Monster

Paas]-[aas · Post by **Paas]-[aas** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 4:13 am

So does anyone like monster?

Absolutely nobody Ive met has gotten hooked on this? They watch a couple of eps... tell me they like it... then deletes/forgets/ignores it.

In short the series is about a japanese docter on the run in Europe(germany) and experiments done to children conserning personality programming.
(Extremely summarized description)

What do you think about Monster?

One of the main aspects I enjoy about monster is the cast...
They are ADULTS!!! OMW a anime with a all adult cast! No school going idiots or annoying chibi characters. Except for "dieter" the youngest main character in the series is in University and Dr. Tenma is in his 30s.
And the theres a rather large amount of side characters Tenma meets while he on the run in Europe... and I loved most of them.

It also seems like allot of research has been done into the cars, places, culture etc. It adds nice detail and makes the show feel more authentic.

Ive seen upto episode 62 ( total of +- 75 ) and there has been 1 Extra episode dedicated to flashbacks. The series animation is damn good for such a long series and it seems to be getting better ( they even reanimate *some* of the few flashback scenes )
The series is also dead normal. No sc-fi/powers/ninjas etc.

So what do you think?

[paizuri: Moved from General Anime.

Past threads include:
http://www.animemusicvideos.org/phpBB/v ... hp?t=37326 ]

DeinReich · Post by **DeinReich** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 7:18 am

I watched through about 30 of the episodes so far, and it's nice to see such a deep and serious anime. I think that the show is pure genius so far, and I am supprised that it doesn't get that much attention.

Coffee 54 · Post by **Coffee 54** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:14 pm

I've been a huge Monster fan ever since Otohiko's constant pimpage of the show got me to check it out earlier this year. I really enjoyed it when I first picked it up and could watch one or two new episodes a day. Now I've gotta wait a couple weeks between new episodes, and I am sad.

However, I also notice ep. 67 has now been subbed, so I am happy again.

At least until I watch through it and have to start waiting all over again.

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 2:34 pm

What do I think?

(checks favorite anime list)

Yea, it's my favorite series alright

I think Monster is a huge breath of fresh air for when it comes to mature, story-driven anime.

As far as explaining its relative obscurity - it's actually pretty easy. Just consider the demographic here, or among the lot of the anime fans.

Monster is, in the best sense, a mature series. It needs a certain amount of life experience, knowledge, patience and sympathy to really enjoy. And you're right to make the observation about the characters - because it's obvious to me that Urasawa was writing the manga very deliberately to show mature, serious, troubled characters whose issues are well past the basic teen angst and self-acceptance that most anime aimed at teens focus on.

There's no instant gratification in Monster. The issues that are dealt with are often very real and very European social issues. And, really, Monster is different from pretty well any anime - because besides its country of origin and production crew, and the main character, there's really nothing culturally Japanese about it.

I love Monster to death. It's fairly subtle for the most part; but the intensity of the irresolvable moral dilemmas at its root, and the power of the social commentary, is just overwhelming sometimes. The athmosphere, art, and characters only help this.

My favorite character in the series would be Grimmer. Followed closely by Lunge. Followed closely by Anna/Nina.
Although I must say, the whole cast is great.

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 2:49 pm

Oh, and to note, the series is 74 episodes, and has ended in Japan two months ago. Understandably, I'm a little irked by the fansubbers taking so long

By the way, I seriously hope the anime has been a success in Japan. I suspect it was.
The manga was a best-seller; I believe over 20,000,000 books were sold before the last volume of it was even released.

And so, now that Monster is over, I hope and pray that Urasawa's next series, 20th Century Boys, gets animated next. It's quite possibly the only thing that could exceed Monster in terms of plot. It's also the only Manga that I stopped reading (temporarily, I think) because it disturbed me on the kind of psychological-horror level that Urasawa is notorious for

Vancore · Post by **Vancore** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 3:59 pm

I like Monster as well. As great and deep a series it is its pretty understandable that a lot of people that you've talked to about it. It isn't like a normal anime, doesn't instantly gratify, the story is a bit slow at times when it branches off to tell a bunch of smaller stories about everyday people, and has a lot to do with reading a good mystery/suspense novel. Many people I know don't have the patience for stuff like that as well.. or even if they do they really don't keep up with it (try getting them to watch it when its completed)

The series is almost so un-anime like that I've heard from various people that it could just be played out by real actors as a TV show instead of an anime. Although I'm glad its not that way, this is a good use of anime in a different form.. although when the dub finally does hit I hope they can get some of the good actors to voice the characters.

There might be a good chance of that happening since I heard they might make it into a live-action movie (Can't remember what studio).

Anyway, I'm enjoying the series. I'm looking to it haveing done well in Japan because the animation has only gotten better and not worse. I think thats a good sign.

Other then that, whats 20th Century Boys about?

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 4:47 pm

Vancore wrote: Other then that, whats 20th Century Boys about?

It's even harder to describe in a few words than Monster.

The gist of it is... a bunch of young Japanese kids in the late 60's were friends and, you know, did all that kid stuff with building forts, pretending to be a secret society, and wrote silly stories about giant robots, the end of the world, and how they would save everyone.

Except when they grow up, it all comes true.

(or does it?)

It's every bit as mature and realistic as Monster, although the scale of it is way bigger - it takes in the whole lives of characters, from the time they were little kids in the mid-20th century to them being 60-year-olds in the future. The main villain figure, "Friend", makes Johann seem like small fry sometimes. The plot is honestly so twisted it makes my head hurt sometimes.

And the art style is exactly identical to Monster.

Recommended!

The manga is licensed now, but I don't know if it's out in English yet.

angelx03 · Post by **angelx03** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:51 pm

Vancore wrote:
There might be a good chance of that happening since I heard they might make it into a live-action movie (Can't remember what studio).

That'll be New Line Cinema. And hopefully this will get a better chance of getting the TV series licensed in the stateside.

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:53 pm

I'm not horribly optimistic about the prospect of a live-action movie (there's just no way they'd really do it 100% justice) - but hey, maybe if they get the athmosphere right and don't botch it - I'm sure the raised awareness will be of help.

I'll just wait. The plans are far too abstract as yet.

Paas]-[aas · Post by **Paas]-[aas** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 1:48 am

More anime like monster would be great...
I really hope they make 20th Century boys into anime. If its half as good as monster id still love it.

If only they would speed up the fansubbing... and internet services in South Africa while they are at it

I cant wait to see how the series will end. ( not sure weather I want it to end

)