#Note from the future: This is a really old review while I still like the series quite a bit this review sucks
Hello everyone! I'm back to review another Urasawa work. In my 20th Century Boys review, I predicted that Monster would surpass it for me, and, well, I was right. This review does not contain major spoilers.
#Story: 10/10
Monster is a crime/mystery/thriller by Naoki Urasawa, who has constantly produced masterpieces that I've reviewed before. It is dark and very heavy and touches on philosophical themes, including the dangers of revenge and the equality and meaning of human life.
The story is about Tenma, a brilliant neurosurgeon, who after choosing to save a young boy's life over the mayor's because he was admitted first, loses everything, including his job and fiancée. He later learns that the boy he saved, Johan, grew up to be a serial killer. The story follows Tenma's journey to try to stop the monster he brought back to life.
Although the pacing was at times slow, I never once felt bored and everything was relevant to the overarching story or the themes the story conveyed.
#Characters: 10/10
All of the characters are interesting, well-developed and memorable. For example, Johan's twin sister Anna, the BKA inspector Lunge and the freelance journalist Grimmer. Even side characters who only appear for a few episodes/chapters are extremely memorable and complex. The antagonist, Johan Liebert, is the best I've ever seen in anime or manga. His backstory is complex and his nihilistic worldview drives him to kill as he believes that life is meaningless. His actions challenges the the view of the protagonist, Kenzo Tenma, who believes that human life is worthwhile and precious. It also focuses on the trauma, memories and identities of characters and why Johan became what he is.
#Presentation: 9/10
The animation is fine for its time. It never detracts from the immersion and faithfully adapts Urasawa's art.
It is more artistic compared to the manga, with many scenes being more visually interesting and appealing in the anime.
All of the character designs are effective, memorable and easily distinguishable. However, the quality is dated and the only way to watch it currently is at the highest 720p. There is an unofficial upscaling project and the anime is rumored to be coming to Netflix, so hopefully soon there will be a way to watch a clearer version of the anime.#Audio: 9/10
I have heard both the English and the Japanese voices. Both are excellent, and the dub is hailed as one of the best of its time, however some voices perform better or are more fitting to the characters in each language. For example, I think that Eva's English voice is incredibly fitting. I couldn't find a comparison for Eva but here is one for Tenma. It doesn't have spoilers past Episode 4.
The sound effects always enhance the scene, as does the music... mostly. Sometimes the musical choice seems bizarre but it mostly elevates scenes. I even got goosebumps at one point when The Seeds of Time played.
#Anime vs Manga
Both the anime and the manga are equal as the anime is pretty much a frame-by-frame adaptation. The manga has better pacing but the anime has the bonus of colour, animation and audio. In the end, it boils down to which medium you prefer in general.
#Enjoyment: 10/10
In conclusion, Monster is an absolute masterpiece of a show. The twists, which happen fairly often, are immaculately crafted and help propel the mystery forward in an interesting and unique way. Somehow, the author managed to make a story with no plotholes. Every piece of information is relevant and ties into the plot, with even some returning side characters in later episodes. Everything about it, from beginning to end, is a perfect story. And yes, I liked the ending.
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