Naoki Urasawa
Monster (2006-2008)
Author: Naoki Urasawa
Genre: Manga (Shonen)/Suspense (Hard-edged)
Plot Summary:
The story follows Dr. Kenzou Tenma. He is a Japanese neurosurgeon working at the Eisler Memorial Hospital in Germany. Tenma is gifted with great talent, and has everything going for him. He's got a beautiful fianc?, a promotion to the rank of head surgeon, and the favor of the director of the Hospital. But, seeing the politics involved in the medical field, Tenma goes through an immense agony over unfair discrimination as rich and powerful people are given treatment before more deserving patients with less money, and this bias is endangering innocent people's lives. One night, a young boy with a terrible gunshot wound to the head, and a prominent politician in need of immediate brain surgery are both brought in at the same time. Tenma disobeys direct orders and operates on the boy instead. The boy named Johan is saved and the politician dies, costing Tenma his relationship, his social standing and his reputation as a doctor. Not long after the successful surgery, the hospital is stricken with a series of murders and disappearances; which work to the direct advantage of Tenma and his career. The administrator, plus some other powerful doctors die suddenly, and Temna is given the post as head surgeon anyway. Facing scrutiny from the police who suspect him because of the obvious motives, Tenma escapes conviction due to lack of evidence. Nine years later, a criminal is found on the street, hit by a car. He comes under the care of Dr. Tenma, who observes him muttering about a "Monster". One evening Dr. Tenma finds the guard in front of the criminal's room dead, and the criminal himself gone. When he finds the man, Johan Liebert, the boy whose life Tenma had saved nine years ago, shoots the criminal, tells Tenma that he could never kill the man who had saved his life, and then walks off into the night while Tenma is still too shocked to stop him. After this incident, Tenma is again suspected by the police, particularly Inspector Lunge, and he tries to find more information about this 'Johan'. He soon discovers that Johan murdered his sister's foster parents. As the events progress, Tenma learns of the origins of this monster. SPOILER: Johan came from a secret orphanage called Kinderheim 511 which the former East Germany attempted to use in order to create the "perfect soldiers" through "psychological reprogramming". Dr. Tenma also learns about a eugenics experiment in Czech Republic and the scope of the cruelty and violence this "Monster" has committed, and he struggles to fix the mistake he made when he saved Johan's life. The ending is quite disappointing, wondering and confused in a sense. Still it is vague that who the real monster is. Although Johan was captured by Tenma and hospitalized, at the very last scene, the bed that Johan lay down remained empty.
Geographical Setting: : Dusseldorf and other cities in West Germany
Time Period: 1986-1998
Series: Naoki Urasawa's Monster Series, 1~18
Appeal Characteristics:
Urasawa Naoki makes complex multiple plot threads, delivering the story through multilayer storyline. He shifts focus to divert attention. Different storylines with different circumstance and set of characters are developing simultaneously. At every turn appears a new character, who adds their own experiences, opinion and insight to the ever-growing and ever complicating plot. Each storyline becomes meaningful as readers learn about the new characters and how multiple storylines affects one another. Every clue from the plot twists slowly demystifies the character and enigma of Johan. Author's elaborated plan adds tension and momentum to the story, along with well-developed characters. While Tenma is the main character of Monster, the story also focuses heavily on people surrounding his search for Johan, such as Inspector Lunge who is investigating Johan's various murders but pins them all on Tenma, Nina Fortner or Anna Liebert, Johan's twin sister, and a host of other characters, minor and major, whose lives have been shaped by the deeds of Johan. The villain and driving force of the story was Johan, the Monster who is perceptive, charismatic, and admired by those who wanted him to further their end. The world was a chaotic mess to him. He was once been taken down by his twin sister who, loving and hating him much, decided to appease his disquiet soul with a bullet. However, a kind and noble doctor Tenma, his antithesis, saved him in a surgery, and brought back the Monster in question. Dr. Tenma is the only one who might know who Johan is, and possibly stop him. He is such an amazing character that readers can't lose hope. In this way, the characterization of this manga couldn't be more detailed. This manga is well paced because of the interesting, intriguing storyline and well developed characters. The brutality and horror in each episode and complex plotlines are beautifully tied together and catch readers' attention in the suspense from the beginning to the end. The tone of this manga is inevitably dark and serious not only because its antagonists is caught in madness, continuously committing murder, and playing with people's lives, but also because it covers, as the theme, the close relationship between good and evil, how difficult it can be to see the line drawn between them, and how far someone can be pushed someone until he or she lose humanity. As mentioned above, Urasawa makes multilayer plotline, powerful atmosphere, deep pathos and sophisticated characterization. He creates layers of complexity while somehow making it appear simplistic, where the reader doesn't even notice the depth of the plot until they faces the reality in the end. One of the major enjoyments of the manga is the artwork which is used in elaborated setting and accurate description. From the detail of the outdoor and indoor settings to emotions of each character, Urasawa designs every scene with great effort in order to make readers deeply absorbed in the episode he delivers. For example, all of the hospital jargon seems quite authentic, and the setting of Germany, with its very specific police forces or BKA, character names, and locals, is so precise in detail that readers feel as if they are within that country.
