questions while raising new ones. His use of time manipulation through flashbacks and time leaps adds depth to the narrative. These flashbacks act like puzzle pieces that eventually form a larger picture, helping you understand certain situations and actions of the main antagonist. This author’s style reaches its peak in Monster. The flashbacks interlock beautifully, leaving no loose ends. Many complex stories falter when they introduce more mysteries than they can resolve, leading to unsatisfactory conclusions. But Monster avoids this pitfall. Even as the story grows in scope and complexity, everything ultimately makes sense. The perfect metaphor for Monster is a puzzle—a very intricate one with many pieces. At the start, you can barely see the outline, but as you piece it together, everything falls into place. There are no missing pieces, and in the end, you have a complete and coherent picture. However, there are a few extra pieces. Some arcs aren't crucial to the main storyline and serve mainly to develop characters and their experiences. This is both good and bad. It enriches the story but can slow down the overall pace.

[Art] - 8 - The artwork is good, though not outstanding. It effectively conveys the characters' emotions in a subtle yet clear manner. Additionally, the characters age and change over time, which is a nice touch.

[Characters] - 9 - The story isn't confined to Tenma's point of view; it also explores several other characters' perspectives. This significantly aids character development. Characters evolve throughout the story, and their goals and actions shift with new information. Johan, the main antagonist, is particularly interesting and intriguing. He defies villain stereotypes, creating a unique and expressive character. As we learn more about him, our perception of him changes subtly but becomes increasingly intriguing. By the end, five different people might give five different descriptions of him, highlighting his complexity and excellent development.

[Enjoyment] - 9 - Initially, I thought this would be a boring manga—one of those well-crafted but unengaging works. Thankfully, Monster proved me wrong. As mentioned in a previous review, it's a real page-turner. As the mysteries deepen and the plot expands, you get drawn into the story. You have to keep reading to understand what's happening, what led to the current situation, and what will happen next. While there are moments where the pace slows down, most of the manga is an exciting journey that will keep you hooked until the end.

[Overall] - 9 - Overall, it's a great read that I can confidently recommend to anyone. It's a bit long, but trust me, it's worth your time. After a few volumes, you'll stop worrying about its length and get fully immersed in the story.

Monster stands as the ultimate im14andthisisdeep manga. What begins as an intriguing and promising story evolves into a stylish yet hollow crime thriller. Don't get me wrong: Monster is quite well-executed. The plot unfolds gradually, with pieces falling into place like a beautifully constructed sequence of dominoes. However, much like the falling dominoes, each element doesn't add up to anything more than the aesthetic of their movement. The end result is a meaningless mess, devoid of any substance or sense of reality.

Please save yourself the trouble and watch a Hitchcock film; or one by Fincher, for that matter. It will be a better use of your time.

This was an incredible read. Although it wasn't extremely fast-paced, Urasawa's storytelling kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire manga. I appreciated how every character, no matter how minor they appeared, contributed to a masterful story in the end. The manga beautifully explores moral issues through the tale of Tenma and Johan. The character development for Eva was excellent, and I enjoyed witnessing her growth. Furthermore, Johan has become one of my favorite villains in manga history due to his complex nature. Initially, he seems like a straightforward villain, but as more is revealed about him, the lines between good and evil become blurred.

Monster has everything that appeals to me in a manga: a good story, character development, and reading fluency. All aspects of the plot are believable, thanks partly to the author's effort to provide a background for each character tied to the main plot. The emotional realism conveyed throughout the manga also helps; you understand and believe each character's emotions. In a plot as complex as Monster, this is very difficult.

The art is excellent and complements the plot well. The author truly knows how to develop character movements and reactions, from simple conversations to intense shootouts. The paneling is also outstanding and greatly enhances the suspense and mystery scenes.

