Conor recounts his time alone in prison as being both lonely and frightening, writing that he plans to use this experience as the basis of a movie with the title being the name the prosecutor called him: Monster.
Between 1994 and 2001, Big Comic Original serialized this manga, which appeared as 18 tankobon volumes published by Shogakukan; Viz Media licensed it for North American distribution.
Characters
Kenzo Tenma (Tma Kenzo) is a surgeon living in Dusseldorf who must come face-to-face with the dark side of himself when one of his patients, Johan Liebert, turns out to be a psychopath and serial killer. Tenma becomes obsessed with understanding this monster by writing as much as he can in his prison journal about what led up to their meeting and their subsequent arrest.
Monster was published initially by Shogakukan’s Big Comic Original from December 1994 to December 2001 and collected in 18 tankobon volumes. While publishing Monster, Urasawa began 20th Century Boys, which would eventually take over publishing once Monster ended.
Johan Liebert (Yohan Riberuto) is a main character in this tale and is often described as an outcast, being called monstrous by those around him or even labeled by them as the next Adolf Hitler himself, or even worse yet, the devil himself. Through journal entries and conversations with those close to him, he serves as the narrator.
Mask is an elite hunter known for protecting humanity against monsters for years before being accused by the government of abusing his power. Reborn as an invisible monster who silently protects society with all his strength, Mask has since set off on an extraordinary path of transformation and become one.
Heckel is an important supporting character. Tenma first meets him while breaking into a murder victim’s home when Heckel encounters Tenma as they attempt to make quick cash by breaking in and breaking out. Though initially interested in making fast money rather than solving mysteries, eventually, they must depend on each other for survival – with Dieter becoming his ally when Johan goes into prison and Heckel becoming Tenma’s guardian when Johan goes behind bars.
Dr. Julius Reichwein (Yuriusu Raihiwain) is a psychologist in the story who works with several primary characters. He helps Tenma cope with trauma while simultaneously developing into an improved surgeon, later becoming guardian to Dieter while offering psychological care to Eva and Nina.
Plot
Though he may be a serial killer, Johan Liebert remains a highly caring individual with solid emotions for those closest to him. Highly intelligent and accomplished martial artist alike, he employs brute force and psychological manipulation to pursue his goals, seeking trust from victims before using brute force or psychological manipulation against them to reach them; he is also adept at using media manipulation for his advantage.
Dieter Heckel and Otto Heckel, his two henchmen, serve as accomplices. Dieter does not seem concerned with solving the mystery surrounding the monster; instead, he prefers making quick cash by stealing expensive cars from victims to sell for profit. When pursued by police officers and eventually captured, Milch helps him escape by providing services as an accomplice criminal.
Werner Weber (Veruna Weba) is a freelance journalist interviewing various individuals involved in this case. He discovers that East Germany attempted to create perfect soldiers through psychological reprogramming; Weber discusses Johan’s father being involved with eugenics experiments while Franz Bonaparte brainwashed their mother.
Through the course of the series, Johan is subjected to manipulation by various people and continues his killing spree. While he may kill many others, he is unable to kill himself due to being trapped within delusional beliefs that prevent him from realizing his actions are evil.
Fans often compare Monster to Death Note, yet it is essential to keep both series distinct. Monster has a darker plot with an intricate villain. Furthermore, its character development is much stronger as each of its main characters have unique personalities and backstories, making this anime more emotionally connected than Death Note and thus considered more enjoyable to watch than its rival.
Artwork
This manga’s artwork is truly incredible. The characters are detailed and expressive, with exciting fight scenes being an absolute treat to read about. Furthermore, its protagonist, Xiao Qiu, makes for an endearing hero, even though he can sometimes transform into a monster and sometimes be quite brutal.
Naoki Urasawa’s celebrated manga has been translated into multiple languages, including English. It has received international acclaim, and its anime adaptation was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2005. Viz Media licensed it in North America; there are now 18 volumes. Additionally, Urasawa wrote his novel Another Monster as part of this series, and Madhouse adapted it for television broadcast.
Dederer’s manga is an engaging read that explores the struggle of artists. Her characters face tricky questions, such as whether or not to sacrifice their lives for art, as she investigates artisthood as an existential question – “Are all artists just a little bit monstrous?” At its heart, she aims to inspire people to embrace their inner monsters and produce beautiful and dangerous art. MANHWATOP is a premium manga and manhua website offering high-quality translations and an impressive library of titles for fans to enjoy. MANHWATOP provides an expansive selection of manga genres and styles for everyone to enjoy, plus features to make reading manga as pleasurable as possible, including creating favorite lists and tracking current chapters.
Reviews
From its very first page, this story instantly grabs readers. Fun and imaginative, it opens the door for kids’ creativity. A monster story, romance story, and mystery all in one; plus, it introduces young readers to mythological creatures!
Joan is an engaging character who’s easy to identify with and root for. A history geek with a kind heart, Joan has yet to uncover her hidden powers until one suddenly appears, forcing her into hiding from a hunter determined to kill her. Joined by Aaron Oliver of another monster family opposed by Joan, they must all work together if Joan wants to save herself and those closest to her.
Len does an outstanding job of weaving the plot threads together without collapsing or becoming superfluous. While it would have been easy for this story to turn into an incoherent mess, it flows effortlessly while its characters develop naturally – adding depth to this exciting adventure filled with heists, tragedies, unique magic spells, and underworld adventure!
This book is an absolute must-read for fans of adventure fantasies, captivating both adults and children. Perfect as an interactive read-aloud experience or for young readers transitioning into chapter book reading independently.
This story will make you feel something, from sadness to happiness and excitement, as you read it. Its beautiful artwork makes this book worth looking at as each page turns.
Classic literature that will always be remembered. It is a must-read for all, especially young adults and libraries. Should be required reading in schools; should be included on every bookshelf of children (great way to keep them entertained for hours!; well-written storyline with relatable characters.).