Starring 90s Trent Reznor
Monster started off as a
manga in the early 2000s and later turned into a series in 2004-2005. I
could type more logistical information, but what I found important is
that this is a type of anime called seinen, which literally translates
to "young man". I personally haven't heard of this title before; I only
know the basic anime labels that mean things are adult material.
However, seinen animes are aimed at young men/men who are grown up/ men
who like good anime. I say this because according to Wikipedia, other
seinen titles include: Hellsing, Berserk, Battle Royale, Ghost in the
Shell, and Elfen Lied. Because of these titles, I expected lots of
blood, gore, fan service, and everything that anime is stereotyped.
However...I was deceived. Instead of watching "Generic Guy Anime
Episode I: Boobs" I found an enticing, alluring thriller that kept me
hooked and wanting more. I wish people would just say that this show
just has a feel of its own and try not to put labels on it. There were
many things that make this series gripping for people that are looking
for serious anime. Maybe it was the female characters that you can
actually relate to and aren't as interesting as watching your
fingernails grow. Maybe it's the fact that you can see every one of
these things happen in real life. I feel that this series broke from the
"seinen" brand that people have put on it because although it is
entertainment, it is the kind of entertainment of watching multiple
perspectives on an issue and how natural and forced events can effect
the outcome rather than watching hulking male leads kill things because
your animation studio is great and your plot writers are a bunch of
canines who forgot how to dog.
for those who like pretty pictures and have no imagination.
The Plot
It starts off with Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a top of the line neurosurgeon in
Dusseldorf, Germany in the 80s. Dr. Tenma has a lot of things going for
him, but after a series of events in which his fiancee/daughter of the
chief of staff/bitch says that human lives aren't equal and his soon to
be father-in-law determines who Dr. Tenma works on, he realizes that he
needs to make his own decisions and operate on the next person coming
in: a little boy with a bullet wound in his head named Johan Liebert.
Tenma saves the boy, and not only is Tenma in hot water, but three other
doctors, one of them including the chief of staff, all wind up dead.
Fast-forward nine years, and Tenma is doing well at the hospital when
all of a sudden one of his patients start muddering about a monster who
is going to take over the city. When that patient escapes to a
construction site, Tenma chases the patient down and watches the patient
get killed by the "monster" he was talking about, which turns out to be
Johan Liebert, the boy he saved nine years prior. Because of Tenma
giving him life before, he now goes on a journey to stop Johan from
killing.
That being said, it has a relatively simple plot in the beginning: doctor saves kid, kid becomes serial killer. Over time, the plot becomes more developed and there are many events that contribute towards the development of the characters. Something else I really liked about this series is that there weren't plot twists in every episode, but rather a few large twists that change the focus entirely. Every episode adds little pieces to the overall atmosphere and come into play at a later point in time. However, I will say that there are a lot of little pieces: 74 to be exact. This is a lengthy anime, but they covered every single one of their points and left no stone unturned. Honestly, I've watched anime twice as long as this and walked away from them feeling unfulfilled *coughdragonballeverythingcough*
oh! is this the episode where Trunks is a little bitch?! I've seen this one!
The Characters
Oh my gosh, I can't rant about these characters enough. Every single
character is fleshed out, realistic, and dynamic to the point that you
can relate to them and know people that are like them. What I liked is
that every character is justified for their actions. There is no," I did
this because... reasons". Not only is there justification, but there is
build up in episodes prior to those actions happening. I feel that that
is something anime commonly misses; the idea of letting an idea fester
for a few episodes rather than just trying to find quick execution.
Something else that is here that isn't in a lot of anime? good female
characters. Although there is only one female character that is fairly
present (and really only one other one that pops in every now and
again), the other female characters are well developed (MENTALLY) and
honestly show more growth than the male characters. That is big to say,
especially what happens through the series. I'll put the characters to
you like this: in the end of the series, I liked every single character.
With that being said, there are a lot of characters. I mean a lot.
Although each character is weaved in and out of the story seamlessly,
there are many occurrences in which I said," hey it's that one guy from
that one episode!" Thankfully, each character creates enough of an
impact that he/she is hard to forget
The Presentation
At first, I thought there wasn't much to say about this aspect. However,
as I think about it more I realize that Monster has an amazing
presentation of realism and atmosphere. From an animation aspect, it
does really well in fulfilling the motions set out by the characters and
FINALLY attach realistic facial expressions and not the typical anime
faces. What impressed me was the atmosphere the Madhouse animation
studio was able to build. there is an ample amount of shading and
texture on the environment that everything looks sleek. The music tends
to be a little repetitive, but it is used effectively to supplement the
environment. The show's music is good... with the exception of the
ending themes.
For the first time, I think I heard music as aawkward as the composer looks...
The messages behind it all
Throughout the series, you see characters build friendships, become
bitter enemies, and grow through the choices they have made. The two
main messages behind it all (as it should be) is Tenma's downward
spiral/obsession to stop Johan, and Johan's reasoning and background for
the choices he made. There is a common theme of "What is a Monster?"
throughout the entire series and it begs questions all the way until the
very last scene. I wish I could rant about the messages more but I can
tell you... they embrace a lot of things. From race, upbringing, nature
vs. nuture, choices, frickin... everything. Hell, I was reflective when I
watched the series, which is hard to do in a media where they try too
hard to be philosophical.
Conclusion
This show is amazing. You should really invest the time to watch it, and
get your friends to watch it so you all become better people. However...
I think they should make a prequel to Monster. A show where Kenzo Tenma
is struggling through relationships with girls and his parents and have
some bubbly characters. and I think it should be called...
...
...
...
...
Monster High.
Thanks for reading!
Joey
Joey
P.S. Please subscribe, check out other stuff, and check out my friends stuff on geeksotroundtable.blogspot.com !
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