Warning: Spoilers

Monster is arguably one of the best mystery/thriller manga ever created. Although it starts slowly, the payoff is well worth the wait. This is one reason why the manga can be better than the anime. The story follows Kenzo Tenma, the protagonist of Monster, a neurosurgeon. Tenma has two lives in his hands: a little boy shot in the head and some mayor. Naturally, they told him to save the little kid. Only later did he discover that this child grew up to become the handsome and terrifying mass murderer, Johan Liebert. Realizing this was his fault, Tenma must track down and kill Johan. This is where the story of Monster begins.

Why Johan Liebert Is the Best Antagonist

Most people agree with me on this, and I certainly do too. As the story progresses, we learn more about Johan and his personality, his motivations for killing, how he kills, and his past. Clues are given through the picture book "The Nameless Monster." Even the Nazis wanted him. One of his unique traits is his ability to make people commit suicide through psychological torture using only his words. He's a very well-written character, if I do say so myself. The story of Monster revolves more around Johan than Tenma. While Tenma was decent, Johan meticulously planned every murder and more. He’s truly a monster.

I forgot to mention his twin sister Anna, who plays a significant role in the story, especially regarding Johan's past and why he got shot in the head. There's also Roberto, who is an ass, and Lunge, whom I started to appreciate as I neared the end of Monster. Naoki Urasawa creates amazing villains like Johan or Friend from 20th Century Boys. One of my favorite quotes from Monster is, "The only thing all humans are equal in is death." Johan says this directly to Tenma's face in the final part of Monster. Tenma, being a neurosurgeon, values every life equally. The question arises whether the life he saved deserves to wreak havoc (Johan) or not.

"For you, all lives are created equal. That's why I came back to life. But you've finally come to realize it now, haven't you? Only one thing is equal for all, and that is death."

The Ending of Monster

To be honest, I thought the ending was rushed, so I watched analysis videos to understand how great the ending of Monster truly was. And yes, it was pretty incredible. Yes, the massacre at 511 Kinderheim. Johan planned everything, even his own death. He was playing the fate game mentioned earlier to see if he was truly chosen by fate. Grimmer died. Lunge died. Roberto died, and so on. He wanted to see if everything would go according to plan or if some miracle would keep him alive. Either way, it was a win for him since he wanted to commit suicide. He says the quote mentioned right when Tenma was about to kill him and does the forehead pointing gesture, which he only does when he’s sure he’s going to die. But then Nina comes out to stop Tenma from shooting, so he had to threaten to shoot the kid to ensure his death. The father of the kid pulled out his gun and shot the man. Did Johan die or didn’t he? Yes, Tenma saved him because he stuck with his belief that every life is equal.

There’s also a continuation in a light novel called Another Monster, which tells us he is living a peaceful life now, I think.

The philosophy of Monster and its exploration of life and death truly make it a masterpiece still read/watched by people today.

Story: 10/10
Art: 8/10
Suspense: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Enjoyment: 9/10 (because it's hard to understand at first and requires rereading)

I really wanted to enjoy this, no, I wanted to love it. I purchased the first volume and genuinely liked it; it felt like the promising start of an incredible manga, even though the artwork was somewhat plain. Before buying the rest, I decided to read the remaining chapters online, and boy, am I glad I did! By chapter forty, I couldn't take it anymore. I was confused about who was who because everyone looked the same! Characters kept piling up, and I found myself liking the side characters more than the main ones. The story didn't seem to build suspense but instead repeated the same things over and over. This person was created to kill that person, and that person was created to kill another. Who is behind it all? Dun dun dun, we already know the answer! The main character figures it out without making any real progress in catching him. I know I should keep reading and try to see it through, but I'd rather read something else. I truly enjoyed the first volume, but I'm so disappointed overall. I can't recommend it.

I arrived late to this classic. Often regarded as one of the greatest, 'Monster' tackles ambitious themes—an exploration of the nature of evil itself, set on an international stage, wrapped up in an epic conspiracy thriller—and it feels appropriately grand because of it. Johan Liebert is one of manga's most charismatic villains, and rightly so; his unique genius is understated and all the more terrifying for it. Though his motivations can sometimes feel directionless like the Joker’s nihilism, it seems unfair to criticize this manga's writing given the derivatives that followed. As I mentioned, I came late to it.

