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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
Monster is, hands-down, my favorite manga series. I simply cannot put into words how utterly fantastic it is.
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm not going to individually add/review all 18 volumes of this manga. However, I will say that this is one of the most intense and gripping political/psychological thrillers I've ever read. Plot twists that never seem contrived, characters that come to life... a work of art. I highly recommend it in any way you can get it, and if that means getting me to send you the entire series electronically, I'd be more than happy to.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
AWESOME.
La narración está tan buena, no pude dejarlo hasta que lo leí por completo :|. También los dibujos, tan asdf perfectos, muero por dibujar así. Usualmente no me gustan mucho los animes de suspenso o terror, pero Monster me atrapó por completo.
Lo amé. Lástima el precio coff.
La narración está tan buena, no pude dejarlo hasta que lo leí por completo :|. También los dibujos, tan asdf perfectos, muero por dibujar así. Usualmente no me gustan mucho los animes de suspenso o terror, pero Monster me atrapó por completo.
Lo amé. Lástima el precio coff.
It's just the first volume and there's already so much political intrigue which serves as a page turner. A promising start to a fast-paced and fantastic series.
*Update after having completed the series*
The premise in a sentence:
Demons are not always scary; sometimes, humans are scarier.
This is the kind of manga that you'll either love dearly or simply hate. I, fortunately fall in the former category. Frankly, if you're looking for the likes of Naruto or Bleach, you're in for a disappointment. This is no hero-saves-the-day. This is a slow-paced, intense, dark intellectual drama with complex plotlines, layered characters and true-to-life action, which messes with your mind.
It has a large cast of characters. But none of them is unimportant. Everyone has their own story, their own background which somehow relates to the main plot. Every detail is sewn together eventually. What's special about this book is that the mysteries are revealed in such a way that they fit in together as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle in which you can never know the picture until it's complete. All the revelations add to the tension and anxiety, the result of which is an overly addicting series right from volume 1.
On this 18 volume journey, the reader crosses paths with various kinds of monsters. The character attachment is almost immediate, which, along with the intensity of the story, make for some good tear-jerkers.
Overall, I'M TOTALLY NUTS FOR THIS SERIES. This manga deserves the spot it has among the top psychological thriller mangas.
*Update after having completed the series*
The premise in a sentence:
Demons are not always scary; sometimes, humans are scarier.
This is the kind of manga that you'll either love dearly or simply hate. I, fortunately fall in the former category. Frankly, if you're looking for the likes of Naruto or Bleach, you're in for a disappointment. This is no hero-saves-the-day. This is a slow-paced, intense, dark intellectual drama with complex plotlines, layered characters and true-to-life action, which messes with your mind.
It has a large cast of characters. But none of them is unimportant. Everyone has their own story, their own background which somehow relates to the main plot. Every detail is sewn together eventually. What's special about this book is that the mysteries are revealed in such a way that they fit in together as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle in which you can never know the picture until it's complete. All the revelations add to the tension and anxiety, the result of which is an overly addicting series right from volume 1.
On this 18 volume journey, the reader crosses paths with various kinds of monsters. The character attachment is almost immediate, which, along with the intensity of the story, make for some good tear-jerkers.
Overall, I'M TOTALLY NUTS FOR THIS SERIES. This manga deserves the spot it has among the top psychological thriller mangas.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is more of a review of the entire series rather than just for the first volume.
Naoki Urasawa is a genius, and the series Monster will cement his place as one of the most influential Mangakas and one of the most iconic manga series ever. This, along with his other masterpiece 20th Century Boys, are cornerstones of manga as a medium and it's versatility in telling stories outside of the classical shonen styles we all know.
Monster is one of the best mystery thrillers ever, with a cast of iconic characters that are both complex and easy to recognise. Pacing, especially for manga, is oftentimes an issue for writers, but not once in the entire series do you see it with Monster. Urasawa could definitely teach a thing or two to many current mangakas.
The suspense of Monster is done phenomenally, the relationships between Johan and the rest of the world, especially Anna and Kenzo is both fascinating and extremely unnerving at times. As the series progresses, we get a better look into what events can create a person like Johan, and how the audience can get a better understanding of who he is. Revealing more and more about Johan's childhood, we get a better look at the complexities of all of the characters involved.
The manga comes to a very satisfying conclusion, giving a good balance of addressing certain topics along with giving room for audience speculation.
All in all, Monster is a shining example of the power of manga as a medium, and is a must read series in the grand scope of manga as a medium. What is more ridiculous is that towards of the end of this series, Urasawa starts his next major project, 20th Century Boys,while balancing the tight web of story lines to drawn Monster to a close.
Naoki Urasawa is a genius, and the series Monster will cement his place as one of the most influential Mangakas and one of the most iconic manga series ever. This, along with his other masterpiece 20th Century Boys, are cornerstones of manga as a medium and it's versatility in telling stories outside of the classical shonen styles we all know.
Monster is one of the best mystery thrillers ever, with a cast of iconic characters that are both complex and easy to recognise. Pacing, especially for manga, is oftentimes an issue for writers, but not once in the entire series do you see it with Monster. Urasawa could definitely teach a thing or two to many current mangakas.
The suspense of Monster is done phenomenally, the relationships between Johan and the rest of the world, especially Anna and Kenzo is both fascinating and extremely unnerving at times. As the series progresses, we get a better look into what events can create a person like Johan, and how the audience can get a better understanding of who he is. Revealing more and more about Johan's childhood, we get a better look at the complexities of all of the characters involved.
The manga comes to a very satisfying conclusion, giving a good balance of addressing certain topics along with giving room for audience speculation.
All in all, Monster is a shining example of the power of manga as a medium, and is a must read series in the grand scope of manga as a medium. What is more ridiculous is that towards of the end of this series, Urasawa starts his next major project, 20th Century Boys,while balancing the tight web of story lines to drawn Monster to a close.