Read-alikes:
For the Readers who enjoyed Monster and fans of detective thrillers, Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys is a manga definitely worth checking out. Like Monster Series, 20th Century Boys Series, written by the same author, Naoki Urasawa, features a fun but somewhat dark storyline and wonderful artwork. The storyline is jumping around time periods and it was a bit confusing at first. But as the story starts to progress, everything becomes clear.
The manga series goes back and forth from present time to 1969 and 1997 as readers are introduced to a group of friends as children and adults. It focuses on Kenji as he receives a letter from his childhood friend before he supposedly committed suicide. The letter from his friend asks if Kenji remembers a symbol. Kenji can't believe his friend would kill himself and in 1997, he tries to investigate more about the symbol while flashbacks in 1969 show Kenji and friends making their own club and using the symbol for their club. He realizes that something terrible is happening, something so terrible that humanity is nearly annihilated.
Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba is also recommended to manga fans and fans of mysteries. In addition, the storyline in this series is so dark that it would draw attention of horror/thriller fans, as Monster series does. Like Johan in Urasawa's Monster, the lead character of this series seems to have little care for those he kills and in fact finds some enjoyment in the unique ways he can bring about their death. This is a well-written, artistic manga indeed, and covers the deep themes of conflict between moral or immoral, or good or evil, which is similar to Monter series.
The story follows a genius teenager, Light, who is bored with his life and sick of the monotonous cycle. He finds a Shingami's (Death God's) notebook, or Death Note. The notebook has a dark power: when he writes down a person's name and have the image of them in his mind, they will die the way he imagines. He decides to change the world into a utopia by killing all of the world's most horrible criminals without any suspicion to him.
Kindaich Case Files by Kanari Yozaburo and Sato Fumiya is highly recommended to fans of manga, as well as fans of mysteries. Like Urasawa's Monster series, each Kindaichi story is a murder mystery, often serial murder, where the murders are carried out in a seemingly impossible way. Kindaichi puts the clues together and finds the link between the victims until he figures out who the murderer is. Then, he tricks the murderer into confession of his/her guilt.
Pet shop of Horrors by Matsuri Akino has the reputation as both one of the best josei (women's) manga and one of the best horror manga. Fans of Urasawa's Monster will enjoy this delightful tale of horror and fantasy intermingled together in such a way that attracts reader's attention. The episodes in this manga take usually dark and mysterious tone as Monster does, and the protagonist thinks that humans are much more beastly than the animals in his shop. The story is as exotic and characterized as the Chinatown that serves as its main setting. The art here is absolutely gorgeous. Most of the plots in the stories are very engaging, and sometimes the plot twists surprise readers.
MPD-Psycho by Eiji Otsuka and Sho-u Tajima is a fantastic series for fans of psychological horror and serial killers like Urasawa's Monster Sreies. It has an excellent story with very detailed drawings that truly show the brutality and madness in each scene. The intricate and consistently shocking plotlines keep readers in great suspense. Kazuhiko Amamiya is a cool-headed homicide detective who gets hired by a female criminologist, Machi Isono to work in a private research headquarters built within the confines of her apartment. Amamiya has multiple personality disorder which started several years ago after his girlfriend was raped and left limbless by a serial killer. Amamiya's third personality that emerged in retaliation is Shinji Nishizono, a cold blood killer who doesn't hesitate to murder anyone. In addition, he possesses within him a fourth personality named Kiyoshi Murata.
Red Flags: murder, bloody violence and torture
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