I was surprised by how plot-driven this work turned out to be. In 18 volumes, Urasawa manages to pack in a lot of mystery and characters. Despite the focus on the protagonist and antagonist, they appear surprisingly infrequently after the inciting incident. This truly is an ensemble piece, though some characters are more engaging than others: my personal favorites being Mr. Grimmer and the 17-year-old Vietnamese doctor whom Tenma meets in the second act.

Thematically, the manga is a meticulously crafted prism, refracting what I believe is its ultimate question—could a person exist who cannot be redeemed?—through its numerous subplots. Every character here has a detailed motive for their actions, often explained through flashbacks or lengthy speeches. This isn't necessarily a flaw, as the conventional storytelling style adds to its charm and keeps the pacing brisk. Personally, I found the deep dive into Czech political intrigue in Act 2 to be a bit of a slump, and would have preferred more time with characters like Eva, Roberto, and Dieter during that segment—but this is likely subjective.

The diversity in age, temperament, and motivation among the characters is aptly reflected in the artwork, which makes everyone distinctive and characterful. This is a highly critic-friendly work, as you might have gathered—it's worth giving a try for its sheer renown, and if you enjoy the thriller genre, you can't go wrong with it. A bleak but fast-paced and graceful noir about the scariest human being imaginable, 'Monster' hasn't lost much of its impact since its serialization began 25 years ago.

There are already countless reviews for this masterpiece, so I'll keep it brief.

I decided to wait before reviewing Monster because the story needs time to settle in. As someone who usually binges manga, I realized that reading it all at once doesn't do it justice.

Monster is peak fiction. The story, characters, and artwork come together perfectly, leaving a lasting impression. It's something I've thought about frequently and long to experience again.

I'm trying hard not to spoil anything, so I'll just give the basic premise: it's a redemption and revenge story, but that barely scratches the surface of its true depth. The branching storylines and twists—both predictable and unpredictable—are masterfully woven together in the final arc. Tenma is one of the most relatable characters I've encountered in literature.

(Minor spoiler ahead)

Johan and Roberto are some of the most captivating antagonists I've ever experienced. Johan is a character you hate to love, while Roberto is one you love to hate. But that's just scratching the surface of the incredible character design in Monster.

Every side character feels important to the overall story, none feeling out of place or serving only a basic purpose like comic relief or being a foil. I found myself easily attached to characters introduced well into the story, and their conclusions felt meaningful, drawing me further into the narrative.

The art isn't necessarily gorgeous and elegant, but it fits the story perfectly. Set in the '90s, everything feels era-appropriate, with memorable and realistic character designs. Where the art truly shines is in the paneling, angles, and choreography, which feel cinematic and capture the essence of the monster itself. No scene felt unrealistic or overdramatized; everything flowed beautifully.

One thing to note: there is a lot of text in Monster. I showed it to a friend, and he was initially put off by the amount of text in the speech bubbles, but it didn't bother me.

I wholeheartedly recommend Monster to everyone, regardless of whether they enjoy manga or comic books.

Here are my ratings:

Story: 10/10

Art: 10/10

Character: 10/10

Enjoyment: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

I believe that anyone who enjoys mystery manga should definitely read this one, as it marks a significant shift in the history of anime and manga. Nowadays, you can find references to it everywhere. The series excels at introducing new characters and developing them just enough to enhance the narrative without overextending their roles.

Anyone who reads it will likely remember the investigator and his unique mannerisms.

There is also an anime adaptation, which, from what I've seen, is excellent. However, I recommend reading the manga because it better captures the dark and unsettling atmosphere of the scenes.

The manga doesn't focus heavily on action sequences but compensates with rich dialogues and numerous plot twists.